Holly Springs-- Part 6: A Huge Confederate Success

On December 20, 1862, Van Dorn was just 14 miles awayfrom the Union supply depot at Holly Springs.  

When they attacked at 6 am, they hit the court house first, then the fairgrounds and by 8 am, had Holly Springs secure and started destroying supplies.  In seven hours,the Confederates had destroyed some $400,000 worth of Union assets.  Van Dorn estimated the destruction at $1.5 million.

In addition, 1500 Federal soldiers were captured and paroled.  According to Ed Bearss, Van Dorn's men became the best equipped Confederates in the South as a result.

The only casualty was a civilian.

North of Holly Springs there is Davis Mill.  Colonel William Morgan and 200 men of the Indiana regiment saved the trestle there.

Grant sent Grierson to go after Van Dorn.

--Old Secesh

Remembering the Civil War in the Land of Lincoln-- Part 1

From the April 13, 2011, Chicago Sun-Times by Lori Racki.

Illinois is famous for Lincoln, of course, but also noteworthy for other things in the war.

***  Only three states sent more troops to the war than Illinois:  New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.  Illinois sent 259,092 soldiers to war.  Illinois troops were instrumental in Union victories at Shiloh and Vicksburg.

***  Then, there was that clerk from Galena who stepped out from behind the counter and ended up in command of all US troops.  That would be one U.S. Grant.  A grateful Galena gave him and his wife a home to live in after the war.

***  Jacksonville was the hometown of Col. Benjamin Grierson whose raid through the Deep South in 1863 greatly helped Grant taking Vicksburg.  The town celebrates his life annually with its Gen. Grierson Days Festival.

More to Come.  --Old Secesh