USA > Ohio > Four years in the saddle. History of the First Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 > Part 13
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September 22. Fell back with the army to Chattanooga and recrossed the Tennessee River to the north side.
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Raid of the Rebel Cavalry Through Tennessee in October, 1863, Under Command of General Wheeler.
The day we entered Chattanooga after the battle of Chick- amauga, I find the following entry in my journal:
September 22, 1863. Reconnoitre in front and find the en- emy advancing in force, also flanking us on the left. Fall back toward Chattanooga and have a running fight for five or six miles, . our regiment covering the retreat, the enemy pressing us hotly in the rear with both infantry and cavalry and pouring shells into our column from the ridge on the right flank. A heavy force of the enemy having been thrown across the valley in front, we could not see the signal flag from the top of Lookout Moun- tain, as it was afterwards proved to us, signaling for reinforce- ments, and after a sharp fight we formed a junction with the right wing of our army, which had fallen back on Chattanooga, and was now fortifying for a desperate struggle. As we came in sight of Chattanooga we seen the black smoke curling up from many burning buildings on the outskirts of the city, to clear them from the range of the batteries being trained on the advancing columns of the enemy. Thousands of men were ply- ing the spade, the pick and the axe on the breast-works, pre- paring for the attack. General officers, followed by their escorts, were riding rapidly along the lines, giving stern and hurried orders, while messengers were dashing in all directions under the spur, carrying dispatches. Thousands of army wagons, with mule teams and ambulances, were crowded along the streets, all heading toward the one pontoon bridge across the Tennessee River, and a constant stream of wagons were hurrying to the north bank of the river under directions of the officers of trans- portation. No pen picture can give but a faint idea of the reality of such a scene as this; to be fully realized, you must be an eye-witness. Here all is excitement, and in many instances confusion. The moaning of the wounded can be heard on all sides as the ambulances are driven rapidly over the stony streets, and mingles with the curses of the "mule whackers," as they
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MURFREESBORO
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recklessly and persistently urge their teams toward the bridge. Such are the scenes in the rear of the army, while in the front the boys are standing to their guns, steadily and anxiously awaiting the onset of the enemy. Rosecrans has been over- whelmed by the combined forces of Bragg and Johnson, largely reinforced by Longstreet from the army at Richmond, while our long-promised reinforcements have not yet arrived. After a brief halt, our division was ordered to ford the river at the northern limits of the city. As we got just fairly started across this long and very crooked ford, the rebel batteries were turned on our lines and the shells fell thick and fast in our columns. We went into camp about dark opposite Chattanooga.
September 23. Bivouacked along the river bank all day; cannonading on the right this evening, and our lines advanced a short distance. Our army was busily at work strengthening the fortifications and burning buildings in range of the guns.
September 24. Still in camp. Our wagon trains have all crossed the river. This is the first time we have ever seen our wagon train since September 2. An order issued by General Rosecrans for our Quartermasters to be in readiness to burn all, baggage, except rations and ammunition, if he is compelled to evacuate Chattanooga. We take a farewell look at our valises containing our dress suits and love-letters. To-night at eleven o'clock the rebels made a dash on our lines and a desperate effort to carry the works by storm, and made five charges on the lines, but were repulsed each time with heavy loss; the assault made on Crittenden's lines.
September 25. Go fifteen miles up the river in command of a foraging expedition. All quiet in front.
September 26. Marched up the river toward Washington, twenty-five miles, picketing and patrolling the river on the look- out for the enemy, as our scouts report their cavalry concen- trating for the purpose of crossing the river and making a raid in our rear to cut the railroads. Our division is now commanded by General Geo. B. Crook, one of the best cavalry officers in our army, General Stanley having been taken sick a day or two before the battle of Chickamauga.
September 27. March early this morning; we are now get- ting up in Eastern Tennessee, and there are many Union people here. In many places the stars and stripes were floating from dwelling houses; fine country and plenty of corn; encamped on Richard Creek.
