Wilkes County, North Carolina in Official Civil War Correspondence
By: Len Moore, Wilkes County, North Carolina
Compilation of War Correspondence mentioning Wilkes County or Wilkesboro (Wilkesbourgh) in date order
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA,
ORDNANCE OFFICE, WAR DEPARTMENT,
Richmond, Va., August 12, 1861.
Answer to interrogatories under resolution of Congress of July 27.
First interrogatory. What quantity of muskets and rifles has the Government on hand besides those which have already been distributed to the Army?
Answer. All of our serviceable muskets and rifles are in the hands of troops in the field, at posts, or in camp. The Government has on hand 3,500 muskets, chiefly flint locks, and all of which should be passed through the workshop.
Second interrogatory. What quantity is there on hand of powder, of lead, of sulphur, of saltpeter? What measures have been adopted, and at what time or times, to procure an additional supply of either of the above articles? Has any, and what, quantity of either of the above articles been yet imported by the Government from abroad?
Answer. Powder.--The cannon-powder on hand is chiefly at the several forts on the sea-coast, a quantity sufficient for the present wants of the sea-board defenses. About 200,000 pounds of musket and rifle powder are on hand.
Lead.--An order has been given to and accepted by the agent of the Wytheville Lead Mines in this State, Messrs. Crenshaw & Co.. to deliver (and they are delivering) two tons of lead and 1,200 pounds of buckshot per day for 150 consecutive days, beginning about the 1st of July.
Sulphur.--Three hundred tons are at the disposal of the Government, equal to the production of 3,000 tons of powder.
Saltpeter.--Two hundred and forty tons of saltpeter are in possession of the State of Georgia, and ready to be turned over to the Confederate States. A part of it has already been turned over; the whole purchased.
What measures have been taken to procure powder, lead, sulphur, saltpeter?
Powder.--Orders have been given to Messrs. Bowen & Co., near Pendleton, S.C., to furnish all their mill makes, and saltpeter has been supplied to them, they having sulphur enough for four to six tons of powder. The like order has been given to J. M. Ostendorff, Walhalla, S.C., and saltpeter and sulphur ordered to his mills. These two mills will make about 300 pounds a day together. General Davis, near Lewisburg, Va., has lately been supplied with a small quantity of sulphur, and he is now making powder for our troops, as he states. Two mills near Nashville, Tenn., are preparing to make powder. Of these S. D. Morgan, esq., of Nashville, under date of August 3, says: "One of our mills has, as I have just learned, commenced operations on an extended scale, and another still more extensive will be ready to operate next month, as the proprietor assures me." An order has been given to C. D. Yale, of this State, for 250 tons of powder, to be furnished at 40 cents per pound. Orders have also been sent abroad to purchase 2,500,000 pounds, and to a party to purchase 650,000 pounds in Mexico. (Refer to extract of Major Rains' letter, appended.)
Lead.--An order has been given to a party to deliver 500 tons of lead at Columbia, Tex., at 7 cents per pound, and to another to deliver a like amount in San Antonio, at 6 cents. What abilities these parties have to execute these orders remains to be seen. Besides the Wytheville mine, in this State, the Confederate Government has directed the working of a mine in North Carolina. In reference to this Governor Warren Winslow writes, August 8: "I have written to Pasco, an experienced miner, to come down and get ready to open the Silver Hill Mine, in Davidson County. * * * It will not require much means. The furnace will cost only $500, I think, and labor is now so cheap, that a small addition will be all that is required." These two mines will, it is believed, supply all our wants. The following letter is from Prof. E. Emmons, State geologist of North Carolina, under date of July 24: "I made, some time since, a thorough examination of the lead mine in Caldwell County, fourteen miles north of Morganton. It will not, therefore, be necessary for me to visit and examine the mine at present. For the information of the Department I have addressed a letter to Calvin J. Cowles, of Wilkesborough, who owns, or did own, a lease on the property, to open and work this mine at once, if possible. Lead can be taken out at once, or from the present shaft and tunnel, and I have given him assurance that I will put him or a company in a way for easy reduction of the ore, and also repeated to <ar127_556> them the assurance conveyed in your instructions to me, that a liberal price would be paid for any amount of lead that was produced."
Sulphur.--An order has been given to Doctor Ullmann, of Tallapoosa, Ala., to furnish sulphur, which he undertook to make at the rate of from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds per day. His success has not yet been reported. Efforts will be made, under the stimulation of high prices, by various parties, to procure this ingredient from the iron pyrites, and it will eventually be thus obtained quite as soon as required.
Saltpeter.--An order was given in May last to Messrs. Leonard & Riddle, at Montgomery, for 60,000 pounds, and they at once entered on the labor of getting it out; with what success I have not yet learned. Mr. Leonard was the contractor on the Pensacola Railroad. An officer of the Department has been directed to visit these works and report upon them, as also those of Doctor Ullmann, for getting sulphur. An order was also given to Colonel Hindman, of Arkansas, to deliver 100,000 pounds at Memphis about the same time, but nothing has been heard from him. Mr. Richard Ross, of Tennessee, has taken an order for fifty tons, to be gotten from the caves of East Tennessee. In reference to the caves of East Tennessee and North Alabama, Mr. Sholer Smith, agent of the State of North Carolina, writes: "Messrs. Nelson & Davis, of Philadelphia, Monroe County, write that they have their cave in full operation, and some 6,000 or 8,000 pounds of material on hand for sale, and await an offer. They are now open to contracts. A party in Fentress County is also ready to supply some three or four tons per month. William Worley, of Cave Spring, Carter County, needs but assurance of a contract to go to work in his section, which is rich in niter. Of the North Alabama caves none have proved profitable except those of S. D. Boren & Co., who are making 700 pounds per day on a contract with the State of Tennessee. They offer us three tons per month at 35 cents per pound; post-office, Larkinsville, Ala. The specimens sent by this firm are very pure. The prices paid by Tennessee range from 22 to 30 cents per pound. * * * An ample supply of niter (three or four tons per week) can be obtained in East Tennessee, but it is necessary that an agent should be sent there before the interest in this matter subsides to stir them up to the work." Mr. Smith stated verbally that there were Various parties at the caves he had visited who had taken out 8,000 to 10,000 pounds, and stood ready to sell it. I directed him to say to all said parties that the Bureau would pay for it, delivered at the nearest railroad station, on railroad receipts, at the rate of 25 cents per pound.
Third interrogatory.
Answer. No information in this Bureau.
Fourth and fifth interrogatories.
Answer. Answered in reply to second interrogatory.
Sixth interrogatory. Have any small-arms yet been manufactured by and for the Government at any public or private establishment within the Confederate States? If yea, state what arms have been so manufactured, in what quantities, and what establishments. If not, what has prevented or delayed such manufacture?
Answer. Very few arms have yet been manufactured for the Government either at private or public establishments for a very obvious reason--there has not yet been time to get up establishments for this purpose. A few--eight or ten per day for four or five weeks past--it is reported, have been made out of the gun-barrels saved from Harper's Ferry, at Wytheville, for the command of General Floyd. An order for 30,000 stand of arms has been given to Messrs. McElwain & Co., Holly Springs, Miss., the first delivery on which is to be made November 1, and thereafter at the rate of 2,000 per month. Mr. Le Mat, of Louisiana, has an order to deliver 5,000 of his revolvers. Mr. Ed. Want, of New Berne, N. C., has an order for the delivery of 5,000 pistols, to begin in three months. Orders are out also for the manufacture of 4,000 swords and 3,000 saber-bayonets. Unlimited orders have also been given to parties to purchase arms in Mexico and in Cuba. None have yet been received by this Department. The armory at this place will probably be in working order in six or eight weeks. That at Fayetteville, where some new buildings must be erected, will not be ready under four months. The Department has received from its agents in Europe for the purchase of arms positive information as to the purchase by them of arms, embracing muskets and rifles chiefly, to the amount of $300,000, and also assurances that they will be shipped through in safety. We therefore look forward with confidence to their early arrival. <ar127_557>
Extract from a letter of Maj. George W. Rains, under date of July 25, 1861:
Maj. J. GORGAS:
In relation to the Government factory I have to state that the drawings of the machinery are now being made at Nashville, and on my return the work will at once be commenced. I have visited the iron-works and machine-shops at Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Augusta, and on my return will do so at Rome. I found that I could procure some of the lighter work at Nashville, and at Chattanooga a portion of the heavy castings can be made; but as they will have to complete first the work of the Manchester Powder Mills, it will be some twenty-five or forty days before being able to commence the Government work. At Augusta some of the lighter work can also be constructed, and perhaps also at Rome. At Atlanta a portion of the heavy castings can be made, having about the same capacity as at Chattanooga for such work. Thus these two are the only ones which have the necessary tools to do large work. Having to wait for the latter iron-works to complete their present job, it will take over four months to get the rolling cylinders for the mills made at these places for making two tons of powder per day; hence I shall be compelled to get the Tredegar Works to assist in their manufacture, as it will take not less than forty rolling cylinders (or twenty mills) to manufacture five tons of powder each twenty-four hours, and this is the desired capacity for the factory, if I understand you correctly. Of course the making of powder would commence as soon as one set of machinery could be completed without waiting for the rest, but all the apparatus necessary for the whole, such as making charcoal, refining niter, refining sulphur, breaking cake, pressing, granulating, dusting, pulverizing, glazing, &c., with drying-houses for wood and powder, as also all the buildings to contain the same, and magazines would have to be constructed before the manufacture could commence. Thus, with all the facilities which can be had, even with the aid of the Tredegar Works, and working night and day, it will take at least three months before any of the machinery can be put into operation. I was fortunate enough to find two good steam engines, of 80-horse power each, with boilers and fixtures complete, at Atlanta (second hand), which can be had for the motive power should waterpower not be procured. This will supply force sufficient to make two and a half tons of powder each twenty-four hours, as it will require over 300-horse power for the factory complete. In four months, if fortunate, I may be able to make two and a half tons of powder per day, and this, joined to the amount fabricated by the private mills above referred to, will give a probable supply of three and a half to four tons per twenty-four hours at that time.
[Indorsement.]
WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
I have no less than six times to-day seen Major Gorgas and been to his office importuning for his signature to this paper, so that it might be sent to Congress. At 8 o'clock at night it comes not signed.
JOHN TYLER, JR.
CONSCRIPT OFFICE, CAMP VANCE,
Near Morganton, August 13, 1863.
Col. PETER MALLETT,
Commandant Conscripts, North Carolina:
COLONEL: In obedience to instructions indorsed upon inclosed paper I have the honor to report the state of affairs in the western counties of North Carolina. I inclose also a letter from Captain Pearson, enrolling officer Tenth District, received on yesterday. All the counties on the Tennessee border are infested with deserters, renegade conscripts, and tories, who have collected in the mountains committing depredations upon peaceful citizens and unprotected wives of soldiers. The county of Cherokee is 200 miles from Morganton, and the facilities for transporting and subsisting the small body of men under my command are very limited; and as Jackson's brigade of Buckner's division is in Tennessee, about fifty miles from the county seat of Cherokee, I would respectfully suggest that an arrangement be made by which a few companies of cavalry and infantry from his command may be sent to this section to operate until these bands of deserters, &c., are broken up.
The enrolling officer of the Tenth District commences his enrollment in Clay, the extreme western county, on the 20th of August. I consider it unsafe for him to go through these counties without a guard, and recommend that an order be requested from the War Department to Major-General Buckner to send a guard to accompany him through the border counties and overawe any attempts at resisting the execution of the law. I propose as far as possible to organize squads of, say, twenty men in each county in the Ninth and Tenth Districts and place them in charge of disabled officers of the Army who report to me for duty, and respectfully request that a supply of arms and ammunition be furnished me to equip them, and that Western North Carolina officers unfit for field duty be ordered to report to me for assignment as assistant enrolling officers for each county. Authority might be granted me to draw the arms from the C. S. armory at Asheville. Every county in the Ninth and Tenth Districts is infested to a greater or less degree with deserters, &c., and the most rigorous measures are absolutely necessary for the preservation of order and life. Soldiers' wives are constantly robbed by the villains, and great depredations are committed on the citizens. I suggest also that the attention of the Governor be called to the matter and he be requested to order the immediate organization and equipment of the home guard composed of exempts. A small number of men actively employed under a competent officer in each county would go far toward suppressing troubles which will soon become very serious. The impunity with which deserters remain at home has produced the worst effect upon the conscripts, who generally refuse to obey the law, and join the deserters in the mountains upon any attempt being made to arrest them. I have two companies of about 125 men at this camp. There are from 50 to 100 deserters in this county within twenty-five miles, and the same proportion in the adjoining counties, while the counties of Wilkes and Yadkin have many more than this proportion.
Though some militia officers are good men, who have aided the officers of conscription materially in the execution of the law, many are entirely unreliable and all are fast losing their influence for good on account of the existing state of affairs. I would urge that all officers unfit for field service who are able to assist me be assigned at as early a day as possible to me.
I have used every exertion to disseminate the President's proclamation of pardon to deserters, and hope that it may have a good effect, though from present indications very few will embrace the opportunity to return to duty.
I have directed the enrolling officers to forward me exact information of the state of affairs in each county and will forward the same as soon as received.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. C. McRAE,
Captain, Commanding.
[Indorsement.]
CONSCRIPT OFFICE, CAMP HOLMES,
August 17, 1863.
Approved and respectfully forwarded to Bureau of Conscription. An order for 200 muskets or rifles from the armory at Asheville is earnestly solicited. This, together with requisition for 500 muskets (now being forwarded by ordnance officer at Wilmington) and arms furnished by the State, will be sufficient. The superintendent's attention is respectfully invited to the recommendation of Captain McRae, that a detachment of two companies from Jackson's brigade of Buckner's division be detailed temporarily to protect the enrolling officer and arrest deserters in counties bordering on Tennessee.
PETER MALLETT,
Colonel, Commanding Conscripts for North Carolina.
RICHMOND, VA., September 1, 1863.
