USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania volunteer cavalry which was recruited and known as the Anderson cavalry in the rebellion of 1861-1865; > Part 57
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HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY, DANDRIDGE, December 13, 1863, 6 P.M.
BRIGADIER-GENERAL SPEARS,
Commanding U. S. Forces at Strawberry Plains.
General,-I have just received the order to move with my command to Morristown to protect a telegraph party sent out from Strawberry Plains.
My pickets were attacked at 10 o'clock this morning by a small scout- ing party of the enemy sent out (as prisoners assert) from Bull's Gap. I happened to be near the picket post at the time and immediately pur- sued them with the reserve, on the Bull's Gap road, and succeeded in capturing six of them belonging to the Arkansas cavalry, after a chase of six miles. We got their horses, arms and saddles. I send the six prisoners to you herewith, together with one other belonging to Wheeler's cavalry, whom we captured in a recent skirmish with a bat- talion of Indians, under Colonel Thomas, at Gatlinburg. Also a rebel soldier named Hightower, belonging to Buckner's command, reported to me since writing the last sentence.
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History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
I have sent three companies, under Lieutenant Mather, at once to Mossy Creek, which they will reach before midnight, and will start with the balance of my command at about daybreak on the direct road to Morristown. I hope, however, it will not be necessary to remain very long at Morristown, as I am better able to watch operations of the enemy by being farther to the east. I have sent scouting parties out to Newport and the mouth of Chucky, who will report by morning.
I am, General, very respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER, Colonel.
HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY, DANDRIDGE, December 13, 1863, 8 P.M. (Received 15th.)
BRIGADIER-GENERAL SPEARS,
Commanding U. S. Forces, Strawberry Plains.
General,-From interrogation of the prisoners I send you, who left their camp at about 4 P.M. yesterday, 12th instant, at five miles this side of Bull's Gap, I feel satisfied that Armstrong's division of rebel cavalry is encamped at that point (five miles this side of Bull's Gap), and that the other division, formerly Martin's, now Morgan's, of Alabama, was encamped not far from Armstrong's, toward Rogersville.
The prisoners belong to a party who were sent out on a scout. They say their instructions were to find out whether or not there were any Federals in this direction, and that they think the expectation of their cav- alry was to come down this way and attempt to join Bragg either this side or the other of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Martin now commands all their cavalry, which they say consists only of Armstrong's and Morgan's divisions, and of Jones' command from Virginia.
The point referred to is twenty-three miles from here.
I am, General, yours respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER, Colonel Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY, DANDRIDGE, Saturday, December 13, 1863, 9 P.M.
BRIGADIER-GENERAL SPEARS,
Commanding U. S. Forces at or near New Market.
General,-I have the honor to communicate to you that I reached Dandridge from Gatlinburg, on the road from Sevierville to the Great Smoky Mountains, this evening at 5 o'clock with my command.
The marauding party of about 100 rebel cavalry which had been infesting this neighborhood and the south side of French Broad River, near Evans' Ford and Flat Creek, left Dandridge day before yesterday evening, having received an order by courier from Morristown that the headquarters of their command had been removed to the mouth of
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Addenda.
Chucky Creek, on the Warm Springs road, about twelve miles from Dandridge. From all the information I can get here, I am led to believe that Martin's brigade of rebel cavalry is located near the mouth of Chucky Creek and Franklin's, and that it is possible this force may be intending to cross the mountains into North Carolina by the Asheville road through the French Broad Gap, although they may be intending to go to Greeneville, by way of Warrensburg.
Will you please inform the bearer what your position and line of march are, as yours is the nearest communicating force to me, and also give him what information you can concerning the position of the rest of our army and of General Burnside's headquarters, also of the rebel infantry and cavalry.
Will you also have the goodness to transmit this dispatch to General Burnside, as I do not know where to communicate with him.
I am, General, yours very respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER, Colonel Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY, DANDRIDGE, December 14, 1863, 7 A.M.
MAJOR-GENERAL PARKE,
Chief of Staff.
