To: Tuscumbia, Alabama
16th Corp Commander
Sir, I write my report to inform you of the actions of the cavalry of the 16th Corp hence the last week. After leaving Corinth, Mississippi we rode at a non-forced pace towards Meridian when we received your dispatch to acquire 2,000 mules for General Straight's Jackass Brigade over into Alabama. After acquiring only 2 days rations we scouted the area of Meridian and found nothing save the poor wretched secesh eating something called a Slug Burger.
We rode into Alabama and headed towards a little crossroads town called Winfield, named after our beloved General Winfield Scott. After a few slow days due to the southern heat and blazing torturous sun, we looked around for forage and rest. We ran across a town festival and lo and behold there were feasts aplenty. The local townsfolks were not very receptive of our gallant troopers and began to ambush us as we crossed Luxilapilla Creek. There were not that many rebs guarding the bridge that we took easily, Forrest apparently was not far away and men from one of his divisions met us on the field opposite. We fought a good fight, as well as one can in this southern blast furnace, they call an Alabama Summer. We held for a few hours and were pushed back to the bridge and bivouacked for the night. Food was scarce as they had pulled every morsel for some sort of feasting ritual honoring their pagan gods.
The men in good spirits, I sent several skirmishers to secure us a secesh with a banjo and some women for an evening under the stars by the creek. The squad also secured a few ears of corn which they brought back 2 mules burdened with. Sir, 2 mules out of the 2,000 you need and we will be out here foraging for a year. Please ask in your correspondence to General Sherman to stop raiding everything we need before we can get it, and by all means stop burning what we can use later.
The next morning, which was a Sunday on the 29th, we scouted the enemy position and found a family picknicking away from the festivals. Finally food for us tired and hot men. I do believe the rebs shot on their own children in a barbaric act of desperation to get the subjects of this town in mean spirits against us.
Forrest's men found us but we were only hit by one brigade and we drove them away from our position near the bridge and found 3,400 mules and donkeys for our taking. I respect that rebel General in all of his tactics but I personally don't believe he was in command. The rebs were too easily pushed and began throwing food at us instead of bullets. To our hilarity many of the men threw the same food back at them shouting how much their southern women don't know how to cook and their men don't know how to grow decent food.
We left the fields and town, burning the bridge over Locksapopilla Creek so that if Forrest actually were around it would delay him from our rear.
I am sending this report in advance of our return with the best southern stock of beasts we could procure as well as supplies taken from a warehouse in Double Bridge. Our return to you should be in 5 days from this writing.
Respectfully, your humble servant,
Captain Bodenheimer
7th Kentucky Cavalry