September 28. March through Washington, a small vil- lage about fifty miles northeast of Chattanooga. Four com- panies detached and sent to Cotton Port to picket the river, under command of Major Scott. Encamped on Clear Creek, four miles from Washington.
September 29. Lay in camp all day. An old citizen came
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into camp to-day, professing to be a Union man, but excited some suspicion by his actions, and we learned from some colored men after he left camp that he is a rebel spy. Send a detach- ment to capture him, but fail.
September 30. The rebels, under General Wheeler, crossed the river in large force last night; surrounded our pickets at Cotton Port and under a flag of truce demand their surrender. Our boys made a desperate dash through the lines, losing eight boys out of Company K and several of Company B. Rebel bat- tery opened up and General Crook rapidly concentrated his division and moved down the river ten miles. The enemy is now across the river in strong force, and the indications are that we will have a lively time. Several staff officers captured to-day while carrying orders, including Captain Scott and Lieu- tenant Lieb. Loss in our regiment, twenty men. Rained very hard to-night.
October 1. Take the pass up Racoon Mountain in hot pur- suit of the rebel column. They are some distance in advance, as we have been delayed twenty-four hours in concentrating our division, which is scattered along the river patroling and picket- ing. Reach the top of the mountain about dark. Raining in torrents.
October 2. Descend the mountain into Sequatchie Valley . and our regiment made a reconnoissance down toward Pike- ville and learned that the enemy passed down the valley about five thousand strong. Take Robinson's pass up the Cumber- land Mountains at dark and arrive at the top about one o'clock to-night. This is the most difficult mountain pass we have ascended during this campaign.
October 3. March at four o'clock this morning. Move across and down the mountain and strike the enemy in the valley about four o'clock in the evening and drive them about three miles until the darkness prevented our further advance. Killed and wounded a large number of the enemy. We left Chattanooga on the twenty-sixth ult. with five days' rations. This is the seventh day out, rations all exhausted, and to-day as we halted on the mountain the boys cut down many chestnut trees with their hatchets to get the chestnuts to eat. To fight Wheeler's old and tried veterans on empty stomachs, and then to bivouac for a few short hours' rest this frosty night supper- less, with no prospect of breakfast, but with the assurance that we will have a running fight all day to-morrow is not a very cheering reflection. But it is thirteen dollars a month and plenty of ammunition, so say your prayers, boys, turn in, and no grum- bling.
October 4. In the saddle at day-break, with a breakfast of hard, sour apples, we move on with the determination that if there is anything to eat in this valley we will surround some
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of it before night, if we have to ride over Wheeler's whole divi- sion. A number of our teamsters came into our lines this morn- ing, having made their escape from a wagon train that the rebels attacked at Sequatchie Valley, killing the mules and burning the wagons. We heard the explosion of the shells on the even- ing of the second and supposed a battle was in progress at Chattanooga. We strike the rebels about noon and charge them about four miles, taking many prisoners. Drive them through McMinnville on the gallop, and recapture some of our prisoners. Have a sharp artillery fight this evening just at dark, using grape and cannister. Halted in an old camp near McMinnville that had been evacuated some weeks, and scraped up some old crackers, blue with mould, and found them to taste delicious. We are getting about desperate enough to eat mule, if we had time to cook one. Distance, twenty miles. Rather a lively Sun- day, but we have had a field day of it, driving the rebels at. every point they made a stand.
October 5. Take the pike for Murfreesboro and march rapidly, and arrive at Murfreesboro about four o'clock; find the town surrounded and all the troops and citizens in the for- tifications; we form and move out, and after a little skirmish the enemy's lines fall back and they are soon in full retreat. The troops and citizens are very much rejoiced and the com- missary departments are thrown open, our famishing troopers given the freedom of the city, and many of the boys are up nearly all night cooking and eating. If we had not pressed the enemy hard all day, the city would have been captured and all our rations and quartermaster stores would have been destroyed. The raid on the part of the enemy so far has been a failure, as they have done but little damage to the railroad, and soon they will be compelled to retreat from Tennessee as rapidly as their horses can carry them. In the old veteran, Geo. Crook, the rebel chieftain Wheeler has found a "foeman worthy of his steel."
