General Palmer gave me permission to do so, and the first shot, at 10° elevation, went over the ridge without doing any damage. The next shot, at 7° elevation, burst in the rebel battery, and, as I have since ascertained, killed 3 men and 1 horse, and wounded 2 men. I fired several shots at the same point afterward, but did not succeed in bursting any more shell at that point-sometimes beyond and sometimes a little short on the side of the ridge. The piece with which I was firing stood on soft ground at the time, which made it almost impossible to calculate precisely the elevation to give the piece. Soon after bursting the shell in the rebel battery, I opened fire on a body of the enemy's troops who were advancing up the side of the ridge. For this purpose I placed the pieces inside the framework and on the platform, and opened on them. The first shot drove them into their rifle-pits, about one-third of the way up the ridge, and one more round of percussion shell, which burst in their rifle-pits, drove them out of them and up the hill. I continued firing at these troops and at the batteries on the summit of the ridge until our men, who were charging up the hill, had advanced so far as to make it dangerous for me to fire at the ridge, so I ceased firing for the day. I fired about 60 rounds during the day, and I am confident with good success. The conduct of my officers and men was good, doing their whole duty. In reference to the part taken by the Eighth Wisconsin Battery, I take pleasure in stating that Lieut. Obadiah German has forwarded his report, which is as follows.* The other two batteries of this brigade, namely, Battery A, First Middle Tennessee Volunteers, and the Third Wisconsin Battery, were not_called into action, and therefore have no reports to forward. No report has been received from the Tenth Wisconsin Battery, which is stationed at Harrison's Landing, Tenn. I am, captain, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, Captain Battery D, 1st Michigan Artillery, Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 184. Report of Lieut. Obadiah German, Eighth Wisconsin Battery. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH WISCONSIN BATTERY, Chattanooga, Tenn., November 27, 1863. ADJUTANT: I have the honor to report that, in compliance with orders received from Major Mendenhall, assistant chief of artillery, on Monday, November 23, about noon, I manned my guns, which were in position in the rear of Fort Cheatham. At 5 p. m. received orders from General Brannan to report to General Baird. On the morning of the 24th, being furnished horses and mules, by order of General Baird, I marched to the front with two sections of the battery, 71 men and 3 commissioned officers, and took position about 400 yards in front of Fort Cheatham, remaining in position *See report following. until noon, when I was ordered by General Palmer to move to the right, in rear of General Carlin's brigade, and place a section in position on the north side of Chattanooga Creek, near the railroad crossing, and shell the enemy's position and the Summerville road on Lookout Mountain. After firing 37 rounds, I broke the axle body of the left piece, rendering it unserviceable, when I ordered up Lieutenant Wheeler, with the right section, placing it in position about, 30 yards to the right of the left section, and on the bank of the Tennessee River, and continued firing until dark. Result unknown, except from deserters, who stated that it prevented them from re-enforcing Lookout Mountain. Found my ammunition generally good. The total number of rounds fired was 249, consisting of spherical case-shot and shell. Remained in position until 6 a. m. of the 25th, when, by order of General Baird, I moved to the left and took the position occupied by the battery on the morning of the 24th in front of Fort Cheatham. At 11 a. m. received orders from General Baird to move to the left in rear of his division, and take a position about 600 yards in front of Fort Wood and await further orders. At 4.30 p. m. I received orders from General Granger to move forward and take position on Mission Ridge, on the right of General Willich's brigade, where I remained in position until 11 p. m., when I received orders from General Thomas to return my horses to the Twelfth Wisconsin Battery, of General Sherman's corps, and having been notified by General Granger that the necessity of my remaining on Mission Ridge had passed, and being unable to find General Baird, I returned to camp in Chattanooga, arriving at 5 a. m. of November 26. Casualties, none. Report of Col. Eli Long, Fourth Ohio Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade, Second Cavalry Division, of raid on the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, and including operations November 17, 1863-January 3, 1864. HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION, Calhoun, Tenn., January [19], 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit detailed account, as follows, of the operations of my brigade since marching from Woodville, Ala., pursuant to orders received on the night of November 17, 1863: Lieutenant-Colonel Kitchell, Ninety-eighth Illinois Mounted Infantry, and Major Gray, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, having reported to me for orders, with detachments of their regiments, I marched on the morning of the 18th, with a command about 1,000 strong. Reaching