Lieut. Gen. JAMES LONGSTREET,
Commanding, Orange Court-House:
GENERAL: I enclose you herewith a letter from Lieutenant Peden, referred by the Governor of North Carolina to the honorable Secretary of War, relative to the organization of deserters in Wilkes County, in that State, and the means by which it is proposed to remedy this formidable and growing evil. I desire to send on this mission a regiment of North Carolina troops from Brigadier-General Ransom's command, and a squadron of cavalry from the troops under Jenkins, and a regiment of North Carolina troops from the Army of Northern Virginia, the whole to be under the command of a good officer. I wish you therefore to select either Brigadier-General Hoke or Brigadier-General Ramseur as the officer to be intrusted with the general charge of the matter in question, and to send him with one of his regiments, by way of this place, to North Carolina, where he will be joined by the other troops above mentioned, and where he will receive more explicit instructions from Governor Vance, who has been requested to make the necessary arrangements for provisioning the troops, &c.
I wish a small regiment sent from the brigade of Hoke or Ramseur, as I think a good opportunity will be presented of filling its ranks to the legal standard, and I desire whichever of these officers General Ewell thinks the best and most suitable for the duty to be selected. Please send him at once, and caution him not to speak of the character of his duty, as it is desired it shall be kept quiet.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,
General.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR OF CONSCRIPTION,
Salisbury, N. C., September 2, 1863.
Col. J. S. PRESTON,
Superintendent of Conscription:
SIR: When the conscript service was organized the direction that among its duties should be embraced that of collecting and forwarding deserters and skulkers by the use of force was doubtless based on the supposition that such characters would be found lurking about singly, unarmed, acting in no concert, and supported by no local public opinion or party. Even for such work our means at command have been inadequate in many parts of the country, and whatever auxiliary force time may prove to be available under the special efforts indicated in my letter of July --, approved and adopted by the War Department, cannot be expected to accomplish more than to meet the condition of things above described.
The utter inadequacy now of any force that we can command without potential aid from armies in the field will become apparent when it is realized that desertion has assumed (in some regions, especially the central and western portions of this. State) a very different and more formidable shape and development than could have been anticipated. It is difficult to arrive at any exact statistics on the subject. The unquestionable facts are these: Deserters now leave the Army with arms and ammunition in hand. They act in concert to force by superior numbers a passage against bridge or ferry guards, if such are encountered. Arriving at their selected localities of refuge, they organize in bands variously estimated at from fifty up to hundreds at various points. These estimates are perhaps exaggerated in some cases. The patrols sent out from the conscript guard and bringing back a few prisoners each report that they have only captured these by surprise, and have been compelled to make good their retreat in returning by circuitous routes to avoid arrangements made to intercept them by superior force. His Excellency Governor Vance credits official information received by him, that in Cherokee County a large body of deserters (with whom I class also those in resistance to conscription) have assumed a sort of military occupation, taking a town, and that in Wilkes County they are organized, drilling regularly, and intrenched in a camp to the number of 500. Indeed, the whole number of deserters in the latter county is said to be much larger. The reports of our patrols indicate 300 or 400 organized in Randolph County, and they are said to be in large numbers in Catawba and Yadkin, and not a few in the patriotic county of Iredell. These men are not only determined to kill in avoiding apprehension (having just put to death yet another of our enrolling officers), but their esprit de corps extends to killing in revenge as well as in prevention of the capture of each other. So far they seem to have had no trouble for subsistence. While the disaffected feed them from sympathy, the loyal do so from fear. The latter class (and the militia) are afraid to aid the conscript service lest they draw revenge upon themselves and their property.
The present quiet of such lawless characters of course cannot be expected to continue, and the people look for a reign of marauding and terror, protection against which is loudly called for. Letters are being sent to the Army stimulating desertion and inviting the men home, promising them aid and comforts. County meetings are declaring in the same spirit and to hold back conscripts. As desertion spreads and enjoys impunity, in the same proportion do the enrolled conscripts hang back from reporting where there is not force enough to compel them, and the more dangerous and difficult becomes the position of our enrolling officers. All this trouble is of very rapid, recent growth, and is intimately connected with--indeed, mainly originates in and has been fostered by--the newly developed but active intrigues of political malcontents, having the Raleigh Standard for their leader, and, it is said, a majority in the capital itself. The resolutions of the several county meetings, central and western, have evidently issued from the same mint, the common stamp being that North Carolina has not received due justice or credit, that she has done more than her share, and that her people ought to contribute no further. I allude to the political aspect only to show that there is danger of marked political division and something like civil war if the military evils reported be not at once met by strong measures of military repression. Such appears the calm opinion, without panic, of loyal and substantial men, and such are my own impressions from observation. They all think the evil is spreading, and such are likely to find themselves in a bad position in some regions--for the balance of physical force is on the wrong side, the loyal having contributed most freely to the Army, even their sons still in early boyhood and not liable to serve. So far it does not appear that men of political weight have come forward publicly to any great extent to meet the intriguing demagogues on their own arena and prevent the ignorant masses from following their lead in ovine style. A reference to the faithful reports of Colonel Mallett, the vigilant State commander of conscripts, will show that he has been anticipating such evils, though their rapid increase has surpassed expectation.
In considering the remedies to be applied but two appear feasible of sufficient promptness to be effective--the one consisting of detachments of troops by the nearest local commanders, the other in like detachments from the larger armies depleted by desertion and demanding re-enforcement.
The nearest local commanders on whom I have the authority of the Secretary of War to call for aid are General Whiting (whose troops are mainly about Weldon and Wilmington, at a great distance for detachment to the districts where most needed) and Major-General Buckner, if he be still posted near the western frontier of this State. To the former general I have written that, learning how largely he has detached to Charleston, I did not suppose it feasible now to procure any force from him, but urgently requested him to aid the conscript service by designating a military commandant to take post at Raleigh, and recommended that our present State commandant of conscripts be clothed with the additional authority. To General Buckner I will write a representation of the state of things-as soon as I can procure official and authentic information after arriving at Morganton or Asheville. I have conversed with Governor Vance as commander of the militia and home guards organized by State legislation. Of the first class of force he remarked that it had been practically well-nigh absorbed by the new levy, and at all events he did not consider it well adapted for the sort of work now demanded. In regard to the second, he stated that its organization had proceeded slowly, and that what had been accomplished was in counties other than those where the service in question is required. Hence, I have received from him the impression that although he is earnest in the purpose of aid, he does not expect to be able to furnish it to any great extent yet awhile. I hope to meet His Excellency again at Asheville. The State Legislature has passed a law against harboring deserters, which may help us somewhat, though doubt is expressed if its terms are broad enough for practical effect. I will communicate it hereafter. Your attention is invited to the inclosed proclamation addressed to the public at large by Colonel Mallett at my instance. He had already instructed his subordinates in a like sense. All other details of our efforts to invigorate the conscript service here I reserve for a future report. Assuming that it is of vital import to crush out without the least delay the evils I have described as threatening to develop indefinitely, I am led by the foregoing exhaustive discussion to tender boldly, though reluctantly, an unpalatable conclusion. It is that the sort of success demanded by the crisis can only be attained by a prompt detachment of effective force (say two or three selected regiments of fidelity) from the main army which suffers most from desertion and evasion of service, and which it is to be hoped can best spare the remedial agencies. Such a force should proceed to occupy the infected districts, surround the traitors, bring the disloyal to punishment, fortify the loyal, and decide the wavering. The adoption of this plan, if practicable, may be rendered more palatable by the reflection that its rejection will probably involve a loss of numbers at least equal to those proposed to be detached under a system which would secure not only their own return, but that of large re-enforce-ments in, say, probably five or six weeks.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEO. W. LAY,
Lieutenant-Colonel and Inspector.
P. S.--I have advised Colonel Mallett not to send away for the present any conscripts whose fidelity may be trusted for the home service.
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Raleigh, N. C., February 29, 1864.
Hon. C. G. MEMMINGER,
Secretary of the Treasury, Richmond, Va.:
DEAR SIR: Upon a recent visit to the county of Wilkes, in this State, I was informed that a number of inoffensive citizens in that and the adjacent counties had been robbed of their property and effects by the Fiftieth Regiment North Carolina Troops, employed there for the purpose of arresting deserters. It has occurred to me that some compensation should be made to these people for the losses they have sustained, in many cases a large part of their property having been taken away. And the mode I propose is to appoint a commission or commissioners in the region where the depredations have been committed and ascertain the loss of each individual and credit the amount on his current taxes. Should this proposition meet your views and the measure be carried into effect promptly, I feel satisfied it will go far to compose the dissatisfaction of my people who have suffered so severely in that section, and bring to the support of the Government a large class of persons who think and feel they are out of the pale of its protection. Your early consideration of this measure will enable me to effect much in the restoration of confidence amongst the people where its benefits are to be received.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Z. B. VANCE.
P. S.--I would suggest that the tax collectors could do this. Justice and good policy both require it.
Z. B. V.
[Indorsement.]
MARCH 3, 1864.
Respectfully referred for consideration and reply to the Secretary of War.
C. G. MEMMINGER,
Secretary of the Treasure
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Raleigh, March 9, 1864.
His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,
Richmond, Va.:
SIR: Your letter of the 29th ultimo has been received. Several portions of it were read with anything but pleasure, as it was very far from my intention in my letter of the 9th ultimo to raise any issue of a disagreeable and unprofitable character with you. Before proceeding to the specifications you invite me to make in support of my statements in the letter of the 9th of February, I desire especially to correct your apprehensions in regard to the fifth item of your letter, when quoting from my letter, I do not hold you responsible for all the petty annoyances, the insolence of office, under which our people lose heart and patience." You say "I make no comment on this language, as I must suppose that you deem it becoming our mutual positions, and simply invite you to state what portion of these petty annoyances and this 'insolence on office' you do impute to me, and the facts on which the imputation rests." I desire to say, in brief, that I meant no such imputation at all, and deny that my language can be fairly so interpreted. I simply meant to say that I did not hold you responsible for these things--this harshness and cruelty of subordinates--and in using the word "all" I intended it to convey no implication whatever of a part for which you were responsible. I trust I am incapable of needlessly and wantonly insulting the Chief Magistrate of the Confederate States, and have ever endeavored in making unpleasant statements to you to avoid discourtesy, while expressing myself with candor. If I have made a different impression in my last or any former letter I now assure you, once for all, that it has resulted from my misfortune in the employment of terms and not from any want of the respect due you personally or officially. You object seriously to that part of my letter which alleges that there seemed to have been a studied exclusion of all once termed anti-secessionists from office in this State, even from promotions in the army, which many of them had purchased with their blood, and you deny the allegation, affirming that all your appointments in the army have been influenced by military considerations alone, and generally made upon the recommendations of the superior officers. As your denial of the allegation relates only to the army appointments, I presume that you admit its justice in regard to the civil appointments, and I need cite no cases of the latter character.
You will please observe that I only charge that there "seemed" to have been a studied exclusion, &c. It is, of course, impossible for me to prove that any other than military considerations have governed your army appointments; but I desire to call your attention to the fact that out of some twenty-five or thirty generals appointed from North Carolina only three were anti-secessionists, two of whom--Gatlin and Baker--were old army officers, and the other was my brother--a civilian. Now, does it not seem strange, when it is remembered that two-thirds of the people of this State were opposed to secession until Lincoln's proclamation, that God should have endowed the remaining one third with all the military talents; that "military considerations" should divest two-thirds of our citizens, however brave, patriotic, and intelligent, of the capacity to serve their country except in the ranks or as subordinate officers? Branch, Clingman, Scales, Ransom, and Gordon--all politicians--are promoted at once. What representative of the old Unionists was thought fit to receive similar favors? Colonel McRae, of the Fifth North Carolina Regiment, was the senior colonel of his brigade. On the first vacancy a junior officer from another State was put over him. He was a Douglas Democrat. Colonel Garrett, his successor, was an old Union Whig previous to the war; had fought for three years, and was covered with wounds. On the next vacancy in the brigadiership Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston, a secessionist, was put over him. Colonel McElroy, of the Sixteenth North Carolina Troops, who had fought his glorious regiment from 1,200 down to 150 men, and was himself disfigured with wounds, and who was, I learn, recommended by General Pender for promotion, was superseded by Colonel Scales, a secessionist. I make no complaint against any of these gentlemen, but only wonder at the passing strangeness of this singular freak of nature in so partially and arbitrarily distributing the military capacity of the country. As to the allegation that the great body of the people of North Carolina have been "suspected" by their Government, which you deny and invite me to specify wherein it is evident, I deem the facts just alluded to-the exclusion of the anti-secessionists from office, both civil and military--sufficient proof. But proof of this, direct and positive, was given in the refusal to reappoint R. P. Dick, esq., district attorney under the late United States Government, for the avowed reason that he "was slow to leave the old Government." A majority of 40,000 were quite as laggard as Mr. Dick, and among them the writer is not ashamed to class himself.
If these facts taken together do not constitute a class of" suspicion" against the great body of our people, I am unable to conceive what would. In a long letter which I addressed Your Excellency in October, 1862, I earnestly endeavored to impress this idea upon you. I afterward followed it up still more earnestly on the two occasions when I had the honor to visit you in Richmond, and when (on the last visit especially) I was so anxious to give you a true insight into the condition of North Carolina, to candidly state the causes and suggest the remedy, that I feared you would consider me importunate if not discourteous. To add the weight of action to the assurances I gave you of my desire to ignore party feeling, a considerable majority of the recommendations for office, both civil and military, which I have made to you have been for my heretofore political enemies. In reference to my remarks about the outrages of the military upon the citizens, you desire to know why the complaints are on my files in Raleigh, instead of being forwarded to Richmond, and assert that no complaint has been made to you of such a character without redress being granted when possible. I reply that I have sent up to the Secretary of War's office many complaints of wrong and outrage and, to my knowledge, no case whatever has ever been redressed. Others having been referred to the general commanding instead of the War Department, after going through the circumlocution of military reference for several weeks, perhaps months, are finally "respectfully returned to Governor Vance for his information," that is to say, the matter stopped in the acceptance of the story of the accused party as a full exculpation from all accusation. Hence my office becomes piled up with these unavailing complaints. One or two instances where unavailing complaint was made to headquarters will suffice for explanation. Some time last year a company of cavalry went into Tyrrell County, in this State, and stole (for they were not authorized to impress, and made no attempt to do so under the law) a lot of horses from owners who actually had them in the plow. The poor farmers thus robbed put their means together and employed a neighbor by the name of Lewis to go to Richmond to get the horses back or pay for them. Lewis was paid for the horses by a lodgment in Castle Thunder upon an accusation by the men who had the horses.
