Today in History:

641 Series I Volume X-I Serial 10 - Shiloh Part I

Page 641 Chapter XXII. OCCUPATION OF HUNTSVILLE, ALA.

so that night came upon us before the wounded were provided for and dead buried, and our troops being fagged out by three days' hard fighting, exposure, and privation, I ordered them back to camp, where all now are.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Major-General GRANT,

Commanding Army in the Field.

APRIL 11, 1862.-Occupation of Huntsville, Ala., by the Union forces.

LIST OF REPORTS


No. 1.-Brigadier General Ormsby M. Mitchel, U. S. Army, with abstract form record of events in his division for the month of April.


No. 2.-Major General E. Kirby Smith, C. S. Army.

No. 1 Reports of Brigadier General Ormsby M. Mitchel, U. S. Army, with abstract from record of events in his division for the month of April.


HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION,
Huntsville, Ala., April 11, 1862.

SIR: After a forced march of incredible difficulty, leaving Fayetteville yesterday at 12 m., my advanced guard, consisting of Turchin's brigade, Kennett's cavalry, and Simonson's battery, entered Huntsville this morning at 6 o'clock.

The city was taken completely by surprise, no one having considered the march practicable in the time. We have captured about 200 prisoners, 15 locomotives, a large amount of passenger, box, and platform cars, the telegraphic apparatus and offices, and two Southern mails. We have at length succeeded in cutting the great artery of railway intercommunication between the Southern States.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. M. MITCHEL,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Captain J. B. FRY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION,
Huntsville, April 11, 1862.

The work so happily commenced on yesterday has ben completed to-day upon a train of cars captured from the enemy at Huntsville. A heavy force of the Ninth Brigade, under command of Sill, was ordered to drive the enemy from Stevenson in the east, while an equal force from the Eighth Brigade, upon captured cars, was directed to seize Decatur upon the west. Booth expeditions proved eminently successful. I accompanied the most difficult one to Stevenson in person, from which place 2,000 of the enemy fled as usual at our approach without

41 R R-VOL X


Page 641 Chapter XXII. OCCUPATION OF HUNTSVILLE, ALA.