29, Confederate General Orders No. 4 relating to political loyalty in East Tennessee
GEN. ORDERS, No. 4. HDQRS., Knoxville, November 29, 1861.
The Government of the Confederate States has not nor will it interfere with individuals on account of their political opinions. The President of the Confederate States issued a proclamation, stating that all those who did not fully recognize their allegiance to the Government should dispose of or remove from its limits, with their effects, before October, 1861. Those persons who remained tacitly recognized the Government and are amenable to the laws.
The commanding general at this post will endeavor to fully carry out the policy of the Government. While he will afford ample protection to all citizens who peaceably pursue their ordinary occupations, he will order the arrest of all who may take up arms against the Government or who in any manner may aid or abet its enemies or incite rebellion, in order that they may be tried by military law.
By order of Brig. Gen. W. H. Carroll, commanding post:
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 7, pp. 720-721.
29, Newspaper Report on Confederate Military in East Tennessee and Courts in East Tennessee; Occupation of Elizabethton
From East Tennessee.
From the Register we learn that a cavalry company, commanded by Capt. Gorham, has arrived in Knoxville. It was recruited in Cocke county.
Robert Marvin, Esp., a well known and highly esteemed citizen of Knoxville, died at Nashville on the 23d. His remains were taken to the former city for interment. The next term of the Confederate States district court will commence at Nashville on the 3d Monday of December.
The Register, of the 27th says: "We learn that Hon. Wm. G. Swan recently elected to the Confederate Congress from this district, starts for Richmond to-day. Although not a member of the Provisions Congress, Judge Swan feels that something should be done to bring safety and repose to the distraction section of our State, now unprecedented at Richmond, and his mission is probably to use what influence he has with the "powers that be," for he accomplishment of that desirable end?"
The Carter Outbreak,-the Jonesboro' Union, of the 25th says:
["] The expedition which entered Carter county on Saturday [23rd] last, under Maj. Ledbeter, of Stoval's Georgia regiment, on marching to Doe River Cove found no enemy, the insurgents having disbanded. They had camped at that point several days, and their wooden tents were still standing. They were burned, a pen of corn taken possession of, and a few other eatables, when they returned to the line of the insurgents, Capt. McCellan's cavalry company being determined to take possession of and occupy Elizabethton, the county seat. This he performed without opposition, and he is at that point. A few prisoners have been taken and sent to Knoxville on various charges.["]
The same paper has information that an insurrection has broken out in the north part of Washington county. No particulars given.
Referring to the repairs on the burnt bridges, the Union says:
["]The Lick creek bridge is so far repaired that it can be crossed by the cars to-morrow or Monday. The repairs have been made of a temporary trestle-work which will Answer every purpose. The upper Holston bridge is in progress of repair, but will not be ready for five or six weeks, we presume.["]
Memphis Daily Appeal, November 29, 1861. [1]
29, "MATRIMONY AND THE WAR"
Marriage seems to be one of the few local institutions and everyday practices of ordinary times which the war has not so seriously affected as one might have been led to anticipate in estimating the costs of the conflict when it began. On the contrary, this very healthful and necessary social habit has been prompted visibly by the stirring events and scenes around about us. The ladies, (heaven bless them!) who are proverbially fond of soldiers are doubtless influenced to these connubial proclivities by the substantial consideration that this trade of war is an uncertain and varying business, and may knock so many poor fellows on the head before it is done with, that the pluerality [sic] will be left with their own sex for ever after; and the men (jolly blades!) go upon the principle of "living whilst we live," with an attendant natural desire of leaving a widow to mourn an untimely or heroic fate. Thus, the papers are fuller of "hymenial [sic]" notices than they were in times of peace.
Love, too, is decidedly cultivated to a greater degree now than under the jog-trot system of quiet and order. Soldiers are as proverbial for their capacity in this direction as the ladies themselves. It is with them a matter of course-as sure it ought to be-and to one and all they are at liberty to swear allegiance.
"Madam, I do as bound in duty
Honor the shadow of your shoe-tie." [?]
A falling by the way, which include the "foot" itself, and "ankle too," modestly omitted by the poet. We said the other day that the flag and the petticoat are twin sisters; and all the songs on the same subject assure us that "love is the soul of a slashing dragoon," as well as of every other branch of the service, each following that orthodox principle that-
"When far from the lips we love
We have but to make love the lips that are near."
But, after all, practically carrying out the advice of Old Rowley in the end
"Go take a wife unto thine arms, and see
Winter and browning hills
Shall have a charm to thee!" -
Chattanooga Daily Rebel, November 29, 1862
29, "I think our mission down there is to enforce the conscript law and arrest all the straglers [sic];" F. J. Paine at Camp on the Hiawassee, to his sister, Mary, in Washington, Tennessee
Miss Mary L. Paine
Washington, Tennessee
Camp on Hiawassee, Nov. 29th 1862
Dear Sister,
I drop you a line this morning as I have an opportunity of sending by hand. We are moving on in the direction of Chattanooga slowly. We only go ten or twelve miles a day and getting our hoses shot up and recrusted [sic]. I think our mission down there is to enforce the conscript law and arrest all the straglers [sic] who belong to the army and send them up to their command. I am in good health and getting along very well. The Capt. is now at home and has been for a few days. If he had been there this morning I could have got off to come home a few days on business but as the Capt. Is not here, I have to send Lt. Collins [sic]. We have arrangements to take a few men with our company and that is what I have sent Collins back for. I want to get enough to raise the Co. to 100. I have no news. We get no war news in this part of the world. I had quite a pleasant time while we were at Camp Davis. We stayed there 7 days and I saw my sweetheart several times while there. I learn that the 26th has gone down the road. I have not heard from Hab since I was at home. You must all do the best you can. I do not know when I will be at home, but will come the first opportunity. Write me when you get this and leave it at Aults [sic] and tell him to send it by the first one that is passing. My love to all and tell Buck to be a good boy and get along the best he can with the work. I will write again the first opportunity.
Your Brother,
F. J. Paine
Paine Correspondence.[2]
29, A Wisconsin soldier's assessment of Nashville
November 29, '62
Camp 7 miles below Nashville Nov. 29, '62
Dear father & mother,
Since I last wrote to you, we have moved our camp across the Cumberland River, marched through Nashville, & on for 7 miles into the interior where we have encamped in the woods. But I anticipate, I should have related our doings near Nashville, before telling of our removal. It was thought at first that we should remain some time in camp, on the river so that the brigade was set to work felling trees for firewood, clearing away the brush & sweeping the streets between the tents so that our camp presented quite a neat appearance. Our reg [sic] every fourth day was sent out on picket duty, which was very light duty that side of the river, as we were in no imminent danger of being attacked by the rebels. Another day there were twelve detailed from every company for "fatigue duty" which consisted in coming over to the city & spending the day in working on the entrenchments. I was one of the twelve detailed from out company. Our party was divided into two companies, who work every alternate hour & rest the rest of the time. Taking advantage of the time I was off duty, I went up town [sic] to "see what I could see." I visited the state house. It is now occupied by the Governor[']s Guard. Soldiers in crowds were to be seen throughout the whole building. There is a flight of stone steps on each side & end of the building. The whole building is strongly fortified. It is placed on a high hill. The outworks were built partly of square blocks of stone & partly of earth; these are defended by 4 brass 6 pounders. Within these outworks were heavy palisades, with small port holes for musketry. Between the building & the palisades were mounted six heavy siege guns, while in the porches between the pillars were piled cotton bales for infantry to screen themselves behind; but to a description of the interior. The first story is divided into a number of rooms, viz.,: the Governor[']s private room, the Archives, Treasury, Weights & Measures, Clerk of the Court of Appeals, & etc. The banisters of the stair cases leading to the second story are made of Tennessee marble, which has the color & appearance of polished Castile soap. The second story was divided into the Library rooms, Senate Chamber, & Hall of Representatives. I entered the first the Hall of Representatives. The Hall now presents altogether a different aspect, from what it did when Congress made use of it. The aisles and seats are occupied by soldiers, smoking or playing cards. Back of the speakers chair is a wall of polished marble surmounted by an eagle holding the talons the U. S. Shield. The Senate Chamber [sic] is not so much occupied by soldiers. The galleries are supported by pillars of polished marble, but the style of the Senate chamber, was a good deal simpler in construction than the Hall of Representatives [sic]. The cupola of the building commands an extensive view of the surrounding country. Nashville must once have been quite a business place, but at present most of the shops & etc. are closed. The handsome suspension bridge that once crossed the river is entirely destroyed by the rebels. Two days after our brigade marched to our present camp. We are now so near the rebel lines, that when we go out on Picket [sic], no matter how cold the night is we are not allowed no [sic] fire. I received the portfolio & gloves & thank you very much for them. The gloves are just what I needed….The soldiers here all voted. The majority of our Co. voted the Republican ticket, but the Reg[iment]. principally voted the Democratic. They are tired of this weary long marching and have mostly [sic] the idea that by voting democratic, something or other will be brought around to enable them to return home. This induced numbers of Republicans to vote [the] Democratic ticket. Some of the Reg[iment]. like the late emancipation proclamation, but the majority are opposed to it….You ask me how I like soldiering? I would ask for nothing better than to have the war ended an my self [sic] on the way home, free to go where I have a mind to, sleep all night, no picketing to do or guard duty & no more marching. I have found soldiering not such a "gay and easy life" as represented to be. I have however [sic] learned the drill thoroughly, so that I could easily drill a company. As to understanding the "art of war in its more comprehensive principles," I begin to do so, to some extent. We some times [sic] have political [sic] discussions amongst us, but our favorite theme is the length of time it will be before we go home….
