Newspaper article from Memphis Argus 
 
FIGHT NEAR COLLIERVILLE. 
 
Train Fired Into---Bridges Burned, 
        and Telegraph Commu- 
                 nication cut. 
 
General Sherman Arrives, takes 
       Command, and Drives Su- 
           perior Numbers from 
               their Position. 
 
Pickets Driven In 
 
   For a day or two past, there has been a thousand 
and one rumors on the street regarding battles in- 
numerable, being in progress and having been fought 
along the line of the Memphis and Charleston 
Railroad. 
   Without paying attention to those idle rumors, 
we have obtained from an unquestionable source 
the following statement of facts, which as facts are 
perfectly reliable, and which we now lay before 
our readers.  
   On Saturday morning last, the morning train left 
this city at the usual hour for Corinth; it passed 
Germantown, Collierville and Lafayette; all was 
well. No enemy was seen. Telegraphic communi- 
cation was perfect. Some two hours after, a special 
train having on board some three hundred of the 
13th United States regulars, (the regiment which Gen. 
Sherman commanded in the old service) also General 
Sherman and staff, occupying the splendid car of 
General Webster,) left our depot for Corinth. It  
passed Germantown and nearly reached Collierville, 
when it was saluted by a volley of musetry and 
artillery. The cars were riddled by balls, and two 
cannon shots passed through the engine and tender.  
One of the shots broke the lever which reverses 
the locomotive, and the other smashed the water 
tank on the tender.  
   The train by this time had stopped near the Col- 
lierville station, and the men were ordered out, and 
formed in line of battle, and marched behind a slight 
breastwork of stockades, where they were soon  
joined by the forces of the post, the 66th Indiana, 
under Col. Anthony, whose pickets had previously 
been driven in. Soon the Confederates appeared, 
under Chalmers, and, it is said, consisted of one 
Arkansas regiment, two from Texas (being a part of  
Ben. McCullough's men) and three regiments from 
Mississippi, amounting in all to something over two 
thousand men. They tried by charges and strategy 
to drive the nine hundred men behind the stockade  
from their position, but they were firm in their fight- 
ing, and the General in command being an old sol- 
dier, applied his strategy, and after bearing the fire 
of cannon and musketry for five hours, succeeded in 
routing them, completely driving them far hence, and 
it is said, with much loss. During the progress of the  
fight, the train was fired, three little trestlework 
bridges were burned, or otherwise destroyed, and 
the telegraph wires were cut. 
   When the work of death was done, it was found that 
nine of the regulars were killed, twenty-seven 
wounded, and seven missing. It is said that Col. An- 
thony's loss was about the same.  
   The passenger train which had previously passed 
By, hearing of the fight. came back to Lafayette, but 
hearing that General Sherman andt rain had been  
gobbled and bridges burned, again went on.  
   At this present time of writing, telegraphic com- 
munication has been re-established, the bridges have 
all been repaired, and the train will this morning go 
out on time. General Webster, superintendent of the 
road, always has an eye to accidents, and in case one 
should occur, is able to remedy it in the shortest pos- 
sible time. It is rumored that General Sherman will 
give his personal attention to General Chalmers for 
a few days, and we need not be at all surprised if it 
resulted in his capture with his entire command.  
   As far as battles raging along the line of the road is 
concerned, we are assured that it is perfectly untrue, 
and that such rumors have been started solely to 
agitate and excite our people. 
 
	Memphis 
	Argus