General,-A scouting party of citizens of this neighborhood sent out by me yesterday evening have returned. They went out a distance of thirteen miles from Dandridge, where the road from here to Bull's Gap intersects the road leading from Morristown to Warm Springs via mouth of Chucky; at that point they were within half a mile of the rebel cavalry pickets. The information they got from Union citizens was that a train of about 1000 wagons left Morristown, on last Thursday morning before day, on the road to Warm Springs; that they went as far as the mouth of the Chucky River without crossing, and on Friday morning returned to the intersection of the road from Dandridge to Bull's Gap, and took up the road to Bull's Gap, the last of them passing that intersection late on Friday night. They also learned that the enemy's cavalry was stationed yesterday evening at Russellville, and on the road from Dandridge to Bull's Gap, seven miles this side of the Gap, and at McClester's, close to the Chucky River, on the road leading from Russellville to Chucky Bend-five brigades in all. Rebel scouts had informed citizens of a skirmish at Russellville on Saturday last with our cavalry.
A scouting party of forty-two of the enemy came yesterday afternoon, at 4 o'clock, to the intersection of the road leading from Morristown with the road to Bull's Gap, at Widow Kimbrough's.
They appeared to be very much excited, made only a slight halt, and returned immediately toward Bull's Gap. I start at once for Morristown, to protect the telegraph party's operations, having sent three companies yesterday evening to Mossy Creek, which they reached about midnight.
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History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
My pickets were attacked here yesterday morning at II o'clock by a small scouting party of rebels sent out from their camp near Bull's Gap. We pursued them with the picket reserve, and captured six, belonging to Armstrong's division, with their horses and arms.
I am, General, yours respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER, Colonel Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY, (Two miles east of Mossy Creek) Monday, December 14, 1863, IO P.M.
BRIGADIER-GENERAL SPEARS,
Commanding U. S. Forces at Strawberry Plains.
General,-I started from Dandridge this morning, on the direct road to Morristown, expecting there to meet the three companies of cavalry that I sent from Dandridge to Mossy Creek last night. When within four miles of Morristown, a little beyond McFarland's place, I heard firing on my left, on the crossroad to Panther Springs, a point on the Knoxville and Morristown road, five miles this side of Morristown.
I found that the firing was at the rear of my three companies, who had gone on this morning to within a half mile of Morristown, where they drove in the rebel cavalry pickets, but being pursued by a force they con- sidered too large for them, and learning that there was a heavy body of the enemy's cavalry in Morristown, they had retired by the cross- road referred to to make the junction with me.
I then crossed with a portion of my command, by the Panther Springs road, to the Knoxville and Morristown road, pursued the scout- ing party sent out from Morristown, and captured seven of them, with their arms and eight horses.
I heard cannonading from about 2 o'clock until dark in the direction of Noyes' Ferry, or between there and Bean's Station.
From the prisoners captured I learned, in entire confirmation of the report previously given to me at McFarland's house by a boy who had left Russellville at daybreak this morning and had come through Morris- town, that General Martin, commanding the rebel cavalry (vice Wheeler), had left Russellville at daybreak this morning, and had reached Morristown at about 9 A.M. with five regiments of cavalry-the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Sixth Georgia-composing Colonel Crews' brigade, of Morgan's division, and that they were drawn up in line of battle at Morristown at the time the scouting party was sent out.
The rest of this division the prisoners understood to be over toward the Chucky; Jones' cavalry, they thought, was near Bean's Station, and they believed the fighting to-day to be with him. While I was pursuing the scouting party, the pickets I had left on the Dandridge and Morris- town road beyond McFarland's house saw, about a mile beyond them on the road leading from the mouth of Chucky to Morristown, a heavy rebel column of cavalry, supposed to be a division, passing toward Morris-
Addenda. 665
town, which is two miles from that intersection. This was about 3 30 P.M. ; they did not perceive my pickets.
Our prisoners also assert that Longstreet's infantry had crossed over from Rogersville to Bull's Gap and Greeneville road, and were now en- camped on that road, eight miles east of Bull's Gap, and that the wagon trains were on the same road. I brought my command over to this road, where I found that the telegraph party had not got up to Panther Springs; returning, I found it at Colonel Talbott's, eighteen miles from Strawberry Plains.
There being no forage convenient, I brought the party and escort back to this point, fifteen miles from Strawberry Plains, with my command.
The force of rebel cavalry in Morristown this evening was so large that I cannot consider myself very safe here, as yours is, I believe, the nearest supporting command, and I cannot see that it is very prudent to continue putting up a telegraph line toward Morristown while there is a division or more of rebel cavalry there who have the facility to return to the place without interruption, even if they now retire.
