USA > Tennessee > The Annals of the Army of Tennessee and early western history, including a chronological summary of battles and engagements in the western armies of the Confederacy > Part 35
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
On 3d .- Resumed the march this morning. From the sound of guns in front, we knew that General Hardee alone was still holding the enemy in check, for we had passed the corps of S. D. Lee on the road. On arriving at Lovejoy's Station, on the railroad, my division was detached and sent to relieve General Bate's Division, in line of battle in the center of Hardee's Corps, and after dark it was ordered to relieve his left division, which held a miserable line and salient that was enfiladed by the enemy's artillery on both faces. Did not, however, make the change.
On 4th .- Considerable artillery firing on the line to-day. La- bored all night on a new line to cut off part of the salient, which improved it very much.
On 5th .- My division is now on the line of the division of Hardee's Corps which it has relieved, and so completely is the old art of it enfiladed that about forty men were killed and wounded from shells.
343
AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
On 6th .- At 4 o'clock A.M., information was sent me by the officer of the day that the enemy had left my front. I directed the skirmishers to advance and occupy the works of the enemy, and re- ported the facts to Lieutenant-General Stewart. General Cockrell asked permission to follow up the enemy, which was granted, and he pursued them beyond Jonesborough. Coming up with the Federals - south of the village, he drove them to their works just this side the town. From these works they were driven by a charge of four com- panies, under the command of Captain Canniff, to their main lines on the north side of Jonesborough, where they were discovered in force. A number of prisoners were captured and many killed and wounded. My casualties were two officers-Lieutenants Welsh and Strong-and eight privates wounded. The enemy falling back toward Atlanta afforded some rest to our forces. . I will here state that my division, from the day I joined the Army of Tennessee until the fall of Atlanta, was, with one single day's exception, constantly under the fire of the enemy. The labor they performed, their gallantry, and the privations they endured are lasting evidence of their valor and patriotism.
During the operations in and around the city, though my division was not engaged in either of the battles of the 22nd of July or of the 28th, it sustained in the various conflicts with the enemy a loss of sixty-four killed, two hundred and ninety-six wounded, and fifty-three missing ; or an aggregate loss of four hundred and thirteen. Among the slain, we have to lament the loss of Lieutenant-Colonel James K. McDowell, a most valuable officer; Lieutenant-Colonel D. Todd Samuels, Cap- tains Bradford Keith and Samuel A. Kennerly; Lieutenants J. R. Mothershead, J. B. Carty, J. B. Ferrill, L. Deboard, F. M. Sherrell, J. Harman, D. R. Balding, W. J. West; also Captain Ward, of the artillery, a most estimable gentleman and gallant officer. Among the wounded were Brigadier-General M. D. Ector and Colonel Elijah Gates, both too well known to need commendation.
To Generals Ector, Cockrell and Sears, to Colonels Gates, Buny, and Young, each a long time in command of brigades, I am under ob- ligations for valuable services. Majors Saunders, Shingleur, Morey, Dearing, and Captains Danner and Kent, members of my staff, were zealous in the performance of their duties. My aids, Lieutenants James R. Yerger, Wiley Abercrombie and W. H. Cain, rendered me valuable assistance in the performance of my duties. Major Storrs and Captain Hoskins and Lieutenant A. W. Harris, of the artillery,
344
THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
Captain Henderson, Provost Marshal, and Lieutenant E. T. Freeman, Acting Inspector-General, were noted for distinguished gallantry in the presence of the enemy.
I must here also express my thanks to Dr. Wm. B. Harrison, Chief Surgeon, for his untiring care of the wounded and sick during this arduous campaign.
During the siege of forty days, the officers and soldiers composing the division were, generally, vigilant and faithful in the performance of their duties and conspicuous for their gallantry.
Along with this I send the reports of the brigade commanders.
Respectfully submitted,
S. G. FRENCH, Major-General Commanding.
WHEELER'S CAVALRY.
Memoranda of the -Strength and Operations of Major-General Joseph Wheeler's Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee, during the Year 1864.
J ANUARY, 1864 .- The effective total of the cavalry, under Gen- eral Wheeler's command, was 2,491 men.
March .- Roddy joined early in March with 1, 317, making General Wheeler's force 4,096.
April .- Early in April Roddy was detached and sent to Mississippi with his brigade, and in addition thereto, taking with him a regiment and detachment, in all amounting to 1,996 men. General Martin joined about the same time, from East Tennessee, with 1,531 ; making the effective force under General Wheeler's command, April 10th, 4,016.
