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 36
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On the 15th, Sherman marched out briskly, pushing General Wheeler before him. Wheeler attacked with a small force and fought warmly as he could, giving good and repeated blows to their advance. The in- fantry at Jonesboro and Forsyth had already started to Macon, and Wheeler did not see it until he reached that place.
General Wheeler sent the following dispatch :
NEAR JONESBORO, GA., Nov. 15, 1864.
GENERAL J. B. HOOD-Enemy advanced with infantry, cavalry and wagons early this morning. Have driven our cavalry back to this place. Enemy have burned many houses in Rome, Marietta and Atlanta ; also destroyed railroad, and burned railroad bridge over Chattahoochie.
J. WHEELER, Major-General.
General Wheeler also sent this dispatch to the following : General Braxton Bragg, Richmond; Lieutenant-General Hardee, Charleston ; Lieutenant-General R. Taylor, Selma; Major-General G. W. Smith, Forsyth; Governor Joseph E. Brown, Milledgeville; General G. T. Beauregard, Tuscumbia; Colonel M. H. Wright, Columbus.
During the day and night of the 15th, General Wheeler had learned fully regarding Sherman's organization, force and intentions, and sent the following telegrams :
NEAR JONESBORO, GA., Nov. 16, 1864 .- Daylight. GENERAL J. B. HOOD, Tuscumbia-Fifteenth, Seventeenth and VOL. I, NO. VIII .-- 2.
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THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
Twentieth Corps, with Kilpatrick's Cavalry, left Atlanta yesterday morning in two columns-one on Jonesboro and the other on Mc- Donough Road. Fourteenth Corps has reached Atlanta, giving Sher- man four Corps-fully sixty thousand men.
J. WHEELER, Major-General.
The above dispatch was also sent to General G. T. Beauregard, Tus- cumbia ; General Braxton Bragg, Richmond ; Lieutenant-General Har- dee, 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.
On the 16th, after some severe fighting, General Wheeler checked the enemy at Bear Creek. He (General Wheeler) sent the following dispatch to the above-named persons :
NEAR GRIFFIN, GEORGIA, NOV. 16, 1864-11:45 P.M.
Enemy checked this morning at Bear Creek. Enemy evidently marching upon Macon. J. WHEELER, Major-General.
With the small cavalry force at General Wheeler's command, no ma -. terial check could be given to Sherman's force of infantry. He soon saw he could expect no infantry support. He therefore determined, Ist. To continually harass and, when practicable, to impede the ene- my's columns. 2nd. To attack and defeat exposed detachments. 3rd. To keep enemy's foragers as near his main column as possible. 4th. To keep all proper officers fully informed of Sherman's movements. 5th. And, above all, to defend all cities along the lines of railroad, and to protect depots of stores, arsenals and government and other important works.
General Wheeler directed Major-General Cobb and General G. W. Smith to concentrate their militia and reserves at Macon and prepare the fortifications and the city for a vigorous defense.
General Wheeler soon saw that Columbus was not in danger, and therefore felt that all our efforts should be directed to saving our mili- tary stores and public works at Macon and Augusta.
Milledgeville was not a point of importance to us, and General Wheeler early determined not to attempt its defense, if approached by infantry. It would have given him pleasure to have saved it from des- ecration, but he feared that the attempt might jeopardise both Macon and Augusta, either of which were so vastly more important.
The hundred or more prisoners captured in the engagements corrob-
-
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orated our information that Sherman's wagons carried a full supply of rations, and General Wheeler felt justified in publishing the following order, which he had printed for the guidance of his troops :
HEADQUARTERS WHEELER'S CORPS, NOV. 15, 1864.
Circular :
I. All orders heretofore issued, regarding destroying supplies and re- moving stock before the enemy, are modified as follows :
. II. All mills near the enemy's line of march will be rendered use- less to the enemy by breaking the machinery, and, when practicable, by drawing off the water.
III. No mill-building, corn-cribs, or any other private property, will be burned or destroyed by this command.
IV. All horses, mules and other stock, which citizens have left on the enemy's line of march, will be driven off and proper receipts left for the same. When no owner can be found, accurate accounts will be kept, so that the stock can be reclaimed by the owner.
V. Commanders of troops, in falling back before the enemy, will send reliable officers and men at least one day in advance, to instruct citizens in which direction to drive their stock.
By order of Major-General WHEELER.
M. G. HUDSON, First Lieut. and A. D. C., A. A. A. G.
At Griffin, a large amount of stores had been deposited. On the morning of the 17th, Kilpatrick attempted to enter, but, after a warm fight, we repulsed his attack and saved the city from his ravages.