Your affectionate son,
A Silsby
Silsby Correspondence, letter of November 29, 1862.
29, General Braxton Bragg pardons Army of Tennessee soldiers "absent without authority"
Headquarters, Army of Tennessee,
Murfreesboro', Nov. 29, 1862
General Orders No. 4.[3]
Gratified beyond expression at the confident tone and fine discipline which pervades his troops, and full admiration of the fortitude and patient submission to privations, united with their gallant and heroism in the recent arduous and brilliant campaign, by which so much valuable territory has been redeemed, and so many true and loyal people liberated, the General Commanding is induced to publish a full pardon to all soldiers absent without authority who shall, within a reasonable time, return to their commands and report for duty.
They are urged at once to avail themselves of this privilege before the inauguration of the new system of Military courts established by law, as a vigorous and prompt administration of justice will be meted to all delinquents. Thereafter no excuses will be allowed those who abandon their colors and leave their comrades to perform their duties, and to defend their homes.
Commissioned officer guilty of such offenses are excluded from the benefits of this amnesty and will not be excused. They are held unworthy to command gallant men and to merit exemplary punishments.
Vigorous measures have been adopted to arrest all who fail to respond to this last and generous appeal, and they must expect full justice, tempered only with the mercy they have failed to sow either to their command or their cause.
By command of General Bragg
Knoxville Daily Register, December 16, 1862.
29-December 1, Reconnaissance from Stewart's Ferry, Stones River, to Baird's Mills, and skirmishes en route[4]
NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 1, 1862.-Reconnaissance from Stewart's Ferry, Stone's River, to Baird's Mills, and skirmishes en route.
REPORTS.
No. 1.-Brig. Gen. James D. Morgan, U. S. Army.
No. 2.-Col. Silas C. Toler, Sixtieth Illinois Infantry.
No. 1.
Reports of Brig. Gen. James D. Morgan, U. S. Army.
HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., SEVENTH DIV., 14TH ARMY CORPS, Stone's River, Tenn., December 2, 1862.
PT[5]:.: The two regiments from my command ordered forward Saturday returned last evening. They went to Baird's Mills, about 17 miles to the front; had some skirmishing with the enemy's pickets, but met with no large force. Twelve prisoners were taken, 5 horses and 1 mule, 5 revolvers, 2 double-barreled shot-guns, 1 rifle, buggy, and harness. The prisoners were sent to Nashville this morning.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES D. MORGAN, Brig.-Gen., Cmdg.
HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., FIRST DIV., ARMY OF THE MISS., Stone's River, Tenn., November 30, 1862.
MAJ.: In compliance with instructions from the general commanding Fourteenth Army Corps, two regiments from my brigade, the Sixtieth Illinois and Tenth Michigan, Col. Toler, of the Sixtieth Illinois, commanding, left camp at 2 o'clock p. m., on the new pike, with orders to proceed to Baird's Mills and Rural Hill, and examine the roads and country, and if they met the enemy, to whip them.
At 4 p. m. three regiments of cavalry, under the command of Col. Milliken, passed through my lines on the Lebanon road. I advised the colonel to send a battalion of his command out on the Statesville road, and by so doing the whole of the country to the left of the left of the Murfreesborough pike would be covered. The colonel's instructions prevented his doing so. I inclose a rough draft of the roads named.
A scouting party of 25 mounted infantry, under the command of Capt. Powell, was sent out on the Statesville road yesterday. They met party of guerrillas about 7 miles out, drove in their advance, taking 2 rifles and 1 horse. The main body was found strongly posted on the opposite side of a creek, and in number three or four to one. The captain through it advisable not to attack them, his command being poorly armed. The work on the bridges progressing slowly; will be ready in a few days for planking.
Very respectfully,
JAMES D. MORGAN, Brig.-Gen., Cmdg.
No. 2.
Report of Col. Silas C. Toler, Sixtieth Illinois Infantry.
HDQRS. SIXTIETH REGT. ILLINOIS VOL. INFANTRY, Camp on Stone's River, December 2, 1862.
LIEUTENANT: In accordance with orders of November 29, we moved on Central or Rock River pike, and bivouacked for the night at Widow Hays' spring, 5 miles from Rock River. At daylight next morning marched on the same road to Gallatin and La Vergne road; changed direction to the right on that road to Chicken road or old Central pike, on which we moved to Baird's Mills, reaching there about 1.30 p. m., and bivouacked for the night. The Central pike is macadamized, but very rough country, broken and hilly, but no serious obstructions which would serve to impede to delay the march of any considerable number of troops. The Gallatin and La Vergne road is narrow and rough, and crossed frequently by neighborhood roads. We struck the Chicken road about 1 mile east of Rural Hill and 8 miles from Baird's Mills, and changed direction to the left on Chicken road, passing through Gladesville, 3 miles on. The Statesville road strikes off to the right from the Chicken road 3 miles from Baird's Mills. The Chicken road is a good dirt road, with but few neighborhood crossings.
Small squads of rebel cavalry are continually crossing through the country between Rural Hill and Baird's Mills. At Baird's Mills we were joined by Col. Milliken's command of cavalry. We were menaced by small squads of rebel cavalry at different points, and at Baird's Mills they appeared in some considerable force on the Murfreesborough and Lebanon pike. After a sharp skirmish, they retired in the direction of Murfreesborough. They were Morgan's men. He is encamped at Black's Shop, 9 miles from Baird's Mills, toward Murfreesborough. His force is said to be 3,000 men, mostly mounted, and three pieces of artillery. We captured some of the enemy's pickets. We captured 12 prisoners, 1 mule, 5 horses, 1 buggy, 4 saddles and bridles, 3 double and 1 single barrel shot-guns, 1 Yager [sic] rifle[6], and 5 revolvers.
We left Baird's Mills at 7 o'clock a. m. of December 1, and returned to camp, passing over the same route we went out. Nothing of interest occurred on our way back. Officers and men under my command behaved well, and deserve credit for good discipline and order during the march.
Very respectfully,
S. C. TOLER, Col., Cmdg. Expedition.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 20, pt. I, pp. 27-28.
29, Assault on Fort Loudon
No circumstantial reports filed.
Excerpt from the January 15, 1864, Report of Colonel E. Porter Alexander, C. S. Army, Chief of Artillery, on operations of the artillery of General Longstreet's corps in the Knoxville Campaign, relative to the assault on Fort Loudon, November 27, 1863.
* * * *
On the 18th....it was decided to assault Fort Loudon, the ground being very favorable for an approach on its southwest bastion, and the ditch in front of it being of small dimensions, as was seen by the enemy's soldiers frequently passing in and out of this bastion by crossing the parapet and ditch with great apparent ease.
This assault was determined on the 23d, and a ferry prepared, troops and guns crossed, and everything in readiness for the 25th. Owing to the approach of a re-enforcement of two brigades, under Brig. Gen. Bushrod R. Johnson, whose assistance would be most valuable in the assault, the attack was postponed to the 26th to allow it to come up.
On the evening of the 25th, Brig.-Gen. Leadbetter, chief engineer Army of Tennessee, arrived at headquarters, and favoring an attack upon another quarter of the town, it was postponed another day to allow a reconnaissance. This developing no such favorable ground, the attack on Fort Loudon was again ordered for the 27th. It was intended that the attack should be preceded and covered by a heavy bombardment of the fort by every one of our thirty guns, some of them being arranged also to fire as mortars.
The 27th was such a rainy and foggy day that the artillery could not be used, and there being little prospect of the weather improving soon, the attack was ordered by the infantry at daylight on the 29th, the artillery being ordered to open just before day on the fort as a signal, and to fire on it for a few minutes, and then over the enemy's approaches to it as long as the fort resisted. The attack was accordingly made in this manner, the artillery fire being directed by the flashes of the enemy's guns in the darkness until the flashes of our own muskets were seen under the parapet, and after that a slow random fire was kept up to the rear of the fort until daylight. This showed our men retreating, unsuccessful in the assault, and our fire was again turned on the fort to keep down its fire upon the retreat, which was fully accomplished.
* * * *
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 31, pt. I, pp. 478-479.
29, Assault on Fort Sanders
Report of Lieut. Samuel N. Benjamin, Second U. S. Artillery, Chief of Artillery.
WEST POINT, December 20, [1863].[7]
Maj.-Gen. BURNSIDE, U. S. Army:
DEAR GEN.: Inclosed you will find an account of the siege of Fort Sanders, giving the plan of the defense and a description of the assault. It is miserably written, but I had to hurry it, as I am very busy, and could hardly get time to write at all; so please excuse mistakes and all deficiencies. The whole affair lasted full three-quarters of an hour, and the actual fight at the ditch and on the parapet over twenty minutes. During the flag of truce I talked with many officers, among them Lieut.-Col. Alexander, chief of artillery on Gen. Longstreet's staff, who spoke highly of our maneuvering at the battle of Campbell's Station.
I claim credit mainly for building up the work, getting it properly garrisoned, and, above all, for drawing the attack on the northwest salient. If the assault had been made anywhere else it would have succeeded. During the assault I handled the troops, giving all orders and seeing to their execution.
