Cavalry operations in the West under Rosecrans and Sherman.
by Thomas speed, Captain, U. S. V.
Until
General W. S. Rosecrans took command of the Army of the Cumberland, October 30th, 1862, the
Union cavalry in
Kentucky and
Tennessee had not been organized in a separate command, but its various regiments and brigades were attached to the several infantry divisions.
There being no such organization, there was of course no commander of cavalry to direct the movements of the entire body of these troops, but the commander of a cavalry brigade was the ranking colonel present who received orders from the army commander direct, or through subordinate commanders of the infantry.
With
Rosecrans came an effort toward a better organization.
Rosecrans divided his army into three grand divisions known as “The center,” “The right wing,” and “The left wing.”
The cavalry was all placed under one commander,
General D. S. Stanley, who at once proceeded to get the cavalry in condition for efficient service.
He formed it in three brigades.
The First was under
Colonel R. H. G. Minty, of the 4th Michigan Cavalry; the Second under
Colonel Lewis Zahm, of the 3d Ohio Cavalry; the Third he kept under his personal charge, while
Colonel John Kennett was made commander of the cavalry division.
Such was the organization when
Rosecrans began the campaign which resulted in the
Battle of Stone's River, December 31st, 1862, to January 2d, 1863.
In the autumn of 1862, while
Rosecrans was making his preparations at
Nashville, a number of cavalry regiments were being recruited in
Kentucky, and that State became a general camp of instruction for new regiments on their way to the front from other States.
They were not able, however, to protect the country from the raids of the Confederate cavalry.
On the 7th of December, 1862,
John H. Morgan attacked the
Federals at
Hartsville, Tennessee, and captured the garrison.
On the 9th
General Joseph Wheeler attacked unsuccessfully a Federal brigade under
Colonel Stanley Matthews, on the road leading to
Murfreesboro‘. A little later in December
Morgan moved into
Kentucky and destroyed bridges on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.
The Federal cavalry was not in condition at this time to operate successfully against these efforts of the
Confederates.
In the same month of December, 1862, a bold movement was made by a force of Federal cavalry under
General S. P. Carter, composed of three regiments — the 9th Pennsylvania, 2d Michigan, and 8th Ohio.
Carter made his way through the mountains into
east Tennessee, and destroyed the track and bridges on the railroad leading from
Virginia to
Knoxville.
This successful dash showed that raiding was not to be left wholly to one side.
The cavalry under
General Stanley was actively used in the advance upon
Murfreesboro‘. While numbering only about four thousand effective men, and consequently not expected to cope with the enemy's infantry, it covered the flanks of
Rosecrans's army and also kept well to the front, developing the positions of the enemy, and by bold scouting obtained information of movements.
During the fighting at
Stone's River, December 31st, the Confederate cavalry made its way to the
Federal rear for the purpose of cutting communications and destroying supplies.
Much damage might then have occurred had not
General Stanley's cavalry met and repulsed the raiders.
In the fighting which ensued the 3d Kentucky Cavalry, under
Colonel E. H. Murray, particularly distinguished itself, also the 1st Ohio Cavalry, under
Colonel Minor Milliken, who was killed.
After the battle
General Stanley kept his command posted in the country between
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the opposing armies until active operations began in the spring of 1863.
General Rosecrans endeavored unsuccessfully to increase this branch of his army materially.
The authorities at
Washington do not seem to have appreciated the necessities of the case as fully as himself.
Some increase, however, was made, by the coming of new regiments.
And while
General Stanley was on the alert for all the necessary purposes of the army in position,
General Rosecrans organized, in the spring of 1863, for a cavalry raid around the rear of
Bragg's army.
For this purpose seventeen hundred men were placed under
Colonel A. D. Streight, with directions to embark on transports on the
Tennessee River at
Fort Henry and proceed to
Eastport, Mississippi.
Colonel Streight reached
Eastport and set out thence April 21st.
He reached
Tuscumbia, Alabama, April 24th, and by May 1st was at
Blountsville, Alabama.
His objective was
Rome, Georgia; but when near
Cedar Bluffs, Alabama, twenty-eight miles from
Rome, he was attacked and defeated by
Forrest.
Colonel Streight himself and thirteen hundred men were captured and carried as prisoners to
Richmond.
While this raid was in progress
Colonel J. T. Wilder with a body of 2600 cavalry was destroying the railroads south of
Murfreesboro' and capturing a number of prisoners, and other similar movements were being made by
Colonels Louis D. Watkins and
A. P. Campbell in the direction of
Columbia, Tennessee.
At this time, also, another celebrated cavalry raid took place in
Mississippi.
