General FOSTER: STRAWBERRY PLAINS, January 2, 1864. The following information is just received from General Elliott, result of scouting parties I sent out this morning and from other sources. The telegram is not well punctuated, but I will give it nearly literally: Lieutenant-Colonel Lamborn, Fifteenth Pennsylvania, reports that rebel cavalry is on Long Creek picketing from Hays' Ferry to Coyle's, and at Kimbrough's CrossRoads; with infantry at Hays' and from Kimbrough's to Chucky Bend. One of my scouts, in disguise as a rebel, from observation and rebel pickets, reports rebels running around at Turley's Ferry; two regiments of cavalry and three pieces between there and Noe's Ford; at Noe's Ford one regiment South Carolina infantry and two battalions cavalry. General Longstreet at Russellville; his force between there and Morristown; his strength 30,000 infantry and twenty-five pieces artillery, under marching orders to retreat through Bull's Gap. Half his army barefooted and provisions scarce. Buckner's command at Rheatown, with breast-works. The force in our front re-enforced by two brigades of infantry and a battery artillery. coffer bridge completed. Carter's command, one brigade infantry and battery artillery, gone to guard Paint Rock Gap. The scouts could see rebel pickets from north side of Holston. The scout toward Dandridge brings no information. Deserter from Fourth Tennessee Cavalry reports Armstrong's division at Panther Springs at 9 a. m. to-day. General ELLIOTT : Zolli S. D. STURGIS, STRAWBERRY PLAINS, January 2, 1864-11 p. m. I fear the enemy contemplates moving on the front, and at the same time moving cavalry round our right and turning into the rear of our cavalry by the roads leading toward Mossy Creek. Please have the roads toward the river and toward the Nola Chucky, as well as the road toward Dandridge, patrolled, and I think the cavalry should fall back to Mossy Creek at early dawn, unless you receive information rendering it necessary for you to do so earlier. That the enemy is after something of this kind I think there can be no doubt. Please show this to Captain Rawolle. S. D. STURGIS, HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS, Col. J. S. CASEMENT, Commanding Second Brigade: We shall turn off from the pike to the right at the Gordon road, about 4 miles from here. The forks are near a post-office called Sandy Hook. Have your commands a little ahead of time rather than behind it in the morning. Yours, J. D. COX, Brigadier-General. KNOXVILLE, January 2, 1864. Capt. W. P. Anderson: You will at once issue an order directing Brigadier-General Ammen to relieve Brigadier-General Boyle in command of the District of Kentucky, on or before the 15th instant, his headquarters to be at Camp Nelson. You will order Brigadier-General Boyle to proceed immediately to this place with his division, leaving a small but sufficient garrison, taking as far as possible from men who cannot take the field, to protect the prominent points in the district. Every available man that can be spared, and who is able to take the field, must be brought with General Boyle. By command of General Foster: Governor BRAMLETTE, Frankfort, Ky. : J. F. ANDERSON, Major and Aide-de-Camp. KNOXVILLE, TENN., Your telegram with reference to the retention of General Boyle was duly received and the subject referred to the honorable Secretary of War for decision. Not receiving an answer, I feel it due you to tell you that the reasons for the change of commanders in your State remain in full force, and induce me, for the good of my army, to carry out my original intention. General Boyle's division is absolutely required for service in the field, and he should come to command it. While he remains in Kentucky he will not, as he has failed to do thus far, send forward his regiments in sufficient numbers or with sufficient rapidity. I propose to have his division replaced by the militia of the State in the defense of important posts, and have the honor to request that you have the arms-bearing population of the State enrolled as militia, ready to be called out whenever their services may be required to garrison those posts. J. G. FOSTER, Major-General, Commanding. From General Thomas' journal. JANUARY 2, 1864. B. Hendricks (scout) reports that the enemy has thrown up log breast-works on Tunnel Hill and mounted six or eight cannon, 6 and 12 pounders. Cleburne's division, 8,000 strong, is stationed there. Stewart's division, 5,000 strong, between Tunnel Hill and Dalton. Jackson's division, 3,000 strong, is camped at about 1 mile from Dalton, on the Spring Place road. Waltham's [Walthall's], Bate's, and Smith's brigades, about 3,500, encamped about 1 mile west of Dalton. Hardee's old corps, commanded by General Smith, is at Resaca; strength not known. Breckinridge's and Hindman's corps are scattered from Rome to Resaca by way of Kingston. Part of Hindman's troops are at Atlanta. These two corps have been moved in that direction during the Christmas holidays. Enemy reported to be strongly fortified at Rome. They are ready to move at any time from Dalton, but don't expect to do so till spring. If attacked they will fall back across the Oostenaula River at Resaca. I heard some of Hardee's staff officers say that was their plan. They have ordered all citizens from Dalton to the rear of their army. Buckner is chief of cavalry and John H. Morgan is to be second in command. A new division is to be formed to be known as the First Division, Eleventh Corps, commanded by Brig. Gen. W. T. Ward, organized as follows: First Brigade, Seventieth Indiana, Seventy-eighth Ohio, One hundred and second, One hundred and fifth, and One hundred and twenty-ninth Illinois; Second Brigade, Thirty-third and Eighty-fifth Indiana, Twenty-second Wisconsin, and Nineteenth Michigan. Also a division to be reorganized, which, together with the posts within the District of Nashville, will be commanded by Maj. Gen. L. H. Rousseau, and assigned to the Twelfth Army Corps, viz: First Brigade, General R. S. Granger, Tenth Tennessee, Thirteenth Wisconsin, Eighteenth Michigan, Seventy-third Indiana, One hundred and second Ohio; Second Brigade, General H. P. Van Cleve, Twenty-third Missouri, Thirty-first Wisconsin, One hundred and fifteenth Ohio, Fourth Tennessee; Third Brigade, General J. G. Spears, Third, Fifth, and Sixth Tennessee. The above troops are to remain in their present positions, but are to report through their new headquarters. Provost-marshal-general, Lieut. Col. W. M. Wiles, reports that from October 19 to December 31, 1863, 7,800 deserters from the rebel army had come within our lines. TULLAHOMA, January 2, 1864-12.15 p. m. Brig. Gen. W. D. WHIPPLE, Assistant Adjutant-General: The names, &c., of men murdered by guerrillas are Newell E. Orcutt, Ninth Independent Battery Ohio Volunteer Artillery; John W. Drought, Company H, Twenty-second Wisconsin Volunteers; George W. Jacobs, Company D, Twenty-second Wisconsin Volunteers. Wounded, James W. Foley, Ninth Independent Battery Ohio Volunteer Artillery. Guerrillas suspected are William Tully and Thomas or Jacob Brown; neither of these men can be found. John Tully, a rich citizen, father of William Tully, Thomas Bailey, Philander Whittier, and Newton Whittier have been arrested and are in confinement for aiding and secreting guerrillas. George W. Richardson left here for the neighborhood of Tracy City before your dispatch was received. H. W. SLOCUM, Major-General of Volunteers Commanding. Major-General LOGAN: HUNTSVILLE, January 2, 1864. Four bridges burned between this place and the intersection of the Alabama and Tennessee Railroad: The Indian Creek bridge, 80 feet long, 8 miles out; Beaver Dam bridge, 7 miles, 200 feet long, trestles 40 feet high, not entirely burned; Limestone bridge, 4 miles farther, 150 feet long, and Caving [?] bridge, 2 miles farther, 75 feet long. The enemy have one regiment picketing the south bank of the river from Decatur to a point near the mouth of Paint Rock. I send patrols daily to the front. Will send a party down to Swan Lake to-morrow. J. I. ALEXANDER, SCOTTSBOROUGH, January 2, 1864. Major SAWYER : Your dispatch just received in reference to the road from Paint Rock to Flint River. My information was obtained from General Osterhaus and suppose that he was wrongly informed also. I have ordered Captain Pearce to Huntsville as you desired. Will send forward transportation to Colonel Alexander as soon as possible; also the balance of General J. E. Smith's division. I shall in a day or so make an expedition across the river to ascertain what I can obtain of forage; also steal mules, or press if the term is preferred. We must have more mules very soon. JOHN A. LOGAN, HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Col. J. C. KELTON, Memphis, Tenn., January 2, 1864. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Hdqrs. of the Army, Washington, D. C.: SIR: I have the honor of forwarding to the General-in-Chief statements of one of my agents just from Mobile. I think them accurate, and so submit them. Your obedient servant, S. A. HURLBUT, Major-General. [Inclosure.] DECEMBER 31, 1863. Force at Mobile, two regiments home-guard exempts, Cantey's brigade cavalry, one battalion light artillery, heavy artillerists to man the batteries, two battalions marines, wooden steam-vessels of war Gaines and Morgan (twelve guns each, 30-pounder smooth-bores); ram Baltic (unwieldy, one Blakely, two light columbiads, two brass pivot Parrotts); Huntsville and Tuscaloosa (four 30-pounders each on both sides, 11-inch Brooke on pivot in bow, and 11-inch Blakely on pivot astern, plated 4-inch slab-iron); two floating batteries (four square sides, plated railroad iron, armed like last two named vessels, but armament not all in); ram Tennessee (screw propeller, 11 knots, three thicknesses slab-iron, 9-inch oak, 14 of pine, armament to be two 10-inch columbiads on larboard and starboard; one large Brooke gun in bow on pivot, three ports and one in stern; very formidable craft afloat, and to take in armament outside the bar). No heavy guns mounted on north and few on west side of the city in the fortifications; eight batteries heavy artillery line the harbor entrance; a new fort being erected at Grant's Pass, under cover of gun-boats; shells of the fleet pass over Fort Morgan. Steam tug Boston to go on piratical cruise (one 3-inch Parrott and one 12-pounder howitzer). In case of attack re-enforcements to come down Mobile and Ohio Railroad from Enterprise and Meridian; at former place 3,000 paroled prisoners, French's division having gone to Georgia four weeks ago; at latter point decimated Missouri brigade, captured [at] Vicksburg. Polk's command consists of Loring's corps, in winter quarters at Canton, and Jackson's division of cavalry, out toward Big Black. On 24th one brigade of cavalry started to march toward Grenada. Same day cavalry at Panola marched northward. Railroad bridge over Pearl River being reconstructed; trains on Meridian road run to Brandon and the river; on Mississippi Central, Grenada to 12 miles of Jackson. Bridge over Yallabusha not being rebuilt, and one locomotive north running between Panola and Grenada. Force under Polk probably be sent to Georgia; infantry, estimated, 5,000; 'Hardee's effective, 32,000; Johnston to assume command. Three or four light batteries, breech-loading 3-pounders, to fire incendiary shell, to operate along river about Austin. Steam-boat burners under J. W. Tucker, Mobile; agents all over the river; principal disbursing agent, Major Pleasants, at Senatobia. Drafts and checks to pay-agents paid in Memphis and Saint Louis. At latter point man named Hedenberg, in Homeyer's commission house, concerned somehow. Informer, an old dealer named Prescott, went out Christmas week to Elam's, 12 miles on Holly Ford road, probably on this business. Parties concerned frequently come near the lines of Memphis and return south. Cotton brought into Memphis to raise funds for secret agents. Gaines one of the burners, and probably Loudon. Forrest to be maintained north of Memphis and Charleston Railroad, if possible; if not, to operate on Mississippi River below. Headquarters Chalmers' brigade always to be Oxford; Ferguson's, Verona or Okolona. A regiment for picket kept at Coldwater depot and crossing. Detached commands and new organizations to form at Panola. Kentucky Faulkner has 1,200 men (three regiments), onethird only armed and equipped. Forrest's force, fairly estimated, 3,000, inclusive of Faulkner. Logan's cavalry, of Jackson's division, to operate on the New Orleans and Jackson Railroad.- A large sidewheeler, the Nashville, at Mobile; has engines in and is being plated; wheels protected by compressed cotton; will be the finest of the fleet when completed. Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN, MEMPHIS, January 2, 1864. Comdg. Army and Department of the Tennessee: GENERAL: You will before this reaches you have received my corps returns. I am wholly at a loss to know where to obtain the infantry force which you require. Forrest, having crossed from West Tennessee into Mississippi, has effected a junction with Chalmers and now lies along the Tallahatchie with about 6,000 mel. With this force lying in my front and threatening a movement either on the city or the railroad, I can scarcely reduce the force while I am condemned to keeping up the road. My cavalry is wearing out from hard service and I cannot procure a remount, although the estimates were sent on in October. I have 1,800 men dismounted. I have not heard a word from A. J. Smith, and do not know where he is since December 21. He should have moved his cavalry down here, scattering the bands of guerrillas above. A regiment or two of infantry can be taken from Columbus, the Fifty-second Indiana from Fort Pillow, and the balance drawn from the railroad. I inclose you a copy of the telegram* from W. Sooy Smith and my reply. Your obedient servant, S. A. HURLBUT, *Not found. |