October 6. Move out on the Shelbyville pike about ten miles, and go into camp and let the men rest all the afternoon, as they are very much exhausted by hard service. We left Mur- freesboro with full stomachs and full haversacks, and I think to-morrow we will give the Johnnies a lively racket.
October 7. "Boots and saddles" sounded early, and we are soon in the saddle, eager for the fray that we knew would soon be on. We rode into Shelbyville and found that beautiful little city completely sacked, all the business houses robbed and the citizens terrorized. We move out on the Pulaski pike, and after marching about three miles strike a division of the enemy and immediately charge them, killing and wounding many, and taking hundreds of prisoners. We have a running fight all day, and for fifteen miles it is a stampede, with dead and wounded
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strewn thickly the whole distance. In the evening, about dusk, the enemy throw up barricades in the streets of the village of Farmington, and prepare for one last desperate stand. They opened on our advance line with grape and cannister, and it seemed that our lines could not stand this raking fire, but two or three regiments are dismounted, and we move into the cedar wood skirting the village, while the balance of the division, mounted, made a flank to the right, and with a shout all along the line, we dash forward on double quick, while grape and cannister are hurled through the thicket like hail. In fifteen or twenty minutes we carried the barricades, capturing a battery of six guns, with mules hitched to the caissons, and seven hun- dred prisoners. This has been another field day for our divi- sions. The enemy is now making a desperate effort to escape and only fight when they are compelled to do so. General Crook is adding another star to his straps. Colonel Minty, command- ing the First Brigade, having failed to reach a certain point on the field, as ordered to-day, thereby foiling General Crook's plans, when he reported this evening, he was promptly put under arrest by Crook. The old regular is not to be trifled with. Our regiment bivouacked in the village, tired and hungry, but cheered by the thought that this has been a brilliant victory.
October S. In the saddle at dawn and march through the villages of Lewisburg and Connellsville and on to Pulaska, where we arrive about sun-down, just in time to see the rebel rear guard dash out on the gallop without firing a shot. The enemy, no doubt, marched all night in order to escape us, and we have had no fighting to-day. Distance, thirty miles. On picket to- night; men completely exhausted with this hard service and many horses abandoned. We cannot stand this many days longer.
October 9. Did not close an eye last night and are mounted and on the move by daybreak. Push the rebel rear guard all day; have several skirmishes, killing and wounding several, and taking many prisoners. We charged the enemy about four miles this evening, and those not captured crossed the Tennessee River at Lamb's Ferry. Wheeler's raid has been a failure, as he did but little damage to the railroad and his command is badly demoralized. His loss in killed, wounded and prisoners is up- ward of two thousand, with a battery, several hundred stand of small arms and many horses. We go into camp at Rogers- ville, four miles from the river. We hope to get a few days' much needed rest, as both men and horses are very much jaded. Hundreds of camp-fires are burning to-night, and our camp is ringing with shout and song, the boy's all feel happy over our grand victory. Wheeler will not trouble us any more this fall.
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Headquarters Chief of Cavalry, Department of Cumberland,
Rogersville, October 10, 1863.
Sir: The enemy succeded in crossing the Tennessee River a short distance above Lamb's Ferry. Crook fought them at Farmington the seventh, and has captured five pieces of artillery and about seven hundred prisoners, and their losses, including killed, deserters, stragglers, will amount to two thousand men. My horses are terribly jaded. The enemy crossed the river at a ford unknown before and eut their way down the banks, in order to make a crossing. Your order in regard to Confederate soldiers has been carried out, and thirty-eight men have dis- appeared. Colonel Minty was arrested by General Crook and sent to the rear for failing to move with his command at the proper time, and not being in time for the battle at Farmington. We have marched, in six days, two hundred and forty-seven miles. Two days, the second out, and yesterday, the First Divi- sion marched fifty miles. During the last day's march Wheeler's retreat was a rout and his command were running all day for the river, every man for himself, and hats, canteens, coats, guns and broken-down horses were strewn along the whole road.