Colonel B. H. Grierson of the 6th Illinois Cavalry, taking his own regiment, the 7th Illinois,
Colonel Edward Prince, and the 2d Iowa,
Colonel Edward Hatch, left
La Grange, Tennessee, April 17th, and in sixteen days traversed six hundred miles of the enemy's country and reached
Baton Rouge, where a Federal force was stationed.
[See map, Vol.
III., p. 442.]
Hatch's regiment destroyed the railroads east of
Columbus, Mississippi, and returned to
La Grange, while the remainder of
Grierson's force destroyed much of the
Mobile and
Ohio and
Vicksburg and
Meridian railroads.
This bold and successful raid produced
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415]
a profound sensation, and was of great benefit to
General Grant in the
Vicksburg campaign.
The great activity of the
Union cavalry at this period is further shown by the fact that
General Stanley in the month of June led a strong force in rear of
Bragg's position at
Tullahoma, cutting the railroads at Decherd Station, whereupon
Bragg fell back to
Bridgeport.
In July
Stanley again made a movement upon
Huntsville.
Proceeding by several roads, the separate brigades of
General J. B. Turchin and
Colonels Eli Long and
Robert Galbraith all reached
Huntsville, Alabama, and, after capturing prisoners, supplies, and stock, returned without serious loss.
The Confederates on their part also made a celebrated raid at this time.
On the 27th of June
Morgan crossed the
Cumberland River at
Burksville, Kentucky, with about 2500 men. He passed northwardly through
Columbia, Kentucky, and, reaching
Green River at Tebbs's Bend on the 4th of July, demanded the surrender of
Colonel O. H. Moore, who was stationed there with a portion of his regiment — the 25th Michigan.
Colonel Moore returned the famous reply that the 4th of July was not a good day to surrender, and was instantly attacked.
After a severe fight
Moore drove off his assailants, and saved the bridge over
Green River at that point.
Morgan crossed below the bridge and passed through
Lebanon and
Bardstown and on to
Brandenburg on the
Ohio River; there, seizing a steamboat, he crossed into
Indiana, and dashed through that State into
Ohio and was captured near
Salineville July 26th.
[See map and article, Vol.
III., p. 635.] This raid has become famous for many reasons, but one of the most notable things pertaining to it was the pursuit and capture of the raider and his men. The pursuit began at
Burksville immediately upon
Morgan's passage of
Cumberland River.
The night of the passage four
Kentucky cavalry regiments, the 1st, 8th, 9th, and 12th, under
Generals J. M. Shackelford and
E. H. Hobson, both Kentuckians, were concentrated at Marrow Bone, only a few miles west of
Burksville.
Four noted
Kentucky officers commanded these regiments,
Frank Wolford,
B. H. Bristow,
R. T. Jacob, and
E. W. Crittenden.
At
Bardstown the pursuers were joined by three
Ohio regiments.
A month later this same Federal cavalry and several other regiments were organized at
Camp Nelson in
Kentucky by
Burnside for an expedition to
east Tennessee.
It was placed under command of
Shackelford, who led it through
Williamsburg and
Big Creek Gap to
Kingston.
The infantry force under
Burnside moved out at the same time and took possession of
Knoxville.
Shackelford's cavalry then hastened to
Cumberland Gap and captured the place, with 2500 men under the
Confederate General Fraser.
They then made their way to the borders of
Virginia, clearing the valley of Confederates, and returned to
Knoxville, where
Burnside was concentrating to resist the advance of
Longstreet.
For three weeks the cavalry was shut up in
Knoxville with the infantry.
After the siege it pursued
Longstreet up the valley, fighting a hard battle at
Bean's Station.
Winter coming on, active movements ceased.
The cavalry under
Stanley cooperated with
Rosecrans's infantry in the advance to
Chattanooga, bearing its full share of the burdens at
Chickamauga.
After the
battle of Missionary Ridge, November 25th, 1863,
General W. L. Elliott was assigned to the command of the cavalry.
Elliott dispatched
Colonel Long's brigade to the relief of
Knoxville, and during the months of
November and December, among the various dashes made at this season was one by
Colonel Watkins, with 250 men, as far as
Lafayette, Georgia.
Also
Colonel Long, with a small force, defeated
General Wheeler at
Calhoun, Tennessee, December 27th.
During the winter the cavalry was principally at
Athens, Tennessee, under
General Elliott.
On the 11th of February, 1864,
General Sooy Smith started from
Memphis with a mounted force of seven thousand men to cooperate with
Sherman in
eastern Mississippi.
The expedition proved a failure, and returned to
Memphis.
[See foot-note, p. 247, and article, p. 416.]
In March and April, 1864,
Forrest advanced from
Mississippi with a large force, and passed through
western Tennessee to
Paducah, Kentucky.