The greatest credit is of course due to the men, who fought splendidly. I saw one man use an ax.
I put my pistol within 6 Inches of a rebel's face and pulled trigger three times. They were on the exterior crest of the parapet all the time.
Wishing you success and happiness, and hoping that you may have a command soon,
I remain, very respectfully, your friend,
SAMUEL, N. BENJAMIN, Capt., Second Artillery.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 31, pt. I, pp. 341-342.
Excerpt from Captain Benjamin's report, relative to the assault on Fort Sanders.
On the morning of November 17, 1863....I assumed command by your order, and planned the defense.
* * * *
On the 25th, a battery was discovered on the other bank on the Holston, 150 feet above us (six guns), commanding and having a view of all in the fort. They also had on west front an embrasure battery of six 12-pounders and one 20-pounder Parrott; on north front embrasure battery of two 20-pounder Parrotts, same two 3-inch guns, two other two-gun batteries, caliber unknown (probably 3-inch). These varied from 700 to 1,500 yards in distance from us-the one across the river 2,500 yards. Every man in the fort had his place assigned him, and ate and slept at his place, so, on an alarm, they only rose and crouched by the parapet. At night 1 man in 4 was awake, 2 officers and 2 non-commissioned officers, besides the regular guard on picket. On an alarm, each man then up woke the three sleeping near him; thus the garrison was at once ready for an attack. I made an embrasure in such manner that, by taking out a few shovels of earth, I could train a gun on the northwest bastion, sweeping its ditch and parapet. The parapet there was strengthened. The whole fort was well fitted with traverses to protect our men, as the enemy had a reverse and enfilading fire on each front. In front of the northwest bastion I made an abatis, concealed from the enemy by a small rise of ground, and inside of the abatis a little entanglement of telegraph wire. We worked night and day, but still at many places we went out and in the fort over the parapet and through the shallow ditch. The work was now known as Fort Sanders, and was very weak, and should have fallen by the ordinary chances of warfare; but the garrison were picked men. We had many alarms and exchanged shots from time to time with the enemy.
About 10 p. m., November 28, the enemy captured most of the outer line of pickets, and drove the others into the fort. Skirmishing and firing continued for two hours; at the end of which time we had not a picket 20 yards out from the fort, and the enemy had secured the crest of the ridge which the work was on, beneath which they could mass troops night or day, within 80 yards of the work, without our knowledge. In spite of the opposite opinion held by most, I prepared for an attack at daybreak.
On the 29th, I rose early, roused and warned all the men, and had every one posted, watching for the attack. A little after 6.30 a. m. the enemy opened furiously on the fort, with over twenty guns, and also swept the parapets and rained through the embrasures a heavy fire of musketry from the crest of the ridge 80 to 100 yards off. I went about the fort enforcing strict silence, and seeing that the men were kept close against the parapet, ready to rise and fire. So well had I protected the fort with traverses, and also owing to the fog making it quite dusky, no one was hurt by this fire except one cannoneer. In about twenty minutes the cannonade slackened somewhat, and the musketry fire was directed on the northwest bastion; at the same time a heavy column charged on a run from under the ridge upon the salient of bastion (five regiments formed the column-as near as I could judge, "Column by division closed in mass"). The guns were triple-shotted with canister, but only one got a shot at them, as they came up through the sector without fire. They burst through the abatis, and although great numbers fell flat in this entanglement, the weight of the column carried them promptly over it. They lost many at the entanglement, and in less than two minutes from their appearance, they were in the ditch, attempting to scale the parapet. As they endeavored to surround the fort, the two guns in the bastion poured triple rounds of canister in their faces (not 10 yards from them), and I soon had the flank gun firing through the ditch and across the salient. They climbed the parapet continually, but only to be shot as they gained the top, the men being ordered to fire at none except those on the parapet. I also threw shells with my own hand in the ditch, to explode among them. After a while they began to fall back, but another column coming up, the assault was pushed more savagely than ever, and three of their flags were planted in our parapet. At length they again fell back in great confusion to the ridge from which they charged, leaving the ground strewn with dead and dying and three colors in our possession.
We took over 250 prisoners unhurt, 17 of them commissioned officers (we were not 250 strong in the fort); over 200 dead and wounded lay in the ditch, among them 3 colonels. One-half in the ditch were dead; most of the others were mortally wounded. We also got over 1,000 stand of arms. The prisoners in the ditch represented eleven regiments, and estimated their regiments their regiments at about 400 strong, each.
From what I learned from their officers and from what I saw, I gathered the following plan of assault: Two brigades to watch and fire on our lines, one brigade to assault, and two more to support it. Two brigades came up to the ditch. The party actually engaged in the assault numbered about 4,000 men, not including reserves. Of these they lost from 1,300 to 1,500 killed, wounded, and prisoners; a very large proportion killed, and a large number mortally wounded.
In the fort we lost 13 men, 8 killed and 5 wounded.
Gen. Ferrero was in the little bomb-proof, and I did not see him outside, nor know of his giving an order during the fight. The capture of the fort was to have been at once followed by a general assault on the town, their whole army being in readiness.
SAMUEL N. BENJAMIN, Lieut., Second U. S. Artillery.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 31, pt. I, pp. 342-344.
Report of Col. John F. Hartranft, Fifty-first Pennsylvania Infantry, commanding division, of assault on Fort Sanders November 29.
HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION NINTH ARMY CORPS, Knoxville, Tenn., November 29, 1863.
I have the honor to report that about 11 p. m. on the 28th instant the skirmishers stationed on the left of the line and on the left of the Second Creek fell back as the skirmishers of the First Division were driven in. The remainder of my line of skirmishers were not disturbed until about 5 a. m., when they fell back. I immediately sent out the Fifty-first Regt. [sic] Pennsylvania Volunteers and the Thirty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, under command of Lieut. Col. E. Schall, who drove the enemy back and re-established the line on the right of the Second Creek, the left flank resting on the creek, on the south side of the railroad. The enemy left 10 dead on the line. Our loss was as follows: Killed, 3; wounded, 7; missing, 20. Of the missing 18 are from the Second Regt. [sic] Maryland Volunteers.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. F. HARTRANFT, Col., Cmdg. Division.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 52, pt. I, p. 91.
29, Federal army descends on Cleveland
….The Yanks came in town this evening about 3 o'clock. Gen. Sherman's Co. camped all around us tonight, robbing us of our corn, potatoes, and taking all our chickens. Left only two. A brigade surgeon, Dr. Abbot, too tea and stayed all night. A very cold night and we have very little wood. The soldiers are in Uncle Ned's house and in the kitchen stealing and taking everything they can get. Took Aunt's quilt off her bed….The Yanks took George's and our two best mules, but let George's loose. We sit in the house with bowed-down heads while the victorious army passes along with raving banners, and offer up a silent prayer for our country while we hear nothing but the exultant shouts of our enemy. They came in town playing "Yankee Doodle." We go to bed with sad hearts but still hoping God has better days for us [sic].
Diary of Myra Adelaide Inman.
29, "Marauders."
We very frequently hear of the depredations of marauders throughout the country, some of which we have recorded. Yesterday morning we were informed of another gang who have been preying upon a number of farmers in the neighborhood of the Dickerson Pike. From various sources we glen the facts that on Friday morning, about three o'clock, three men, dressed in Federal cavalry uniform, with sabres and pistols, dismounted from their horses, and entered the house of Mr. G. W. Campbell, robbing him of his pocket book and money. About 8 o'clock the same party, as is supposed, entered the house of Mr. H. H. Naive, who reside about one mile from the Dickerson Pike, near the Centre Church, and after taking breakfast, stole Mr. Naive's watch and departed. They then returned to Mr. Campbell's and demanded his money, presenting their pistols; being in formed that they got all his money on their former visit, they struck Mr. Campbell on the head with their pistols and departed. They next visited the residence of Squire Shivers, but seeing his two burly sons step out on the porch, they thought discretion a virtue, and continued their journey to the residence of Mr. George Cunningham, but failed to obtain any money. The scoundrels from hence went to Mr. Booth's, where Mr. M. Cauley happened to be at the time. After robbing both these gentlemen, they went to the house of Mr. Enoch Hitt, where they searched and plundered the drawers, and stole Mr. Hitts gun. The house of Mr. Enoch Cunningham, on the Dickerson Pike, was next visited; he was absent from home, and the villains did not effect an entrance. Going on in the direction of Goodletsville, the stopped at the house of Mr. Cartwright; whether they robbed it or not, we are not informed. Young Booth having learned that some cavalry had been sent Gallatin to Goodletsville, he went to the latter place to inform the commanding officer of what was going on, but on his return to the neighborhood the rascals had departed for parts unknown. It is a pity measures cannot be adopted to put a stop to such iniquitous proceedings, and being the guilty parties to justice. We hope an effort will be made at least.
Nashville Dispatch, November 29, 1863.
29, The scene after the battle at Missionary Ridge; an excerpt from the letter of Bliss Morse to his mother
I am released from guard duty this morning for the day. So I took a stroll [sic] to Missionary Ridge – where our Reg[iment]. made a charge – followed it along where the battle raged hardest. The ground was strewn with shreds of clothing, parts of pants cut off of wounded me to dress them, cartridge boxes &c. All the dead were buried but one of our men coming along the side of the Ridge came across three rebel men and a woman, accompanied by one of our boys, digging a grave beside another, made not long since. I saw men wounded in every form – shot through all parts of [the] body. The rebels had shanties or rived staves. I went into many of them – found they had rice, beans and meal for a living. Braggs [sic] quarters were on this ridge….The rebels could look off this ridge and see all maneuvers in our camp. Along the line of the R. R. is to be seen smoke of burning buildings. This evening our Reg[iment]. Has come it, and I go with a detail to get wood to warm their tents. They feel jolly over their exploits….
Diaries of Bliss Morse
29, "I have lived a life time since last Monday morning." Observations on the battle of Chattanooga by Captain Gershom M. Barber
Head Quarters O.V.S.S
Chattanooga Nov 29, 1863
My Dear Wife
Sunday has come again and although it is but two days since I wrote you yet I have with pleasure the time when I can according to promise, write to you. The week passed has been an eventful one fraught with interests to this nation and the world most unparalleled. You know I doubt not [I] know by means of telegraph know more about it them I do and are you recon that much more will have been accomplished of these battles fought and victory won or lost. I have lived a life time since last Monday morning. I seen what few men ever see and what my not occur again in centuries. I telegraphed you of my own safety and that my command was not engaged. Of course we claim no greater show in the glory [sic] then that of spectators. Not idle nor disinterested we were under arms and held the honorable position of guard for the commanding general and for last hope in case of disaster. Fortunately no disaster occurred to mare the splendor of victory. Bragg is completely routed. Already we have registered six thousand prisoners besides eighteen hundred more captured by Hazen on Lookout and still they come. After his defeat and rout at missionary ridge Bragg fell back in the direction of Dalton and Atlanta in hopes of meeting Longstreet and reenacting the scenes of Chickamauga but [sic] Sherman was close on his rear and Hooker on his flank and our Cavalry got ahead of him and burned the bridges cut telegraph lines tore up the rail road and got poor Mr. Bragg in a tight place when they have fought and whipped him again and taken all the artillery he succeeded in getting out of the first battle. In the mean Mr. Longstreet and Mr. Buckner were apparently having being licked [sic] by Burnsides and to encourage poor Bragg, sent a courier to him with the information that they were approaching and would join him in forty hours [sic]. Our Cavalry captured the courier and the dispatch and in consequence Thomas command, which had a sentence to come immediately set out to intercept the gentleman's and give them a second drubbing, which I expect they will accomplish tomorrow. We have won victories before but failed to reap any advantage except position which in some instances was advantage to us but now we have the means and the men who know how to improve every advantage gained in the best possible manner. If Bragg, Longstreet and Buckner are annihilated [then] Lee[']s depleted army will be all that remains of the so called Southern Confederacy which of course cannot stand against the combined forces of the Union army which will then be hurled against it. I think we can see the beginning of the end. I believe I have not told you of the battle of Wednesday the 25th. The sun rose on an unclouded [sic] sky and in the crest…of Lookout shown only on the "Old Flag" and its brave defenders. Under cover of night the rebs [sic] have evacuated. The rising sun was saluted by Sherman on our left opening with Hooker commanding the enemies right on the ridge and tunnel hill. All afternoon the battle raged with terrific violence. Charges were repeatedly made and stubbornly resisted. The enemy was massed against [us] on our left and for a time victory seemed to…[hang]…in the balance. Our gallant boys advanced firmly against the foe but were repulsed with great loss. Soon regiments here [almost arrived?] Grant and Sherman witnessed the battle from Ft Wood which commands the entire position. At 3 P.M. The whole army except the advance line was in motion and to the left soon a run line was formed and "Forward" commanders for a short period they were concealed by the woods and the emerged into an open plain which extends along the foot of Lookout a mile in width. On the opposite side and at the foot of the hill was a formidable line of breastworks as strong as I ever saw. From this we expected a tremendous fire would open on our lines forward goes the advancing lines under cover of heavy artillery fire from all our places even from Fort Wood --- bayonets are fixed –- double quick –- a few shots and the rebs [sic] are flying up the hill --- our boys are in the rifle pits –- safe -– until they go any farther -– they cannot -– the summit is bursting with artillery and dense with infantry – stay where they are… they cannot
Again they advance in splendid style -- up they go now -- the lines are breaking every man for himself, all eager to see who shall first reach the top --- the summit is a sheet of flame and the roar of artillery, incessant. Their guns (had?) worked magnificently but fortunately our boys are too near they cannot defend their places sufficiently --- the muskiting [sic] too shots too high -– our boys fire not a gun --- they depend wholly on the bayonet. It is awfully grand. In most regiments the columns are ahead – occasionally down goes a flag but is as quickly owned – in one instance I counted the times down and up for a single flag and there is confusion on the ridge the living mass sways back and then proceeds forward —now all is confusion --- they break and our boys are on the hill a dozen flags are planted on the ridge almost at the same moment. The federal blue lines the ridge -- but the artillery is still at work. This time pointed the other way- It is our men using the enemies artillery against the retreating foe. Now it is over it seems like the work of a moment. Night closes in and our boys drop down in their tracks for a little rest. Sherman is still engaged on the left but the enemy is now between two heavy forces and must retreat or surrender. There was no falling every man did his duty. An hour afterwards I (went?) on the summit and everybody seemed wild with joy forty pieces of artillery and 2000 prisoners were the spoils. The wounded men collected in groups, fires built and such comforts as circumstances would permit men administered to them. And those comforts were few except what men furnished by the sanitary commission. No doubt that some of…blankets distributed that night to our wounded boys were furnished by the fairing hands of the ladies of Beria. A thousand times that night was "god bless you" uttered as angle hands administered help.
A Mr. Lawrence of the Christian Commission accompanied by a Lady [sic] were out on the field all day and all night following closely in adversary lines being in almost every instance the first to (stop?) the flowing tides of life blood and bide up the wounded. I wish I knew the lady's name. I was told but I have already forgotten it. I have my flask filled with brandy and when I returned it was empty. The dead lay where they had fallen with there faces to the foe. At 4 AM I returned to my quarters slept a few hours rested my horse and again rode over the field. Since then we have taken so that tonight 10000 prisoners are reported and still the work goes bravely on. Thus I have given you honestly and imperfectly an account of the battle as it appeared to me.
I am perfectly well except a slight cold from which I am nearly recovered. The last two nights it has been intensely cold freezing…my tent is warm[er] than most houses I have a good fire and keep quite warm….
* * * *
Barber Correspondence
NOVEMBER 30, 1863.-Skirmish at Yankeetown, Tenn.
Report of Lieut. James P. Brownlow, First Tennessee Cavalry. HDQRS. FIRST TENNESSEE CAVALRY, Sparta, Tenn., December 1, 1863.
COL.: Col. Hughs' command, consisting of Murray's, Hampton's, [Hamilton's?] Bledsoe's, Ferguson's, Daugherty's, and other bands, attacked Lieut. Bowman while scouting, on yesterday [29th], and after skirmishing for some time, drove him across the river within 2 miles of this place, killing 4, wounding 1, and capturing 5. I went immediately to his assistance, and drove the enemy (numbering 500) 8 miles, killing 9, and wounding between 15 and 20.
I would take no prisoners. One of the Ninth Pennsylvania was mortally wounded (died this morning), and Capt. McCahan wounded in the ankle. Eighteen scouts, of the Second Michigan, got leave last evening. Send Doctor Green to this place. On account of the heavy picket duty, I would like to have one more company, unless the brigade is coming soon.
Very respectfully,
JAS. P. BROWNLOW, Lieut.-Col., Cmdg.
OR, Ser. I. Vol. 31, pt. I, p. 591.
Excerpt from the journal of Amanda McDowell, December 1, 1863
....There are so many about and everything keeps in such a stir. We are having awful times. The Yankees are in Sparta, and it is amusing to hear the tales that are told and to see their effect on the people. Some believe everything they hear. I don't know but can guess at some things....There were two Yankees here last night and they neither looked or talked dangerous. [sic] True they were wounded and disarmed. Bledsoe's men had a little brush at Yankee Town [sic] yesterday and took four or five. (We first heard thirty, but that is the way their grand exploits generally turn out.) Fayette insisted on bringing the two wounded ones here and paroling them....Well! Col. Hughs and a great many have been to Monticello [KY] and captured 100 Yankees, heard the Yanks were here, came back, Bledsoe's [cavalry] went on before, got into a skirmish, got some prisoners, more Yanks came, and they run [sic], got scattered. Fayette...started to meet Hughs at Yankee Town, got with the small squad that had the prisoners and all got mystified and heard all sorts of tales about the fighting, could not find Hughs, come [sic] back by here, was gone an hour or two, when Fayette...came back bringing the wounded prisoners afterwards....The prisoners stayed until after breakfast and departed for Sparta, expressing themselves very well satisfied with their treatment....The whole country is in an uproar. The news is that the Yankees killed some of their prisoners after they had surrendered. The Yanks say that Southern soldiers did so, so we hear....
Diary of Amanda McDowell.
Excerpt from the Report of Col. John M. Hughs, Twenty-fifth Tennessee Infantry (Confederate), including skirmishes near Sparta, Tenn., November 30; at Scottsville, Ky., December 8, and near Livingston, Tenn., December 15.
DALTON, Ga., April 28, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor herewith to submit the following report of my operations in Middle Tennessee.
