USA > Tennessee > The military annals of Tennessee. Confederate. First series: embracing a review of military operations, with regimental histories and memorial rolls, V.2 > Part 32
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Gen. Forrest ordered the regiment to report to Gen. Chalmers, at Rienzi, Mi-s.
The Tenth and Eleventh regiments were consolidated, D. W. Holman Colo- nel commanding. After a long series of picketing and scouting duty we were uit in motion to intercept Gen. Wilson's command, then moving on Selma. High water and destruction of bridges prevented our command (Jackson's division) reaching the scene of the principal conflict, so Gen. Forrest thus lost the services of the grand old division.
Selma fell, and the rest is soon told. In a short time we were surrendered at Gainesville, Ala. Old battle-scarred soldiers saw the flag that they had so long fought for go down-down in the smoke of defeat, but not of disgrace.
LIST OF KILLED.
Lieut .- col. T. A. Napier, at Parker's Cross-roads, December 31, 1862; Lieut .- col. E. B. Trezevant, at Thompson's Station; Lieut. Andrew Nesbitt (Co. E), at Park- er's Cross-roads, December 31, 1862; Lieut. Jack Nesbitt (Co. E), at Brentwood; Lient. W. G. McCauley (Co. G), at Seviersville, East Tennessee; Lient. B. E. Sum- mers (Co. I), at Cannon's Ford, East Tennessee; Lieut. J. W. Townsend (Co. A ), near Atlanta, Ga., July 15, 1864; Lient. J. Utley (Co. K), drowned while cross- ing Holston River; Lieut. W. A. Cude (Co. H), at Cassville, Ga., May 19, 1864; Capt. Thomas Fletcher (Co. K), died from sickness, July, 1863; private Kit Northington (Co. D), at Franklin, November 30, 1864; private Thomas Cooke (Co. E), at Lookout Mountain; private - Cooke (Co. E), at Lookout Mountain: private - Ship (Co. G), at Resaca; private - Ellis (Co. E), died in hos- pital, 1863.
TENTH TENNESSEE CAVALRY. BY N. N. COX, FRANKLIN, TENN.
SHORTLY after the battle of Shiloh the time for which many of the Tennessee soldiers had enlisted expired, and they were appealed to to enlist again. This they did, and the battalions of Tennessee cavalry were mostly organized into regiments by the consolidation of the different small commands. Each battalion under the first organization having generally two field officers-Lieutenant-colonel and Major-produced a surplus of old officers, and many of them were anthorized to enlist new commands. Lient .- col. Bitlle and Maj. N. N. Cox, of the second o!I battalion of cavalry, leing in the number authorized to organize new commands, each proceeded to his work in different portions of the State as soon as it was pos- sibile. From the counties of Hickman, Perry, and others, Major Cox organized a battalion of cavalry, and was for some time assigned to duty to observe and watch
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REGIMENTAL HISTORIES AND MEMORIAL ROLLS.
the Tennessee River between the mouth of Duck River and Savannah, stop all transportation of the enemy, and especially to prevent the cotton being shipped down the river; also to cross the river where practicable and inflict what damage he could on the enemy then occupying West Tennessee.
While in this service quite a number of skirmishes and fights were had with the Federals, the most important of which was the capture of an entire Illinois company posted at Henderson Station, on the Mobile and Ohio railroad, and the destruction of a large amount of army stores at that place. About the same time this service was being performed Alonzo Napier organized another battalion lower down the river, from the counties of Humphreys, Dixon, and others. Much valuable service was done by this command, and one of the most remarkable feats was performed by this gallant officer at the mouth of Duck River. At its mouth Duck River throws out quite a bar, which very much obstructs navigation when the water is low. Three transports of the Federals became impeded at this point, and Col. Napier not only performned the act of charging with cavalry the boats in the river, but captured them; and from them, besides all a soldier wants, he got two small pieces of artillery. These he afterward used in the destruction of steam- boats and unprotected crafts attempting to reach the cotton up the river.
