Alfred Roman, The military operations of General Beauregard in the war between the states, 1861 to 1865

‘ [612] which they abandoned during the night, leaving their dead and wounded in our possession, and retreated rapidly to Nashville, closely pursued by our cavalry. We captured several stands of colors and about a thousand prisoners. Our troops fought with great gallantry. We have to lament the loss of many gallant officers and brave men. Major-General Cleburne, Brigadier-Generals John Adams, Gist, Strahl, and Grandberry were killed. MajorGen-eral John Brown, Brigadier-Generals Canty, Manigault, Quarles, Cockerell, and Scott were wounded. Brigadier-General Gordon was captured.—Jno. B. Hood, Genl.’

Geo. Wm. Brent, Col., and A. A. G.

Telegram.

Savannah, Ga., Dec. 8th., 1864.
Genl. G. T. Beauregard:

I need one thousand men besides artillerists, for which last I have ordered General Jones.

W. J. Hardee, Lieut.-Genl.

Headquarters, Army of Tennessee, near Nashville, Dec. 11th, 1864.
Hon. J. A. Seddon, Secy. of War:

Sir,—On the 21st of November, after a delay of three weeks, caused by the bad condition of the railroad from Okolona to Cherokee, and of the dirt road from the latter point to Florence, and also by the absence of Major-General Forrest's command, this army moved forward from Florence. Major-General Cheatham's corps, taking the road leading towards Waynesboroa, and the other two corps moving on roads somewhat parallel to this, but more to the eastward, with the cavalry under General Forrest, in their advance, and upon their right flank. The enemy's forces were concentrated at Pulaski, with some force also at Lawrenceburg. I hoped to be able to place our army between these forces of the enemy and Nashville; but they, hearing of our advance, evacuated Pulaski upon the 23d, our cavalry having previously driven off their forces at Lawrenceburg, and moved rapidly by the turnpike and railroad to Columbia.

The want of a good map of the country, and the deep mud through which the army marched, prevented our coming up with the enemy before they reached Columbia; but in the evening of the 27th of November our army was placed in position in front of the enemy's works at Columbia. During the night, however, they evacuated the town, taking position on the opposite side of the river about a mile and a half from the town, which was considered quite strong in front. Therefore, late in the evening of the 28th of November, General Forrest, with most of his command, crossed Duck River a few miles above Columbia, and I followed early in the morning of the 29th with Stewart's and Cheatham's corps, and Johnson's division of Lee's corps, leaving the other divisions of Lee's corps in the enemy's front at Columbia. The troops moved in right marching order, with only one battery to the corps, my object being to make a rapid march on roads parallel to the Columbia and Franklin pike, and, by placing