Until a large force is thrown on the south side of the river, there is nothing to prevent the enemy's cavalry from cutting the wires whenever they please, even down to Strawberry Plains.
It is possible that a body of rebel cavalry may be thrown down this road, in the morning, from Morristown. I await orders at this point. Please telegraph them. One of the prisoners we captured was an Orderly Sergeant sent out by General Martin from Morristown this afternoon to recall the scouting party. I shall endeavor to ascertain in the morning the condition of affairs at Morristown and vicinity.
Yours respectfully, WM. J. PALMER, Colonel Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY, EVANS' FORD, December 17, 1863, 5 P.M.
CAPTAIN GOURAND,
Acting Assistant Adjutant General.
Captain,-I have the honor to report that a scout, who went within sight of their fires last evening, has reported to me this afternoon that he saw what he considered to be one brigade of rebel cavalry at a point on the Morristown and Strawberry Plains road, two miles beyond New Market, at about dark yesterday evening (December 16th) ; that their pickets, thirty in number, were at New Market, and that another picket was stationed at James Brazelton's, where the road from New Market intersects the Rocky Valley road (leading from Dandridge to Straw- berry Plains) ; that these pickets were posted at those points at about dark. He also understood that there was another brigade of cavalry back near Mossy Creek.
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History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
Finding that the French Broad at my back was rising rapidly, I re- crossed it this afternoon at this point, three miles from Shady Grove, where I camped last night.
I got across with difficulty, and the river is now past fording, in my opinion, at any point between the mouth of Chucky and the Holston.
A small party of eleven rebels entered my camp at Shady Grove a few hours after we left it, and six were seen about dark on the opposite side of the river, a mile above this. Whether the eleven rebels were a small scouting party, or the advance of a larger force sent to attack us, I do not know; but incline to the latter opinion, from the fact that two rebel citizens living near Shady Grove, whom we had under arrest last night, escaped during the night.
I sent out two scouting parties this morning-one to Newport, up this side of the French Broad, and another, of Lieutenant Gregg and twenty-six men, toward Panther Springs. Neither have yet returned, and I have some apprehensions that the last-mentioned party will find a force of rebels in the rear. I have two boats ready to cross them here, and have sent word by a citizen to Dandridge to have them cross there if they pass through that place.
Please inform me where General Elliott's cavalry is, of the Army of the Cumberland.
WM. J. PALMER, Colonel Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY, ON DUMPLING CREEK, December 23, 1863, 3 P.M.
BRIGADIER-GENERAL ELLIOTT.
General,-I have the honor to inform you that I scouted with my com- mand yesterday evening on the bend of Chucky road from Dandridge to within four miles of Mosier's Mills, fourteen miles from Dandridge, and close to the intersection of the Dandridge and the bend of Chucky road with the road running from Morristown to Warm Springs via mouth of Chucky and Newport. At said point I was about four miles below and to the west of mouth of Chucky. I reached that point at about seven P.M., and found a small detail of rebel cavalry, who had been sent from Bean's Station, on Sunday last, with directions to gather cattle and report with them to Morristown as soon as possible. We captured five of these men, together with thirty head of cattle, which they were guard- ing ; also eighteen horses. I wish to retain six head of these cattle, and will send the remainder, with the prisoners, to you by first opportunity. As my force is rather small, I would be glad if some small scouting party from your command, coming in this direction, could take them back, in case you require them; they are small cattle. One of these prisoners states that at the time they left, all the rebel cavalry was on the other side of the Holston, but that they expected to meet their command at Morristown about Wednesday (to-day).
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Addenda.
Learning from Union citizens that a brigade of rebel cavalry had entered Mosier's Mills at about dark yesterday, and that a regiment was posted at Franklin's, near mouth of Chucky-the first part of which in- formation I have had reason since to doubt-I deemed it best to move my command to this point, which I reached at I A. M.
This morning I have sent a lady to Mosier's Mills, whose report I shall expect this evening. I have also sent a scouting party of ten men toward Morristown. From these I have heard that they fell on the track of a rebel scouting party of forty coming from the direction of Morristown, on the Dandridge road. The ten men are following them, and I have sent a company to near Dandridge to intercept them.