May 6th. - We had increased this force to 4, 299.
June .- After May 6th, Dibrell's and Harrison's Brigades joined, with 1,415 men, making General Wheeler's force, on June 6th, 5,714.
July 20 .- Early in July General Humes was detached, with two brig- ades, and sent to report to General Jackson, on the left of the army, with 1,431 men, and Colonel Anderson joined with a regiment of 500 men, making General Wheeler's force, July 20th, 4,746. On July 27th Sherman sent over 9,000 cavalry to our rear, which, after three days' fighting and very rapid and severe marching, we defeated, in-
345
AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
flicting a loss of fully half the force of the enemy, including 3, 200 prisoners. These operations shattered our command very much.
August .- Early in August General Wheeler was ordered to leave two brigades with the army, and with five brigades to move upon the enemy's rear. General Wheeler started, August 9th, with 3,300 men, and ordered General Williams, then at Athens, with 700 men, to march ·directly to Spring Place. The capture of 1, 700 beef cattle made it nec- essary to send a brigade, under Colonel Hannon, to escort them back to our army. General Williams joined General Wheeler at Spring Place, but on reaching the vicinity of Knoxville he (Williams) detached him- self without authority, taking with him another brigade and the best part of General Wheeler's artillery, which fell under his orders, to take a route which should have never taken him more than three miles from General Wheeler's command ; and his orders given him (Williams) in person that morning, and repeated in writing three times during the evening, were that he should camp with Wheeler that night. These troops remained absent until late in November, after General Williams had been arrested by the War Department, and the brigade ordered to return to General Wheeler. Colonel Dibrell was ordered by General Wheeler to a special service with his regiment. He fell in with Wil- liams after complying with the duty, and did not return to General Wheeler at once. On August 20th, General Wheeler's force left for the raid in Tennessee was, therefore, but 2,241.
September 20. - Our Tennessee troops increased their ranks by re- cruits during the raid, but General Wheeler's force was reduced by three regiments being detached with General Forrest, and on Septem- ber 20th Wheeler's force was but 2,643. . With this force General Wheeler destroyed the railroad near Dalton and Resaca, and returned to the army then just moving north from the Chattahoochee.
October 10. - General Wheeler's force was 2,530. After operations around Dalton, General Hood marched to North Alabama with one brigade of General Wheeler's Cavalry. General Iverson had been in command of two brigades and some detachments of cavalry, near Jonesborough, Georgia, but about the last of October he ordered most of them to Blue Mountain, General Hood's rendezvous for detachments and army supplies.
November 6 .- General Wheeler started to Jonesborough, Georgia, reaching there on November 13th, and found General Iverson with Lewis's Kentucky Brigade, recently mounted, numbering but . 241
346
THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
effective men, together with some small detachments. The Tennessee Brigade and Colonel Russell's Regiment had been detached and sent to General Hood.
November 20 .- Sherman's columns were all in motion southward on November 15th, and General Wheeler was able to oppose him with but about 1,500 men, and he hurried on his troops en route, and was joined by General Ferguson's Brigade, with 525 men, and on Novem- ber 20th, near Macon, General Wheeler's force was 3,026. Near Augusta General Wheeler was joined by troops from East Tennessee- 1, 131 men-and his force on December 20th was as follows: Allen's and Humes's Divisions, composed of the brigades of Crews, Hagan, Anderson, Harrison, Breckinridge and Dibrell, with General Wheeler, amounting to 4,083 ; and detached from him (General Wheeler) were the brigades of Lewis, Hannon and Ferguson, 1,092.
December 20. - Total cavalry force in that section was 5, 173. It must be borne in mind that Lewis's Brigade had but about 250 men. Hannon's, consisting of one regiment and a small battalion, was about the same, and the other brigades were little more than a regiment in size.
Our deficiency of infantry was such that General Wheeler's com- mand was used dismounted, fighting the enemy's infantry during most of the campaign from Dalton to Atlanta. We frequently were with- drawn from the lines for other more appropriate service, but as soon as such service was completed we were again spread out on the line of works, opposing the solid lines of two or four ranks of Federal infantry.
We were in breast-works, opposed by Howard's Army of Tennessee (formerly McPherson's), on July 27th, when Sherman started his raid of over 9,200 men to our rear. Troops had to be marched to occupy our lines before we could move to oppose them.