In the winter of 1862-63 a squad of cavalry were sent into Cherokee County, N. C., by Colonel Lee, of Atlanta, Ga. They seized a number of old citizens beyond the age of conscription--one of them at least not under sixty years--chained them together like galley slaves, and drove them before their horses 120 miles to Atlanta. Then they were thrown into prison and told that they could volunteer in the army or remain in prison during the war. Upon my earnest remonstrance they were finally liberated. Was that wrong redressed? Was anybody punished for that outrage? The Fifty-sixth Regiment North Carolina Troops was lately sent to Wilkes County to arrest deserters and conscripts in a section where some disorders existed and some disloyalty had been manifested. On my recent visit there complaint by loyal citizens of most outrageous conduct was made to me. Whole districts were represented to have been robbed and the inhabitants reduced to the verge of starvation. Cattle and horses were seized from loyal men, carried into the neighboring counties, sold, and the money divided, with much more to the same effect. At the instance of several respectable farmers who had been rendered by these robberies unable to pay their taxes without selling real estate, I applied to the Secretary of the Treasury to make an arrangement for these damages to be assessed by the tax collectors for the county and have their taxes credited with the amount. The Secretary replied that he had nothing to do with it, and referred it to Mr. Seddon. The latter in a reply, received since I commenced writing this letter, says he can do nothing in the matter except to withhold the salaries of the officers, if they can be convicted of permitting it. For that complaint I consider it impossible to get redress, and the women and little children, ruined by this conduct, must be fed by this State or starve to death. Do not, I pray you, misunderstand me in this regard. I know these things in a greater or less degree are inseparable from a state of war, and that it is utterly impossible for you to prevent them or to adequately redress them. But they do add to the discontents in North Carolina, to show which I allude to them in my letter, and prompt and kindly efforts to redress would cause these poor people to love their Government and support its laws far more than the terrors of the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus and a display of force. To impress you with this was the object aimed at in my letter of the 9th ultimo. In conclusion, I would say that your letter should have received earlier attention at my hands, but for a press of official business since my return to Raleigh, after a short absence and an indisposition for several days past, which has hardly allowed me to attend to my ordinary duties.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
[33.] Z.B. VANCE.
RALEIGH, N. C., March 31, 1865.
Col. A. J. GONZALES,
Chief of Artillery, Hillsborough, N. C.:
Stoneman's raiders are reported at Wilkesborough, marching on Salisbury. From thence they may move on Greensborough and Hillsborough. Be prepared accordingly to move back your artillery to this place or Smithfield.
G. T. BEAUREGARD.
RALEIGH, N. C., March 31, 1865.
General S. D. LEE,
Chester, S.C.:
Repair forthwith with all disposable forces to Salisbury, for its defense and that of such other places as may be threatened by Stoneman's raiders, now at Wilkesborough.
G. T. BEAUREGARD.
GREENSBOROUGH, N. C., April 1, 1865--9 a.m.
Brig. Gen. J. G. MARTIN,
Asheville, N. C. :
Last report yesterday was that Stoneman's party was moving on Wilkesborough. What is your information? Send answer to Salisbury.
G. T. BEAUREGARD.
GREENSBOROUGH, N. C., April 2, 1865--6.55 p.m.
General R. E. LEE,
Petersburg, Va.:
Enemy reported to have left Wilkesborough to cross Yadkin at Shallow Ford and contiguous fords. Three brigades of returned men, commanded by Featherston, Shelley, and Govan, are now here; also two batteries. Have ordered three batteries from Hillsborough to Danville. Enemy will probably move on this place and Piedmont Railroad or on Danville, keeping north of Dan River. Total want of cavalry here very much felt. No reliable information can be had of enemy's movements.
G. T. BEAUREGARD,
General.
(Same to General J. E. Johnston, Smithfield, N. C., and Col. R. E. Withers, Danville, Va.)
HENRY COURT-HOUSE, VA., April 5, 1865.
Brig. Gen. H. H. WALKER,
Commanding Post, Danville, Va.:
GENERAL: I have the honor to report that upon receiving your instructions from Colonel Keen I started from Danville with my squad (of four men) last night at 10 o'clock, and proceeded forthwith to this place, arriving this morning at 8.30 o'clock, and, judging from the most reliable information I can get, there are no signs of the enemy anywhere in this vicinity. Colonel Hamilton, who is in charge of the Government horses in Wilkes County, N. C., arrived here a few minutes since, and reports that the enemy were certainly in the aforesaid county on Monday last, and upon that day over 200 horses were captured from his department. There are various reports here about the whereabouts of the Yankees, though the general impression is that they are between Patrick Court-House and Floyd Court-House. I shall leave this place immediately with my squad, in the direction of Floyd Court.House. As soon as I can get any reliable information will report to you again. Should anything of importance occur at this place the enrolling officer will report the facts to you immediately.
I am, general, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
JAMES S. RIDD,
In Charge of Post.
. DURHAM'S, April 27, 1865--10 p.m.
General W. T. SHERMAN:
The following dispatch just been received by flag of truce:
GREENSBOROUGH, April 27, 1865.
General W. T. SHERMAN:
(Through Lieutenant-General Hampton.)
General Meade has entered Danville and General Stoneman is reported between Wilkesborough and Lincolnton. I respectfully ask that they be informed of the convention by you.
J.E. JOHNSTON,
General.
The staff officer is waiting for answer.
L. G. ESTES,
Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, May 31, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of sub-detachment of Signal Corps, U.S. Army, Department of the Cumberland, with Maj. Gen. George Stoneman's cavalry command, during the months of March, April, and May, 1865:
March 20, in compliance with orders, I reported to General A. C. Gillem, commanding Cavalry Division, District of East Tennessee, at Knoxville. 21st, the command moved from Knoxville at 12 m. and encamped at Strawberry Plains at 7 p.m., marching fifteen miles. 22d, marched fifteen miles and halted at Mossy Creek, Lieutenant Rice joining me here. 23d, the command marched at 7 a.m., arriving at Morristown at 1 p.m., distance, fourteen miles. I endeavored to get signal communication with Brigadier-General Tillson at Bull's Gap, but failed to do so. 24th, command marched at 7 a.m. via Bull's Gap; reached Carter's at 5 p.m.; distance, twenty-three miles. Endeavored to get communication with General Tillson, but failed to do so. 25th, marched nineteen miles and went into camp for the night. 26th, marched at 10 a.m. via Jonesborough; halted at Dry Creek; distance, twenty-three miles. 27th, marched at 4 a.m.; forded Doe River and crossed Smoky Mountains into North Carolina; distance, thirty miles. 28th, command moved at 5 a.m.; skirmished with enemy at Boone; charged and captured the entire force, and encamped on top of Blue Ridge at 11 p.m.; distance, twenty-nine miles. 29th, marched thirty miles, and encamped near Wilkesborough, N. C., at 7 p.m. 30th, moved at 5 a.m., and joined First Brigade, which had taken a different route across the mountains from Boone; the First Brigade forded the Yad-kin River, which was rising too fast for the balance of the command to follow; went into camp at 12 m., having marched eleven miles. 31st, marched at 7 a.m. I opened communication by signal with Colonel Palmer, commanding First Brigade, transmitting the following messages:
[Received, No. 1.]
MARCH 31, 1865--3.30p.m.
Major BASCOM,
Assistant Adjutant-General :
My command will go on from this position to Heckerson's plantation, nine miles from here and six miles this side of Elfin's Factory, unless I meet courier at Roaring River, three miles from here, or am stopped by a message through this signal station, at which I have left an orderly. My advanced command sent out this morning has gone on to take the factory. No enemy to be seen this [side] of the river. The party who fired on my pickets last evening were bushwhackers.
W. J. PALMER,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
<ar103_327>
[Sent, No. 2.]
MARCH 31, 1865---5.45p.m.
Col. W. J. PALMER,
Commanding Brigade :
We are in camp. Our advance is at the signal station. Both brigades move to Jonesville tomorrow. You will move to and opposite that place tomorrow and encamp as near there as you can get forage.
By command of Major-General Stoneman:
G. M. BASCOM,
Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.
[Received, No. 3.]
MARCH 31, 1865--9 p.m.
If you wish it I can get horses and go with General Palmer in the morning, or I will come over and go with you. Palmer is just above here. Could not cross Roaring River.
RICE.
[Sent, No. 4.]
If possible go with Colonel Palmer.
MALLABY.
[Sent, No. 5.]
The boat is gone; can you get horses?
MALLABY.
[Received, No. 6.]
Colonel Palmer cannot tell about horses until morning.
RICE.
[Received, No. --.]
APRIL 1, 1865---7.20a.m.
Have procured horses and am going with Colonel Palmer.
RICE.
April 1, closed station at 7.30 a.m. Command marched to Jonesville and went into camp at 12 m.; distance, fourteen miles. At 1 p.m. opened signal communication with Colonel Palmer at Elfin's Mills, N. C.; transmitted the following messages:
[Received, No. 3.]
ELFIN'S MILLS, April 1, 1865--1 p.m.
Captain PATTERSON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:
My brigade is now here and going into camp. I have three mills at work grinding meal. There are about 500 bales of cotton here.
W. J. PALMER,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
[Sent, No. 4.]
HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Near Jonesville, April 1, [1865.]
Col. W. J. PALMER,
Commanding First Brigade, Cavalry Division:
Move with your command on the Rockford to-morrow, the 2d instant, at 7.30 a.m. By command of Brigadier-General Gillem:
W. J. PATTERSON,
Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
[Received, No. 5.]
APRIL 1, [1865]--2 p.m.
Captain PATTERSON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General :
Will you move down on the other side of the river?
W. J. PALMER,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
<ar103_328>
[Sent, No. 6.]
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION, DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Near Jonesville, April 1, 1865--2.25 p.m.
Col. W. J. PALMER,
Commanding Brigade:
You will move on the Rockford to-morrow. We will march on the south bank of the Yadkin.
By command of Brigadier-General Gillem:
W. J. PATTERSON,
Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
[Sent, No. 7.]
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION, DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Near Jonesville, April 1, 1865--9pm
HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Greeneville, Tenn., April 25, 1865.
MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the cavalry, District of East Tennessee, from the 2lst of March up to the present date. To prevent repetition I will merely say that from the time the division left Morristown, on the 23d of March, until the 17th of April, Major-General Stoneman, commanding the District of East Tennessee, accompanied the division, and that its movements were made in compliance with his instructions.
On the 18th of March, in compliance with orders from headquarters of the District of East Tennessee, I assumed command of this division. At that time but one brigade (Miller's brigade, Third) was at Knoxville. On the 22d the division was concentrated at Mossy Creek. On the 23d the division moved to Morristown, Tenn., where five days' rations, one day's forage (corn), and four horseshoes and nails were issued to each man of the command. At daylight on the morning of the 24th Colonel Miller, with his brigade (Third), moved on the road toward Bristol, with orders to take the north or Snapp's Ferry road at Bull's Gap, and by a rapid march by Fall Branch to get on the railroad between Jonesborough and Carter's Station, and thus get in the rear of the portion of the enemy's forces reported in the vicinity of Jonesborough. Colonel Miller was accompanied by a telegraph operator. The other two brigades from Bull's Gap took the central or Babb's Mill road, whilst General Tillson, with the infantry and train, moved by the main or southern road, by way of Greeneville. Nothing of interest transpired on the 24th. On the 25th we encamped ten miles west of Jonesborough; the train came up, and the First and Second Brigades drew all the rations the men could carry conveniently. On the 26th the command moved, cutting loose from all incumbrances in the way of trains. One wagon, ten ambulances, and four guns, with their caissons, were the only carriages that accompanied the expedition. At 12 m. we passed through Jonesborough, and learned from Colonel Miller that he had complied with his instructions, but that in consequence of injuries to the railroad bridge over the Watauga there had been no trains south of the river for some days; that rebel General Jackson had fallen back the previous night in great haste, and that the country was full of rebel stragglers and deserters, and that he had killed and captured some of the former. In compliance with his instructions Colonel Miller then moved to Elizabethtown. On the 26th a portion of the command encamped on Buffalo Creek and the remainder at Doe River Cove, it being necessary to scatter the command in order to procure forage. On the 27th Colonel Miller was ordered to concentrate his brigade and follow the division on the following day. On the 27th the command moved up the Watauga River, and after halting for a short time near the mouth of Roan Creek to feed, marched until 12 p.m., when we bivouacked on the eastern slope of the Iron Mountain until daylight, when the march was resumed. About 10 a.m. on the 28th, when approaching the town of Boone, it was learned that there was a meeting of the home guard in that town to take place on that day. Major Keogh, aide-de-camp to Major-General Stoneman, went forward with a detachment of the Twelfth Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, surprised and <ar103_331> routed the rebels, killing 9 and capturing 68. Much credit is due Major Keogh and the gallant officers and men of the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry engaged in this affair. At Boone the command separated, General Stoneman, with Palmer's brigade (First), going by way of Deep Gap to Wilkesborough, whilst I, with Brown's brigade (Second) and the artillery, moved toward the place by the Flat Gap road. Miller had instructions to follow me. At 9 p.m. Brown's brigade arrived at Patterson's factory, at the foot of the Blue Ridge, and found an ample supply of corn and bacon. I remained in rear to give my personal attention to the artillery, which did not arrive at the factory until 7 a.m. on the 29th. After feeding and resting the march was resumed at 11 a.m., a guard having been left in charge of the forage and subsistence until the arrival of Colonel Miller, who had orders, after supplying his command, to destroy the remainder and burn the factory. The order was executed. Late in the afternoon I arrived at the intersection of the road I was on with the one on which General Stoneman was moving a few minutes after the general passed. That night the Twelfth Ohio Cavalry drove the enemy from Wilkesborough, compelling them to leave their stores and a number of horses behind. In order to obtain forage it was found necessary to move the Tenth Michigan Cavalry and Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry to the north side of the Yadkin. Early on the following morning (30th), the Twelfth Ohio crossed, but before the artillery could reach the ford the river became so much swollen by the heavy rain of the previous night that it was found to be impassable, and moving four miles to the east of Wilkesborough we encamped. On the 31st the river continued impassable. We moved four miles farther cast, where forage was abundant. Colonel Miller's brigade rejoined this day.
