Today in History:

808 Series I Volume XLV-I Serial 93 - Franklin - Nashville Part I

Page 808 Chapter LVII. KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA.

Having succeeded in everything we undertook, and having undertaken everything there was for us to do, I sent Burbridge, via the Big Sandy, home to Kentucky, and Gillem to Knoxville. Both, as far as heard from, were unmolested by any pursing force. Rebeldom has lost by the expedition all the railroad bridges this side of New River; thirteen railroad trains with locomotives attacked,a nd several trains and extra cars without engines; all the depots of supplies in Southwest Virginia, and railroad depots; all the foundries, mills, factories, storehouses, wagon and ambulance trains, turnpike brigades, &c., that we could find; the towns of Bristol, Abingdon, Wytheville, and Saltville; 25,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, and a proportionate amount of ammunition for small-arms; 2,000 new pack-saddles, and a large amount of artillery and wagon harness; several hundred sabers; about 3,000 muskets, and nineteen pieces of field artillery, with caissons, and eleven extra caissons; about 2,000 horses, 1,000 mules, and a large number of negroes; salt, variously estimated at from 50,000 to 100,000 bushels, and many other things too numerous to mention in a telegraphic report; and last, but not last, four pestiferous succession printing-prossed. The great loss inflicted was the total destruction, as far as in the power of man to accomplish, of the lead-works, seventeen miles from Wytheville, and the salt-works as Saltville. The furnaces, kettles, and machinery were broken into pieces,the wells and shafts killed up with shell, railroad iron, &c., and the buildings burned down. In prisoners, our captured amount to 34 officers, 845 enlisted men, and 2 newspaper editors. These last were sent as a Christmas present to the proprietor of the Knoxville (Rebel) Ventilator. Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing is small, as compared with that of the enemy. Among the killed, I regret to name the brave and gallant Colonel Boyle, of the Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry. The health and conduct of the whole command has been all the that could be desired. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather and the terrible condition of the road, our average marching during our operations was forty-two lines and a half every twenty-four hours. The whole things was a complete surprise, and, we all flatter ourselves, a perfect success. East Tennessee is free from any organized of the enemy, and Eastern Kentucky free from the fear of any large raiding parties.

GEO. STONEMAN.

Major-General.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff.

(Same to General Thomas.)


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Louisville, Ky., January 6, 1865.

GENERAL: I have the honor to make or your information, and the information of those concerned, the following official report of the operations of the U. S. forces under my command during the months of November and December, 1864, in East Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia:

During the month of November, General Breckinridge, of the rebel army, collected together all the forces at his disposal and drove the brigade of Tennessee troops, under the command of Brigadier General S. C. Gillem, from Bull's Gap, East Tenn., to Knoxville. It was through that Breckinridge, after this success, might think it expedition to con


Page 808 Chapter LVII. KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA.