Col. J. L. DONALDSON, Nashville: CHATTANOOGA, TENN., October 1, 1864. As soon as I can arrange the troops on the railroad I will start for Nashville to assign the troops to points on the road as re-enforcements arrive from the States. There are two car-loads of mail for the army. General Rousseau, at Tullahoma, thinks trains might run safely with a good guard. There are a good many officers here waiting to go down. We have no surplus of troops here. I got three regiments only from Kentucky; all they could spare. I am instructed by General Sherman to issue any orders you may wish from these headquarters. J. D. WEBSTER, Brigadier-General. CRUTCHFIELD HOUSE, October 1, 1864-6 p. m. If you have not already started the trains with commissary stores for this point, I think you can do so safely by putting on board a strong guard to each train. GEO. H. THOMAS, Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding. Brig. Gen. J. D. WEBSTER, CHATTANOOGA, October 1, 1864-9 p. m. Nashville, Tenn.: Col. George P. Buell has gone up the road to-day with a construction train, taking with him a regiment as a guard as far as Tullahoma. I will telegraph him to have this regiment guard the trains you may send down to-morrow to this place. After to-morrow I think the usual train guards will be sufficient. GEO. H. THOMAS, Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding. STEVENSON, October 1, 1864—4 p. m. Major-General THOMAS: Just arrived here. Cannot hear anything concerning the road north. Shall start in a few minutes. GEO. P. BUELL, General GEORGE H. THOMAS: TANTALON, October 1, 1864. Am safe to this point. Track considerably out of repair. Train was over the road from Tullahoma to this point to-day. Unless otherwise ordered, I shall run through to Tullahoma, and then report to General Milroy. General THOMAS: All is safe to this point. GEO. P. BUELL, Colonel, Commanding Train. COWAN, October 1, 1864-9.30 p. m. Thus far I have not found the track disturbed. We are ordered to lie over at Decherd till morning. Think I will send the train back from Decherd. General THOMAS, Chattanooga: GEO. P. BUELL, Colonel, Commanding Train. DECHERD, TENN., October 1, 1864. I found General Milroy here. Shall start the construction train back to Chattanooga in the morning. There is nothing to prevent trains running as heretofore between Chattanooga and Nashville, GEO. P. BUELL, Colonel. NASHVILLE, TENN., October 1, 1864-10 p. m. Maj. T. T. ECKERT: Captain RAMSEY, STEVENSON, October 1, 1864–9.50 a. m. Assistant Adjutant-General: The First, Second, and one regiment of Third Brigade, and Barnett's battery here. As soon as the trains are arranged will move out on the Huntsville road. Guerrillas attacked this road about twelve miles from here, tearing up the track, destroying two or three cars, and killed one or two men. Construction train has been sent out to repair road. No telegraph communication with Huntsville. No commissary supplies here. I have ordered some forwarded with the Third Brigade, which I hope will be pushed forward promptly. I learn the Huntsville road is almost unprotected. If I find all right at Huntsville shall I retain my trains and return by rail to Stevenson? Shall probably be here long enough for an answer. JAMES D. MORGAN, Brigadier-General. Brig. Gen. J. D. MORGAN, Stevenson: CHATTANOOGA, October 1, 1864. If you find everything all right at Huntsville you will remain there one day, and then return to Stevenson. The Third Brigade will be forwarded as soon as it arrives. GEO. H. THOMAS, Major-General. Major-General THOMAS: HUNTSVILLE, October 1, 1864. The enemy has demonstrated in our front all the morning; renewed his demand for surrender in a very defiant manner, signed by Forrest himself. He has at no time displayed a force, by the largest estimate, exceeding 2,000 men. He now appears to be moving in direction of Athens or Pulaski. I don't regard it as prudent to make any effort to follow him with my small force. I regret exceedingly that the road should have been cut so that a few thousand men could not have been here to follow him. I fear that he has been destroying the railroad between this and Decatur. As far as I am concerned this was unavoidable, as I have not to exceed 1,200 men, including 90 cavalry poorly mounted. R. S. GRANGER, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HUNTSVILLE, ALA., October 1, 1864. [Maj. Gen. L. H. ROUSSEAU:] On the evening of the 30th of September the enemy appeared in considerable force before our pickets, and obstructed the railroad east of this place. About 5 p. m. General Buford sent by flag of truce a demand to surrender the place. About 1 a. m. of the 1st I received a communication from Forrest himself in answer to one sent by me.to General Buford; the tone was defiant and threatening, expressing his ability to take the place. Between 7 and 8 the enemy began to deploy in force on the Athens road, and from that time until 12 m. moved his force, estimated at 2,500, from one point to another about the place. I don't think I saw at any one