We have captured and burned $52,000 worth of cotton be- longing to the Confederates States army.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
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D. S. STANLEY, Brigadier-General, Chief of Cavalry.
Headquarters Eleventh and Twelfth Army Corps, Stevenson, Ala., October 17, 1863.
Brigadier-General George Crook, Commanding Cavalry, Flint River:
General: I am directed by the Major-General commanding to inform you that Roddey's cavalry is still on the north side of the Tennessee River, and that he is in your vicinity. A mail to General Bragg, captured to-day from a staff officer of Major- General Wheeler, indicates this, and we know that a rebel force has moved down the south side of the river to aid that force in crossing. The General desires that you will push out in every direction, and, if you can ascertain his whereabouts, strike and destroy him. He has in his command about 1,000 men and is without artillery. From the rebel mail, we learn the full par- ticulars of your fight at Farmington, and it is highly creditable to you and your command.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. W. PERKINS, Assistant Adjutant-General.
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Headquarters Second Cavalry Division, Maysville, Ala., November 5, 1863.
Major: I have the honor to report that, on the twenty- third of September I was ordered by the commanding General of the department, to proceed to Washington, Tenn., with my command, numbering about two thousand effective men, for the purpose of guarding the fords along the Tennessee River for a distance of some fifty miles. The roads leading to the dif. ferent fords and ferries were in many cases five miles apart. Between these points there were practicable fords almost every half mile. It was impossible to patrol along the bank of the river between these roads, and to go from one to the other required us, in many instances, to make a detour of ten and even fifteen miles. It was at one of these intermediate points that the enemy, dismounting his men, crossed and established himself on the north bank of the river, with a force far superior to mine, commanded by Major-General Wheeler. I immediately informed General Rosecrans of the fact, who ordered me to gather all the cavalry and mounted men and pursue the enemy, who had crossed the river for the purpose of making a raid in the rear of our lines. Learning the enemy was crossing Walden's Ridge opposite Smith's Cross-roads, I collected together the First and Second Brigades of my division, commanded respectively by Colonels Minty and Long, and Captain Stokes' Board of Trade Battery, and ascended the mountain some five miles south of Smith's Cross-roads, directing Colonel Miller, commanding bri- gade of mounted infantry, to join me on top of the mountain that night; but he did not join me until next morning, when I resumed the march, entering the Sequatchie Valley at Pitt's Cross-roads. Learned there that the enemy had divided his force, one portion under General Wharton ascending the Cumberland Mountains at Pikeville, while the remainder, under General Wheeler, had passed down the valley and would ascend the mountain at Dunlap, concentrating at some point beyond the Cumberland Mountains and then move on McMinnville. I also found here that the enemy had fourteen hours the start of me. I took the intermediate Road, Robinson's Trace, and, although the mountain was very bad to ascend at this place, I succeeded in getting up my entire command that night. Next morning, after marching some ten miles, I struck Wharton's trail where he came into the Robinson Trace. I did not meet any of his force, except some stragglers, until I arrived at the descent of the mountain, where he had left some sharpshooters to oppose my advance. I dismounted part of the Fourth Michigan, it being in the advance, and drove them before me, they leaving five of their dead and one wounded on the field. After descending the mountain, I found the country rocky and brushy, no place for
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cavalry to operate. As soon as I could get my infantry down the mountain, I dismounted them, sending them so as to com- pletely surround their force, holding my cavalry as a support. In this way I had Colonel Crews' Texas Brigade completely surrounded, in a space not over ten acres, my men under cover and his exposed. My men poured several volleys into them, but by this time it had become so dark we could not tell friend from foe. Under cover of darkness, they broke through my lines, my men not firing for fear of shooting each other. The fight lasted for a couple of hours after night, the remainder of Mar- tin's division coming to Crews' support.