General Wheeler marched rapidly about seventeen miles and attacked the column of Stoneman and Garrard. While fighting Garrard, Stoneman withdrew, stealing away eastwardly. After warm fighting we drove Gar- rard back toward the left wing of Sherman's army. General Wheeler's scouts informed him of McCook's movement on our left. Being aware of the danger of McCook's column, General Wheeler gave Iverson three brigades-his own, under Colonel Crews, and Allen's and Breck- inridge's-and wrote him orders as follows: "Stoneman, with about 2,000 men, has gone east toward Covington. You will take your own
347
AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
brigade, and General Allen's and Colonel Breckinridge's Brigades, and pursue him as rapidly as possible. Your force will justify it, and you must attack him warmly when you overtake him, The moral is all on your side. The Yankee troops are weak when away from their main army, and can be easily defeated."
General Wheeler ordered General Kelly to watch General Hood's right flank, and prevent any thing aggressive from General Garrard, and with the balance of his troops started to meet McCook, who had crossed the Chattahoochee, and was turning the left of our army, with 3,500 men. While en route General Wheeler was joined by some 200 men, under General Ross. We struck McCook about dark, and kept up a fight almost continuously for the distance of fifty miles, and until I o'clock the next day, when we brought him to a stand and completed his defeat, after a very severe engagement.
General Roddy was at Newnan, with his brigade dismounted. Gen- eral Wheeler ordered him to the field, a distance of four or five miles, but the crisis was over before he arrived, but nevertheless he assisted greatly in guarding our numerous prisoners. We captured most of McCook's field-officers, and Federal reports stated he returned with but 500 men.
The column against Stoneman was also successful, capturing him and some 600 of his men. General Wheeler immediately pursued the fugitives, who were seeking escape in disorganized bodies, and over- took and captured a number of them, making our entire captures about 3,200 men, including one major-general and five brigade com- manders, and all the artillery, teams, pack-trains, etc., of the enemy. The arms captured were turned over to the ordnance officer, except the pistols, which were distributed among the men. When this oper- ation commenced our horses were feeble, having received but about one-tenth full rations for several days, and the numerous horses cap- tured were also in very bad condition.
General Hood conceived that in the enemy's rear we would feed upon their rations, destroy their communication, and at the same time draw back much more force than that sent on this duty. About the 6th of August General Hood ordered General Wheeler to leave two brigades on the right of his army, and move into North Georgia and Tennessee with the balance of his command. General Wheeler started on the 10th with 3,300 men, and directed General Williams, with the Kentucky Brigade of 700 men, who was at Athens, Ga., to join him
!
348
THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
at Spring Place. This he complied with, but soon after, while march- ing on a road but three miles from General Wheeler's line of march .. with his own and Anderson's Brigades and most of Wheeler's artillery, instead of complying with his instructions to camp with him that night. he (Williams) diverged off, and though repeatedly ordered in writing for seven days to rejoin, he failed to do so. He was arrested by the .. War Department, and the two brigades were ordered back, reporting to General Wheeler, near Augusta, on November 28th. Our first capture was a train and 1, 700 beef cattle, which were sent to Genera! Hood, escorted by a small brigade under Colonel Hannon. In one week General Wheeler had torn up the railroad at various points from Marietta to Chattanooga, had taken Dalton, and destroyed the stores there accumulated.
The extreme weakness of General Wheeler's horses made it neces- sary to withdraw to the Conestoga farms for forage. He selected six detachments of thirty men each, all familiar with the country, with orders to constantly strike the railroad, and in every manner possible interrupt the communications. Finding it impossible to procure food near the railroad, in Georgia, General Wheeler determined to cross the Tennessee, and effectually destroy the railroads north of the river. Unfortunately a heavy rain raised the river to a torrent, necessitating going up some distance to effect a crossing. The East Tennessee road was thoroughly destroyed, to prevent Sherman's use of the abundant supplies from that section.
The events above mentioned reduced General Wheeler's force, to accomplish his work in Tennessee, to 2,241 men; and, to add to this, for the first seven days he was embarrassed by expecting General Wil- liams to join him (Wheeler) every hour, and his failure to do so caused an hourly disappointment and an hourly derangement of his plans of operations.
We were successful in holding our own against the enemy, and de- stroyed the railroad and several bridges, and finally was concentrated upon by a force four times General Wheeler's strength, under Major- Generals Rosseau and Granger.
General Wheeler dropped down and crossed the river at Muscle Shoals, in the hope that we could get the troops from General Williams and return and keep the roads constantly interrupted. General Wheeler then learned of Williams's return to East Tennessee, and General Hood sent him (General Wheeler) orders to turn certain regi-
.