April 1, marched to Jonesville. April 2, crossed the Yadkin at Jonesville and marched to Mount Airy by way of Dobson; arrived at Mount Airy about 10 p.m.; learned that a train of wagons had left that place at 3 p.m. going in the direction of Hillsville, Va. Colonel Palmer was directed to send a detachment in pursuit, with orders to follow until he captured the train. An officer of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry had charge of the pursuing party, and after reaching the top of the Blue Ridge halted until the remainder of the command came up next morning. The command marched from Mount Airy at daylight on the morning of April 3, and arrived at Hillsville, Va., at 1 p.m., where the failure of the party sent in pursuit of the rebel wagons was learned. Another party was sent with orders to capture the train at all hazards. In a few hours the officer in charge of the party reported that he had possession of seventeen wagons and one forge. The wagons were loaded with forage, which was fed to Brown's brigade, the animals turned over to the quartermaster's department, and the wagons burned. From Hillsville Colonel Miller, commanding Third Brigade, was ordered to take 500 picked men from his brigade and proceed by way of Porter's Ford, on New River, to Wytheville and destroy the railroad bridges over Reedy Creek and at Max Meadows, together with the depot of supplies at Wytheville. After feeding in the vicinity of Hillsville the march was resumed at sunset in the direction of Jacksonville. Shortly after dark our advance came upon a force of rebels, which was charged and driven several miles. At 12 p.m. the command bivouacked in the vicinity of a tithe depot of hay. The march was resumed at daylight on the morning of the 4th, and arrived at Jacksonville at 10 a.m., where another tithe depot of hay and corn furnished an ample supply for our animals. At this point <ar103_332> Major Wagner, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with 250 picked men, was detached with orders to proceed to Salem, Va., and from that point to destroy the railroad bridges as far east as possible, and then rejoin the command wherever it might be. At 2 p.m. the march was resumed in the direction of Christiansburg, at which [place] we arrived at 12 p.m. On the morning of the 5th Colonel Palmer, commanding First Brigade, was ordered to destroy the railroad track east of Christiansburg, whilst Brown's brigade did the same to the west. The Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry was sent to take possession of the railroad bridge and ferries over New River, and the Tenth Michigan Cavalry to destroy the bridges over the Roanoke. Both these regiments performed the duty assigned them promptly and effectually. At this time at least ninety miles of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was in our possession, viz, from Wytheville to Salem. During the 6th the command was actively engaged in destroying the railroad, and by 4 p.m. of that day the bridge over New River had been disabled by cutting away two bents. The iron and cross-ties for twenty miles east of the bridge were destroyed, as well as numerous bridges on the Roanoke River, and our horses had been refreshed by two days' rest. Colonel Miller reported that he had destroyed the bridges at Reedy Creek and Max Meadows, and a large depot of commissary, quartermaster's, and ordnance supplies, among which were a large amount of ammunition and 10,000 pounds of powder, and that in compliance with his instructions he had recrossed the New River at Porter's Ferry and awaited further orders. Colonel Miller reported that he had been attacked by the enemy with infantry and cavalry at Wytheville, but had repulsed them, and withdrew with a loss of thirty-five men killed, wounded, and missing. He was directed to move to Hillsville and thence to Taylorsville, Va. At 8 p.m. on the evening of the 6th the command moved out of Christiansburg in the direction of Jacksonville, at which place we arrived at 10 a.m. on the 7th. Colonel Palmer, commanding the First Brigade, had been directed to send the Tenth Michigan Cavalry directly from its position on the railroad to Martinsville, Va. By some misunderstanding of the order he marched by way of Kennedy's Gap with his entire brigade to Martinsville. At 2 p.m. the march was resumed, and at 10 p.m. we arrived at Taylorsville, Va. Remained at Taylorsville during the 8th. Miller's brigade joined at 10 a.m. Orders were sent to Palmer to move his brigade to Danbury, N.C. Marched to Danbury on the 9th. Found abundance of tithe corn. Palmer's brigade joined the Tenth Michigan Cavalry. On approaching Martinsville had found it occupied by about 250 of Wheeler's rebel cavalry, whom they attacked and drove out, killing and wounding several and capturing 20 horses, losing I officer killed and 5 men wounded.
On the 10th we moved south, arriving at Germantown at 12 m. The number of negroes who were following the column had increased to such an extent as to endanger the safety of the command in case it should become closely engaged with the enemy. Several hundred were sent from this point to East Tennessee under a sufficient guard for their protection. They all reached their destination in safety, and most of those fit for military service, I have since learned, are now in Colonel Bartlett's One hundred and nineteenth U. S Colored Troops. From Germantown Colonel Palmer was detached with his brigade and instructed to proceed to Salem and destroy the large factories engaged in making clothing for the rebel army, and thence send out parties to destroy the railroad south of Greensborough, and that one party should attempt to cut the road between Greensborough and Danville, and after executing <ar103_333> these orders to withdraw across the Yadkin at Shallow Ford. The remainder of the division moved at 4 p.m. by way of Bethania and arrived at Shallow Ford at daylight on the 11th. The detachment of the enemy guarding the ford were taken by surprise, made but a feeble resistance, and fled, leaving upward of 100 new muskets in our hands. From Shallow Ford our march was directly south. When near Mocksville the advance guard came upon a small party of the enemy, which was at once charged and dispersed. At 8 p.m. we bivouacked in the road twelve miles north of Salisbury.
At 12.30 a.m. on the 12th we were again in motion, Miller's brigade in advance. Three miles from our resting place we came to the South Yadkin, a deep and rapid stream with but few fords. It was expected that the passage of this stream would be disputed, but such was not the case. A few rebels were on the north side of the stream. They crossed and offered no resistance to our passage. One-quarter of a mile south of the stream the road forked, both branches leading to Salisbury. The west road was chosen for the main column as being in better condition. One battalion of the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry was sent by the eastern or old road, with orders to make a determined demonstration of crossing Grant's Creek two miles from Salisbury, and if successful to attack the forces defending the upper bridge in rear. Just at daylight our advance guard came upon the enemy's pickets, which were pushed back to the bridge over Grant's Creek, just before reaching which our troops were opened upon by both artillery and infantry stationed on the Salisbury side of the stream. A close reconnaissance discovered the fact that the flooring had been removed from two spans of the bridge and piled on the enemy's side. The trains could be distinctly heard leaving Salisbury on both the South Carolina and Morganton Railroads. Miller's and Brown's brigades were closed up and a section of Regan's battery ordered forward. Just as Brown's brigade had been formed I received an order from Major-General Stone-man to send 100 men to ford Grant's Creek two miles and a half above the bridge, cut the railroad, capture a train if possible, and then get in rear of Salisbury and annoy the enemy as much as possible. The Eleventh Kentucky was selected for this purpose, Lieutenant-Colonel [Major] Slater commanding, and Captain Morrow, of General Stoneman's staff, accompanying the detachment. About the same time Major Donnelly, of the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, with about 100 men, was ordered to cross the stream lower, whilst Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, acting assistant inspector-general, with a party of dismounted men crossed still lower. Major Keogh, of General Stoneman's staff, afterward joined the Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry and gallantly led it during the charge. So soon as the parties sent across the river became engaged and the rattling fire of the Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry Spencer rifles announced that the enemy's left had been turned I ordered Colonel Miller to advance on the main road. The flooring of the bridge was found to have been taken up, but was laid by a detachment of the Eighth and Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, and Miller's brigade charged across. The enemy by this time was falling back along their entire line. Briga-dier-General Brown was ordered forward to support Colonel Miller, who continued to press them. Their retreat soon became a rout. At the intersection of the road upon which we were advancing with the Statesville road, Keogh, who had been joined by Major Sawyers' battalion, Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, joined Miller, having charged and captured all the artillery the enemy had used against our right flank. The pursuit was kept up as long as the enemy retained a semblance of organization <ar103_334> and until those who escaped capture had scattered and concealed themselves in the woods. The enemy's force was ascertained to have been about 3,000, commanded by Maj. Gen. W. M. Gardner, with eighteen pieces of artillery in charge of Col. J. C. Pemberton (late Lieutenant-General Pemberton). The fruits of this victory were 18 pieces of artillery with caissons, forges, and battery wagons complete, 17 stand of colors, and between 1,200 and 1,300 prisoners and the possession of the town, with its immense depots and arsenals, and the Salisbury Prison. Miller's brigade was recalled from the pursuit and ordered to destroy the railroad eastward. At the same time Major Hambright, provost-marshal, and Major Barnes, of my staff, were ordered to secure the prisoners and ascertain the locality and amount of stores, with a view to their destruction. Colonel Palmer, with his brigade, came up late in the afternoon and reported that he had been entirely successful, having destroyed two large factories, 7,000 bales of cotton, cut the railroad once north of Greensborough and in three places between that place and the Yadkin River, and captured over 400 prisoners, and that Major Wagner, who was detached at Jacksonville, had also rejoined and reported the destruction of all the bridges on the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad to within four miles of Lynchburg, Va. Colonel Palmer was directed to destroy the railroad south of Salisbury in the direction of Charlotte.
At 2 p.m. on the 13th Major Barnes reported the destruction of all rebel supplies to be complete. From the preceding afternoon up to this time the air had been constantly rent by the reports of exploding shells and burning magazines. For miles around the locality of the city was marked during the day by a column of dense smoke, and at night by the glare from burning stores. Major Barnes reported having destroyed the following stores: 10,000 stand of arms, 1,000,000 rounds of ammunition (small), 10,000 rounds of ammunition (artillery), 6,000 pounds of powder, 3 magazines, 6 depots, 10,000 bushels corn, 75,000 suits of uniform clothing, 250,000 blankets (English manufacture), 20,000 pounds of leather, 6,000 pounds of bacon, 100,000 pounds of salt, 20,000 pounds of sugar, 27,000 pounds of rice, 10,000 pounds of saltpeter, 50,000 bushels of wheat, 80 barrels turpentine, $15,000,000 Confederate money, a lot of medical stores, which the medical director said were worth over $100,000 in gold. The work of destruction complete, the command marched from Salisbury at 3 p.m. on the 13th, bringing away 11 of the 18 pieces captured artillery; the remaining 7 pieces were destroyed and abandoned for lack of animals to bring them off. On the 15th the command reached Lenoir, and as it had been determined to send the captured artillery and prisoners to East Tennessee from this point, the 16th was occupied in returning the prisoners and refitting the artillery. On the 17th Major-General Stoneman left the command. Up to this time General Stoneman had been with the division, and as stated in the beginning of this report, all movements were made in accordance with his plans. Colonel Palmer, whose brigade was at Statesville, was ordered to establish his headquarters at Lincolnton, and watch the line of the Catawba. With Miller's and Brown's brigades I moved toward Morganton, and when arriving at the Catawba River, two miles and a half east of that place, the bridge was discovered to be torn up, the ford blockaded, and the passage of the river disputed by Major-General McCown with about 300 men and one piece of artillery. Major Kenner, Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, was sent up the river about two miles to cross and get in the enemy's rear. Another battalion of the same regiment was dismounted and placed as near the <ar103_335> bridge as shelter could be found. The second shot from our artillery dismounted the rebel gun, a few more discharges drove them from their rifle-pits, when the dismounted battalion under Captain [Major] Denton, Eighth Tennessee, charged across the bridge on the sleepers and drove the rebels from the ford. The rebels lost several killed and we captured 1 piece of artillery and about 50 prisoners. The broken axle of the piece was replaced from the caisson and the piece brought away. At Morganton large supplies of corn and bacon were found.
On the 19th I moved toward Asheville, by way of Swannanoa Gap, reaching the gap on the 20th. I found it to be effectually blockaded and defended by about 500 men with four pieces of artillery. Leaving Colonel Miller to deceive the enemy by feints, on 21st I moved to Rutherford, forty miles south of Swannanoa Gap, and by sundown on the 22d I had passed the Blue Ridge at Howard's Gap with but slight resistance and was in the enemy's rear. At daylight on the 23d the advance entered Hendersonville. Here I ascertained that the enemy had learned that I had left Swannanoa Gap and had been in Hendersonville the previous day with four pieces of artillery, but being able to hear nothing of us had returned toward Asheville late in the afternoon. I immediately ordered Colonel [Major] Slater, commanding the Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry, to pursue, attack, and capture this artillery at all hazards. The Eleventh Michigan was ordered to support the Eleventh Kentucky. At 12 m. the colonel reported he had overtaken the artillery twelve miles from Hendersonville, charged and captured the 4 pieces and 70 of its infantry guard. At Hendersonville about 300 stand of arms were captured. I also heard from Colonel Palmer that he had received my order to move to Rutherford; but after concentrating for the move had been informed by General Echols, of the rebel army, of the existence of the truce, and therefore has not moved. He was directed to comply with the previous order and establish his headquarters at Rutherford. I regarded the possession of one of the gaps of the Blue Ridge as being absolutely necessary to the safety of my command. At 12 m. I left Hendersonville, intending to attack Asheville the same evening. At 3 p.m. I received a flag of truce from General Martin at Asheville, stating that he had official notification of the truce. Later in the evening another flag of truce informed me that General Martin would meet me next morning. At 11 p.m. I received an official announcement from General Sherman of the existence of the truce. General Sherman's order to General Stoneman to come to the railroad at Durham's Station or Hillsborough was received at 11 p.m. Being thoroughly convinced that the order had been given by General Sherman in the belief that the Cavalry Division was at or near Salisbury, when in fact it would have required a march of about 200 miles to have reached Durham's Station, and but sixty to our base at Greeneville, Tenn., after mature consideration I determined to march to the latter place, and accordingly when I met General Martin under flag of truce on the morning of the 24th I announced to him my decision to march to Greeneville, and at the same time suggested to him that it would be a great relief to the people if he could supply me with three days' rations, and thus avoid the necessity of stripping the citizens of their scanty supplies. The general agreed to my proposition, and furnished three days' rations of meal and all the meat they had on hand. At this meeting General Martin demanded the restoration of the battery captured the preceding day, basing his claim on the fact that the capture had been made after the date of the agreement between Generals Sherman and Johnston, though the existence might have been unknown to <ar103_336> him and myself. Of course I declined restoring the battery, which with the piece captured at Morganton will arrive at this place on the 28th. But for the armistice it would have been easy to capture Asheville and its garrison. Colonel Palmer reports that after leaving Statesville he paroled over 2,000 prisoners.
On the 25th Brown's and Miller's brigades marched toward Greeneville, while orders were given for Palmer to proceed, by way of Waynesville and Quallatown, down the Little Tennessee. I cannot close this report without remarking on the complete surprise of the rebels at every point at which we appeared. When the expedition crossed the Blue Ridge into North Carolina they were convinced that Salisbury was the point of intended attack. By turning due north from Jonesville the enemy were completely surprised and the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad at our mercy. By the destruction of that road the enemy lost three trains, and were compelled to destroy upward of 200 wagons and spike and abandon 21 pieces of artillery. The greater part of the troops thus cut off returned to Kentucky, under Generals Cosby and Giltner, and surrendered themselves to the Federal authorities. When marching south (the demonstration of Colonel Palmer) in the direction of Danville and Greensborough by Martinsville the enemy withdrew several thousand of their troops from Salisbury before they discovered the real point of attack. The road had been cut in five different places south of Danville, and despite their efforts to reenforce it, Salisbury with its immense depots and magazines fell into our hands. A division of infantry and brigade of cavalry arrived at Salisbury the day after our departure. Whilst all their available force and artillery was at Swannanoa Gap a brigade was passed to their rear, surprising and capturing most of their force. Our captures amount to 25 pieces of artillery taken in action and 21 that they were forced to abandon in Southwest Virginia, total 46; about 6,000 prisoners and 17 battle-flags. In conclusion I beg to recommend the following officers to the especial consideration of the War Department: Col. W. J. Palmer, for his uniform gallantry, zeal, and ability in the management of his brigade; Col. J. K. Miller, the same, and especially for his gallantry at Salisbury, for which I respectfully and earnestly recommend him for the brevet of brigadier-general; Major Sawyers, for gallantry in the charge at Salisbury; Col. L. S. Trowbridge, for gallantry and energy in his attack on High Point, where he was opposed by superior numbers; Lieutenant-Colonel [Major] Slater, for his distinguished gallantry in charging and capturing the enemy's battery near Asheville April 23; Major Wagner, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, for the gallantry and ability displayed by him in the management of his battalion whilst detached from his regiment and brigade in the direction of Lynchburg and Danville; Major Moderwell, Twelfth Ohio, for gallantry in capturing and destroying the bridge over Catawba when defended by a superior force and two pieces of artillery; Lieutenant-Colonel Stacy, Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, for his uniform gallantry, particularly at Salisbury. I beg to recommend to especial notice my staff: Lieut. Col. Israel C. Smith, acting assistant inspector-general, for his uniform gallantry and efficiency, particularly at Salisbury, I recommend for promotion to colonel by brevet. For the same reasons I recommend Maj. S. Hambright, Tenth Tennessee Cavalry, provost-marshal division, and Maj. G. F. Barnes, Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry; Capt. W. J. Patterson, Battery E, First Tennessee Light Artillery, acting assistant adjutant-general, and Capt. W. R. Tracy, commissary of subsistence, U.S. Volunteers; Lieut. D. M. Nelson, aide-de-camp, Ninth Tennessee Cavalry; Lieutenants <ar103_337> Mallaby and Rice, signal officers, and Surg. A. L. Carrick, medical director. Upon First Lieut. J. M. Regan, commanding Battery E, First Tennessee Light Artillery, devolved the laborious duty of commanding his battery. His management of it, whether on long and tedious marches with broken-down horses or in the battlefield, was such as to challenge the admiration of the entire command, and often elicited the praise of the major-general commanding. I would earnestly recommend his promotion to major by brevet. Brigade commanders will send in recommendations of such officers as have distinguished themselves.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
ALVAN C. GILLEM,
Brigadier-General, U.S. Volunteers, Commanding Division.
Maj. G. M. BASCOM,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Hdqrs. Dist. of East Tennessee, Knoxville.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, May 31, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of sub-detachment of Signal Corps, U.S. Army, Department of the Cumberland, with Maj. Gen. George Stoneman's cavalry command, during the months of March, April, and May, 1865:
March 20, in compliance with orders, I reported to General A. C. Gillem, commanding Cavalry Division, District of East Tennessee, at Knoxville. 21st, the command moved from Knoxville at 12 m. and encamped at Strawberry Plains at 7 p.m., marching fifteen miles. 22d, marched fifteen miles and halted at Mossy Creek, Lieutenant Rice joining me here. 23d, the command marched at 7 a.m., arriving at Morristown at 1 p.m., distance, fourteen miles. I endeavored to get signal communication with Brigadier-General Tillson at Bull's Gap, but failed to do so. 24th, command marched at 7 a.m. via Bull's Gap; reached Carter's at 5 p.m.; distance, twenty-three miles. Endeavored to get communication with General Tillson, but failed to do so. 25th, marched nineteen miles and went into camp for the night. 26th, marched at 10 a.m. via Jonesborough; halted at Dry Creek; distance, twenty-three miles. 27th, marched at 4 a.m.; forded Doe River and crossed Smoky Mountains into North Carolina; distance, thirty miles. 28th, command moved at 5 a.m.; skirmished with enemy at Boone; charged and captured the entire force, and encamped on top of Blue Ridge at 11 p.m.; distance, twenty-nine miles. 29th, marched thirty miles, and encamped near Wilkesborough, N. C., at 7 p.m. 30th, moved at 5 a.m., and joined First Brigade, which had taken a different route across the mountains from Boone; the First Brigade forded the Yad-kin River, which was rising too fast for the balance of the command to follow; went into camp at 12 m., having marched eleven miles. 31st, marched at 7 a.m. I opened communication by signal with Colonel Palmer, commanding First Brigade, transmitting the following messages:
[Received, No. 1.]
MARCH 31, 1865--3.30p.m.
Major BASCOM,
Assistant Adjutant-General :
My command will go on from this position to Heckerson's plantation, nine miles from here and six miles this side of Elfin's Factory, unless I meet courier at Roaring River, three miles from here, or am stopped by a message through this signal station, at which I have left an orderly. My advanced command sent out this morning has gone on to take the factory. No enemy to be seen this [side] of the river. The party who fired on my pickets last evening were bushwhackers.
W. J. PALMER,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
<ar103_327>
[Sent, No. 2.]
MARCH 31, 1865---5.45p.m.
Col. W. J. PALMER,
Commanding Brigade :
We are in camp. Our advance is at the signal station. Both brigades move to Jonesville to-morrow. You will move to and opposite that place to-morrow and encamp as near there as you can get forage.
By command of Major-General Stoneman:
G. M. BASCOM,
Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.
[Received, No. 3.]
MARCH 31, 1865--9 p.m.
If you wish it I can get horses and go with General Palmer in the morning, or I will come over and go with you. Palmer is just above here. Could not cross Roaring River.
RICE.
[Sent, No. 4.]
If possible go with Colonel Palmer.
MALLABY.
[Sent, No. 5.]
The boat is gone; can you get horses?
MALLABY.
[Received, No. 6.]
Colonel Palmer cannot tell about horses until morning.
RICE.
[Received, No. --.]
APRIL 1, 1865---7.20a.m.
Have procured horses and am going with Colonel Palmer.
RICE.
April 1, closed station at 7.30 a.m. Command marched to Jonesville and went into camp at 12 m.; distance, fourteen miles. At 1 p.m. opened signal communication with Colonel Palmer at Elfin's Mills, N. C.; transmitted the following messages:
[Received, No. 3.]
ELFIN'S MILLS, April 1, 1865--1 p.m.
Captain PATTERSON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:
My brigade is now here and going into camp. I have three mills at work grinding meal. There are about 500 bales of cotton here.
W. J. PALMER,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
[Sent, No. 4.]
HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Near Jonesville, April 1, [1865.]
Col. W. J. PALMER,
Commanding First Brigade, Cavalry Division:
Move with your command on the Rockford to-morrow, the 2d instant, at 7.30 a.m. By command of Brigadier-General Gillem:
W. J. PATTERSON,
Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
[Received, No. 5.]
APRIL 1, [1865]--2 p.m.
Captain PATTERSON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General :
Will you move down on the other side of the river?
W. J. PALMER,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
<ar103_328>
[Sent, No. 6.]
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION, DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Near Jonesville, April 1, 1865--2.25 p.m.
Col. W. J. PALMER,
Commanding Brigade:
You will move on the Rockford to-morrow. We will march on the south bank of the Yadkin.
By command of Brigadier-General Gillem:
W. J. PATTERSON,
Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
[Sent, No. 7.]
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION, DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Near Jonesville, April 1, 1865--9pm
HEADQUARTERS
Nashville, Tenn., April 12, 1865--10.45 p.m.
(Received 11.20 a.m. 13th.)
Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff:
The following dispatch from General Hatch, at Eastport, dated yesterday, is forwarded for the information of the Department:
EASTPORT, MISS.. April 11, 1865.
My scouts reported Forrest has been badly whipped. Some of his generals captured. Selma was undoubtedly taken and all Government property burned on the 2d.
General Tillson telegraphs that information was received at Boone, N. C., on the 9th that General Stoneman was at or near Wilkesborough, N. C., on the 30th ultimo, moving down the Yadkin River with the supposed intention of destroying the important railroad bridge over the Yadkin. This is an entirely different route from the one I directed General Stoneman to take before starting out; but as I gave him the discretion if he ascertained there was no necessity for cutting the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad to move toward Danville, either capture the place, if not defended, or, if strongly garrisoned, so to maneuver as to attract and hold the force in Danville, he may have heard of the success of the armies under General Grant and felt himself justified in making this detour from the original direction. I think it will have an important effect on Johnston's movement. I have just this moment seen Mr. Dana's dispatch informing me of the capture of Lynchburg.
GEO. H. THOMAS,
Major-general
HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Greeneville, Tenn., April 25, 1865.
MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the cavalry, District of East Tennessee, from the 2lst of March up to the present date. To prevent repetition I will merely say that from the time the division left Morristown, on the 23d of March, until the 17th of April, Major-General Stoneman, commanding the District of East Tennessee, accompanied the division, and that its movements were made in compliance with his instructions.
On the 18th of March, in compliance with orders from headquarters of the District of East Tennessee, I assumed command of this division. At that time but one brigade (Miller's brigade, Third) was at Knoxville. On the 22d the division was concentrated at Mossy Creek. On the 23d the division moved to Morristown, Tenn., where five days' rations, one day's forage (corn), and four horseshoes and nails were issued to each man of the command. At daylight on the morning of the 24th Colonel Miller, with his brigade (Third), moved on the road toward Bristol, with orders to take the north or Snapp's Ferry road at Bull's Gap, and by a rapid march by Fall Branch to get on the railroad between Jonesborough and Carter's Station, and thus get in the rear of the portion of the enemy's forces reported in the vicinity of Jonesborough. Colonel Miller was accompanied by a telegraph operator. The other two brigades from Bull's Gap took the central or Babb's Mill road, whilst General Tillson, with the infantry and train, moved by the main or southern road, by way of Greeneville. Nothing of interest transpired on the 24th. On the 25th we encamped ten miles west of Jonesborough; the train came up, and the First and Second Brigades drew all the rations the men could carry conveniently. On the 26th the command moved, cutting loose from all incumbrances in the way of trains. One wagon, ten ambulances, and four guns, with their caissons, were the only carriages that accompanied the expedition. At 12 m. we passed through Jonesborough, and learned from Colonel Miller that he had complied with his instructions, but that in consequence of injuries to the railroad bridge over the Watauga there had been no trains south of the river for some days; that rebel General Jackson had fallen back the previous night in great haste, and that the country was full of rebel stragglers and deserters, and that he had killed and captured some of the former. In compliance with his instructions Colonel Miller then moved to Elizabethtown. On the 26th a portion of the command encamped on Buffalo Creek and the remainder at Doe River Cove, it being necessary to scatter the command in order to procure forage. On the 27th Colonel Miller was ordered to concentrate his brigade and follow the division on the following day. On the 27th the command moved up the Watauga River, and after halting for a short time near the mouth of Roan Creek to feed, marched until 12 p.m., when we bivouacked on the eastern slope of the Iron Mountain until daylight, when the march was resumed. About 10 a.m. on the 28th, when approaching the town of Boone, it was learned that there was a meeting of the home guard in that town to take place on that day. Major Keogh, aide-de-camp to Major-General Stoneman, went forward with a detachment of the Twelfth Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, surprised and <ar103_331> routed the rebels, killing 9 and capturing 68. Much credit is due Major Keogh and the gallant officers and men of the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry engaged in this affair. At Boone the command separated, General Stoneman, with Palmer's brigade (First), going by way of Deep Gap to Wilkesborough, whilst I, with Brown's brigade (Second) and the artillery, moved toward the place by the Flat Gap road. Miller had instructions to follow me. At 9 p.m. Brown's brigade arrived at Patterson's factory, at the foot of the Blue Ridge, and found an ample supply of corn and bacon. I remained in rear to give my personal attention to the artillery, which did not arrive at the factory until 7 a.m. on the 29th. After feeding and resting the march was resumed at 11 a.m., a guard having been left in charge of the forage and subsistence until the arrival of Colonel Miller, who had orders, after supplying his command, to destroy the remainder and burn the factory. The order was executed. Late in the afternoon I arrived at the intersection of the road I was on with the one on which General Stoneman was moving a few minutes after the general passed. That night the Twelfth Ohio Cavalry drove the enemy from Wilkesborough, compelling them to leave their stores and a number of horses behind. In order to obtain forage it was found necessary to move the Tenth Michigan Cavalry and Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry to the north side of the Yadkin. Early on the following morning (30th), the Twelfth Ohio crossed, but before the artillery could reach the ford the river became so much swollen by the heavy rain of the previous night that it was found to be impassable, and moving four miles to the east of Wilkesborough we encamped. On the 31st the river continued impassable. We moved four miles farther cast, where forage was abundant. Colonel Miller's brigade rejoined this day.