* * * *
On the 30th November, a fight occurred between the rear guard of my command, under Capt. R. H. Bledsoe, and a party of Col. Brownlow's (Tennessee) regiment [near Sparta, Tennessee]. For the numbers engaged the fighting was very severe. The enemy lost 13 killed, 8 wounded, and 7 captured. My loss, 5 killed.
* * * *
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN M. HUGHS.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 31, pt. I, p. 575.
29, Report on the Confederacy's loss of East Tennessee
East Tennessee-The Rebel Resources Failing Them.
The rebel journals say truly enough that their Government never appreciated the importance of East Tennessee to the Confederacy until they had lost it. Their former what of appreciation is shown by the feeble resistance they made to the advance of Gen. Burnside; and their subsequent change of mind is indicated by their desperate efforts to recover what by that advance, they had lost. Not to dwell at present on the military view, and on the incalculable strategic value of such points as Cumberland Gap, Knoxville, Cleveland on the line of the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, it is beyond doubt that the mountainous regions of Eastern Tennessee and of Southwestern Virginian are of essential value to the rebels in the furnishing of resources for maintaining the war.
Eastern Tennessee not only furnishes mines of iron, copper, lead, salt, and coal, but a very large amount of sulphur and saltpetre. Hundreds of caverns exist along the limestone slopes and in the gorges of the Cumberland table land, which contain nitrous earth in immense quantities. A company was formed years ago, for the purpose of separating this nitre from the dross with which it was amalgamated, but like many profitable and proper enterprizes in slave States, it failed for want of general interest or means of easy communication with markets. The niter used in this country for the manufacture of gunpowder has hitherto been imported from India, and probably few dealers in the article had any knowledge of the vast stores existing in the bosom of the United States. The same may be said of sulphur which comes hither from Sicily. It also exists in great quantities around the mineral springs of East Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia, but no one thought of mining it to any extent. The war awoke the rebels to the immense importance of those deposits. None exist in either the Carolinas, in Georgia, nor Alabama which remain to the Confederacy; and thus, in this respect the losses to the rebellion in the loss of East Tennessee are incalculable.
The material of life, which Tennessee furnished to the Confederate army was no less necessary to it than the material of death we have just named. Immense quantities of bacon have been drawn during the last thirty months from that region, to feed the armies of Lee in the East and Bragg in the Southwest. Parson Brownlow has recently given some statistics on this subject, which have astonished those who were not familiar with the animal products of East Tennessee. Since the beef of Texas became unattainable to the rebel army, through our command of the Mississippi River, the bacon of East Tennessee has been very nearly all the animal food they have had or could get. Now that this in turn has been cut off, we have many proofs as to how hard up they are.
Now that Grant's magnificent operations have secured us control of East Tennessee, and of all Tennessee, the rebels will speedily begin to feel their loss even more keenly than their late howlings indicate. Without munitions of war, without animal food and with closely blockaded ports, a continuance of rebel hostilities will be a problem difficult of solution.
New York Times, November 29, 1863.
29, Federal misinformation to spur Longstreet into an early withdrawal from the siege of Knoxville.
CHATTANOOGA, November 29, 1863.
Col. R. K. BYRD,
Cmdg. Post, Kingston, Tennessee:
Inclosed please find dispatch in duplicate for Maj.-Gen. Burnside, commanding at Knoxville. The one in Gen. Grant's own handwriting, and marked A, you will send by some one whom you can trust, with instructions to let it fall into the hands of the enemy without fail. The other, marked B, and not in the general's handwriting, though signed by him, you must get to Gen. Burnside at all hazards and at the earliest possible moment.
By order of Maj.-Gen. Grant:
JOHN A. RAWLINS,
Brig.-Gen. and Chief of Staff.
[Inclosure.][9]
CHATTANOOGA, November 29, 1863.
Maj. Gen. A. E. BURNSIDE, Knoxville, Tennessee:
I congratulate you on the tenacity with which you have thus far held out against vastly superior forces. Do not be forced into a surrender by short rations. Take all the citizens have to enable you to hold out yet a few days longer. As soon as you are relieved from the presence of the enemy, you can replace to them everything taken from them.
Within a few days you will be relieved. There are now three columns in motion for your relief-one from here moving up the south bank of the river under Sherman, one from Decherd under Elliott, and one from Cumberland Gap under Foster.
These three columns will be able to crush Longstreet's forces or drive them from the valley, and must all of them be within twenty-four hours' march of you by the time this reaches you, supposing you to get it on Tuesday, the 1st instant.
U. S. GRANT, Maj.-Gen.
OR, Ser. I, pt. III, p. 273.
29, Skirmish at Smith's Springs, South Harpeth River
No circumstantial reports filed.
JOHNSONVILLE, November 29, 1864.
Maj. Gen. G. H. THOMAS:
The following dispatch just received:
KINGSTON SPRINGS, November 28, 1864.
Col. C. R. THOMPSON:
Capt. Everett telegraphs from Newtom's that he has information that four rebel Tennessee cavalry regiments of Forrest's command have crossed Duck River in the vicinity of Williamsborough. He had a skirmish with about forty of the Eleventh Tennessee rebel cavalry at Smith's Springs, on South Harpeth. Let me know it you wish me to move.
W. R. SELLON, Lieut.-Col.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt I, p. 1161.
29, Depredations committed in Bradley and Polk Counties by Confederate guerrillas
"The Polk County Murders."
The following communication from the pen of a perfectly reliable gentleman well acquainted with all the country and people in and around Polk county. We ask the candid Union men of the country to look at those cold blooded and wholesale murders perpetrated by these rebel fiends, and then answer these questions: "Ought any leniency to be shown such men? Ought any respect to be entertained for Union men who would excuse such conduct, or enter into their defense?"
Cleveland, Tenn., Dec. 5th, 1864.
Dr. Wm. G. Brownlow:
Dear Sir: The citizens on the east side of Bradley county and in Polk county, have witnessed in the last few days, acts of cruelty and brutal barbarity that have not been excelled by the rebels since the war began.
On last Tuesday morning [November 29], a rebel force, numbering about forty, came to the house of A.J. Hill, on the State line, and commenced shooting at one of Hill's sons. He ran from them and jumped into the Conassauga River, and swam across, the rebels all the time shooting at him, but failed to hit him. In the meantime, Horace Hill, the uncle to the boy whom the rebels were trying to kill, ran out of the house, and another squad of rebels surrounded him and he surrendered to them, and sat down upon a low fence, and turned and was looking at the fate of his nephew, who was swimming in the river, and the rebels firing at him. He thus engaged, Captain Gatewood, of the rebel force, put his pistol to the side of Horace Hill's head, and shot him through, killing him instantly. The rebels then went to the house of Mrs. Armstrong, the widow of Allen Armstrong, deceased. Here they arrested her son, Baker Armstrong, and a man by the name of Raper, and one by the name of Londomilk. [sic] The male all these stand up in the road in front of the house, and they shot and killed all three of them, in the presence of Mrs. Armstrong and the family. After Baker Armstrong fell, one rebel took him by the hair of the head and raised him up, and other rebels shot him through four times more. The last shot the muzzle of the pistol was put to his mouth and the ball passed out in the back part of the head, While this fiendish deed was being perpetrated, her youngest son, but a boy, ran. The rebels pursued and caught him. The mother followed to beg for his life-he called to her to know if his brother Baker was dead. She replied that he was. The little son began to weep, and the rebels cursed him for weeping, and beat him over the head and face most cruelly, but spared his life.
The rebels next went to Holland's and shot his son John three times as he ran. One shot passed through his clothing and another through his hat, but he made his escape. They arrested three young men at Holland's who had fled from Georgia; they took all these out to the road and shot them. One was killed instantly and the other two are yet alive.
They went next to the house of Samuel Parks, who fortunately, was not at home. A man by the name of Gurley was shoemaking for Parks, they killed Gurley. They killed young William Kinson at Benton. They went up the Ocoee River to Park's Mill, and killed a man by the name of Jones, and shot a small boy at the mill, who has since died, as reported. As they passed up the river the shot Wm. Lillard, who is mortally wounded. Further up the river, on the same road, the rebels met a party of men with some wagons coming to Cleveland. The rebels shot and killed six of these men, and left them laying in the road in a pile near the mouth of Greasy Creek. Further on the killed another man. At Green's ferry, or near there, at the house of Sidney McClouds, they killed three more men. But a few weeks since, a party of rebels came to the house of said McClouds in open day, took him out and striped him, and put him in the road before them, and rode their horses over him and mangled him, and then shot him through the head, killing him instantly.
These rebels, whose deeds of last Tuesday and Wednesday I have been describing, went on up to wards Ducktown, and have got around back to the Connessauga River again. They boast of having killed twenty-seven Union men. Citizens say the rebels have killed twenty-four, and mortally wounded three. I have written the facts so far as they have come to my knowledge in a reliable shape. While they were raiding and killing, they carried on a system of wholesale robbery and theft. The following are some of the rebel officers and privates engaged in said assassinations and robberies: Capt. G. B. May of Red Clay, Ga.; Lieut. James Black Well, Ga.; Capt. Treme; Lieut. Leonard, Captain Thomas, Polk Edmonson, and Capt. Jordin.