Bridgeport on the evening of the 19th, I crossed the river next morning near Kelley's Ford. On the 22d. Major Dobb joined me with a battalion of the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, and Lieutenant-Colonel Jordan reported with a part of the Seventeenth Indiana Mounted Infantry, and addi tional detachments of the Ninety-eighth Illinois Mounted Infantry, and Fourth Michigan Cavalry, increasing my command to 1,500 men. Marched that evening to Brown's Ferry and crossed the Tennessee River to north side, opposite Chattanooga. On the 24th, receiving orders from Major-General Thomas to march to Cleveland, Tenn., and destroy as far as possible the enemy's lines of communication in that direction, I crossed by pontoons above Chattanooga, and struck the Chattanooga and Cleveland dirt road, running along the railroad. A few miles east of Chattanooga I cut the telegraph wire, and at Tyner's Station burned two rebel caissons. At other points between this and Cleveland the telegraph was severed, and the railroad was destroyed in frequent places by burning and tearing up the track. On the night of the 24th, I bivouacked 13 miles from Chattanooga and sent a party forward to Ooltewah, who found and destroyed some 4,000 pounds flour. On the following day I burned two freight cars, together with 100 cords of tan bark, belonging to the Confederate States of America. Nearing Cleveland, rebel pickets were encountered and driven in. The advance regiment (First Ohio) then charged into the town and drove out Colonel Woodward, with the Second Kentucky (rebel) Cavalry Regiment. Next morning I sent a detachment, under Colonel Seidel, Third Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, on the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, with directions to go, if possible, to Hiwassee River, and ascertain the enemy's strength at Charleston; also to tear up the railroad. Major Patten, with First Ohio Cavalry, was sent down the Dalton road and Major Dobb, with Fourth Ohio, back on the road we came, each party being directed to damage the railroad. Colonel Seidel went as far as Charleston and found Kelly's brigade stationed at Calhoun with artillery, and drove the cavalry across the river, losing 1 man wounded. Major Patten destroyed 10 miles of the Dalton track, and considerable damage was done on the other road. In Cleveland I found a considerable lot of rockets and shells, large quantities of corn, and several bales of new grain sacks, all belonging to the rebel Government. Destroyed all that was not appropriated to use of my own command. Burned several railroad cars found here; also the large copper rolling mill-the only one of the kind in the Confederacy. Early on the morning of the 27th, I was attacked by General Kelly with a brigade of cavalry and a section of two pieces of artillery. Started my command out the Harrison road, sending forward the prisoners under charge of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry. Retired slowly, the enemy pressing us closely and shelling vigorously. A strong line of skirmishers was kept up till we had passed Candy's Creek, keeping in rear of my column and holding him in check, when the enemy retired. My loss during the action was 2 killed, 14 wounded, and 13 missing. Most of the latter have since joined. The enemy's loss was not fully known, but he suffered in killed and wounded more severely than we. Í moved on, via Harrison, to Chattanooga, and reported in person at the headquarters of the major-general commanding. During this trip I captured 233 prisoners, including a number of officers; also 85 wagons and 11 ambulances, which, together with their contents, were burned. Among this number of wagons was the train of General Wright's brigade. On the 29th November, I again marched for Cleveland, pursuant 36 R R-VOL XXXI, PT II to orders received at Chattanooga, and reported to Major-General Sherman. From there took road to Benton, sending my ammunition wagons with the infantry column on Charleston road, striking the Federal road. I came upon a drove of about 300 hogs belonging to the Confederate Government. Moved on to B[enton] with the main column, sending the Fourth Michigan on reconnaissance to mouth of Ocoee River, and the Fourth Ohio down the Federal road. The latter party captured another drove of about 500 hogs. December 1, I marched to Columbus, on Hiwassee River; then, returning to Benton, detached the Fourth Michigan and Fourth Ohio to go back to Cleveland, with captured hogs and prisoners taken on the 29th and 30th. One regiment was sent to secure the boats at mouth of Ocoee and float them down to Charleston, and, with the remainder of the command, I proceeded to Charleston. Orders from General Sherman directed me to move on immediately to Athens, and I reached there some two hours after midnight. From Athens I sent back 150 dismounted men, under charge of Captain Wade, Ninety-eighth Illinois Mounted Infantry, to garrison the town of Calhoun, and hold the bridge at that place; also 25 men, to be joined by 25 others from the two regiments then at Cleveland, to take the captured hogs to Chattanooga. Detachments of the Third U. S. Cavalry and Fifth Ohio Cavalry reported to me for orders, and I marched for Loudon in advance of General Sherman's forces. Near Loudon my advance regiment (Third Ohio) was met by a force of rebel cavalry, routed them and took about 30 prisoners, losing 