A Yankee Sutler’s View of Van Dorn’s Holly Springs Raid

In the early morning hours of December 20, 1862, General Earl Van Dorn led 3,500 Confederate troopers in a successful raid upon the Federal supply depot at Holly Springs, Mississippi. Swooping in at dawn from three directions, the Confederates quickly subdued the 1,500-man garrison and torched $1.5 million of supplies, all destined to support General U.S. Grant’s overland drive on Vicksburg.

            A remarkable account of this raid was written by a sutler attached to an Illinois regiment at Holly Springs who describes the terror-filled opening moments of the Confederate attack, and his own subsequent capture. “As is usual with me, I arose early and went out into the street in front of the store and at once saw the dash of the Rebel cavalry as they entered the city yelling and shooting,” he wrote. “At once, I tried to regain the store but in vain. It was fastened on the inside and before I could gain an entrance, the word “Halt!” and a shot, the ball just missing me came together. I gave the signal for surrender and was at once rushed upon by two Texan Rangers with carbine and revolver to my breast, demanding my watch, revolver, and cap. One of them threw down his old lousy, greasy, slouched Secesh hat and made me pick it up and put it on.”

            The sutler’s letter first saw publication in the January 7, 1863, edition of the Daily Pantagraph published in Bloomington, Illinois.

 

Holly Springs, Mississippi as sketched in 1862. 

            No doubt ere this you have been made acquainted with the disasters at this place which, God knows, are bad enough. I am thankful to say, however, that I am alive and well, though taken prisoner on Saturday last.

            As is usual with me, I arose early and went out into the street in front of the store and at once saw the dash of the Rebel cavalry as they entered the city yelling and shooting. At once, I tried to regain the store but in vain. It was fastened on the inside and before I could gain an entrance, the word “Halt!” and a shot, the ball just missing me came together. I gave the signal for surrender and was at once rushed upon by two Texan Rangers with carbine and revolver to my breast, demanding my watch, revolver, and cap. One of them threw down his old lousy, greasy, slouched Secesh hat and made me pick it up and put it on.

            The order was then given to fall in. By that time, quite a squad of prisoners had been collected. The order was given to ‘forward, double quick” and they put us through at that rate about two miles to the east side of the railroad when we were halted. In passing along the street, it was yet early but the doors and windows of the residences were rapidly opened and such sweet words greeted our words from the ladies who said, “shoot the sons of bitches, shoot the damned Yankees!” One noble-hearted lady came out and said, “Captain, for God’s sake treat these men well, they have been kind to the citizens.”

            As we were hurried along, I became quite exhausted and said to the officer, “I can’t run any longer.” The brutal reply was “you must run you old son of a bitch or I will shoot you down as I would a dog.” With that one exception, I was treated very kindly. I saw and talked with General Earl Van Dorn who treated me with kindness. The most of Van Dorn’s forces treated our officers and men with respect.

General Earl Van Dorn

            “The writer then goes on to say everything was completely destroyed,” the Pantagraph reported. “Officers, soldiers, citizens, and Negroes all participated in the general destruction in which governmental and sutler’s stores and cotton suffered alike. A large number of business houses were burnt to the ground. Individuals, among them the writer, were stripped of clothes, money, and everything they possessed and were kept all day without a mouthful to eat. At sunset, the Rebels bid their prisoners farewell and skedaddled. The writer, with Mr. Bronson of this place, had a sutler’s store of which he says…”

            At the time I was taken, Mr. Bronson was not up. He stuck to the store like a hero but was finally compelled to flee and hide which he did successfully. All our books and accounts with the regiment were destroyed and the store rifled of everything. After I found Bronson was safe, I started for something to eat and fortunately fell in with a companion E.A. Mason who took me in and comforted me. They treated me with every kindness; the family had seen better days, but the ravages of wat had reduced them almost to poverty.

            Yesterday was a grand hunt for sutler’s goods and many were found within respectable citizens’ houses. We found a few things, but not many. When we asked how they got them, they said, “Oh, our Negroes brought them, we know nothing of it.” Our forces are returning and General Grant arrived here in Holly Springs today.

Source:

“The Rebel Raid at Holly Springs,” Daily Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois), January 7, 1863, pg. 1

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