The infantry columns, each preceded by a regiment of mounted in- fantry, were all to the east of the cavalry.
General Wheeler sent the following dispatches :
NEAR GRIFFIN, GEORGIA, Nov. 17, 1864. -- II A. M.
GENERAL BRAXTON BRAGG :- Enemy are turning main column or shortest route to Macon and Milledgeville. Scouts from enemy's rear report that Fourteenth Corps is moving up.
J. WHEELER, Major-General.
NEAR GRIFFIN, GEORGIA, Nov. 17, 1864 .- 2:20 P. M.
GENERAL BRAXTON BRAGG :- Enemy turning column shortest route to Macon. I have no orders regarding the holding of any city, should enemy besiege or assault. Please give me wishes and inten- tions of Government, or send some one who knows the course they desire pursued. J. WHEELER, Major-General.
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THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
The above dispatches were sent to Generals G. T. Beauregard, J. B. Hood, W. J. Hardee and R. Taylor.
On the 18th, after a series of severe, but successful, engagements with Kilpatrick's Cavalry, we turned him off from his march upon Forsyth, saving that place also.
General Wheeler received the following dispatches :
SELMA, ALA., Nov. 16, 1864.
MAJOR-GENERAL WHEELER :- Please keep me advised of enemy's movements. I have your dispatches of yesterday and day before. Should enemy move east, better telegraph General Hardee and Rich- mond direct.
R. TAYLOR, Lieutenant-General. CORINTH, MISS., Nov. 18, 1864.
MAJOR-GENERAL WHEELER :- Employ your cavalry to best advan- tage, retarding advance of Sherman's Army and destroying supplies in his front. G. T. BEAUREGARD.
Finding Sherman was crossing the Ocmulgee, General Wheeler sent General Anderson and Colonel Crews to Macon, with orders to move up toward Clinton, and watch the approach from that direction.
(Concluded in next Number.)
BATTLE OF RICHMOND, KENTUCKY.
Official Report of General E. Kirby Smith, Commanding Army of Kentucky.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF KENTUCKY, LEXINGTON, KY., Sept. 16, 1862.
General S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va .-- General :
IN my short letter of the 30th ult. I gave you the results of my actions of that day, of which I have the honor now to make a more detailed report.
Before leaving Barboursville for this part of Kentucky, I wrote to you, fully explaining the reasons that prompted me to take that step. Until my advance descended the Big Hill, I met with no opposition from the enemy. Here, on the morning of the 29th, the enemy was dis-
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covered to be in force in our front, and a bold reconnoisance of the cavalry, under Colonel Scott, in the afternoon, indicated a determina- tion to give us battle. Although Churchill's Division did not get up until quite late in the afternoon, and then in an apparently exhausted state, I determined to march to Richmond the next day, even at the cost of a battle with the whole force of the enemy. The leading Division, under General Cleburne, was moved early next morning, and after advancing two or three miles they found the enemy drawn up in line of battle in a fine position, near Mount Zion Church, six miles from Richmond. Without waiting for Churchill's Division, Cleburne at once commenced the action, and when I arrived on the field-712 o'clock-the fire of artillery was brisk on both sides. As my force was almost too small to storm the position in front, without a disastrous loss, I sent General Churchill, with one of his brigades, to turn the enemy's right. While this move was being executed, a bold and well-conducted attempt, on the part of the enemy, to turn Cle- burne's right, was admirably foiled by the firmness of Colonel Preston Smith's Brigade, who repulsed the enemy with great slaughter. It was ·about this time, while he was riding from his right to his left, that Gen- eral Cleburne was badly wounded in the face, and thus at a critical moment I was deprived of the services of one of the most gallant, zealous and intelligent officers of the whole army.
The command of this division then devolved upon Colonel Preston Smith. In the meantime General Churchill had been completely suc- cessful in his movements upon the enemy's right flank, where, by a bold charge, his men completed a victory already partially gained by the gallantry of our troops on the right.
In this action our loss was quite heavy on the right, but in compari- son with that of the enemy was small.