It is said that said Captains did not cross the river, but remained inside of Georgia while their squads crossed into Tennessee and performed the above described bloody deeds. Captain Gatewood was along, and was the ringleader of the gang, and did most of the killing with his own hands. He is a Kentuckian; he is a large man, his hair is almost red, wears it long, down to his shoulders. His face is covered with a long red beard-a savage in appearance. He and four brothers are in the rebel army, and one of those brothers is with him. Jasper Gradey, two McSpaddens, two sons of Jacob Gregory, a son of Brian Coxey, a son of the widow Alrheart, [sic] young Dean, and a young man who went out to Georgia last spring from Meigs county, in a buggy dressed in female clothing in company with Captain Peak's wife, were all along, and assisted in the murders and robberies. The most of these men were raised in Bradley and Polk counties. Bryant Coxey, after having served in the rebel army, got out, has taken the oath, and is protected at home, while his son is killing his neighbors.
The above is only a brief outline of the bloody deeds of the outlaws and rebel land pirates.
Yours,
A.
Brownlow's Whig and Rebel Ventilator, December 14, 1864.
29, Skirmish at Hurt's Crossroads [see November 17-29, 1864, Confederate Cavalry operations in Middle Tennessee previous to the Battle of Nashville above]
29, Reconnaissance on Lewisburg Pike
Excerpt from the Report of operations of the Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi, from October 24, 1864, to February 1, 1865, relative to the reconnaissance on the Lewisburg Pike, November 29, 1864.
HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI
Gravelly Springs, Ala., February 1, 1865
* * * *
After it was dark, a reconnaissance out the Lewisburg pike to the meeting-house revealing no enemy on that road, I withdrew Gen. Hammond's brigade to the north side of the Harpeth, and directed him to march, via Petersburg, to the Nolensville pike at Triune, and from the latter place to watch the movements of the enemy in that direction.
* * * *
J.H. WILSON, Brevet Maj.-Gen., U. S. Volunteers, Cmdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 559.
29, Skirmish, Rally Hill
No circumstantial reports filed.
HDQRS. ARMY OF THE OHIO, November 27, 1864--8.45 p. m.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. H. WILSON: Cmdg. Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi:
GEN.: Yours of 6.30 p. m. is just received. In reply I am directed to inform you that the commanding general has learned this evening that the detachment that went to the lower ford had arrived at the ford and is all right. The inclosed note[10] will give all the information received at these headquarters as to the whereabouts of the Seventh Ohio, Tenth Tennessee, and Twelfth Tennessee Cavalry. A dispatch from Gen. Thomas of this date says the he sent two cavalry regiments day before yesterday, two yesterday, and will send one to-day, to the front. The commanding general did not give the orders for Col. Garrard's cavalry to turn off to Rally Hill.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. A. CAMPBELL, Maj. and Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 1091.
HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, Near Rally Hill, November 28, 1864.
Maj.-Gen. SCHOFIELD, Cmdg. Forces:
GEN.: Maj.-Gen. Wilson directs me to inform you that the enemy, composed solely of cavalry, from all he can learn, have crossed in considerable force and occupy the roads between him and Rally Hill.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. C. WHARTON, Lieut.-Col. and Chief Engineer.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 1113.
HDQRS. TWELFTH TENNESSEE CAVALRY, Spring Hill, November 29, 1864.
Gen. SCHOFIELD:
Three companies been left on picket between Huly [Hurt's?] [sic] Cross-Roads and Rolough [Rally?] [sic] Hill; were attacked, and they retreated to this place, reporting Buford's division of cavalry marching on this place to attack the wagon trains between here and Columbia. I [have] only a small force, 200 or regiment; all the rest is on courier-line.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
CHAS. C. HOEFLING, Lieut.-Col., Cmdg.
Communication between here and cavalry headquarters is cut off.
C. C. H.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 1152.
29, Skirmish at Mount Carmel
No circumstantial reports filed.
Excerpt from the Report of Brig. Gen. Edward Hatch, U. S. Army, commanding Fifth Division, of operations October 29-December 27, 1864, relative to the skirmish at Mt. Carmel, November 29, 1864:
* * * *
On the 29th, when falling back toward Franklin, was ordered to relieve Croxton's brigade, then fighting in the rear; was thrown into position at Mount Carmel, where the enemy made two charges and were repulsed with a heavy loss and gave up the attack, when I was ordered by Maj.-Gen. Wilson to fall back toward Franklin, which was done under considerable light skirmishing in the rear. Crossed Harpeth River that night.
* * * *
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 576.
Excerpt from the Report of Colonel Datus E. Coon, 2d Iowa Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations September 30, 1864 to January 15, 1865.
November 29, took up line of march at 4 a. m., passing Croxton's and Harrison's commands and moving toward Franklin, my brigade marching in rear of division to Mount Carmel, where it halted and fed in line of battle to the left of the pike. At 9 a. m. Gen. Croxton's command passed my brigade, heavily pressed by the enemy. The light rail barricades previously prepared served as temporary breast-works and enabled my brigade, then dismounted, to check the enemy's movements. But a few moments passed until the whole line was engaged in a heavy skirmish, which continued for an hour, when I received orders to withdraw slowly, which was done by alternate numbers in line, dismounted, for two miles, when I ordered the brigade mounted. I then withdrew by brigade in line of regiments, each regiment in line of squadrons in column of fours. The enemy, discovering this formation, charged down the pike, in column of fours, on a small company of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, which was acting as rear guard. In accordance with previous instructions from me the company did not halt, but continued to fall back, leading the enemy between the flanking columns right and left, who opened upon them a raking fire, throwing them into confusion, and ending the pursuit for the day. The command arrived at Nolen's plantation at 12 m., and halted in line of battle until 4 p. m., when it moved toward Franklin two miles, and, turning to the right, crossed Little Harpeth River and moved north to the Nolensville and Franklin road, where the brigade was encamped for the night.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 588.
29, Action at the Columbia Ford
No circumstantial reports filed.
29, Affair at Thompson's Station
No circumstantial reports filed.
Excerpt from the Journal of Fourth Army Corps, relative to the affair at Thompson's Station, November 29, 1864:
November 29.-
* * * *
Thompson's Station, three miles north of this place [i.e., Spring Hill], on the Franklin pike, is in possession of the enemy....Gen. Schofield started from Spring Hill to force a passage, if possible, at Thompson's Station (three miles north of Spring Hill), if the enemy still holds that place....There was fighting at the river all day. 11.30 p. m., Gen. Schofield returned from Thompson's Station. The enemy had withdrawn from there, leaving only pickets. Gen. Ruger's brigade halted there. 11.40 p. m., Gen. Schofield ordered Gen. Cox to move his division for Franklin; Ruger's brigade to go with him from Thompson's Station; for the wagon train to follow Cox; Wood's and Kimball's divisions to follow the wagon train; and for Wagner's division to remain where it is, at Spring Hill, until everything has passed, then to move, covering the rear of the army Cox is now moving, and Wood and Kimball following. We lost in Wagner's division about 250 men in killed and wounded to-day.
* * * *
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, pp. 148-149.
29, Engagement at Spring Hill
No circumstantial reports filed.
Excerpt from the Abstract from journal of Brig. Gen. Jacob D. Cox, U. S. Army, commanding Twenty-third Army Corps (temporarily) and Third Division, Twenty-third Army Corps relative to the Engagement at Spring Hill, November 29, 1864.
* * * *
Tuesday, November 29.-Rebels reported crossing two corps at Huey's Ford [Columbia Ford?], five miles above, having driven away our cavalry and laid a pontoon. Wagner's division, Fourth Corps, move to Spring Hill, where they have a lively engagement with advance of enemy. Kimball's and Wood's division, of Fourth Corps, and Ruger's division, of ours, arranged in echelon, connecting with Wagner's. I hold the ford till night, having a sharp affair, losing about 75 men but holding the enemy from crossing the remaining corps, which, with all their artillery, is in town. March at 7, leaving out pickets till midnight.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, p. 358.
Excerpt from the Report of Surgeon J. Theodore Heard, Medical Director, Fourth Army Corps, of operations November 29-30 and December 15-26, 1864, relative to the Engagement at Spring Hill, November 29,1864.
* * * *
HDQRS. FOURTH ARMY CORPS, MEDICAL DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, Nashville, Tenn., December 12, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the medical department of the Fourth Army Corps at the battle of Spring Hill and Franklin, November 29 and 30, respectively:
On the morning of the 29th of November the Fourth Corps (three divisions) and the Twenty-third Corps (two divisions) were in position on the north bank of Duck River, opposite Columbia, Tenn. The enemy, or the larger portion of the rebel army, was upon the south bank and confronting our lines. At 9 a. m. the Second Division, Fourth Corps, marched for Spring Hill, accompanied by and guarding all the trains of the army, with the exception of twenty ambulances left with the First and Third Divisions, Fourth Corps, which divisions were ordered to remain with the Twenty-third Corps until dark and then withdraw with the rest of the army. About 2 p. m., the head of column being within one mile of Spring Hill, the general commanding was informed that the cavalry of the enemy was pushing back our cavalry and rapidly approaching the town. The troops were at once pushed forward at double-quick, passed through the town, charged the enemy, checked him, and finally caused him to retire. The division was then placed in position to protect the pike on which the trains were moving. About 4 p. m. the right brigade (Third Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Bradley) was furiously attacked by what afterward proved to be two brigades of rebel infantry. The attack was continued until nearly dark, when our right gave way toward the pike, followed by the enemy. Fortunately, however, all trains had then passed and were parked north of the town, where also division hospitals were temporarily established and the wounded rapidly cared for. A few wounded were unavoidably lost when the right gave way. One hundred and fifteen wounded were brought to hospital. Shortly after dark orders were given to break up hospitals, load ambulances, and be ready to move with the other trains at a moment's notice. The rest of the army reached Spring Hill about 10 p. m., and continued their march through the town toward Franklin. The hospital and ambulance trains moved at the same time, reaching Franklin at 10 a. m. November 30, without loss, although several times attacked by the enemy's cavalry. The wounded and sick were shipped by rail to Nashville early in the afternoon. The two divisions of the Twenty-third Corps, with the First and Second Divisions of the Fourth Corps, remained south of Harpeth River and entrenched themselves; the Third Division, Fourth Corps, crossed to the north side of the river, and was not engaged in the battle of Franklin.