It will be remembered that in the latter part of 1862 Gen. Grant was trying to reach Vicksburg through by Oxford and what was then called the land route. The great raid in his rear was organized-Gen. Van Dorn to operate on the line of the Mississippi Central between the forces of the Federals and Jackson, West Tenn .; Gen. Forrest to operate north of Jackson and in the direction of Colum- bus. Gen. Forrest started from near Columbia, Tenn., with the Fourth Tennessee Cavalry, commanded by Col. Starnes; the Eighth Regiment, commanded by Col. Dibrell; the Ninth, commanded by Col. Bitile; the Fourth Alabama, commanded by Col. Russell; Freeman's battery, under Capt. Morton; a small squadron, under Capt. Gurley; and a company under Capt. William Forrest. Prior to his leaving Columbia orders had been sent to Major Cox to make arrangements to cross the river and select the easiest place for crossing, keeping every thing as private as possible. Col. Napier was ordered to join the command. The place of crossing was at and just below Clifton, in Wayne county. Gen. Forrest himself crossed at Clifton. A portion of the command swam the river just below at a place where it is divided by two islands, called Double Islands.
On the night of the 15th of December, 1862, the command had crossed, and camped about ten miles west of the river, in the direction of Lexington. The first contest was at Lexington, in which the entire Federal force was captured. These troops were commanded by the now notorious Bob Ingersoll. The march was ordered in the direction of Jackson, and when near that place Maj. Cox, with his battalion, was ordered to strike the railroad south of Jackson and destroy it as best he could. This battalion worked all that night, and rejoined the con - mand at Spring Creek. The other regiments were all busy on the road north of Jackson. It was just at this time an incident occurred at Trenton, the true ac- count of which the writer has never seen published. Major Cox was ordered to Trenton to destroy any trestles or bridges he could on the railroad, and started in that direction. When within some three miles of the place information was ob- tained that there was a force of near eight hundred at the depot, and that they were behind cotton-bales laid on the platform which surrounded the depot build-
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MILITARY ANNALS OF TENNESSEE.
ing. A courier was sent to the General with this information. Major Cox had about two hundred men. On receiving the news, Gen. Forrest rode np to the front of Cox's command, and Capt. William Forrest, with his company, fell in its rear. The writer of this was riding by his side. He made no inquiry of any importance about the information, but ordered the command forward. By the time they reached the outskirts of Trenton the command was in full gallop. The ladies of Trenton, by waving their handkerchiefs, gave the direction of the depor. Down the street they went until the depot was in plain view, with the guns of the Federals pointing over the bales of cotton. A company, or part of a com- pany, were on the top of a flat-roofed house, and poured a heavy fire into the cel- umn. The charge was made almost up to the cotton-bales, but the Federals Ered volley after volley over the heads of the Confederates with but little injury. This charge was made with Cox's battalion and the General's escort. When near the cotton-bales, the order was given to fall back in rear of some buildings. This be- ing done, Major Cox was ordered to get command of a road running west so as to prevent an escape. He had hardly got in position before a piece of Forrest s az- tillery opened on the enemy. This piece was at the time under the immediate command of Lieut. Ed. Douglass. The first shot struck the corral where theis horses were confined. The next struck the depot building. The white flag :.:- lowed. Col. Fry was the Federal officer in command, and with him was Col. Ike Hawkins and near eight hundred men.
It would be occupying too much space to undertake to give any thing like a de- tailed account of fights and skirmishes, destruction of the railroad almost to (. - lumbus, Ky., and many interesting incidents of that campaign. If ever there was a perfect performance of duty in a command by men and officers it was in this trying raid. Suffice it to say that, after all had been done that could be done. .. Forrest headed his command for the Tennessee River, where the unfortunate 3c :- tle of Parker's Cross-roads occurred. In that fight Col. Napier was killed. azd Adjutant-general J. P. Strange, Maj. Cox, and other officers, were capturei :.- gether with about three hundred men.
After Gen. Forrest crossed back into Middle Tennessee Napier's and Cox's ba :- talions were consolidated, and formed the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry, with che f.1- lowing officers: N. N. Cox, Colonel; E. B. Trezevant, Lieutenant-colonel; W. E Demoss, Major; J. D. Easley, Adjutant; D. H. White, Quartermaster: J. N. Rickman, Commissary; Julius Johnson, Surgeon; - Hall, Assistant Sure. z. After these battalions were consolidated and the regiment organized as io:ve stated, it was in active service until the close of the war.