Returning, he reached
Fort Pillow on the morning of April 12th, and captured the fort.
[See p. 418.]
Forrest was pursued by
General S. D. Sturgis from
Memphis, but turned upon him, and signally defeated him at Brice's Cross Roads on the 10th of June, and pursued him back to
Memphis.
[See p. 420.] On the 14th of July
Forrest was in turn defeated near
Tupelo by
A. J. Smith.
Forrest remained in
west Tennessee and
northern Mississippi and
northern Alabama, until he joined
Hood in the
Tennessee campaign.
The cavalry which
Sherman assembled at
Chattanooga for the
Atlanta campaign numbered about
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15,000 in four divisions.
[For organization, see pp. 286 and 289.] In the new organization
General Stanley was assigned to duty with the infantry in the Army of the Cumberland.
The details of the service of the cavalry in the
Atlanta campaign cannot be given here.
It participated in all the movements and engagements from May to August, 18 64.
When the lines were drawn closely about
Atlanta the cavalry became very active.
Meanwhile
Major-General L. H. Rousseau, who had been stationed at
Nashville for the protection of
Sherman's rear, and who had succeeded in preventing
Wheeler from injuring the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, was ordered to execute a very important duty.
On the 10th of July, 1864, he started from
Decatur, Alabama, with two brigades of cavalry, under
Colonels T. J. Harrison, 8th Indiana, and
William D. Hamilton, 9th Ohio.
In nine days he had traveled 300 miles, and was 100 miles in rear of
Johnston's army.
He destroyed railroads and supplies, and safely joined
Sherman in
Georgia near
Atlanta.
On the 27th of July
General McCook moved down the right bank of the
Chattahoochee to Campbelltown, and crossing pushed boldly into the
Macon road, damaging it, burning trains, and capturing four hundred prisoners. On his return he encountered the enemy in strong force, and was not only compelled to give up his prisoners, but lost many of his own men.
On the same date
General Stoneman moved from the other flank and destroyed the railroads leading from
Macon to
Augusta, but he, too, suffered greatly,
Stoneman himself and part of his command being captured.
Colonel Silas Adams of the 1st Kentucky Cavalry successfully fought his way back with the brigade he commanded.
After the fall of
Atlanta a portion of the cavalry, under
General Kilpatrick, accompanied
General Sherman on his march to the sea; the remainder was placed under
General Thomas for the protection of
Tennessee against the expected movements of
Hood, and went to
Tuscumbia early in November, 1864, commanded by
General Edward Hatch.
During the
Atlanta campaign Kentucky was protected against guerrillas and raiders by
General S. G. Burbridge.
In May he started for
Virginia with a large mounted force, and at the same time
Morgan came into
Kentucky through
Pound Gap.
This was
Morgan's last raid.
He was attacked at
Cynthiana,
Mount Sterling, and
Augusta, Kentucky, by the
Federal cavalry under
Colonel John Mason Brown,
Colonel Wickliffe Cooper, and others, and finally was driven into
east Tennessee, where he was killed, at
Greenville, on the 4th of September, 1864.
[See article by
General Duke, p. 243.]
In October, 1864,
General Hood, having led his army from
Georgia into
northern Alabama, was organizing for his expedition into
Tennessee.
At the same time
Forrest was operating with his usual energy and activity.
On the 30th of October he suddenly appeared with a strong force on the
Tennessee River, near
Johnsonville, where he captured a gun-boat, the
Undine, and two transports — an exploit which excited very general admiration.
He then joined
Hood near
Decatur.
At this time
General John T. Croxton, with a brigade of Union cavalry, was watching along the north bank of the
Tennessee, and on the 7th of November was joined by
General Edward Hatch with a division.
This body, numbering about three thousand men, kept a sharp lookout for indications of
Hood's advance.
On the 20th it became apparent that
Hood was moving in the direction of
Lawrenceburg Hatch skirmished with
Forrest, and while the infantry under
Schofield fell back from
Pulaski to
Columbia,
Hatch also backed steadily until that point was reached.
At
Columbia General J. H. Wilson, who had been transferred from the cavalry corps of the Army of the Potomac and assigned to the command of all the cavalry in
General Thomas's department, came up and took personal charge.
[See p. 466.]
The fame of
Forrest,
Morgan, and
Wheeler was accented by the widespread heralding of all their exploits.
On the other hand the services of the
Union cavalry, being far southward and beyond the reach of newspapers, excited less notice; but for boldness and effectiveness, devotion to duty, endurance, celerity of movement, and accomplishment of results the
Federal cavalry in the
West made a proud record, and its history, when written in detail, will be full of thrilling interest.