It was reported that the enemy had taken up a new position on White's farm, two miles in front. . I ordered Churchill, with one brig- ade, to again turn his right, intending to bring up Preston Smith on the other flank; but a desperate attempt on the part of the enemy to crush Churchill caused the action to commence before the arrival of Smith's Division, and so this gallant brigade (Colonel McCray's) of Texans and Arkansians had to fight the battle alone. Although the odds opposed to them were fearful, yet, by reserving their own fire, under the deafening roar of the enemy's guns, and by a well-timed and dashing charge upon the advancing lines, they completely routed and
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put to flight the hosts of the enemy, just as the cheers of Smith's Division announced his arrival in the field. . The loss of the enemy here was very great, including one piece of artillery; ours, almost nothing. Scott's cavalry having been sent around to our left by an- other road, to get in the rear of Richmond, I felt during the whole day much in need of cavalry to follow upon different successes. It was then that, in this second repulse of the enemy, I ordered Captain Nel- son, commanding a company of partisan rangers, to charge the re- treating masses of the enemy. This was promptly and admirably
obeyed, the results being the capture of numerous prisoners. In pass- ing a deserted camp of the enemy, I found from some of the wounded that General Nelson, with reinforcements, had arrived after the second battle. A march of two miles brought us within sight of the town, in front of which, and on a commanding ridge, with both flanks resting upon woods, Nelson had determined to make a firm stand. For a time Churchill, with a brigade (McNair's), was sent to the left, when a deafening roar of musketry soon announced the raging of a furious combat. In the meanwhile Preston Smith, bringing up his division at a double-quick, formed, with wonderful precision and rapidity, in front of the enemy's center and left. Almost without waiting the command of the officers, this division coolly advanced under the murderous fire of a force twice their number, and drove them from the field in the greatest confusion, and with immense slaughter. Owing to the open character of the country, our loss in the last fight was quite heavy, in- cluding some valuable regimental officers. The exhausted condition of my men, together with the closing in of night, prevented the pur- suit of the enemy more than a mile beyond Richmond; but the timely arrival of Colonel Scott, with his cavalry, upon their two lines of retreat, enabled him greatly to increase the fruits of the hard labors of the day, by capturing large numbers of prisoners, including Gen- eral Manson and staff, as also eight pieces of artillery and a number of wagons; and whilst my whole force was not more than five thousand, that of the enemy was more than ten. In this last engagement we took prisoners from thirteen regiments. Our loss in killed and wounded is about four hundred; that of the enemy is about one thousand, and his prisoners five thousand. The immediate fruits of the victory were nine pieces of artillery and ten thousand small arms, and a large quan- tity of supplies. These latter were greatly increased by the capture of this place and Frankfort, the whole number of cannon taken being
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about twenty. I regret that I am unable to forward with this the re- ports of all the different commanders of the forces engaged.
Those enclosed (General Churchill's and Colonel Scott's) will show how much cause the Confederacy has to be proud of her sons. I almost fear to particularize, lest I do not full justice to all; but I can- not close this report without expressing my admiration at the prompt- ness and intelligence with which Generals Churchill and Cleburne and Colonel Preston Smith executed the orders given them. My thanks are due to the following members of my staff, who were with me on the field, for their active assistance to me during the day, viz. : Col- onels Pegram and Boggs, Lieutenant-Colonel Brent, Majors J. A. Brown, McElrath and Thomas, Captain Merse; Lieutenants Cunning- ham and Pratt, and Captains Walworth, Hammond and McFrevet, Volunteer Aids. Too much praise cannot be given to the Medical Di- rector, Surgeon S. A. Smith, and to his assistants, for their untiring devotion to the arduous labors that devolved upon them.
As regards the intrepid behavior of the true patriots-the men in ranks-I can only say, that as long as the destinies of the South re- main in such hands, we need never fear Northern subjugation. But even more than their noble courage before the enemy, are we called upon to admire that higher courage, which enabled them to undergo, without murmur, the fatigues and hardships of one of the most .diffi- cult marches of this war. For several days, and parts of the nights, through a country almost without water, over stony roads, with their almost bare feet, and with green corn and beef, without salt, as their only food, did these gallant men trudge along, inspired only with a desire of being led against the invaders of their homes and the oppressors of their liberties.
I refer you to the reports of the division and brigade command- ers, only a part of which I am now able to forward, for notice of special cases of good behavior.
I remain, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed)
E. KIRBY SMITH.
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THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
Official Report of Brigadier-General T. J. Churchill, Commanding Third Division.
HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, ARMY OF KENTUCKY, CYNTHIANA, KENTUCKY, September 8, 1862.
To Major-General E. Kirby Smith-General :
I HAVE the honor to report that on the morning of the 30th ult., according to instructions, I moved my division, composed of the First and Second Brigades, commanded by Colonels McCray and Mc- Nair, respectively, up the road in the direction of Richmond. When I arrived in the neighborhood of Kingston, I heard the artillery open on our right, showing that General Cleburne had met the enemy.