The regiment was engaged in the following important fights: Thompson's- tion, in which combat Lieut .- col. Trezevant was killed, Maj. Demoss being === promoted to Lieutenant-colonel and Capt. Minor to the position of Major: Er.c :- wood; Streight's raid; a number of skirmishes as the army fell back to _::- tanooga; the battle of Chickamanga; the fight at Philadelphia, in East Ten ======: the fight at Knoxville; the fights at Franklin, Nashville, and all the private engagements which belonged to that army. It finally surrendered at Gaines _: Ala., on the - day of May, 1865, under command of Gen. Dibrell. It is impossible to give a list of the killed.
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REGIMENTAL HISTORIES AND MEMORIAL ROLLS.
FROM GEN. JOSEPH WHEELER. The Tenth Tennessee Cavalry was organized at Columbia, Tenn., Feb. 25, 1863.
List of officers killed or died of exposure or wounds, wounded in battle, promoted, trans- ferred, resigned, etc., during the war :
Cox, N. N .. resigned Oct. 1, 1863. Demoss, William E.
COLONELS. Napier, T. A., k. at Parker's Cross-roads, Dec. 29, 1862.
Trezevant, E. B., k. in battle March 5, 1863.
| Demoss, William E., promoted.
Demoss, William E., promoted.
ADJUTANTS.
Spotswood, E. A., transferred.
I Easley, James D.
Hale, W. J. Lewis, W. H.
Whitewell, W. H., w. in battle.
Robinson, W. J., w. in battle.
Minor, John, promoted.
Hobbs, W. W., w. in battle.
FIRST LIEUTENANTS.
Pace, John, resigned.
Fisher, William.
Craig, A. D., resigned.
Edas, W. P.
Nesbitt, Andrew, k. in battle.
Box, W. M., w. at Franklin, Sept., 1862.
Coode, W. H., k. in battle.
SECOND LIEUTENANTS.
Lousend, J. W., k. in battle.
Randall, J. M.
Whitewell, Thomas.
Horner, Jobn.
Sheppard, E. H.
Lewis, Thomas F.
Land, J. D.
Phipps, W. N.
Summers, B. E., k. in battle.
Wragg, W. A.
Dotson, -, w.
Williams, James B.
Chapman, W. O., promoted.
Nesbitt, James, k. at Parker's Cross-roads.
Penick, J. O.
Hobbs, Jesse T., w. twice.
Official.]
TENTH TENNESSEE CAVALRY. Colonel, N. N. Cox. COMPANY A. Captain, S. D. H. Whitfield. Whitfield, G. M., d. May 5, 1863. COMPANY B. Captain, W. H. Lewis. Lewis, Robert L., d. June 12, 1863, in Perry county, Tenn.
COMPANY C. Captain, W. H. Whitewell.
Lain, W. W., d. March 12, 1863.
Goodin, Jesse, d. March 2, 1863. -
Barham. Thomas N., d. March 20, 1863.
Morrison, David, d. March 27, 1863.
44
LIEUTENANT-COLONELS.
MAJORS. Minor, John, w. Aug. 28, 1804.
CAPTAINS.
Easley, Thomas S. Rickman, B. G. Fletcher, Thomas, d. July, 1863. Hutchison, Thomas M. Aden, Clinton.
Aden, Clinton, promoted. Utley, J., drowned crossing the Tennessee River. Williams, Jas. B. Chapman, W. O. McCauley, J. A., k. in the battle of Blanch Hill, Jan. 27, 1864.
Summers, Chas. E. Hall, J. M. Frazier, W. J.
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MILITARY ANNALS OF TENNESSEE.
COMPANY D. Captain, W. J. Robinson.
Collom, B. F., k. April 25, 1863. Hunt, T., d. June, 1963.
Parker, G., k. at Fort Donelson, Feb. 3, 1853 -
COMPANY E. Captain, John Minor.