April 1, marched to Jonesville. April 2, crossed the Yadkin at Jonesville and marched to Mount Airy by way of Dobson; arrived at Mount Airy about 10 p.m.; learned that a train of wagons had left that place at 3 p.m. going in the direction of Hillsville, Va. Colonel Palmer was directed to send a detachment in pursuit, with orders to follow until he captured the train. An officer of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry had charge of the pursuing party, and after reaching the top of the Blue Ridge halted until the remainder of the command came up next morning. The command marched from Mount Airy at daylight on the morning of April 3, and arrived at Hillsville, Va., at 1 p.m., where the failure of the party sent in pursuit of the rebel wagons was learned. Another party was sent with orders to capture the train at all hazards. In a few hours the officer in charge of the party reported that he had possession of seventeen wagons and one forge. The wagons were loaded with forage, which was fed to Brown's brigade, the animals turned over to the quartermaster's department, and the wagons burned. From Hillsville Colonel Miller, commanding Third Brigade, was ordered to take 500 picked men from his brigade and proceed by way of Porter's Ford, on New River, to Wytheville and destroy the railroad bridges over Reedy Creek and at Max Meadows, together with the depot of supplies at Wytheville. After feeding in the vicinity of Hillsville the march was resumed at sunset in the direction of Jacksonville. Shortly after dark our advance came upon a force of rebels, which was charged and driven several miles. At 12 p.m. the command bivouacked in the vicinity of a tithe depot of hay. The march was resumed at daylight on the morning of the 4th, and arrived at Jacksonville at 10 a.m., where another tithe depot of hay and corn furnished an ample supply for our animals. At this point <ar103_332> Major Wagner, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with 250 picked men, was detached with orders to proceed to Salem, Va., and from that point to destroy the railroad bridges as far east as possible, and then rejoin the command wherever it might be. At 2 p.m. the march was resumed in the direction of Christiansburg, at which [place] we arrived at 12 p.m. On the morning of the 5th Colonel Palmer, commanding First Brigade, was ordered to destroy the railroad track east of Christiansburg, whilst Brown's brigade did the same to the west. The Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry was sent to take possession of the railroad bridge and ferries over New River, and the Tenth Michigan Cavalry to destroy the bridges over the Roanoke. Both these regiments performed the duty assigned them promptly and effectually. At this time at least ninety miles of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was in our possession, viz, from Wytheville to Salem. During the 6th the command was actively engaged in destroying the railroad, and by 4 p.m. of that day the bridge over New River had been disabled by cutting away two bents. The iron and cross-ties for twenty miles east of the bridge were destroyed, as well as numerous bridges on the Roanoke River, and our horses had been refreshed by two days' rest. Colonel Miller reported that he had destroyed the bridges at Reedy Creek and Max Meadows, and a large depot of commissary, quartermaster's, and ordnance supplies, among which were a large amount of ammunition and 10,000 pounds of powder, and that in compliance with his instructions he had recrossed the New River at Porter's Ferry and awaited further orders. Colonel Miller reported that he had been attacked by the enemy with infantry and cavalry at Wytheville, but had repulsed them, and withdrew with a loss of thirty-five men killed, wounded, and missing. He was directed to move to Hillsville and thence to Taylorsville, Va. At 8 p.m. on the evening of the 6th the command moved out of Christiansburg in the direction of Jacksonville, at which place we arrived at 10 a.m. on the 7th. Colonel Palmer, commanding the First Brigade, had been directed to send the Tenth Michigan Cavalry directly from its position on the railroad to Martinsville, Va. By some misunderstanding of the order he marched by way of Kennedy's Gap with his entire brigade to Martinsville. At 2 p.m. the march was resumed, and at 10 p.m. we arrived at Taylorsville, Va. Remained at Taylorsville during the 8th. Miller's brigade joined at 10 a.m. Orders were sent to Palmer to move his brigade to Danbury, N.C. Marched to Danbury on the 9th. Found abundance of tithe corn. Palmer's brigade joined the Tenth Michigan Cavalry. On approaching Martinsville had found it occupied by about 250 of Wheeler's rebel cavalry, whom they attacked and drove out, killing and wounding several and capturing 20 horses, losing I officer killed and 5 men wounded.
On the 10th we moved south, arriving at Germantown at 12 m. The number of negroes who were following the column had increased to such an extent as to endanger the safety of the command in case it should become closely engaged with the enemy. Several hundred were sent from this point to East Tennessee under a sufficient guard for their protection. They all reached their destination in safety, and most of those fit for military service, I have since learned, are now in Colonel Bartlett's One hundred and nineteenth U. S Colored Troops. From Germantown Colonel Palmer was detached with his brigade and instructed to proceed to Salem and destroy the large factories engaged in making clothing for the rebel army, and thence send out parties to destroy the railroad south of Greensborough, and that one party should attempt to cut the road between Greensborough and Danville, and after executing <ar103_333> these orders to withdraw across the Yadkin at Shallow Ford. The remainder of the division moved at 4 p.m. by way of Bethania and arrived at Shallow Ford at daylight on the 11th. The detachment of the enemy guarding the ford were taken by surprise, made but a feeble resistance, and fled, leaving upward of 100 new muskets in our hands. From Shallow Ford our march was directly south. When near Mocksville the advance guard came upon a small party of the enemy, which was at once charged and dispersed. At 8 p.m. we bivouacked in the road twelve miles north of Salisbury.
At 12.30 a.m. on the 12th we were again in motion, Miller's brigade in advance. Three miles from our resting place we came to the South Yadkin, a deep and rapid stream with but few fords. It was expected that the passage of this stream would be disputed, but such was not the case. A few rebels were on the north side of the stream. They crossed and offered no resistance to our passage. One-quarter of a mile south of the stream the road forked, both branches leading to Salisbury. The west road was chosen for the main column as being in better condition. One battalion of the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry was sent by the eastern or old road, with orders to make a determined demonstration of crossing Grant's Creek two miles from Salisbury, and if successful to attack the forces defending the upper bridge in rear. Just at daylight our advance guard came upon the enemy's pickets, which were pushed back to the bridge over Grant's Creek, just before reaching which our troops were opened upon by both artillery and infantry stationed on the Salisbury side of the stream. A close reconnaissance discovered the fact that the flooring had been removed from two spans of the bridge and piled on the enemy's side. The trains could be distinctly heard leaving Salisbury on both the South Carolina and Morganton Railroads. Miller's and Brown's brigades were closed up and a section of Regan's battery ordered forward. Just as Brown's brigade had been formed I received an order from Major-General Stone-man to send 100 men to ford Grant's Creek two miles and a half above the bridge, cut the railroad, capture a train if possible, and then get in rear of Salisbury and annoy the enemy as much as possible. The Eleventh Kentucky was selected for this purpose, Lieutenant-Colonel [Major] Slater commanding, and Captain Morrow, of General Stoneman's staff, accompanying the detachment. About the same time Major Donnelly, of the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, with about 100 men, was ordered to cross the stream lower, whilst Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, acting assistant inspector-general, with a party of dismounted men crossed still lower. Major Keogh, of General Stoneman's staff, afterward joined the Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry and gallantly led it during the charge. So soon as the parties sent across the river became engaged and the rattling fire of the Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry Spencer rifles announced that the enemy's left had been turned I ordered Colonel Miller to advance on the main road. The flooring of the bridge was found to have been taken up, but was laid by a detachment of the Eighth and Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, and Miller's brigade charged across. The enemy by this time was falling back along their entire line. Briga-dier-General Brown was ordered forward to support Colonel Miller, who continued to press them. Their retreat soon became a rout. At the intersection of the road upon which we were advancing with the Statesville road, Keogh, who had been joined by Major Sawyers' battalion, Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, joined Miller, having charged and captured all the artillery the enemy had used against our right flank. The pursuit was kept up as long as the enemy retained a semblance of organization <ar103_334> and until those who escaped capture had scattered and concealed themselves in the woods. The enemy's force was ascertained to have been about 3,000, commanded by Maj. Gen. W. M. Gardner, with eighteen pieces of artillery in charge of Col. J. C. Pemberton (late Lieutenant-General Pemberton). The fruits of this victory were 18 pieces of artillery with caissons, forges, and battery wagons complete, 17 stand of colors, and between 1,200 and 1,300 prisoners and the possession of the town, with its immense depots and arsenals, and the Salisbury Prison. Miller's brigade was recalled from the pursuit and ordered to destroy the railroad eastward. At the same time Major Hambright, provost-marshal, and Major Barnes, of my staff, were ordered to secure the prisoners and ascertain the locality and amount of stores, with a view to their destruction. Colonel Palmer, with his brigade, came up late in the afternoon and reported that he had been entirely successful, having destroyed two large factories, 7,000 bales of cotton, cut the railroad once north of Greensborough and in three places between that place and the Yadkin River, and captured over 400 prisoners, and that Major Wagner, who was detached at Jacksonville, had also rejoined and reported the destruction of all the bridges on the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad to within four miles of Lynchburg, Va. Colonel Palmer was directed to destroy the railroad south of Salisbury in the direction of Charlotte.
At 2 p.m. on the 13th Major Barnes reported the destruction of all rebel supplies to be complete. From the preceding afternoon up to this time the air had been constantly rent by the reports of exploding shells and burning magazines. For miles around the locality of the city was marked during the day by a column of dense smoke, and at night by the glare from burning stores. Major Barnes reported having destroyed the following stores: 10,000 stand of arms, 1,000,000 rounds of ammunition (small), 10,000 rounds of ammunition (artillery), 6,000 pounds of powder, 3 magazines, 6 depots, 10,000 bushels corn, 75,000 suits of uniform clothing, 250,000 blankets (English manufacture), 20,000 pounds of leather, 6,000 pounds of bacon, 100,000 pounds of salt, 20,000 pounds of sugar, 27,000 pounds of rice, 10,000 pounds of saltpeter, 50,000 bushels of wheat, 80 barrels turpentine, $15,000,000 Confederate money, a lot of medical stores, which the medical director said were worth over $100,000 in gold. The work of destruction complete, the command marched from Salisbury at 3 p.m. on the 13th, bringing away 11 of the 18 pieces captured artillery; the remaining 7 pieces were destroyed and abandoned for lack of animals to bring them off. On the 15th the command reached Lenoir, and as it had been determined to send the captured artillery and prisoners to East Tennessee from this point, the 16th was occupied in returning the prisoners and refitting the artillery. On the 17th Major-General Stoneman left the command. Up to this time General Stoneman had been with the division, and as stated in the beginning of this report, all movements were made in accordance with his plans. Colonel Palmer, whose brigade was at Statesville, was ordered to establish his headquarters at Lincolnton, and watch the line of the Catawba. With Miller's and Brown's brigades I moved toward Morganton, and when arriving at the Catawba River, two miles and a half east of that place, the bridge was discovered to be torn up, the ford blockaded, and the passage of the river disputed by Major-General McCown with about 300 men and one piece of artillery. Major Kenner, Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, was sent up the river about two miles to cross and get in the enemy's rear. Another battalion of the same regiment was dismounted and placed as near the <ar103_335> bridge as shelter could be found. The second shot from our artillery dismounted the rebel gun, a few more discharges drove them from their rifle-pits, when the dismounted battalion under Captain [Major] Denton, Eighth Tennessee, charged across the bridge on the sleepers and drove the rebels from the ford. The rebels lost several killed and we captured 1 piece of artillery and about 50 prisoners. The broken axle of the piece was replaced from the caisson and the piece brought away. At Morganton large supplies of corn and bacon were found.
On the 19th I moved toward Asheville, by way of Swannanoa Gap, reaching the gap on the 20th. I found it to be effectually blockaded and defended by about 500 men with four pieces of artillery. Leaving Colonel Miller to deceive the enemy by feints, on 21st I moved to Rutherford, forty miles south of Swannanoa Gap, and by sundown on the 22d I had passed the Blue Ridge at Howard's Gap with but slight resistance and was in the enemy's rear. At daylight on the 23d the advance entered Hendersonville. Here I ascertained that the enemy had learned that I had left Swannanoa Gap and had been in Hendersonville the previous day with four pieces of artillery, but being able to hear nothing of us had returned toward Asheville late in the afternoon. I immediately ordered Colonel [Major] Slater, commanding the Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry, to pursue, attack, and capture this artillery at all hazards. The Eleventh Michigan was ordered to support the Eleventh Kentucky. At 12 m. the colonel reported he had overtaken the artillery twelve miles from Hendersonville, charged and captured the 4 pieces and 70 of its infantry guard. At Hendersonville about 300 stand of arms were captured. I also heard from Colonel Palmer that he had received my order to move to Rutherford; but after concentrating for the move had been informed by General Echols, of the rebel army, of the existence of the truce, and therefore has not moved. He was directed to comply with the previous order and establish his headquarters at Rutherford. I regarded the possession of one of the gaps of the Blue Ridge as being absolutely necessary to the safety of my command. At 12 m. I left Hendersonville, intending to attack Asheville the same evening. At 3 p.m. I received a flag of truce from General Martin at Asheville, stating that he had official notification of the truce. Later in the evening another flag of truce informed me that General Martin would meet me next morning. At 11 p.m. I received an official announcement from General Sherman of the existence of the truce. General Sherman's order to General Stoneman to come to the railroad at Durham's Station or Hillsborough was received at 11 p.m. Being thoroughly convinced that the order had been given by General Sherman in the belief that the Cavalry Division was at or near Salisbury, when in fact it would have required a march of about 200 miles to have reached Durham's Station, and but sixty to our base at Greeneville, Tenn., after mature consideration I determined to march to the latter place, and accordingly when I met General Martin under flag of truce on the morning of the 24th I announced to him my decision to march to Greeneville, and at the same time suggested to him that it would be a great relief to the people if he could supply me with three days' rations, and thus avoid the necessity of stripping the citizens of their scanty supplies. The general agreed to my proposition, and furnished three days' rations of meal and all the meat they had on hand. At this meeting General Martin demanded the restoration of the battery captured the preceding day, basing his claim on the fact that the capture had been made after the date of the agreement between Generals Sherman and Johnston, though the existence might have been unknown to <ar103_336> him and myself. Of course I declined restoring the battery, which with the piece captured at Morganton will arrive at this place on the 28th. But for the armistice it would have been easy to capture Asheville and its garrison. Colonel Palmer reports that after leaving Statesville he paroled over 2,000 prisoners.