time more than 1,500. About 2 p. m. the last of his troops were seen leaving on the Athens road. From all the information I have received certainly a large part of Forrest's forces [sic]. Firing was heard there last evening. General Morgan arrived here last night at about 7 with his division. I recommended that he send at once a force to repair the road to Decatur, which was slightly damaged, and move on to Athens. The general declined my suggestion, and will not probably leave here until he receives orders from General Thomas. He is still of the opinion that Forrest is in the neighborhood of Tullahoma, and that General Buford's column is only a feint to draw forces this way. R. S. GRANGER, (Forwarded to Major-General Thomas-7 p. m. 2d. Received 7.25 p. m.) Major-General ROUSSEAU, CHATTANOOGA, October 1, 1864-7.30 a. m. Tullahoma: General Granger reports Forrest in front of Huntsville and demands its surrender. I have therefore been compelled to send General Morgan to Huntsville. Feel down the road toward Decherd, and push the enemy from the road. Report to me the condition of affairs as soon as possible. General THOMAS: GEO. H. THOMAS, Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding. TULLAHOMA, October 1, 1864-9 a. m. Have sent General Milroy, with Culver's brigade, to Decherd, with instructions to send out cavalry scouts from cavalry company there, and report promptly anything of interest. Main cavalry force ordered to Winchester with instructions to push out scouting parties on all roads west of (Winchester) railroad. From the best information I do not believe the enemy is in this vicinity or that of Decherd. General THOMAS: L. H. ROUSSEAU, TULLAHOMA, October 1, 1864-12.30 p. m. General Milroy reports his arrival at Decherd, and also the arrival of our cavalry at Winchester. Nothing is heard of the enemy in that vicinity. L. H. ROUSSEAU, General THOMAS: TULLAHOMA, October 1, 1864-1.45 p. m. The following dispatches just received: Colonel Sipes telegraphs from Columbia that a heavy force of cavalry, estimated at 5,000 strong, moving on that place through Mount Pleasant; also a large force of infantry moving in direction of Pulaski; that a negro reports 300 of Forrest's men fed last night east of Columbia, north of Duck River, and that a large force was in the neighborhood. The telegraph operator at Carter Creek reports 500 rebels at Spring Hill. stron Six companies of Fifty-second Kentucky Mounted Infantry, 315 have just reported. I have just directed that his horses be 2 R R VOL XXXIX, PT III shod at once, and that he be ready to move as early as possible. Where shall it go? All quiet on the Northwestern road. Second dispatch says: The time of Third Kentucky expires on the 7th. Colonel Dunlap wants to be ordered to Louisville on Monday to be mustered out. The third dispatch says: Two trains leave here with rations at noon-one for Murfreesborough and one for Tullahoma. The Forty-ninth Kentucky Infantry goes down as guard, and is to strengthen block-houses as the trains return, beginning at Wartrace and ending at Mill Creek, as General Thomas directs this a. m. The scouts from Columbia and Pulaski have been unable to find the enemy. General Starkweather says he has water and all rations in the fort. B. H. POLK, Assistant Adjutant-General. L. H. ROUSSEAU, CRUTCHFIELD HOUSE, Chattanooga, October 1, 1864. Major-General ROUSSEAU, Tullahoma: Your dispatch has been received. How do you understand the report that Colonel Sipes gives you that the enemy in strong force are working toward Columbia, while your scouts from Columbia and Pulaski are unable to find any trace of the enemy? Please report at once what the real state of affairs is and endeavor to prevent any stampeding of the troops by false reports. I should like your answer at once. General THOMAS: GEO. H. THOMAS, Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding. TULLAHOMA, October 1, 1864-2.50 p. m. The following dispatch was just received from General Van Cleve: I don't believe Dibrell or Williams are in the country. Scouts just in from Liberty, with dispatches from Lieutenant Vanatta, of Blackburn's command. No further intelligence from Dibrell or Williams; no reliable intelligence from McMinnville; rumors at Woodbury that Williams and Dibrell were at McMinnville at 10 a. m. yesterday, moving in direction of Liberty and Lebanon. From Bradyville and Manchester we learn nothing from scouts sent to Shelbyville and Chapel Hill last night; they have not returned. H. P. VAN CLEVE, L. H. ROUSSEAU, Major-General.. General THOMAS: TULLAHOMA, October 1, 1864-4 p. m. The following dispatch has been received from Major Wortham, at Wartrace: My scouts, just from Shelbyville, report that Forrest, with the main portion of his command, left Lynchburg yesterday morning and has gone down to Petersburg, in Marshall County, and Roddey, with some forces, toward Huntsville, and Buford, with four pieces of artillery and 1,500 or 2,000 men, went toward Winchester. JOHN WORTHAM, Major Fifth Tennessee Cavalry, Commanding. Major-General. |