COMPANY F. Captain, W. W. Hobbs.
COMPANY G. Captain, T. S. Easley.
COMPANY H. Captain, B. G. Rickman. Campbell, Simeon, d. in hospital at Athens, Aug. 4, 1863.
COMPANY I. Captain, T. L. Fletcher. COMPANY K. Captain, T. M. Hutchison. Cates, M. L., k. June 20, 1863.
ELEVENTH TENNESSEE CAVALRY .* BY DANIEL WILSON HOLMAN, FAYETTEVILLE, TENN.
PURSUANT to orders issued by Gen. N. B. Forrest, at Columbia, Tenn., Febru- ary 20, 1863, the Eleventh Tennessee Cavalry was formed by the consolidation of Douglass's and Holman's battalions of " partisan rangers," and the addition of the companies of Capt. Charles McDonald and Capt. Phil. T. Allyn-in all eleven com- panies. Both battalions were earnestly opposed to the consolidation. Having been enlisted as partisan rangers by authority of the War Department, they desired to remain such. At the same time Gen. Forrest appointed his friend, Capt. James M. Edmondson, who had been a Captain of the infantry, to command the regiment. The entire field and staff were the appointment of Gen. Forrest. Much dissatis- faction arose among the officers and men. They believed they ought to be allowed a voice in the selection of their field officers. They regarded the arbitrary dispo- sition made of them as a flagrant violation of their rights. They protested, be- lieving that an investigation by the higher military authorities would vindicate their course. This action was regarded by Gen. Forrest as mutinous, for which he placed a number of the officers under arrest, ordering them into close contine- ment at Columbia, Tenn., where they remained several weeks, when Col. Holman procured their release from close confinement by an order from Gen. Earl Van Dorn, commanding at Spring Hill, Tenn. Maj. D. C. Douglass, who had been captured at Middleton, Tenn., on the 31st of January, 1863, was a prisoner of war. Maj. D. W. Holman, who on the 3d of February, 1863, had been seriously wounded in the fight at Dover, Tenn., was reported by the army surgeons as per- haps mortally wounded; so that Gen. Forrest no doubt intended by his course to
* This regiment was formed by the consolidation of Douglass's and Holman's battalions. See histories of these battalions at the end of this article.
COL. C. W HOLMAN.
. CAP* W.M. P . GARRETT
CAPT J. T. MARTIN
SERG' NEWTON CANNON.
CAPT THOS F PERMINS _ P
CAPT CHATHAM COFFEE
Members of the 1 6 Tonn Cavalry Foreste Division ,'f 2.
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FEGIMENTAL HISTORIES AND MEMORIAL ROLLS.
give the regiment an immediate efficiency, not supposing that there would arise the fierce and determined opposition which it met from the command. No charges were ever preferred against the arrested officers, and they were released from arrest. So soon as Col. Holman was able to ride, though still quite lame, he returned to the regiment, which was encamped near Spring Hill. Col. Edmond- son at once procured a leave of absence, and shortly after resigned. Lieut .- col. Holman immediately assumed command, was afterward promoted to the Colonelcy, and remained its commanding officer till its surrender at Gainesville, Ala., May 11, 1865.
The Eleventh Tennessee Cavalry was assigned to Starnes's brigade, and took a conspicuous part in the fight at Thompson's Station, March 5, 1863, wherein the officers and men acquitted themselves in a degree highly creditable. Some cas- ualties to the regiment occurred in this action. Twenty-two hundred Federals were captured. The regiment was engaged in a number of skirmishes with the enemy near College Grove and Triune, Tenn., from the 15th to the 24th of March, 1863; in the capture, on March 24th, of the Federal garrison at Brentwood of between seven hundred and eight hundred men; and in the fight at Franklin, Tenn., April 10, 1863.
