The right wing, or other half of the regiment, was to be held in reserve for my support if necessary.

I moved rapidly in the designated direction till I reached the railroad, and then rode down it for a mile and a half, but found neither bridge nor culvert.

I then learned that there was no bridge of any importance except the one at Baldwin, nine miles farther down, but as I was aware, from information recently received, that it was defended by three regiments and a battery, I concluded that I could best accomplish the purpose for which I had been detached--crippling the road--by tearing up the track, bending the rails, and burning the cross-ties.

This was begun with alacrity at four different points, officers and men vieing with one another in the laborious work of destruction.

We had but few tools, and as the difficulties to overcome were serious, our progress was slow, until some genius conceived the idea that the track, rails and ties, might be lifted from its bed bodily, turned over, and subjected to a high heat; a convenient supply of dry fence-rails would furnish ample fuel to render the rails useless.
In this way a good deal of the track was effectively broken up, and communication by rail from Corinth to the south entirely cut off.
While we were still busy in wrecking the road, a dash was made at my right and rear by a squadron of Confederate cavalry.