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[74]

After the battle I wrote the following to Major General Osterhaus, commanding the Fifteenth Corps.

General: I take pleasure in congratulating the brigade of General Walcutt of General Woods's division of the fifteenth Corps on its complete success in the action of yesterday. Officers from other commands who were looking on say that there was never a better brigade of soldiers. I am exceedingly sorry that any of our brave men should fall, and for the sufferings of those who are wounded. The thanks of the army are doubly due them. I tender my sympathy through you to the brave and excellent commander of the brigade, Brigadier General Walcutt.

It is hoped that his wound may not disable him.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, O. O. Howard, Major General.

We marched over rough places and jolted along corduroy roads, yet all our wounded from this battle were transported from Griswold Station to the sea without loss of life.

The object I had in sending, through Osterhaus, Woods's division off to my right was to help Kilpatrick keep back any forces of the Confederate cavalry or infantry from getting at our long trains. These trains were struggling over muddy and difficult roads, so that it was hard to keep them reasonably closed up. We drew them out of the wagon road at Gordon, and had the teamsters, urged by their wagon masters, drive as rapidly as possible into park. Fortunately, we got all the wagons well massed near that small railroad station without loss of any.

An incident took place before reaching Gordon, near the town of Clinton, which indicates how the troops came into collision. Wheeler found Osterhaus's

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