On the 23d of April, 1863, Gen. Forrest received orders from Gen. Bragg to re- enforce Col. Roddy, who was being hard pressed by two Federal columns-one re- ported to be about ten thousand strong, under Gen. Dodge, the other about twen- ty-two hundred strong, under Col. A. D. Streigh :. The Eleventh Tennessee, un- der Col. Edmondson, was at once dispatched, and within two days made the june- tion with Roddy, a few miles east of Tuscumbia, Ala. In connection with the efforts of Roddy, the Federal advance was held in check by the regiment till the arrival of Forrest with the main body of his troops. Col. Streight, with his com- mand of mounted infantry, having commenced his movement in the direction of Rome, Ga., was pursued by Forrest night and day through the mountains of Als- bama, till the 3d of May, 1863, when Streight surrendered his entire command. In this expedition the regiment was engaged in a number of fights and skirmishes, and is mentioned by Gen. Forrest as having behaved well, and gained special dis- tinction in the fight at Sand Mountain, at which place it suffered severe loss. Among the wounded was Capt. Win. H. Forrest, who commanded Co. A. The men and horses, much fatigued, returned by easy marches to Spring Hill, Tenn .. and there rested, with the exception of performing the usual picket duty, till the 7th of June, when, under Gen. Forrest, the regiment participated in another en- gagement at Franklin, Tenn., with a large force of the enemy under command of Gens. Morgan, Grainger, Baird, and Stanley.
On the 20th of June another successful engagement was had with the Federals at Triune, Tenn., Col. Robert Johnson's regiment of Federal cavalry being driven back in this engagement.
On the 25th of June, 1863, Gen. Forrest, who was in command of all the car- alry on the Confederate left, received orders to move at once to Shelbyville. The command moved promptly by way of Riggs's Cross-roads. On account of heavy rains and swollen waters the movement was somewhat retarded, and Gen. For- rest's forces failed to reach Shelbyville quite as soon as was anticipated by Gen. Wheeler. In the meantime the Federal forces had so vigorously pushed hack the Confederate cavalry under Wheeler, that Forrest, when reaching a point a few
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MILITARY ANNALS OF TENNESSEE.
miles west of Shelbyville, crossed Duck River with his command, and hastened to join the main Confederate column at Tullahoma, Tenn., which he did on the 28th of June. Capt. Martin, of the Eleventh, had been sent with a detachment north of Shelbyville to observe the movements of the enemy, where he remained till he received orders to withdraw and rejoin the regiment, which he did at Tul- lahoma some three days after the command reached there. Being in fact cut off by superior numbers of the enemy, much credit is due this officer for skill in suc- cessfully extricating his command. Rosecrans was now pressing Bragg at all points with great vigor. The Federal cavalry and mounted infantry, largely in- creased, were unusually active and incisive. The Federal forces were now occu- pying Hillsboro, while their cavalry was menacing Tullahoma by way of the Man- chester and Hillsboro roads. In the meantime Col. Wilder, with a brigade of mounted infantry, had been dispatched to the rear of Bragg's army at Decherd to cut the railroad and otherwise inflict damage. These rapid movements of the Federal troops necessitated ceaseless activity on the part of the Confederate cav- alry. Col. Dibrell, with a detachment from his regiment (Eighth Tennessee Cav- alry), was dispatched toward Hillsboro and McMinnville to ascertain the designs of the enemy, while Col. Starnes, with the remainder of his brigade, including the Eleventh, moved promptly on the Manchester road till he met the Federal ad- vance (Crittenden's corps) a few miles north-east of Tullahoma, where a sharp engagement took place, in which Col. Starnes was mortally wounded, June 30, 1863.
The command of Starnes's brigade devolved on Col. Holman, of the Eleventh, till the return of Col. Dibrell, the senior officer of the brigade. The advance of the Federals was checked for the day. Bragg's entire army was now in full re- treat, and the Eleventh, as a part of Starnes's (now Dibrell's) brigade, was em- ployed in protecting the retreating army across the Cumberland Mountains and the Tennessee River to Chattanooga, which point it reached about the 6th of July. The cavalry under Forrest remained at Chattanooga until July 24, when it moved in the direction of Kingston, Tenn. The Eleventh was ordered across the Ten- nessee River into Rhea and the adjoining counties to watch and report the move- ments of the enemy from Sequatchie Valley and other points north. The ene- my's cavalry repeatedly ventured across the mountains in some force. Several sharp skirmishes ensued, the enemy always retreating back to the vicinity of Pike- ville. It became necessary to ascertain in what force the Federals occupied Se- quatchie Valley, when Col. Hohnan, taking his regiment, made a thorough recon- noissance, crossing the mountains by one route and returning by another to elude the vigilance of the enemy. The disposition and force of the enemy were prompt- ly reported to Gen. Forrest, who was at Kingston with the principal portion of' his command.