* * * *
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, pp. 174-175.
29, Skirmish near Rally Hill
No circumstantial reports filed.
Excerpt from the Report of Maj. Gen. David S. Stanley, U. S. Army, commanding Fourth Army Corps, of operations November 14-December 1, 1864, relative to the skirmish at Rally Hill, November 29, 1864
At 8 a. m. on the 29th I started to Spring Hill with the First and Second Divisions, all the artillery that could be spared, and all trains and ambulances to follow; at the same time a reconnaissance, consisting of Col. Post's brigade, of Wood's division, was sent up the river, and soon sent back word that the enemy was crossing infantry and wagons and moving off rapidly to the north and parallel to the turnpike. It being apprehended that the enemy might make a flank attack upon the position of our force between Duck River and Rutherford's Creek, the First Division, Gen. Kimball commanding, was halted, and took up position to cover the crossing of the creek. At 11.30 o'clock the head of the Second Division was within two miles of Spring Hill. A cavalry soldier, who seemed badly scared, was met here, who stated that a scout had come in from the direction of Raleigh [Rally] [sic] Hill, and reported that Buford's division of rebel cavalry was half way between Raleigh [Rally] [sic] Hill and Spring Hill, and on the march to the latter place. The Second Division was pushed on, and attracted by the firing east of the village, double-quicked into the place and deployed the leading brigade as they advance, drove off a force of the enemy's cavalry which was driving our small force of cavalry and infantry and would very soon have occupied the town. Gen. Wagner was ordered to deploy his division at once; Opdycke's and Lane's brigades to cover as much space about the village as would serve for room to park the trains; Gen. Bradley's brigade was sent to occupy a wooded knoll about three-quarters of a mile east of the pike, and which commanded the approaches from that direction.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 113.
29, " We are following up Hoods movements." John C. Seibert, 31st Indiana Infantry, writes home from Columbia environs
Near Columbia, Tenn.
Nov. 29, 1864
Dear Rachel
I again have a few leasure [sic] moments to myself whitch [sic] I will consume in writing to you. We left Pulaski on the 23 and have been moving pretty much ever since. We are following up Hoods movements. We are on one side of the Duck River and Hood on the other. There has been considerable heavy skirmishing in front of us for several days but no heavy fighting. We are gathering up a pretty good army in this section and perhaps we will act on the offensive soon. We have just been falling back and fortifying since we left Pulaski. We have been doing some pretty hard night marching. It made me sore for a few days but I am all sound now. I received yours with the announcement of my poor old father's death. It was very sad news to me although I was not surprized [sic] to hear it. I don't know how it was but I was almost shure [sic] that Father was no more before I received your letter. But we have to all die sometime. I received your letter of the 22 yesterday, also one from James. I am glad to hear that you are all getting along well. If [it] was not for my family [I] would enjoy soldiering first rate. I seen your Uncle Jeff, he is well. I seen Frank Deckar the other day, he is well. Tell Mrs. Vance that Frank is well. He got a letter from home last night. All the rest of the boys are well. I have not much time to write. Frank Vance is in Company D. My Cap'ts [sic] name is Noble. We have a good set of officers and men. I am well pleased with my place. The boys are all well mannered.
Yours, Cris
John C. Seibert Correspondence.
29, Orders to load cattle and stores; Federal logistics prior the battle of Franklin
NASHVILLE, November 29, 1864.
Maj.-Gen. MILROY, Tullahoma:
The 500 cattle at Tullahoma will be driven to Elk River bridge, where they will be turned over to the garrison at that post. They must start very early in the morning of to-morrow, so as to get through in good time. Furnish a guard from your cavalry, which can return and join you at Murfreesborough.
GEO. H. THOMAS, Maj.-Gen., U. S. Volunteers, Cmdg.
MURFREESBOROUGH, November 29, 1864--7.50 p.m.
Maj. Gen. R. H. MILROY, Tullahoma:
Two trains of cars will reach you to-night; place all your stores upon them, except three days' rations for your command; they go to Chattanooga. Load them promptly, and be prepared when they move off to march at once to this place by way of Shelbyville; march promptly, but in good order. Have a strong rear guard, under an efficient officer who will protect the rear and allow no straggling or depredations. A large force of rebel cavalry has crossed Duck River above Columbia, and may be expected in this direction by daylight day after to-morrow; possibly to-morrow. I will telegraph you as to the garrison at Elk River before morning.
LOVELL H. ROUSSEAU, Maj.-Gen., U. S. Volunteers.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 1157.
29, 1864 – January 12, 1865, Operations of the Fourteenth, Sixteenth and Forty-fourth United States Colored Infantry
Report of Col. Thomas J. Morgan, Fourteenth U. S. Colored Troops, commanding First Colored Brigade, of operations November 29, 1864—January 12, 1865.
CHATTANOOGA, TENN., January 16, 1865.
MAJ.: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the forces under my command in the recent campaign:
On November 29, 1864, by order of Maj.-Gen. Steedman I assumed command of the Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry, Lieut.-Col. Corbin, the Sixteenth U. S. Colored Infantry, Col. William B. Gaw, and the Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Infantry, Col. L. Johnson, at Chattanooga, Tenn., and proceeded by railroad to Cowan, Tenn., and thence by railroad to Nashville, Tenn., reaching there with the Sixteenth and the main portion of the Fourteenth Regt. [sic]'s U. S. Colored Infantry on the 1st day of December, 1864. Col. L. Johnson, with the Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Infantry, and Capt. C. W. Baker, with Companies A and D of the Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry, occupied the rear section of the train which was transporting Gen. Steedman's command to Nashville, Tenn. Seven miles north of Murfreesborough a train containing artillery and horses ran off the track and stopped the progress of the rear train, which, for some reason, unexplained, was taken back to Murfreesborough with troops on board, a guard being left with the wrecked cars. During the night a construction train from Nashville removed the wreck cars, horses, artillery, and guard, at an early hour on the 2d ultimo, to Nashville. At 8 a. m. 2d ultimo Col. Johnson again started for Nashville, but when near Mill Creek he was attacked by a rebel cavalry command under Gen. Forrest. The fight that ensued was quite creditable to the forces under Col. Johnson. Col. Johnson and Capt. Baker are entitled to credit for the skill with which they fought and baffled the enemy and brought out their commands. I append the reports of those officers concerning this affair, marked A. B.[11] During the 2d ultimo the portion of the brigade with me, conforming to the movements of Gen. Cruft, occupied the extreme left of the first line of battle, formed near house of Robert Rains, and constructed in its front, hastily, a line of defense, a breast work of rails and earth with a light palisade in front. On the 3d this line was abandoned and a new line established nearer the city, where the brigade by the return of Col. Johnson and Capt. Baker and the addition of a battalion of the Eighteenth U. S. Colored Infantry, under Maj. L. D. Joy, took position near the residence of Maj. William B. Lewis. On December 5 and 7 reconnaissances were made by the brigade, in conjunction with other troops, and the enemy were found to, occupy the first line of works built by Gen. Steedman near Rains' house; each was driven from the left of their works, with slight loss to us. On the 5th one lieutenant and seven enlisted men of the enemy were captured by this brigade. A citizen living near the Murfreesborough pike was killed by a member of Company B. Sixteenth U. S. Colored Infantry. The report of Col. Gaw concerning this is inclosed, marked C.[12] The conduct of officers and men on those occasions, save the misconduct of Col. Gaw, which was reported at the time, was, so far as, came under my observation, good. The coolness of the enlisted men under fire was especially gratifying to me.