I also sent a single scout to Mossy Creek. He reported at 2 P.M. that no rebels are there, but that Union citizens informed him there was a considerable force-one said, lying in ambush-about three miles above Mossy Creek, near Talbott's Station, on the Knoxville road. If this is so, and you have a brigade at New Market, I would like to have it led by the Panther Springs road to Panther Springs, four miles in rear of Talbott's Station. I have been over this byroad and know it. If this could be done, I believe the enemy could be damaged considerably.
3.20 P.M.
My scouting party sent toward Dandrige reports that they are within three miles of that place, and that thirty rebel cavalry are in Dandridge. He also reports a rumor that a brigade was approaching Dandridge from a road running from the mouth of the Chucky to Dandridge, which I do not credit.
From Newport my scout reports 100 rebel cavalry in that vicinity. Forty stayed at Gorman's Church, one and one-half miles south of Newport, on night of 21st. They have arrested four conscripts at Wilson- ville. My scout from Greeneville has not yet returned.
I am, General, yours respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER, Colonel Commanding.
P. S .- Shall I report to you or to General Sturgis direct?
HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY, (Hale's, at the foot of Flat Gap) December 23, 1863, 7 P.M.
COL. E. M. McCook.
Colonel,-I have just moved here from Dumping Valley. I ascertained this afternoon from my scouting parties that a large force of the enemy's cavalry was advancing toward Dandridge on the Morristown and Dan- dridge road. One of my companies attacked their advance guard of one company at Dandridge, scattering them, when it was in turn attacked by the enemy's reserve. We took four prisoners, losing nothing.
My rear has skirmished with the rebel advance in retiring on the road from Dandridge to this place, but the rear is now up and there is
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History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
no pursuit. The prisoners confirm the statements of my scouts and of citizens who came to me to-day on Dumpling Creek, that John T. Morgan's division, composed of Colonel Crews' and Colonel Russell's brigades (the latter with six pieces of artillery), left Panther Springs, thirteen miles from New Market, on the Morristown road, and crossed over to the Dandridge and Bull's Gap road, on which they advanced toward Dandridge; the advance company having been sent ahead at about noon from Widow Kimbrough's, eight miles from Dandridge. It was from this company we got the prisoners. General Martin, chief of the enemy's cavalry, is along with Morgan's division. There are five regiments in Russell's brigade and four reported in Crews' brigade. The prisoners belong to the Fourth Alabama, whose Adjutant informed them this morning there were 250 men in their regiment. There are only two brigades in this division.
The prisoners say that Armstrong's division went up the Holston on the other side-they think to Noyes' Ferry, opposite Morristown. I send you also five prisoners we captured yesterday near mouth of Chucky; also twenty-four head of cattle (of thirty we captured with a rebel guard near mouth of Chucky yesterday). Morgan's division forded the Holston River near Panther Springs. Some action should be taken immediately, as both brigades are probably in Dandridge, although Crews' brigade may have kept on from Widow Kimbrough's to the mouth of Chucky. I should like to consult with you in regard to the course to be pursued, as I have become tolerably familiar with the roads hereabouts. Is General Elliott with you? Where is the rest of our Cavalry?
I am, Colonel, yours respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER, Colonel Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY, AT JIM BRAZELTON'S, December 24, 1863, 8 P.M.
BRIGADIER-GENERAL ELLIOTT,
Commanding Cavalry.
General,-Our movements to-day proved a failure. The brigade was there; not exactly at Dandridge, but six miles above. If we had got in its rear and fallen upon it at daybreak, I think it would have been ours, but at 8 o'clock in the morning we found it entirely on the alert and moving upon us.
The force that got in the rear of Colonel Campbell's brigade, I am inclined to think, was Armstrong's division. One of the prisoners belong- ing to it says so, and a loyal citizen living on the Morristown and Dandridge road informed me that 2000 or 3000 rebel cavalry passed down that road this afternoon.
It was not until we had acted in accordance with your order and got well out toward the intersection of the road running from Dandridge to Mossy Creek, three miles from Dandridge, that we learned of Colonel Campbell's condition. We then headed toward Dandridge, and were
Addenda. 669
about to march there to relieve him by attacking the rear of the rebels, when a dispatch came from him stating that he had swung over into the byroad on which we were marching, and was immediately in our rear. He saved all his cannon except one piece.
I am encamped at James Brazelton's, three miles from New Market, on the Rocky Valley road, and am picketing this road and Hodge's Gap. Please inform me what there is in front, and what is on the move for to-morrow.