After some three or four weeks of this service, on the 30th of August the regi- ment was ordered to Kingston, Tenn. On reaching Kingston, Col. Holman, with a detachment of one hundred men, was at once sent on an expedition to Wartburg, Tenn. The trip through the mountains was made by the aid of a guide. So quiet was the movement and unexpected the route that the enemy, who was in large force near Wartburg-some twelve thousand strong of all arms-and moving in the direction of De Ormond's Gap, had failed to perceive the presence of the detach- ment till, meeting Bird's cavalry brigade in the road, the detachment opened fire
693
REGIMENTAL HISTORIES AND MEMORIAL ROLLS.
on them. At the same time Perkins's company, under his gallant lead, charged the Federals, causing them to retreat in disorder. The position of the detach- ment was somewhat perilous at this juncture, there being only one route open for escape. The Federals, doubtless supposing this detachment of about one hun- dred men to be the advance-guard of a large Confederate force, made dispositions for a defensive fight, and while thus engaged the detachment, after taking obser- vations of the enemy's forces, made good its escape. Col. Holman hastened back to Kingston with the detachment to make report of the enemy's forces and move- ments. Before reaching Kingston he met Gen. Forrest at night on the road with his entire command, moving toward De Ormand's Gap. He at once reported what he had learned of the Federal forces and movements. Forrest quickened his movement toward the gap, but within an hour or two received orders from Gen. Bragg to move south of the river at Kingston.
The regiment, with the remainder of the cavalry, except Scott's brigade, which was left to hold the bridge at Loudon, moved directly to the vicinity of Chatta- nooga. The Federal forces under Rosecrans were now being thrown rapidly across the Tennessee River below and west of the city. On the 4th of September the Confederate forces evacuated Chattanooga, and moved to the vicinity of La Fayette, Ga. The two great armies were now engaged in maneuvering and skir- mishing till September 19, when the hard-fought battle of Chickamauga was com- menced.
The Eleventh, with the remainder of Dibrell's brigade, had been kept very active. The various companies, under command of their efficient company offi- cers, were from time to time placed on outpost duty, and were frequently called on to perform delicate and important missions. From Ringgold, Ga., Capt. Thos. F. Perkins, with his company, was ordered to pursue and capture the Federal mail-carriers. The mission was successfully performed. The mail-carriers were overtaken near Chattanooga, after a hot chase, and brought back with the mail to Ringgold.
The Eleventh went into the battle of Chickamauga on the 19th of September, about 12 o'clock, at Jay's saw-mill, being at the time dismounted as infantry. It was a part of Dibrell's brigade, Armstrong's division, under Gen. Forrest. It participated in the hard fighting at that point till 6 o'clock in the evening, when Gen. Cleburne, with his division of infantry, charged and routed the enemy in his front. The Eleventh was posted on Cleburne's right flank during the charge. The regiment suffered some casualties on the 19th, among which may be men- tioned private Wm. Ballantine, a gallant soldier of Rivers's company, who was killed by a cannon-ball. The regiment rested on the battle-field during the night, and next morning at daylight was ordered forward toward the Federal left on a reconnoissance. It met no resisting force, though a number of prisoners were gathered up who had thrown away their guns and were greatly demoralized and discouraged by the fighting of the evening before. Returning to the command within two or three hours, the prisoners were turned over and report promptly made to the brigade commander of the enemy's demoralized condition. The right wing of Bragg's army was commanded by Lieut .- gen. Polk, the left by Lieut .- gen. Longstreet. Forrest's two divisions occupied the extreme right of Polk's corps. It was understood on the evening of the 20th that orders had been given by Gen. Bragg to Gen. Polk to make a vigorous and determined movement forward, and,
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