Today in History:

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

Page 187 Chapter LI. EXPEDITION INTO MISSISSIPPI.

Question. Did you report your arrival there and condition to Colonel Winslow or General Grierson?

Answer. I reported to Captain Woodward, General Grierson's assistant adjutant-general. I did not see Colonel Winslow, but saw his adjutant shortly after I had reported to Captain Woodward.

Question. Did you see General Sturgis at the cross-roads before you commenced firing at the enemy?

Answer. My impression is that I did shortly before.

Question. Did you receive any instructions from him in regard to placing your pieces or firing on the enemy?

Answer. None whatever.

Question. By whose order did you commence firing over our line of cavalry?

Answer. By either General Grierson's or Captain Woodward's, his adjutant-general.

Question. Could you see the enemy from your position?

Answer. Only from the position of my left piece, the extreme left piece of all that were on the hill. The others were fired by guess- work, by information gained by going to the front, and by reports from the front.

Question. What were the surroundings of your position as to the nature of the ground and timber?

Answer. We were on a high piece of ground, in an opening which had been cleared for Brice's house, the ground to the rear, left and left front, descending considerably from our position. To the right and the right front the ground was more on a level with our position. We were surrounded by dense timber, dense woods and thicket, the roads being the only openings. The woods were in close proximity to the guns.

Question. How near could the enemy approach your guns before you could see them?

Answer. By making their approach through the woods, avoiding the roads, they could come within from 50 to 100 yards before being discovered, I should judge, owing to the density of the woods and the inclination of the ground.

Question. Did the enemy commence firing at you at your first position before you commenced firing?

Answer. They did not, but almost immediately afterward.

Question. How many pieces did they open upon you at any one time?

Answer. I thought there were six, there might have been eight. They fired very rapidly. From the commencement of their firing they had our range exactly.

Question. How much open or cleared ground was there at that place?

Answer. The open ground was very contracted. There was scarcely room to put the six guns in position. The ambulances and led horses were there, and the ground was very much crowded, but there was no confusion during the time the cavalry were engaged. The cavalry lines were very badly pressed in the center, although they held their position at the time the infantry came up. There was a cavalry force engaged on the left when I moved from the hill.

Question. How long did General Sturgis remain at the cross-roads?

Answer. He was there from the time of his first arrival until the rebel battery commenced firing; he left then, and came back two or three times afterward. I saw him there immediately after the artillery had ceased firing.

Question. Why did the artillery cease firing?

Answer. Because the rebel guns were silent and we could see no opportunity to do any damage. General Sturgis came up just after, and I reported to him what I had


Page 187 Chapter LI. EXPEDITION INTO MISSISSIPPI.