Today in History:

412 Series I Volume XXXII-I Serial 57 - Forrest's Expedition Part I

Page 412 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N.GA. Chapter XLIV.

From an escaped prisoner of the enemy [citizen] I learned that the enemy had ben 20 miles above here, but moved down to Ball's Bridge, 13 miles from here, yesterday.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. T. GARRARD,

Brigadier-General.

Brigadier General E. E. POTTER,

Chief of Staff.


Numbers 2. Report of Brigadier General William E. Jones, C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS JONES', C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS JONES' CAVALRY, Morgan's Farm, Lee County, Va., March 14, 1864.

COLONEL: On February 21 my command was moved down to Fulkerson's Mill, about 20 miles from Cumberland Gap. Learning from Ewing Litterell, esqu., a citizen of this county, and his brother William, a private in the Twenty-seventh Virginia Cavalry Battalion, that Lieutenant Colonel R. A. Davis, Eleventh Tennessee [Federal] Cavalry, commanded his regiment and about 75 infantry near Gibson's Mill, 5 miles east of the gap, I determined to surprise and capture this force if possible. My command started from its camp at midnight, and when within 4 miles of the pickets of the enemy turned to the left of the road through fields and in by-paths, reaching the rear of the enemy undiscovered at daylight. Thirty men of the Thirty-sixth Battalion Virginia Cavalry were ordered to guard the crossing of Indian Creek between Gibson's and Wyerman's mill-dams, to move into position as the action opened. The Thirty-fourth Battalion Virginia Cavalry, under Captain Sayers, was send down the road to attack the pickets as soon a s firing was heard in rear of the enemy. Reaching the open ground concealed from the enemy near his camp, the head of the column was halted until it could be closed up from single file to fours, and until the Eighth and Twenty-first Regiments and the Twenty-seventh Battalion Virginia Cavalry were all in the open ground. The attack was to have been made with the right of the Twenty-first Regiment on the Valley road, the Eighth to its left, and the Twenty-seventh Battalion on the right of the road. The Eighth took the lead, and on coming in view saw the surprise was complete, and dashed immediately into the camp, dispersing the enemy at the first onset. There was but little firing in this part of the field. Captain Gibson, with his company, on furlough [from the Twenty-seventh Battalion Virginia Cavalry], accompanied the expedition as guides, and moved well to the left to come between [the enemy] and the mountain. It was intended the Eighth should have supported this small force of excellent men, and had it done so the 75 infantry could not have escaped from McPherson's barn. The Thirty-fourth and the detachment of the Thirty-sixth acted well their assigned parts. The remainder of the Thirty-sixth and the Thirty-seventh Battalions were held in reserve and were not needed.

The fruits of the expedition consist of 256 prisoners, 8 wagons, and it is supposed about 100 horses; small-arms were in due proportion, and the entire camp equipage of the Eleventh Tennessee [Federal] Cavalry and a detachment of infantry. There was a rich


Page 412 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N.GA. Chapter XLIV.