349
AND EARLY, WESTERN HISTORY.
ments over to General Forrest, and to strike the railroad at Dalton. This General Wheeler complied with, and then moved South, tearing up the road at various points, constantly fighting until we joined Gen- eral Hood, near the Chattahoochee ..
In the operations of General Hood around Dalton, General Wheeler commanded the cavalry under his direction until October 22nd, when General Hood moved to North Alabama, taking one of Wheeler's brigades, and left him with 2,500 men to watch and hold Sherman's army in check. General Wheeler reported daily to General Hood of Sherman's movements, and on October 28th, and daily until November 7th, reported the southerly movement of Sherman's army.
The following are some of General Wheeler's dispatches, and the others were to the same effect, possibly giving more detail :
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, October 28, 1864.
GENRRAL J. B. HOOD -- Scouts and prisoners all report Sherman with his main army between my position and Gaylesville. Fourth Corps has gone toward Chattanooga ; Twenty-Third Corps (Schofield's) at Cedar Bluff; Twentieth Corps still at Atlanta. Prisoners say Sher- man will mareh to Savannah or Mobile.
J. WHEELER, Major-General.
General Wheeler having become convinced, by the combined infor- mation obtained from his scouts, spies and captured prisoners, that Sherman intended returning to Atlanta, and not going in person to Tennessee, wrote and telegraphed General Hood daily after October 28th to that effect. On the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of November, General Wheeler's dispatches were all of about the same tenor, and were as follows :
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, November 2, 1864.
GENERAL J. B. HOOD-Best information from all sources places en- emy as follows: Blair's (Seventeenth) Corps and Logan's (Fifteenth) Corps, with Kilpatrick's Cavalry, marching toward Marietta; Schofield's Corps and Garrard's Cavalry marching toward Chattanooga; Stanley's Corps probably at Chattanooga; Slocum's (Twentieth) Corps at At- lanta ; Fourteenth Army Corps, under Davis, went to Rome-destina- tion not yet determined. Prisoners and scouts now say Sherman will march to Savannah, via Augusta.
J. WHEELER, Major-General.
These dispatches were also sent to General Taylor, at Selma.
.
-
350
THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, November 6, 1864.
GENERAL J. B. HOOD-Latest information reports position of en. emy as follows: Blair's and Logan's Corps, with Kilpatrick's Cavalry. under Howard, near Marietta. Schofield's Corps, with Garrard's Cav- alry, marching toward Chattanooga ; Stanley's Corps went to Chatta- nooga a week since. Slocum's Corps at Atlanta.
J. WHEELER, Major-General.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE, Gadsden, Alabama, October 22, 1864.
GENERAL-General Hood desires to shift the calvary force of the army as follows : You will take command of Iverson and the force now under your command, and take charge of the line from Iverson's right to the Tennessee River. You must endeavor to keep the At- lanta and Dalton railroad constantly cut, and should the enemy evacu- ate Atlanta you must destroy all the road north of the Chattahoochee, and constantly concentrate toward your left. Be prepared to join at any time the main body of the army. Should the enemy advance anywhere, you will drive off all the stock in their front and destroy all the mills within ten miles of their line of march, retarding them as much as possible.
I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. P. MASON, Major and A. A. General.
General Hood had spies and scouts sent out from his headquarters, from whom he obtained information which rather cast doubts upon the southerly movement of General Sherman; and it seems General Wheeler's dispatches were, for the first few days, not fully credited. After the receipt of General Wheeler's dispatches of October 28th and 30th, General Hood telegraphed to him as follows :
TUSCUMBIA, November 3d.
MAJOR-GENERAL WHEELER-The enemy appears to be moving to- ward Chattanooga. It is important that your force should be em- ployed in the best manner possible in keeping their communications cut between Atlanta and Chattanooga. J. B. HOOD, General.
And after receiving General Wheeler's dispatches of November 3rd, he sends the following :
TUSCUMBIA, November 6th.
MAJOR-GENERAL WHEELER-Should the enemy move as you sug-
351
AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
gest in your letter of October 3 1st, Clanton's force will be sufficient to leave on the flank you mention; but remember that it is important to keep his communications cut, to keep him from accumulating supplies at Atlanta, and to prevent him from reinforcing in Tennessee from Atlanta. Let me hear from you often and by telegraph.
J. B. HOOD, General.
TUSCUMBIA, November 6th.