On the 25th Brown's and Miller's brigades marched toward Greeneville, while orders were given for Palmer to proceed, by way of Waynesville and Quallatown, down the Little Tennessee. I cannot close this report without remarking on the complete surprise of the rebels at every point at which we appeared. When the expedition crossed the Blue Ridge into North Carolina they were convinced that Salisbury was the point of intended attack. By turning due north from Jonesville the enemy were completely surprised and the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad at our mercy. By the destruction of that road the enemy lost three trains, and were compelled to destroy upward of 200 wagons and spike and abandon 21 pieces of artillery. The greater part of the troops thus cut off returned to Kentucky, under Generals Cosby and Giltner, and surrendered themselves to the Federal authorities. When marching south (the demonstration of Colonel Palmer) in the direction of Danville and Greensborough by Martinsville the enemy withdrew several thousand of their troops from Salisbury before they discovered the real point of attack. The road had been cut in five different places south of Danville, and despite their efforts to reenforce it, Salisbury with its immense depots and magazines fell into our hands. A division of infantry and brigade of cavalry arrived at Salisbury the day after our departure. Whilst all their available force and artillery was at Swannanoa Gap a brigade was passed to their rear, surprising and capturing most of their force. Our captures amount to 25 pieces of artillery taken in action and 21 that they were forced to abandon in Southwest Virginia, total 46; about 6,000 prisoners and 17 battle-flags. In conclusion I beg to recommend the following officers to the especial consideration of the War Department: Col. W. J. Palmer, for his uniform gallantry, zeal, and ability in the management of his brigade; Col. J. K. Miller, the same, and especially for his gallantry at Salisbury, for which I respectfully and earnestly recommend him for the brevet of brigadier-general; Major Sawyers, for gallantry in the charge at Salisbury; Col. L. S. Trowbridge, for gallantry and energy in his attack on High Point, where he was opposed by superior numbers; Lieutenant-Colonel [Major] Slater, for his distinguished gallantry in charging and capturing the enemy's battery near Asheville April 23; Major Wagner, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, for the gallantry and ability displayed by him in the management of his battalion whilst detached from his regiment and brigade in the direction of Lynchburg and Danville; Major Moderwell, Twelfth Ohio, for gallantry in capturing and destroying the bridge over Catawba when defended by a superior force and two pieces of artillery; Lieutenant-Colonel Stacy, Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, for his uniform gallantry, particularly at Salisbury. I beg to recommend to especial notice my staff: Lieut. Col. Israel C. Smith, acting assistant inspector-general, for his uniform gallantry and efficiency, particularly at Salisbury, I recommend for promotion to colonel by brevet. For the same reasons I recommend Maj. S. Hambright, Tenth Tennessee Cavalry, provost-marshal division, and Maj. G. F. Barnes, Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry; Capt. W. J. Patterson, Battery E, First Tennessee Light Artillery, acting assistant adjutant-general, and Capt. W. R. Tracy, commissary of subsistence, U.S. Volunteers; Lieut. D. M. Nelson, aide-de-camp, Ninth Tennessee Cavalry; Lieutenants <ar103_337> Mallaby and Rice, signal officers, and Surg. A. L. Carrick, medical director. Upon First Lieut. J. M. Regan, commanding Battery E, First Tennessee Light Artillery, devolved the laborious duty of commanding his battery. His management of it, whether on long and tedious marches with broken-down horses or in the battlefield, was such as to challenge the admiration of the entire command, and often elicited the praise of the major-general commanding. I would earnestly recommend his promotion to major by brevet. Brigade commanders will send in recommendations of such officers as have distinguished themselves.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
ALVAN C. GILLEM,
Brigadier-General, U.S. Volunteers, Commanding Division.
Maj. G. M. BASCOM,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Hdqrs. Dist. of East Tennessee, Knoxville.
SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS.
Mar. 28, 1865. -- Skirmish at Boone, N. C.
29, 1865. -- Skirmish at Wilkesborough, N. C
Apr. 3, 1865. -- Skirmish near Hillsville, Va.
6, 1865. -- Action at Wytheville, Va.
8, 1865. -- Action at Martinsville, N. C.
11, 1865. -- Skirmish at Shallow Ford, N. C.
Skirmish near Mocksville, N. C.
12, 1865. -- Skirmish at Grant's Creek, near Salisbury, N. C.
Engagement at Salisbury, N. C.
Union troops occupy Salisbury, N. C.
17, 1865. -- Action at the Catawba River, near Morganton, N. C.
22, 1865. -- Skirmish at Howard's Gap, Blue Ridge Mountains, N. C.
23, 1865. -- Action near Hendersonville, N. C.
HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,
Greensborough, N. C., May 15, 1865.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. KILPATRICK,
Commanding Cavalry, Lexington, N. C.:
The following is received from General Cooper, commanding at Salisbury:
I have received information that gangs of guerrillas are committing depredations in Wilkes County, and the citizens are very anxious to be protected there and in the adjoining counties. I will send and organize the home guard in Lenoir County, but think cavalry could go more easily from Lexington to Wilkes County than to have men sent from here. I think some troops should be sent there at once.
J. A. COOPER,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
The general commanding desires that you send some cavalry to the counties indicated to keep the peace.
THEO. COX,
Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, June 1, 1865.
GENERAL: I have the honor to report the operations of my command from the date of the last report(*) made by me, January 20, as follows:
General A. J. Smith's corps, at that period, was with me at Eastport, Miss.; four divisions of General Wilson's cavalry were encamped on the opposite or north bank of the Tennessee River, at Waterloo and Gravelly Springs, Ala., and the Fourth Corps, Major-General Stanley commanding, was stationed at Huntsville, Ala. This, with the ordinary garrisons of the country, composed my command. The General-in-Chief of the Army having given up the intention of my continuing the campaign against the enemy in Mississippi and Alabama, I received an order by telegraph from Major-General Halleck, chief of staff, to send General A. J. Smith's command and 5,000 of General Wilson's cavalry by river, to report to Major-General Canby, at New Orleans, for the purpose of taking part in an expedition at that time preparing to operate against Mobile. Smith's corps started from Eastport on the 6th of February, and Knipe's division of cavalry left Nashville on the 12th. About the period of the departure of Smith's corps information was received, through various sources, to the effect that part of the shattered remnants of Hood's army, viz, Cheatham's and Lee's corps, were on their way from Mississippi to South Carolina, moving via Selma and Montgomery, Ala., to re-enforce that portion of the enemy's army operating against General Sherman. There remained in Central Mississippi, under General Taylor, but one corps of the enemy's infantry, and about 7,000 of Forrest's cavalry, the headquarters of the command being at Meridian, Miss. On the 6th of February a communication was received from Lieutenant-General Grant, directing an expedition, commanded by General Stoneman, to be sent from East Tennessee to penetrate North Carolina, and well down toward Columbia, S.C., to destroy the enemy's railroads and military resources in that section, and visit a portion of the State beyond the control or reach of General Sherman's column. As the movement was to be merely for the purpose of destruction, directions were given General Stoneman to evade any heavy engagements with the enemy's forces. Again, on the 13th of February, General Grant telegraphed me to prepare a cavalry expedition, about 10,000 strong, to penetrate Northern Alabama, acting as a co-operative force to the movement on Mobile by General Canby. Before leaving Eastport, Miss., I had directed General Wilson to get his command in readiness for just such a campaign, of which the above was simply an outline, my instructions being for him to move on Tuscaloosa, Selma, and Montgomery, Ala., and to capture those places if possible, after accomplishing which he was to operate against any of the enemy's forces in the direction of Mississippi, Mobile, or Macon, as circumstances might demand. The bad state of the roads, combined with the condition of the horses of his command after completing the severe campaign in pursuit of Hood, prevented any movement for the time being, and it was only on the 22d of March that General Wilson, with Upton's, Long's, and McCook's divisions, could leave Chickasaw, Ala. Hatch's <ar103_343> division remained at Eastport, Miss., and R. W. Johnson's at Pulaski, Tenn, it not being possible to mount them fully, to hold the country and prevent guerrilla depredations. When General Sherman was organizing his army for its march to the Atlantic sea-board, in November, he issued an order directing me to assume control of all the forces of the Military Division of the Mississippi not present with him and the main army in Georgia. Based on that order, all the operations of the troops within the limits of the above-mentioned military division have, during the interval, been made under my immediate direction, and I have been held responsible for their faithful execution.
On the 30th of March General Wilson's cavalry reached Elyton, after an extremely difficult, toilsome, and exhausting march, on account of bad roads, swollen streams, and the rough nature of the country, which had also been almost entirely stripped of all subsistence for man or beast. At Elyton Croxton's brigade, of McCook's division, was detached and sent to capture and destroy Tuscaloosa, and then march to rejoin the main body near Selma. With the remainder of his command, General Wilson pushed rapidly forward to Montevallo, where he destroyed five extensive iron-works, and other valuable property. On the outskirts of the town the enemy's cavalry was found in force, attacked, routed, and pursued through Plantersville, leaving in our possession three pieces of artillery and several hundred prisoners. At 3 p.m. on the 2d of April General Wilson reached the immediate vicinity of Selma, and rapidly formed Upton's and Long's divisions to attack the defenses of the town--Long attacking on the Summerfield road, and Upton across a swamp deemed impassable by the enemy. Dismounting two regiments from each of the brigades of Colonels Miller and Minty, General Long and those two officers gallantly leading their men in person, charged across an open field, 500 yards wide, over a stockade, which they tore up as they passed, through the ditch and over the enemy's parapets, sweeping everything before them. Our loss was 46 killed and 200 wounded; Colonel Dobb, Fourth Ohio, among the former, and General Long and Colonels Miller and McCormick among the latter. General Upton met with less resistance than Long--entered the enemy's works and the town, capturing many prisoners. In the darkness and confusion following the assault Generals Forrest, Buford, Adams, Armstrong, and others made their escape. Lieut. Gen. Dick Taylor had left earlier in the afternoon. As the fruits of the victory, however, there remained 26 guns and 2,700 prisoners, besides large amounts of ordnance and other property of great value. Twenty-five thousand bales of cotton had already been destroyed by the enemy. General Wilson remained at Selma from the 2d to the 10th of April, resting his command and completing the destruction of the immense workshops, arsenals, and foundries, and waiting for Croxton to rejoin from his expedition to Tuscaloosa, it having been ascertained, through the enemy, that he captured Tuscaloosa and was moving to Selma via Eutaw. On the 10th General Wilson crossed the Alabama River and moved toward Montgomery, receiving the surrender of that town, without a contest, on the 12th. The enemy burned 85,000 bales of cotton before evacuating. At Montgomery five steam-boats, several locomotives, one armory, and several foundries were destroyed. On the 14th operations were resumed by Upton's division moving through Mount Meigs and Tuskegee toward Columbus, Ga., and Colonel La Grange, with three regiments of his brigade, of McCook's division, marching along the railroad to West Point via Opelika. On the 16th General Upton, with about 400 dismounted men, assaulted and carried <ar103_344> the breast-works of Columbus, saving, by the impetuosity of his attacks, the bridges over the Chattahoochee, and capturing 52 field guns in position, besides 1,200 prisoners. The rebel ram Jackson, nearly ready for sea, and carrying an armament of six 7-inch guns, fell into our hands and was destroyed, as well as the navy-yard, foundries, the arsenal and the armory, sword and pistol factory, accouterments, shops, paper-mills, 4 cotton factories, 15 locomotives, 200 cars, and an immense amount of cotton, all of which were burned. The same day, the 16th of April, La Grange captured Fort Tyler, at West Point, above Columbus on the Chattahoochee, after assaulting it on three sides, the defense being stubborn. Three hundred prisoners, 3 guns, and several battle-flags were taken, besides a large quantity of supplies.
