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144 Series I Volume XXXIX-I Serial 77 - Allatoona Part I

Page 144 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LI.

the First Brigade, the infantry following in rear to Germantown, at which point the First Brigade took the advance and proceeded to camp. We followed soon after, marching all night and bivouacking at White's Station at daylight. Here this regiment was required to furnish 100 of the best of its already exhausted horses to return on duty to Collierville; with the remainder I arrived here the same day at sunset. The 100 men detached have since come in.

I refer to the accompanying tables for a more definite statement o my losses in this most unfortunate expedition, in which my command labored so hard and fought so well.

My officers and men behaved universally so well that I cannot make much distinction among them, but for their aid in getting a new line to face the enemy at one particular emergency I deem Captain Curkendall and Lieutenant McKee worthy of particular notice. Major Jones was constantly at his post and did all a brave and good officer could. If occasion offers I hope to bring the merits of others of these brave men more prominently forward then I can do now.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN W. NOBLE,

Lieutenant- Colonel.

Lieutenant A. HODGE,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Second Brigade, Cavalry DIVISION.


Numbers 19. Report of Major Abial R. Piece, Fourth Iowa Cavalry.


HEADQUARTERS FOURTH IOWA CAVALRY,
Memphis, Tenn., July 4, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Fourth Iowa Cavalry Regiment in an expedition commanded by General Sturgis, from Memphis, Tenn, to Guntown (or Tishomingo Creek):

The regiment marched from Memphis June 1, 1864. June 7 had a heavy skirmish at Ripley, Miss. ; lost 1 man prisoner and several slightly wounded. June 9 camped at Stubbs' plantation. June 10 marched at 4 a. m. At 11 a. m. the advance encountered the enemy, under command of General Forrest, near Tishomingo Creek. The infantry and artillery were five or six miles in the rear. I was ordered to take the regiment to the font dismounted. I formed my line near Brice's Cross- Roads. The enemy was in very thick brush. I could not tell the exact position of the enemy's]line. My line was not parallel with that of the enemy fired a volley into Company C, on the left, by which Lieutenant Dillon and many others of the company were severely wounded. The left of the regiment was obliged to fall back. I then formed the regiment from the right parallel with the enemy's front. As I heard the enemy advancing through the brush I ordered the regiment to lie close to the ground. They charged us twice in this position, but were driven back with heavy loss. We lay here about two hours within sixty yards of the enemy, the brush being so thick that we could not see them. The infantry now came up, but they had been so hurried through the great that only a small part of the command was able to keep up. On their arrival I was ordered back to the

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Not found, but see Winslow's report, p. 140.

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Page 144 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LI.