It was now about 8 o'clock A.M. It was at this time you arrived on the field and ordered me to hold one of my brigades in reserve, while with the other I was to make a flank movement on the enemy's right. In accordance with these instructions, I left Colonel McNair, with his brigade, as a reserve force, and proceeded with Colonel McCray's Brigade, composed of Arkansas and Texas troops, to execute the movement on the enemy's flank, and, by proceeding cautiously through a corn-field and a ravine, had almost perfected the move, when the enemy, pressed by our forces on our right, commenced to give way ; but, after falling back some distance, they formed in a skirt of timber, when my forces fired and charged upon them. Then, for the first time discovering my position, they commenced a precipitate retreat, but not before we had killed a great many and taken a num- ber of prisoners.
I was again ordered to move up on the left with the same brigade, while General Cleburne was to move on the right. After proceeding some two miles in the direction of Richmond, I found the entire force of the enemy, numbering eight or ten thousand, in a strong position on the left of the road, concealed by a corn-field and a skirt of timber. I then sent General Cleburne word to move up-that I was ready to engage the enemy. I then placed one section of Captain Humphrey's Battery, under command of Lieutenant -- , on my right, about two hundred yards from the enemy, to more effectually rake his lines. Before General Cleburne's Division came up, the fight had commenced in earnest.
The fire of the enemy's artillery and musketry was most terrific, while we replied only with artillery. I then ordered my command to
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lie down, protected by a fence and ditch, and, for full five minutes, we did not fire a gun in response to their terrible fire.
The enemy were, at this time, advancing in heavy force, and when they had arrived within fifty yards of my line, the order was given to rise, fire and charge, which order was promptly and gallantly obeyed. The enemy could not withstand the desperate courage of my men ; but still for a while they contested every inch of ground as they were driven from it, until finally, finding it impossible to check this gallant charge, they gave way in every direction.
The victory was complete. The field was covered with the dead and wounded of the enemy, and some (though comparatively few) of the gallant sons of Arkansas and Texas fell martyrs to the cause of lib- erty. Here we captured a large number of prisoners, guns and equip- ments of all kinds. In this charge, one splendid rifle cannon was taken. This was, perhaps, the most severely contested fight of the day. Find- ·ing this brigade worn down by incessant fighting, I ordered up Colonel McNair to follow in pursuit of the now flying enemy. After pursuing them some two miles, we found them again drawn up in line near the outskirts of Richmond, having collected their whole force for a last and final struggle.
Here I took position on the right of the enemy's line. Soon my skirmishers engaged those of the enemy, which was soon followed by a general engagement of my forces. I was driving back the enemy's right wing when I heard firing on my right, showing that General Cle- burne had engaged the enemy on their left. The engagement then became general throughout the entire line. For a time, the contest was sharp and the rattle of the musketry almost deafening ; but, again, for the third and last time, the enemy fled, in great confusion, through the streets of Richmond, as night closed upon our victorious army.
I captured in this engagement a large amount of ordnance and ord- nance stores, together with four or five hundred prisoners.
I cannot speak too highly of the gallantry and coolness displayed by Colonels McNair and McCray throughout the entire day, and I have to thank them for the promptness and skill with which they executed orders. Of the two batteries in my division, the one commanded by Captain Douglas was ordered the evening previous to report to General Cle- burne for orders. The other, commanded by Captain Humphreys, was with my division during the whole day, and it gives me great
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pleasure to say that his pieces were handled with surprising skill and ability, and did great execution in the ranks of the enemy.
My loss during the entire day, in killed, wounded and missing, was two hundred and twenty-four.
Before closing, I must particularly mention the daring bravery and gallant bearing on the battle-field of the following members of my staff: Captain B. S. Johnson, Adjutant-General ; Captain B. F. Black- burn, Inspector-General ; Captain John Renwick, Vol. Aid; Captain Jones, Signal Corps; and Lieutenant J. M. Rose, Ordnance Officer. These officers were ever seen bearing orders through the thickest of the fight, and at times in the front of the battle, cheering on my men to victory.
My Division Surgeon, Dr. C. H. Smith, in addition to his profess- ional services upon the field to the wounded, rendered me many val- uable services. The officers and men of my entire division always met the enemy with unflinching gallantry, and were the proud victors of every field; and for the privations, hardships and almost un- equalled marches-all of which they have borne without a murmur- they deserve the thanks of their country.
I have the honor to be, general, your most obedient servant,
(Signed) T. J. CHURCHILL, Brigadier-General, Commanding Third Division Army of Kentucky.
BATTLE OF BENTONVILLE.
Official Report of the Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19, 1865; near Bentonville, North Carolina.