1 killed and 2 wounded. General Vaughn, with a force of infantry and some artillery, occupied the fortifications about the town, and opened upon my column with shell. Not being able to dislodge the enemy any other way, I determined to charge the works. I dismounted my command, and moved forward in line, but, on approaching his position, I found him stronger than anticipated, the confronting force being fully equal, if not superior, to my own in numbers, besides the advantage of position being greatly in their favor. I then fell back, and, after reporting to General Sherman, bivouacked about a mile from Loudon. During the night Vaughn destroyed his stores, took up his pontoons, and, after running into the river 4 locomotives and 44 cars, evacuated the place. On the 3d December, being ordered to move forward to Knoxville and open communication with General Burnside that night if possible, I crossed the Tennessee River and marched via Maryville. Traveling from M[aryville] I could get no information as to the position of the forces or condition of affairs at Knoxville. All reports that could be obtained indicated that the town was completely surrounded by Longstreet, but near 2 a. m. I struck Colonel Wolford's cavalry pickets some 2 miles from K[noxville] and camped within his lines. Reported in person to General Burnside the following day. On the night of the 6th, pursuant to orders from General Sherman, I marched to Maryville, and was here joined by the two regiments which had been sent back to Cleveland. From this point I was directed to start in pursuit of a train of some 300 wagons which had been cut off at Loudon when we marched on that place, and was now making its way into North Carolina. Crossed Little Tennessee River at Motley's Ford, and after crossing Tellico and Unaka Mountains and Long Ridge, following up the Hiwassee, I arrived at Murphy, N. C., on the 9th December. Met no force of the enemy except a few of Morgan's men and a company of home guards stationed at Murphy. My advance guard had a slight skirmish with these and drove them from the place. Marched 6 miles from Murphy and camped. Up to this time, since leaving Chattanooga, I had taken 95 prisoners, including 7 officers; also a few horses and mules. Found the road from Maryville to Murphy, for the most part, good. After leaving Tellico Plains the route lies through a mountainous country, but the road over the mountains is well engineered and practicable for wagons. The country is very poor, the fields poorly cultivated, and grain and forage more scarce than any locality previously visited during my entire trip. It is well watered, however, by frequent creeks and mountain streams. Frequent incursions have been made in there by rebel cavalry, and but few cattle of any kind, horses or mules, were found. From the best information I could obtain along the route, it appeared that the rebel train was some five or six days' march ahead of me, and traveling with apprehensions of pursuit, so that it was evident it would be impossible to catch it. My horses were all jaded with hard marching, and many of them had already given out, leaving a number of the men dismounted, and from the great scarcity of horses in the country I could not supply their place. Therefore, after sending a force 10 miles farther into the country to get all possible information, I determined to halt. The reports of the expedition confirmed previous intelligence. After remaining in camp one day to rest my horses, I started back on the 11th December, and at Tellico Plains found General M. L. Smith encamped with his division of infantry and awaiting my return. Through him received instructions from General Sherman to rest my horses as long as necessary, and then proceed to Chattanooga via Charleston. Remained in camp until the morning of the 14th, Major Smith's battalion, Fifth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, being meanwhile relieved and ordered to Athens. Arriving at Calhoun on the 15th, had orders requiring me to remain at that place, guarding the railroad and river as a line looking toward Georgia. The detachment of Third U. S. Cavalry was relieved from duty with my brigade, and the Fifth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Colonel Heath, temporarily attached. I at once prepared to establish a line of couriers to Loudon and Kingston, communicating with General Elliott, chief of cavalry, and the Fifth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry was assigned to the duty. With the Fourth Michigan, I opened a line of communication to Chattanooga. The Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry was sent to Columbus, on the Hiwassee, to guard the river there and the adjacent fords." On the 22d, the courier post at Cleveland was attacked by 60 rebel cavalry and driven out, with a loss of a few horses and arms, and 1 man wounded. The rebels retired shortly afterward, leaving 2 wounded, and the couriers resumed their post. On the morning of the 28th, a wagon train which had arrived at Charleston the evening before under escort of convalescents, &c., of General Sheridan's command, and commanded by Colonel Laiboldt, was attacked by General Wheeler with about 1,500 rebel cavalry.* As soon as I was made aware of the attack, I mounted the small portion of my command not on duty (less than 150 men), and as soon as * See reports of Action at Calhoun, Part I, p. 641. |