Today in History:

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

Page 536 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LI.

Station, destroyed the Government saw-mill and water-tank, and captured 3 block-houses, with their garrisons. Three brigades on Carter's Creek were destroyed. To-day [yesterday] he recrossed Duck River south of this four miles, attacked several block-houses, without doing any injury, and struck the road near Culleoka, which has been damaged, to what extent is not known. He attacked the pickets near this post, and after several hours' skirmishing retired. He is encamped near by and may resume the attack this morning. We are ready. General Starkweather communicates that continuous artillery firing was heard south of Pulaski yesterday, supposed to be in the direction of Huntsville. He presumes that an engagement was going on between Croxton's force and a portion of Forrest's command, under Buford, and his pickets. Starkweather encountered Buford's force at Fayetteville on Saturday evening at dark. Buford has all of Forrest's artillery. Forrest expects to concentrate with Biffle near here. The latter is supposed to have 1,000 men.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. B. SIPES,

Colonel, Commanding.

Major B. H. POLK,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


No. 11. Report of Colonel George Spalding, Twelfth Tennessee Cavalry, commanding Fourth Cavalry DIVISION.


HDQRS. FOURTH DIV. CAV., ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Pulaski, Tenn., September 29, 1864.

I have the honor to submit the following report in regard to the operations of the troops under my command in opposition to those of General Forrest:

September 21, having learned that Roddey's (rebel) force held all of the mills WEST of railroad, and that his troops were stripping the country of wheat, I immediately moved with the effective force of the Tenth and Twelfth Tennessee Regiments, of the Fourth DIVISION Cavalry, Army of the Cumberland, to compel Roddey to recross the Tennessee River. I camped at Lawrenceburg on night of the 21st instant.

At daylight (morning) I moved on military road toward Florence. Learning that about 1,000 rebels held a mill known as Howell's, I proceeded to said point on the 23rd instant, being fired on once during the night of the 22nd instant by a party of Colonel Biffle's (Roddey's) command. Before I arrived at the mills the rebel force had withdrawn, no one knowing to what point. From thence I proceeded to Squire Wilson's, military road, six miles northeast of Florence. I had heard through the country that Forrest was to cross the river near Florence. My movement toward Wilson's was for the purpose of ascertaining the truth of said report. The moment I struck the military road I captured 3 wagons belonging to Forrest's train and 5 of his men. At this point I ascertained that Forrest had crossed Tennessee River on the 21st with 8,000 men and eight pieces of artillery. This information I dispatched on the 23rd to Pulaski, and proceeded with my command with all possible speed to Pulaski, in order to concentrate my


Page 536 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LI.