Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 11.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[269] bursting of heavy thunder. As the rebel batteries were first silenced, it is fair to presume that our folks did not get the worst of it.

During the day, Major-General Dodge was wounded in the head by a musket-ball. The missile did not penetrate or fracture the skull, and it is sincerely hoped that this able and excellent officer will not long be lost to his command. General Dodge is one of those men who, without much parade, pretension or show, has slowly and steadily worked his way upward to a high position, and an enduring reputation; and, throughout the army it is almost the universal opinion that he has as fairly earned the one as he is eminently worthy of the other.

Until General Dodge is again fit for duty, Brigadier-General Ransom will command the Sixteenth corps. He is a young officer who served with credit in the South-west, was seriously wounded during the Vicksburg campaign, and quite recently joined this army.

There were important movements yesterday by Kilpatrick's and Garrard's cavalry, looking to the occupation of the Montgomery and Macon railroads. Our infantry lines were extended materially toward the right.

Everything upon the line is unchanged since last writing. No firing by either army to-day, excepting the exchange of a few shells. Logan has sapped up to within four hundred yards of the rebel works, and got a battery in position, with which he seriously annoys the enemy, and keeps him very quiet.

At last we have some intelligence from Kilpatrick. Colonel Kline, of the Third Indiana cavalry, who was detached by Kilpatrick, and ordered to cut the railway below Jonesboro, while the latter, with the main body of his command, fell upon it at Jonesboro, has returned, having reached the road, destroyed a few miles of track (I have not learned how many), and burned a train of cars loaded with supplies.

The raider, Kilpatrick, arrived in late last night, having made a complete circuit around the rebel army in the short space of four days, fighting nearly all the time against vastly superior forces.

While all that he was expected to perform was not accomplished, the raid was a great success, so far as fighting is concerned, and the enemy was soundly whipped by half his own number. Officers who have seen long service pronounce the charges among the most brilliant of the war.

From a gentleman familiar with all the details of the raid, I have secured pretty full memoranda of what was accomplished by Kilpatrick and his dashing followers.

The forces which took part, were the Third division of cavalry, about two thousand five hundred, and Minty's and Long's brigades of the Second cavalry division, numbering two thousand five hundred and fifty-four. General Garrard, of the Second division, did not accompany the expedition, consequently Colonel Minty, of the Fourth Michigan, who, at that time, ranked Colonel (now General) Long, took command. At one o'clock on the morning of the eighteenth, the expedition left the cavalry encampment on the left of our line, for the rendezvous of the expedition at Sandtown, where it arrived at six A. M., accompanied by two sections of the Chicago Board of Trade battery, under the immediate command of Lieutenant Robinson. Colonel Minty broke camp and made Sandtown under cover of darkness, the better to prevent the enemy learning of the movement; yet a letter, captured on the twentieth, and dated on the morning of the eighteenth, at Atlanta, shows that at that time the enemy had intelligence, through their spies, not only of the number of Minty's command, but also of the destination of the raiding party; and consequently Hood had ample time to make dispositions of troops to intercept them.

Arriving at Sandtown on the morning of the nineteenth, Minty reported to General Kilpatrick, and received his orders. As soon as darkness had settled over the forest, the whole command, five thousand strong, jumped into their saddles and boldly marched upon the West Point railroad, near Fairburn, the Third division in advance, skirmishing all the way from the right of our infantry lines, until they struck the West Point railroad, when the first rebel assault was made at the moment that the Third division and a part of Long's brigade had crossed. The enemy struck the column on the left flank with artillery and dismounted cavalry, and with so much force that the Seventh Pennsylvania were cut in two, causing some confusion for the moment, but Major Jennings quickly reformed his regiment and, supported by Major May, commanding Fourth Michigan, made a vigorous and irresistible attack upon the enemy, who was driven from the ground in disorder.

At the moment when the artillery and musketry fire was opened, cutting the Seventh Pennsylvania in two, the ambulance-drivers could not withstand the! alarm, and rushed their vehicles pell-mell into the woods, and smashed three belonging to Minty's brigade so badly that they were abandoned. The others were recovered by the officers of the brigade, and took their places in the column.

Kilpatrick, learning that the Third division was delayed by the rebel Ross, who, with a large force, was slowly falling back, contesting every inch, ordered Minty and Long to the front, and, with Long's brigade in the advance, followed by Minty's and the Third division, skirmished with, and gradually drove the enemy to Flint river.

Here, the destruction of the bridge, the depth of the stream, and the bad bottom, were serious impediments to our advance; and Ross and