My loss was forty-six killed and wounded. The enemy's loss is not definitely known. We found some ten of their dead close by the road, and a good many of their wounded scattered along the road in houses. I pushed on after them early next morning, and could not ascertain their loss. I left instructions with the citizens to collect them and give them all proper atten- tion. I saw nothing of the enemy until within a couple of miles of McMinnville, where some of his scouts fired into us.
On arriving at McMinnville, I found that the garrison had surrendered without making any resistance. The enemy sacked the place, destroying a great deal of public and private prop- erty, and left in the direction of Murfreesborough. I was also informed by an intelligent Union man that he counted four thou- sand of the enemy, and saw enough more that he was unable to count to make up fully six thousand.
After leaving McMinnville, I became satisfied, from the time occupied by his force in passing a given point, he had between five and six thousand men, my own force at this time numbering about three thousand five hundred effective men. I had not marched more than two miles upon the Murfreesborough road until I came upon his rear guard, posted in the edge of a woods, who commenced skirmishing with my advance. Being satisfied that the guard intended to detain us so that the main body could march unmolested, I ordered Colonel Long to send a regiment ahead to make a saber charge. The Second Kentucky, Colonel Nicholas commanding, with Colonel Long at their head, made a most gallant charge of some five miles, breaking through his lines, killing and wounding several of his men, capturing eleven prisoners and driving the remainder into the main column, com- pelling him to turn round and give me fight.
When I arrived with the main column, I found the enemy drawn up in line of battle in the edge of a woods, a large field between us, with high fences intervening. I dismounted my infantry, and with my artillery drove them out of the woods, he forming in another thick jungle a short distance in the rear. The fight lasted for two hours, until after dark, when I camped in the field. Here again, I was unable to ascertain the number
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of his killed and wounded, but left instructions for the citizens to collect them. I learned that it was the intention of the enemy to take Murfreesborough and then go to La Vergne, destroying the railroad between these two points, and that he had sent squads of men, who were familiar with the country, to destroy telegraphic communication between Murfreesborough and Nash- ville, which they succeeded in doing. I tried to get a dispatch through to the commanding officer at Murfreesborough to hold out until I could get there, but the courier could not get through.
At Readyville, I crossed over on to the Liberty pike, so as to get between them and La Vergne, and also to prevent them from ambushing me on the road. By this move, I drove them off in the direction of Shelbyville. I found every person at Mur- freesborough in great consternation, and overjoyed to see us. They were momentarily expecting an attack from the enemy, and felt that their force was too weak to repel him. I found here an officer of the Engineer Department who was very kind and energetic, giving me all the assistance in his power. Through the want of proper attention to duty on the part of the Assistant Quartermaster and Commissary of Subsistence, I was unable to procure anything for my men and horses until nearly morning (although I had marched forty-one miles that day and my men had had no rations for five days), greatly retarding my march. The next night I camped two miles beyond Guy's Gap.
From this point I sent my scouts in different directions, who brought prisoners from the enemy's camp. General Mitchell, with the First Cavalry Division, came up with us here.
Next morning I was ordered by him to march on the road to Farmington, south of Duck River. About three miles from Shelbyville I found Davidson's division encamped on Duck River, some two miles north of the road. The brigade of mounted in- fantry being in the advance, and seeing the enemy's ranks in confusion, I ordered them to charge on horseback. They drove the enemy a short distance into a cedar thicket, and I then dis- mounted them. At the same time, I ordered Colonel Long's bri- gade to the front, and, headed by Colonel Long, it made a most gallant saber charge, driving the enemy three miles, killing and capturing a great many rebels. The enemy made another stand in a cedar thicket, where it was impossible for the cavalry to operate in. I sent the mounted infantry to the front as soon as possible, when they dislodged the enemy, who again made a stand on the main road, and were driven from this point, fall- ing back toward Farmington, skirmishing as they retreated.
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