MAJOR-GENERAL WHEELER-Your dispatch of November 4th, from Blue Mountain, received, and your disposition of your command therein mentioned is approved. Concentrate all your forces to oppose, in every possible manner. any southerly advance the enemy may make. Be sure that his communications are damaged in every way possible, communicating frequently and fully with me by telegraph, sending your couriers to the nearest telegraph stations.
J. B. HOOD, General.
The following was received from Lieutenant-General Taylor :
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI AND EAST LOUISIANA, Selma, November 8, 1864.
GENERAL-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your com- munication of the 3rd and 4th insts., for which be pleased to accept my thanks. It is very necessary that I should be kept posted as to your movements in the present crisis of affairs, and will be glad if you will advise me of the nature of your present orders and of any change that may hereafter be made therein; also, from time to time of your movements and those of the enemy.
I remain, General, most respectfully, your obedient servant, R. TAYLOR, Lieutenant-General.
Major-General JOSEPH WHEELER, Commanding Cavalry Corps.
General Iverson had Lewis' Brigade, 241 strong, and some detach- ments stationed at Jonesborough, Georgia, which, the last of October, he ordered to join General Wheeler at Blue Mountain. On November 7th, General Wheeler put his troops en route for Jonesborough, and endeav- ored to intercept those sent by General Iverson, but they had taken a too southerly route, and their services were lost for some days, and some of them for some weeks. General Wheeler had endeavored to keep all officers informed of the state of affairs. On November 13th,
352
THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
General Wheeler reached Jonesborough. The dispatches he sent were as follows :
JONESBOROUGH, GEORGIA, November 13, 1864.
GENERAL J. B. HOOD-On arriving here I find General Iverson in doubt regarding force in Atlanta. An escaped prisoner from Kings- ton informs me that several trains of cars, loaded with troops, passed up to Chattanooga on the 7th. Enemy have been burning something in Atlanta for the last two days. J. WHEELER, Major-General.
General Wheeler sent same dispatches to General Howell Cobb. Macon, and General R. Taylor, Selma.
General Wheeler immediately moved up toward Atlanta with some scouts, and during the night, from citizens and prisoners, he obtained information, which he telegraphed, as follows:
JONESBOROUGH, GEORGIA, November 14, 1864'
GENERAL J. B. HOOD-Sherman, with Fifteenth and Twentieth Corps and Kilpatrick's Cavalry, is in Atlanta. Prisoners and citi- zens say camp rumors are that they will march to Augusta and Savan- nah. Scouts and prisoners report Sherman destroying railroad from Atlanta to Allatoona.
J. WHEELER, Major-General.
General Wheeler sent the above dispatch to the following : General Braxton Bragg, Richmond; Lieutenant-General Hardee, Charleston ; Lieutenant-General R. Taylor, Selma; Major-General Cobb, Macon : Major-General G. W. Smith, Forsyth; Governor Joseph E. Brown, Milledgeville ; Colonel M. H. Wright, Columbus.
Being uncertain as to the roads which would be traveled by the va- rious corps, General Wheeler placed pickets upon all lines of travel leading to Augusta, Milledgeville, Macon and Columbus; and, as ex- tra precaution, he also placed under observation the roads by which a raid could have struck toward Montgomery.
General Clanton had been left in command at Blue Mountain, and to him General Wheeler dispatched as follows :
NEAR ATLANTA, November 14, 1864.
GENERAL J. H. CLANTON, Blue Mountain-The enemy's cavalry · may move through. Carrollton, toward West Point and Montgomery Railroad. Keep it well watched.
JOSEPH WHEELER, Major-General.
General Wheeler's orders of October 22nd, about destroying sup- plies, were impracticable. Corn was so abundant that the combined
353
AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
efforts of Wheeler's and Sherman's entire armies could not have de- stroyed it. Vast fields of ungathered corn were on either side of our path; or, what was often the case, corn lay gathered in the fields wait- ing for wagons to haul it to the crib. Sherman had struck through the rich counties of Georgia, which then had in them grain enough to sup- ply the Confederacy a year. The vast fields, which usually made cot- ton, had that year made corn. It was ready for harvest, or had just been harvested. If Sherman had had no provisions, nothing we could have done would have caused him even an inconvenience; but, as it was, he started with provision for the trip, so that any attempt at de- struction of supplies by us was useless. The first day, and before General Wheeler had informed himself of the state of affairs, he at- tempted a compliance. Considerable corn was destroyed, two mills were burned, and some stock was driven off. To accomplish this, half his force was occupied, leaving him less than one thousand men to fight the enemy.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.