HEADQUARTERS BATE'S DIVISION,
IN THE FIELD (NEAR SMITHFIELD, N. C.), March 28, 1865. Colonel :
I N obedience to orders from Headquarters of the Army of Tennes-
see, I have the honor to submit the following as the official re- port of the participation of that portion of Cheatham's Corps under my command in the battle of Bentonville on the 19th instant.
Cheatham's Division did not arrive until after the battle. Cleburne's, under Brigadier-General James A. Smith, and Bate's (my) Division, un-
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der command of Colonel -- Keenan, of the Florida Brigade (neither of them complete, however, in strength), constituting that part of the corps present and under my command, left camp, near Smithfield De- pot, on the 18th instant, and, after an exhausting march of fifteen or twenty miles, went into bivouac, after night, near Bentonville. O .: the morning of the 19th, the corps resumed motion about 9 o'clock :. and, some three miles distant from Bentonville, went into position on the extreme right of the army and in prolongation of Lee's Corps. While forming my line, my extreme left-Govan's Brigade-(com- manded by Colonel V. P. Green, of ---- Arkansas Regiment), was suddenly and fiercely assaulted. The enemy, with vigor, pushed up within thirty yards of this part of the line, which, fortunately, had been established; but, after a sharp engagement, was repulsed and precipitated from the field, leaving his dead and wounded. My lines were soon adjusted and breastworks constructed. I received orders from Lieutenant-General Hardee, in person, early in the afternoon, to advance and attack the enemy in my front. Having just returned from a close and accurate reconnoisance, in which I ascertained that the left of the enemy's line-at least his front line-did not extend, connectedly, at all beyond my right, and, there being a Division (Tal- liaferro's) lying in reserve in my immediate rear, I urged that it make a detour, passing beyond my extreme right, and be thrown upon the left flank of the enemy. This was adopted, and the time of our ad- vance deferred half an hour, that the flanking division might get into position before the front attack was made. At the designated time, my command was promptly moved off, Cleburne's Division composing the first and my division the second line of battle. In front of the right of the line there was an open field, and fronting the center and left a pine forest. The right brigade (Smith's) of the front line in advancing obliqued too far to the left, in order to get under cover of the timber, and caused a momentary confusion in this line just as it received the first volley from the enemy behind his defences, which, in my immediate front, was only a few hundred yards. This line staggered and delayed for a few moments under this fire, whereupon the second line, being ordered, approached in such fine spirit and order as to reassure the first and excite an emulation which caused the first to move rapidly forward directly on the works. His strong de- fenses were carried with a shout and a bound, and he rapidly driven in confusion. These defenses were continuous and well constructed,
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located about eight hundred yards in front of our breast-works on a slight eminence, with a small creek in rear. Without delay, he was steadily pursued. The left oblique movement on the right of the front line at the start exposed that flank to a right oblique fire (as Tal- liaferro's Division had not got around), which necessitated my moving the second line and forming it on the right of the first, and in contin .. uation thereof. My whole command (with double line of skirmisher thrown forward) in one line advanced in incomparable style, driving the enemy from his second line of works and other chosen places. He made an obstinate stand in rear of a road parallel to and more than a mile distant from his original line, repelling and driving us for a short distance. Our line of battle being readjusted, the advance was ordered, and, though his resistance was determined, he was driven back beyond a slough, which served, for a time, as a kind of breast-work to our persistent pursuit. Our line cleared it, however, with but little delay, and was still advancing when I was ordered by General Hardee, through a staff officer, to halt and await further orders before moving. My command, when halted, was some dis- ·tance in advance of our main line of battle. The left of the flanking division having been driven back, my right was again exposed. To guard against a flank movement in that direction, and in order to re- lieve it from isolation and connect with main line on my left, I retired it and placed the Second Tennessee Regiment in advance, with it> right thrown back as a guard to the exposed flank. The enemy was in view, and, taking advantage of this retrograde movement, turned and advanced upon us, but, after a sharp contest, was driven back again ; which repulse we, in turn, followed up until reinforcements came to his assistance, by the aid of which he drove us back a short distance and formed a strong line, which our single line was too weak, from casualties and exhaustion, to successfully attack. The two op- posing lines, being in easy rifle-range, kept up a constant fire. These facts I made known, and renewed my application for reinforcements, to enable me to advance. McLaw's Division, after sundown, passed through my lines and halted a few paces in its front. Had these fresh troops been thrown in an hour earlier, our victory would have been more complete, and more fruitful of advantage. The firing contin ued until dark. My lines remained stationary until about 9 o'clock that night, when, in obedience to orders, we buried our dead, cared for our wounded and returned to our entrenched lines.
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