On the night of the 14th of December orders were received to move at daybreak to make a demonstration upon the left, to occupy our first line of works, near Rains' house, if practicable, and to strongly menace the enemy's right to prevent the moving of his troops to resist the advance of the right of [the] Federal army when the main attack was to be made. On the evening of the 14th Col. Gaw, by unsoldierly process, succeeded in getting his regiment taken from the First Brigade and ordered to a safer place in the rear. An excellent regiment, the Seventeenth U. S. Colored Infantry, under a brave and gallant officer, Col. Shafter, reported to me instead of the Sixteenth. Lieut.-Col. Grosvenor, commanding brigade of white troops, reported to me, and remained with me during the two days' battle. I inclose Col. Grosvenor's report[13] of the part taken by his command. A section of artillery from Capt. Osborne's (Twentieth Indiana) battery likewise was put under my charge. In company with my adjutant-general, during the night of the 14th ultimo, I visited the picket-line near the enemy's work, which it was designed to attack on morning of the 15th. The Murfreesborough pike at this point runs a little east of south, nearly parallel with Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. The line of works was built almost at right angles with these roads. We ascertained from the pickets that the rebels had been at works actively during the afternoon with the spade, and their line of fires extended well toward the south. I concluded that a curtain had been built to protect the flank of the work, and that a line of rifle-pits had been made on the ground marked by the fires, and that if these rifle-pits could be carried and column pushed well to the rear, the works near Rains' house would become untenable and the ground east of Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad be given to us with little loss. Accordingly, on the morning of the 15th, when the fog, which lay like a winding sheet over the two armies, began to disappear, I moved my command out upon the Murfreesborough pike and disposed it as follows: The Fourteenth Colored Infantry was deployed in front as skirmishers; the Seventeenth and Forty-fourth Colored Infantry were formed in line of battle in rear of Fourteenth, and given in charge of Col. Shafter, of the Seventeenth; the section of Capt. Osborne's (Twentieth Indiana) battery was supported by the battalion Eighteen U. S. Colored Infantry, Maj. L. D. Joy; Col. Grosvenor was directed to send one battalion of his command to guard the left flank and to hold the remainder of his command in rear of Col. Shafter. The artillery then opened the enemy, and the lines moved forward. The Fourteenth advanced until they drew a severe fire, when Col. Shafter was ordered to carry the rifle pits, which he did handsomely, killing, wounding, capturing, or driving away the enemy from his front. He pushed forward until he reached the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, when he was met by a destructive fire at short range from battery planted on the opposite side of a deep cut made by railroad. Seeing that Col. Shafter had carried the line in his front, and that the enemy still held their position on his right, I ordered up to his support the reserve of Col. Grosvenor. This command carried a portion of the line, but was quickly completed to return, with severe loss, by reason of musketry fire on its right flank. What I had thought to be a mere curtain, proved to be a rude but strong lunette, with ditch in front and heavy head-logs on top of parapet, forming a very safe for Granbury's brigade, which occupied it. About the time of the repulse of Col. Grosvenor Col. Shafter was completed to withdraw his line from the range of the artillery. The entire command was then withdrawn, by order of Gen. Steedman, and moved to the north of Rains' house. A strong skirmish line, connecting on the right, at the railroad, with Col. Thompson's command, advanced very close to the enemy's line. Sharpshooters loop-holed a dwelling house and outbuildings and silenced the enemy. Thus the day wore away; the general's purpose, as communicated to me the night previous, had been accomplished; the enemy had been deceived, and, in expectation of a real advance upon his right, had detained his troops there, while his left was being disastrously driven back. The troops under my command have, as a whole, behaved well, and if they failed to accomplish all I expected it was my fault, not theirs; I was deceived as to the character of the work built by the enemy on the 14th. Could I have known the exact nature of the work, the troops would have carried it by a direct assault from the north side, with perhaps less loss than was sustained. During the night of the 15th the enemy retired from our front.
On the 16th my command, by order of Gen. Steedman, crossed the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad the Nolensville pike, and the Tennessee and Alabama Railroad, skirmishing with and driving the enemy. At an early hour in the in the afternoon the command joined the left of Col. Thompson and confronted Overton Hill. Col. Grosvenor was ordered to join the left of Second Colored Brigade and conform to its movements. He thus took part in the first assault upon Overton Hill. Col. Shafter, with Seventeen, was in echelon to rear of Grosvenor; Lieut.-Col. Corbin, with Fourteenth, was directed to support and protect the artillery; Col. Johnson, Forty-fourth, was directed to guard the left. Capt. Osborne's (Twentieth Indiana) battery and Capt. Aleshire's (Eighteenth Ohio) battery kept up an incessant fire upon the enemy, and did excellent work. Subsequently the Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry was deployed as skirmishers in front of the artillery and directly facing the enemy's works, where they kept and received a brisk fire. When the first assault upon the hill failed the assaulting column retired in disorder, passing through my skirmish line without shaking it. At one time I thought and so reported that the line was being forced back, but it was not true. The line remained; did its work amid the confusion that followed the repulse. When the Sixty-eight Indiana struck this line they asked what regiment. Being answered, Fourteenth, they cried, "Bully for you; we'll stay with you," and they did. I assisted Col. Thompson in reforming his broken lines. When the final assault was being made upon Overton Hill the forces under me moved forward and joined in the pursuit of the enemy, which followed as far as Franklin, Tenn. Subsequently the First Colored Brigade, as part of Second Provisional Division, accompanied the expedition toward Tuscumbia, Ala., going as far as Leigton, Ala. On its return it joined Gen. Cruft's forces in the fruitless chase after Gen. Lyon's rebel cavalry. The brigade was disbanded January 12, 1865.
Col. Shafter, Seventeenth, acquitted himself well, is cool and brave, and a good disciplinarian. Lieut.-Col. Corbin, Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry, does not possess sufficient courage to command brave men.[14] Capt. Baker in reality commanded the Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry in the battle of the 15th and 16th, and acquitted himself with great credit. He is brave, cool, untiring, and deserves promotion. Lieut.-Col. Grosvenor obeyed every order with promptness, and is a good soldier. To each member of my staff, Lieut.'s Cleland and Hall, Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Infantry, Wadsworth and Dickinson, Sixteenth U. S. Colored Infantry, and Wyrill, Fourteen the U. S. Colored Infantry, I am indebted for the promptness with which they carried out my desires, exposing themselves, cheerfully to necessary danger. The wounded of the First Colored Brigade were faithfully for by Surgeon, Clemons, Seventeenth U. S. Colored Infantry, and Assistant Surgeon Oleson, Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry.
I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THOS. J. MORGAN, Col. Fourteen U. S. Colored Infantry.
Maj. S. B. MOE, Asst. Adjt. Gen., District of the Etowah.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, pp. 534-537.[15]
[1] As cited in PQCW.
[2] TLSA Confederate Collection. Box 11, Folder 2, Letters Paine, F. J. [Hereinafter cited as Paine Correspondence/]
[3] Not referenced in the OR.
[4] It is unclear just how many skirmishes took place, one, two, or three, or more.
[5] The identity of "PT" is not known.
[6] This was the rifled arm of Central Europe which by the late 1600s was referred to in America as the Jaeger rifle, from the German, Jaeger for "hunter." A short weapon with an octagonal barrel about 28 inches in length with a bore of between .60 and .70 caliber, with an average of seven rifling grooves. A heavy stock extended to the muzzle, and usually included a small patch box in the butt, with a wooden sliding cover. It's fittings were mostly of brass. This was the style of rifle which accompanied the great influx of German immigrants into Pennsylvania beginning about 1710. The Pennsylvania rifle evolved from the Jaeger rifle. See: Frederick P. Todd, American Military Equipage 1851-1872, Vol. I, (NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1980), p.p. 131-137.
[7] According to the OR Correction from the General Index, the date [1863] should read [1864.] This would mean the report was made long after the defense of Fort Sanders was made.
[8] Dyer's Battle Index for Tennessee places the date at November 30, yet Brownlow's report indicates that the fight occurred on the 29th. Since Hughs' report was made some five months after the event and Brownlow's account was dated much closer to the day of the skirmish the date of the 29th is held as correct.
[9] The OR does not make clear if this is enclosure was marked A or B. The Federal march to the relief of Knoxville took place November 27-December 7, 1863, and the dramatic assault on Fort Sanders took place on the 29th. It seems most likely this enclosure was marked A, and meant to provide false intelligence that would prejudice Longstreet to hasten the withdrawal of Confederate forces from the siege of Knoxville. See OR, Ser. I, Vol. 31, pt. II, pp. 577-579, the report of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, U. S. Army, commanding Army of the Tennessee, including operations since September 22, and march to the relief of Knoxville, with field dispatches November 18-29," tends to support such a conclusion:
"I had hardly reached the town of Charleston when General Wilson arrived with a letter from General Grant at Chattanooga, informing me that the latest authentic accounts from Knoxville were to the 27th, at which time General Burnside was completely invested, and had provisions only to include the 3d of December; that General Granger had left Chattanooga for Knoxville by the river road, with a steam-boat following him in the river, but the general feared Granger could not reach Knoxville in time, and ordered me to take command of all troops moving for the relief of Knoxville, and hasten to General Burnside. Seven days before we had left our camps on the other side of the Tennessee, with two days' rations, without a change of clothing, stripped for the fight, with but a single blanket or coat per man, from myself to the privates included. Of course, we then had no provisions save what we gathered by the road, and were ill-supplied for such a march. But we learned that 12,000 of our fellow soldiers were beleaguered in the mountain town of Knoxville, 84 miles distant; that they needed relief, and must have it in three days. This was enough, and it had to be done." [see also above: November 18-29, 1863, March to the relief of Knoxville.]
[10] Not found.
[11] See below: December 2-5, 1864, "Operations against stockades and block-houses held by U. S. C. T. on N&E Railroad," below.
[12] Not found.
[13] Not found.
[14] Col. Corbin was subsequently tried before a general court-martial on the charge of "cowardice" and "misbehavior before the enemy," &c.; was found not guilty, and "most honorably" acquitted. Vide General Orders, No. 6, headquarters First Separate Division, Army of the Cumberland, March 14, 1865.
[15] See also: Rebellion Record, Vol. 11, pp. 98-100.
James B. Jones, Jr.
Public Historian
Tennessee Historical Commission
2941 Lebanon Road
Nashville, TN 37214
Public Historian
Tennessee Historical Commission
2941 Lebanon Road
Nashville, TN 37214
(615)-770-1090 ext. 123456
(615)-532-1549 FAX
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