475 Series I Volume XXIII-I Serial 34 - Tullahoma Campaign Part I
Page 475 | Chapter XXXV. THE MIDDLE TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. |
pany A was relieved by D, and D in turn by F. Considerable firing was kept up all day between our skirmishers and those of the enemy, without any injury to my men. Several of the enemy were shot with Major Remington's target-rifle. Bivouacked for the night on the ground where our line was formed.
Saturday morning, 27th, we retired, under cover of the woods, and crossed over to the Manchester pike, and marched that day to Beech Grove.
Sunday, 28th, marched to Manchester.
Monday, 29th, lay in camp.
Tuesday, 30th, in obedience to orders from General Jefferson C. Davis, I started back to Murfreesborough with my command, as escort for the supply train of the First Division. The train moved out on a road east of the Manchester pike. My regiment was distributed as follows: Two companies in rear of Johnson's train, three in rear of Sheridan's, and five in rear of Davis'. We marched about 5 miles, and camped near the fork of Duck River. I put out pickets to protect the train.
Wednesday, July 1, I had my command up at 3.30. The train commenced moving at 5, and by dark we had pulled through the mud to within 2 miles of Bradyville. My regiment had the same relative position in the corps train as on the day before.
During Tuesday and Wednesday, a large amount of public and private property was thrown off by the way and lost. It appeared to me that much of this might have been saved by lightening the wagons at some one point, and sending word to the corps commander at Manchester that it was impossible to transport it, which fact became evident before we had gone 3 miles. The road, all the way from Manchester to Bradyville, was almost impassable. Wednesday night I threw out a very strong picket in rear of the train. Having furnished the escort for the center and rear of the train for the pass two days, and through the worst roads, I was graciously allowed, on Thursday, the 2nd, after the train had reached the Murfreesborough and Bradyville pike, to move my men to the front, and let them get into the wagons and ride, as did all the infantry escort of the corps train.
We reached Murfreesborough about 4 o'clock, and I went into camp on ground near General Willich's old headquarters. Friday and Saturday we remained in camp.
Sunday morning (the 5th), I had my command in readiness to move at 1 o'clock. Marched that day to Shelbyville.
Monday morning, moved at 5 o'clock, and reached Wartrace at sundown.
Tuesday, marched from Wartrace to Duck River, which we found some difficulty in fording. Camped for the night on the south side of the river.
Wednesday, the entire train moved 4 miles toward Tullahoma, Davis' train in advance, and my regiment in front. About noon, a large number of Davis' wagons were fast in the mud. Colonel Jones, commanding the expedition, ordered me to take charge of division train, and get it through to Tullahoma the best way I could, while Generals Sheridan's and Johnson's teams moved on by other routes. I immediately set my command at work building roads and lifting wagons out of the mud. It this way I pushed on to within 2 miles of Tullahoma, where I found General Stanley's supply train, mud-bound. There I parked the train and camped for the night.
Thursday morning at daylight, leaving two companies with the train, I went ahead with eight companies, and built a road, over and through
Page 475 | Chapter XXXV. THE MIDDLE TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. |