My camp was here last night, and I came here because my ambulances, wagons, dismounted men, etc., were already here.
I am, General, yours respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER, Colonel Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY, (Montcastle's on Mossy Creek, at mouth of Chucky road, three miles from Mossy Creek) December 28, 1863, 9 P.M.
LIEUTENANT SHAW,
Assistant Adjutant General.
Sir,-I have the honor to report that I reached this position about a half hour ago, having scouted with my command via the Dumpling Valley road to its intersection with the Mossy Creek and mouth of Chucky road, at Findlay's Gap, six and one-half miles from Mossy Creek; thence through Findlay's Gap, on the last-named road, to within about one and one-half miles of Widow Kimbrough's Crossroads (which is nine miles from Mossy Creek and at the intersection of the mouth of Chucky road with the Morristown and Dandridge road).
The farthest point I reached was a camp of the enemy's cavalry, about one-half mile beyond Emsley Bettus', and one-fourth mile beyond the intersection of the road leading from Talbott's Station through Mansfield's Gap to the mouth of Chucky road. This intersection is about one mile beyond Mansfield's Gap and five miles from Talbott's Station.
At Emsley Bettus, a right-hand fork goes toward Dandridge, inter- secting the Morristown and Dandridge road at the Widow Lyle's, four and one-half miles from Dandridge and one mile this side of Coyle's place, where rebel cavalry were encamped last night and this morning. It was at this point (Emsley Bettus') that I found the rebel pickets, four or five in number, who fired and retreated toward the Widow Kim- brough's. It being dark, they could not be captured, and I only went on to the camp referred to, which had been occupied apparently by a small regiment and had been evacuated quite recently. Before reaching this point, at the intersection of the Dumpling Valley road with the mouth of Chucky road at Brooks', six and one-half miles from Mossy Creek, I found the camp of another party of rebel cavalry, about eighty in number, who had come there at II o'clock last night, and had left at
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History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
about 12 M. to-day, taking the road toward Widow Kimbrough's. I after- ward went up to Mansfield's Gap on the road leading from the Gap to Talbott's Station. I learned here that squads and companies of rebel cavalry had been passing and repassing all day, and was informed by a citizen that Morgan's command (size unknown), which was encamped at Widow Kimbrough's last night and this morning, left there at I P.M. to-day, and took the road for Panther Springs.
I believe this information to be correct, although I could find no one who had seen them leave. It was corroborated by the fact of the party which had been at Brooks' Crossroads having been withdrawn at noon, and also by the existence of the other recent camp which we saw. If it had not been dark, I should have gone on,to Widow Kimbrough's, where there is evidently some force or the pickets would not have been at Bettus'. I propose to do this in the morning, if you have no other disposition to make. I have not been diverted from the fulfillment of orders by twenty-five rebel cavalry, although I sent an officer and six men to Fain's Mill to ascertain what I could about them after they had run close to my pickets on the Mossy Creek and Dandridge road at about noon to-day. They captured one horse belonging to a man of the reserve, who was getting some baking done at a house just beyond the pickets. The whole of the rebel cavalry could come from Dandridge or vicinity to Mossy Creek by the shortest road without meeting any of Colonel Wolford's force or pickets.
I am, General, yours respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER, Colonel Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH PENNA. CAV., DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND, (Stokely Williams', near Mossy Creek)
December 30, 1863. LIEUT. W. L. SHAW,
Aid-de-Camp and Acting Assistant Adjutant General.
Sir,-I have the honor to report that on yesterday morning my com- mand, composed of detachments of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, the Tenth Ohio Cavalry, and the First East Tennessee Mounted Infantry, numbering in all about 250 men, was encamped at Montcastle's, three miles from Mossy Creek, on the road to mouth of Chucky. Being able to detect from a point of observation on a high hill near Montcastle's that our forces were falling back from Talbott's, on the Morristown road, and it being apparent that the enemy's cavalry would soon reach the mouth of Chucky road, between my camp and Mossy Creek, I moved my command, at about II A.M., in accordance with orders from Brigadier- General Elliott, which provided for this contingency, back toward Mossy Creek. Lieutenant Rogers' company, of the First East Tennessee Mounted Infantry, whom I detached for the purpose and sent into the woods on my flank, immediately became engaged, and held the road until the rest of the command reached Benjamin Branner's and was
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