Re: Captain W. G. Middleton, 18th. Battn. MS Cav
"When Gen. A. J. Smith advanced from LaGrange, Tenn., in July, 1864, Rucker's Brigade was in action near Pontotoc, skirmishing on the 12th, and on the 13th they attacked the guard of the Federal wagon train, moving from Pontotoc to Tupelo, at Bartram's shop. Smith turned at Harrisburg to face his pursuers, and took a strong position on a ridge across the road, where the Confederate troops, under Generals S. D. Lee, Forrest and Chalmers, attacked on the 14th. After the battle was begun, Rucker's Brigade advanced on the right, General Chalmers accompanying them. They moved for a long distance under fire of artillery and musketry, over plowed ground and through a cornfield, many of the men fainting in the excessive heat. "Colonel Rucker, with his little brigade, behaved with as much gallantry as men could under similar circumstances," said Chalmers, "as the heavy list of killed and wounded will prove, yet they were unable to accomplish anything." After dark, when the town was burning, General Forrest, with Rucker's Brigade, mounted, moved on the enemy's left and approached very near to his camp, eliciting the heaviest fire of small arms in the whole battle. When Smith retreated Chalmers pursued with skirmishing for two days, but was repulsed with heavy loss at each attack. The loss of Chalmers' Division was 57 killed.. 255 wounded. Among the killed was Captain Middleton of the Eighteenth. Casualties of battalion, 11 killed, 62 wounded."
Source:
http://mississippiscv.org/MS_Units/18th_Bn_MS_CAV.htm