On the 18th the march toward Macon was resumed, Minty's (late Long's) division leading. By a forced march the bridges across Flint River, fifty-four miles from Columbus, were secured, compelling the abandonment by the enemy of five field guns and a large amount of machinery; 40 prisoners were captured and 2 cotton factories destroyed. At 6 p.m. on the 20th of April the authorities of Macon, under protest, surrendered the city to the Seventeenth Indiana, Colonel Minty's advance regiment, claiming, under the provisions of an armistice then reported existing between the forces of Generals Sherman and Johnston, that the capture was contrary to the usages of war. General Wilson, not being at hand when the surrender was made, when the case was reported to him, with admirable good judgment declined to recognize the validity of the claim asserted, as the city had been taken possession of by one of his subordinates before he (General Wilson) could be advised of the existence of an armistice, and he therefore held, as prisoners of war, Maj. Gen. Howell Cobb and G. W. Smith, and Brigadier-Generals Mackall, Robertson, and Mercer. On the 21st General Wilson was notified by General Sherman, from Raleigh, N. C., over the enemy's telegraph wires and through the headquarters of General Joseph E. Johnston, that the reported armistice was a reality and that he was to cease further operations. To return to General Stone-man's expedition from East Tennessee. Owing to the difficulty of procuring animals for his command and the bad condition of the roads, General Stoneman was only enabled to start from Knoxville about the 20th of March, simultaneously with General Wilson's departure from Chickasaw, Ala. In the meantime General Sherman had captured Columbia, S.C., and was moving northward into North Carolina. About this period reports reached me of the possibility of the evacuation of Lee's army at Richmond and Petersburg, Va., and in that event of his forcing a passage through East Tennessee, via Lynchburg and Knoxville. To guard against that contingency, Stoneman was sent toward Lynchburg to destroy the railroad and military resources of that section and of Western ]North Carolina. The Fourth Army Corps was ordered to move from Huntsville, Ala., as far up into East Tennessee as it could supply itself, repairing the railroad as it advanced, forming, in conjunction with Tillson's division of infantry, a strong support for General Stoneman's cavalry column in case it should find more of the enemy than it could conveniently handle and be obliged to fall back. With three brigades, Brown's, Miller's, and Palmer's, commanded by General Gillem, General Stoneman moved, via Morristown, Bull's Gap, and thence eastward up the Watauga and across Iron Mountain, to Boone, N. C., which he entered on the 1st of April,(*) after killing or capturing about seventy-five home guards. From Boone he crossed the <ar103_345> Blue Ridge and went to Wilkesborough, on the Yadkin, where supplies were obtained in abundance, after which he changed his course toward Southwestern Virginia. A detachment was sent to Wytheville and another to Salem to destroy the enemy's depots at those places and the railroad, whilst the main body marched on Christiansburg and captured the place. The railroad to the eastward and westward of the town was destroyed for a considerable distance. The party sent to Wytheville captured that place after some fighting and burned the railroad bridges over New River and several creeks, as well as the depots of supplies. The detachment sent to Salem did the same, and proceeded to within four miles of Lynchburg, destroying as they advanced. A railroad was never more thoroughly dismantled than was the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad from Wytheville to near Lynchburg. Concentrating his command General Stoneman returned to North Carolina, via Jacksonville and Taylorsville, and went to Germantown, where Palmer's brigade was sent to Salem, N. C., to destroy the large cotton factories located there and burn the bridges on the railroad between Greensborough and Danville and bet ween Greensborough and the Yadkin River, which was most thoroughly accomplished, after some fighting, by which we captured about 400 prisoners. At Salem 7,000 bales of cotton were burned by our forces. From Germantown the main body moved south to Salisbury, where they found about 3,000 of the enemy defending the place, and drawn up in line of battle behind Grant's Creek to await Stoneman's attack. Without hesitation a general charge was made by our men, resulting in the capture of all the enemy's artillery--14 pieces--and 1,364 prisoners. The remainder scattered and were pursued. During the two days following the troops were engaged destroying the immense depots of supplies of all kinds in Salisbury, and burning all the bridges for several miles on all the railroads leading out of the town.
On the afternoon of April 13 the command moved westward to Statesville and Lenoir, at which latter point General Stoneman left the troops to be disposed of by General Gillem, and proceeded with the prisoners and captured artillery to East Tennessee, reporting his arrival, on the 19th, at Greeneville, and detailing the disposition of his troops, which was as follows: Palmer's brigade, with headquarters at Lincolnton, N. C., to scout down the Catawba River, toward Charlotte; Brown's brigade, with headquarters at Morganton, to connect with Palmer down the Catawba, and Miller's brigade, with General Gillem, was to take post at Asheville, with directions to open up communication through to Greeneville, East Tenn; the object in leaving the cavalry on the other side of the mountains being to obstruct, intercept, or disperse any troops of the enemy going south, and to capture trains. General Gillem followed the directions given him, and marched on Asheville, with Miller's brigade, but was opposed at Swannanoa Gap by a considerable force of the enemy. Leaving sufficient of his force to amuse them, with the balance he moved by way of Howard's Gap, gained the enemy's rear, and surprised and captured his artillery; after which he made his appearance in front of Asheville, where he was met by a flag of truce on the 23d, with the intelligence of the truce existing between Generals Sherman and Johnston, and bearing an order from General Sherman to General Stoneman for the latter to go to the railroad station at Durham's, or Hillsborough, nearly 200 miles distant, whereas the distance to Greeneville, East Tenn., was but sixty. Coming to the conclusion that the order was issued by General Sherman under the impression that the Cavalry Division was still at <ar103_346> Salisbury or Statesville, General Gillem determined to move to Greeneville. The rebel General Martin, with whom he communicated under flag of truce, demanded the rendition of the artillery captured, which, of course, could not be granted, and in return General Gillem requested the rebel commander to furnish his troops with three days' rations, as by the terms of the armistice they were required to withdraw. Had it not been for this, Asheville and its garrison would have fallen into our hands. Up to that period I had not been officially notified of the existence of any armistice between the forces of Generals Sherman and Johnston, and the information only reached me through my sub-commanders, Generals Wilson and Stoneman, from Macon, Ga., and Greeneville, East Tenn., almost simultaneously. The question naturally arose in my mind, whether the troops acting under my direction by virtue of General Sherman's Special Field Orders, No. 105, series of 1864, directing me to assume control of all the forces of the Military Division of the Mississippi "not absolutely in the presence of the general-in-chief," were to be bound by an armistice or agreement made at a distance of several hundred miles from where those troops were operating, and of which they were advised through an enemy then in such straightened circumstances that any ruse, honorable at least in war, was likely to be practiced by him to relieve himself from his difficult position.
Then, again, General Sherman was operating with a movable column beyond the limits of his territorial command, viz, the Military Division of the Mississippi, and far away from all direct communication with it, whereas "the troops not absolutely in the presence of the general-in-chief" were operating under special instructions, and not even in co-operation with General Sherman against Johnston; but, on the contrary, General Stoneman was dismantling the country to obstruct Lee's retreat, and General Wilson was moving independently in Georgia or co-operating with General Canby. Before I could come to any conclusion how I should proceed under the circumstances and without disrespect to my superior officer, General Sherman, Mr. Secretary Stanton telegraphed to me from Washington on the 27th of April, and through me to my sub-commanders, to disregard all orders except those coming from General Grant or myself, and to resume hostilities at once, sparing no pains to press the enemy firmly, at the same time notifying me that General Sherman's negotiations with Johnston had been disapproved. Based on that notification the following dispositions were made with a view of capturing President Davis and party, who, on the cessation of the armistice, had started south from Charlotte, N. C., with an escort variously estimated at from 500 to 2,000 picked cavalry, to endeavor to make his way to the Trans-Mississippi. General Stoneman was directed to send the brigades of Miller, Brown, and Palmer, then in Western North Carolina, to concentrate at Anderson, S.C., and scout down the Savannah River to Augusta, Ga., if possible, in search of the fugitives. General Gillem being absent, Colonel Palmer, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, took command of the expedition. By rapid marching they succeeded in reaching and crossing the Savannah River in advance of Davis, and so disposed the command as to effectually cut off his retreat toward Mississippi, and forced him to alter his route toward the Atlantic coast. General Wilson, at Macon, Ga., was also notified of the action taken at Washington on General Sherman's negotiations with Johnston, and he was directed to resume hostilities at once--especially to endeavor to intercept Davis.
Scarcely were the above orders issued and in process of execution, when notification reached me of the surrender by Johnston of all the <ar103_347> enemy's forces east of the Chattahoochee River. General Wilson received similar notification from General Sherman, direct through the enemy's territory, and immediately took measures to receive the surrender of the enemy's establishments at Atlanta and Augusta, and to occupy those points, detailing for that purpose Brevet Major-General Upton with his division. General McCook was sent with a force to occupy Tallahassee, Fla., and to receive the surrender of the troops in that vicinity. Thus a cordon of cavalry, more or less continuous, was extended across the State of Georgia from northwest to southeast, and communication established through the late so-called Southern Confederacy. With characteristic energy, Generals Wilson and Palmer had handbills printed and profusely circulated in all directions throughout the country, offering the President's reward for the apprehension of Davis, and nothing could exceed the watchfulness exhibited by their commands.
On the 3d of May, Davis dismissed his escort at Washington, Ga., and accompanied by about half a dozen followers, set out to endeavor to pass our lines. Nothing definite was learned of the whereabouts of the fugitives until on the evening of the 7th of May, the First Wisconsin Cavalry, Lieut. Col. Henry Harnden commanding, with 150 men, ascertained at Dublin, on the Oconee River, fifty-five miles southeast from Macon, that Davis and party had crossed the river at that point during the day, and had moved out on the Jacksonville road. At daylight on the 8th Colonel Harnden continued the pursuit, finding the camp occupied by Davis on the evening previous, between the forks of Alligator Creek, which was reached just four hours after it had been vacated. The trail was pursued as far as the ford over Gum Swamp Creek, Pulaski County, when darkness rendered it too indistinct to follow, and the command encamped for the night, having marched forty miles that day.
On the 9th Colonel Harnden pushed on to the Ocmulgee River, crossed at Brown's Ferry, and went to Abbeville, where he ascertained Davis' train had left that place at 1 a.m. that same day, and had gone toward Irwinville, in Irwin County. With this information Colonel Harnden moved rapidly on toward the latter town, halting within a short distance of it to wait for daylight, in order to make certain of the capture. Before leaving Abbeville. Colonel Harnden, learning of the approach from the direction of Hawkinsville of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, Colonel Pritchard commanding, went to meet that officer and informed him of his close pursuit of Davis; Colonel Pritchard stating in reply that he had been sent to Abbeville also to watch for Davis. After Colonel Harnden's departure, Colonel Pritchard, with part of his command, started for Irwinville by a more direct route than that used by the detachment of the First Wisconsin, arriving at Irwinville at 2 a.m. on the 10th, where, on inquiry, it was ascertained that there was a camp about a mile from town on the other road leading to Abbeville. Approaching cautiously, for fear it might be our own men, Colonel Pritchard sent a dismounted party to interpose between it and Abbeville, and then waited for daylight to move forward and surprise the occupants. Daylight appearing, a rapid advance was made and the encampment surprised, resulting in the capture of Jefferson Davis and family, John H. Reagan, Postmaster-General of the so-called Confederacy, 2 aides-de-camp, the private secretary of Davis, 4 other officers, and 11 enlisted men. Almost immediately after the completion of the above movement, Colonel Harnden's men coming down the Abbeville road were hailed by the party sent out during the night by Colonel Pritchard to secure the capture of the camp, and on being challenged <ar103_348> answered "friends," but fell back, under the impression they had come upon an enemy; whereupon shots were exchanged before the real position of affairs could be ascertained, resulting in the loss on one side of 2 men killed and 1 wounded, and of 3 wounded on the other. Considerable feeling was caused by the manner in which the Fourth Michigan effected the apprehension of Davis, to the detriment of Colonel Harnden's party, but great credit is justly due and should be given to the First Wisconsin Cavalry for the persistency of its pursuit, and it is only to be regretted they did not arrive on the ground in time to reap the benefit of their labors. For the full particulars of the operations of both detachments I have the pleasure of referring you to the reports of Lieutenant-Colonel Harnden, First Wisconsin, and Captain Hathaway, Fourth Michigan. With the surrender of Johnston's army to General Sherman all the detachments of the Confederate armies east of the Chattahoochee signified their willingness to surrender, except a few guerrilla bands who were outlawed, special directions being given to grant all such no quarter. On the 7th of May notification was received by me via Eastport and Meridian, Miss., of the surrender of General Taylor's army to General Canby, at Citronelle, Ala., on the 4th.No armed force of the enemy east of the Mississippi remaining to interfere, I gave orders for the occupation by my forces of such portions of the reclaimed territory as it was necessary to hold whilst telegraphic and railroad communication was being restored, to the accomplishment of which the people of the country zealously gave their assistance.
May 16 General Grant, through his chief of staff, General Rawlins, directed me to order to some point north of the Tennessee River all of Wilson's cavalry except 4,000 veterans, who are to remain at Macon, Augusta, and Atlanta, Ga.; those returning to be concentrated at some convenient point in Tennessee or Kentucky, preparatory to being mustered out or otherwise disposed of. All convalescents and others about the hospitals throughout my command not requiring medical treatment have, by virtue of General Orders, No. 77, been mustered out of service. The quartermaster, commissary, and ordnance departments have all been reduced to the smallest scale consistent with the demands of the service. During the past three months the defenses of all the posts within my command have been thoroughly inspected by Brigadier-General Tower, inspector of fortifications Military Division of the Mississippi, whose reports, with drawings attached, I have the honor to forward herewith.(*) For detailed accounts of the operations of the commands of Generals Stoneman and Wilson I invite the attention of the lieutenant-general commanding to the reports of those officers, as well as to those of their subordinates, Generals Gillem, Palmer, and others. They have brought the cavalry arm of the service to a state of efficiency unequaled in any other army for long and difficult marches through the enemy's country, and particularly for self-reliance and fortitude in assaulting strong positions which might well cause hesitation in veteran infantry. Herewith I have the honor to forward the report of Bvt. Brig. Gen. J. G. Parkhurst, provost-marshal-general of my command, giving the number of prisoners and deserters registered at his office during the period of which the foregoing treats.
I am, general, respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEO. H. THOMAS,
Major-General, U.S. Army, Commanding
Brig. Gen. J. A. RAWLINS,
Chief of Staff, U. S. Army.
GENERAL ORDERS No. 95.
HDQRS. DEPT. OF NORTH CAROLINA,
ARMY OF THE OHIO,
Raleigh, N. C., July 6, 1865.
1. The counties of Hertford, Bertie, Martin, Pitt, Greene, Lenoir, Jones, and Onslow, and the counties to the eastward of those above named, will constitute the District of New Berne, to be commanded by Bvt. Maj. Gen. C. J. Paine, headquarters at New Berne, N. C.
2. The counties of New Hanover, Duplin, Sampson, Cumberland, Robeson, Bladen, Columbus, and Brunswick, will constitute the District of Wilmington, to be commanded by Bvt. Brig. Gen. J. W. Ames, headquarters at Wilmington, N. C.
3. The counties of Person, Orange, Chatham, and Moore, and the counties to the east of those above named, and not in the Districts of New Berne or Wilmington, will constitute the District of Raleigh, to be commanded by Bvt. Maj. Gen. A. Ames, headquarters at Raleigh, N. C.
4. The counties of Ashe, Wilkes, Caldwell, Burke, and Rutherford, and the counties to the westward of those above named, will constitute the District of West North Carolina, to be commanded by Bvt. Brig. Gen. Thomas T. Heath, headquarters at or near Morganton, N. C.
5. Those counties between the Districts of Raleigh and West North Carolina will constitute the District of Greensborough, to be commanded by Brig. Gen. S. P. Carter, headquarters at Greensborough, N.C.
6. This order will not be construed to affect corps organizations.
By command of Bvt. Maj. Gen. Ruger:
CLINTON A. CILLEY,
Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.