Today in History:

551 Series I Volume XXXI-I Serial 54 - Knoxville and Lookout Mountain Part I

Page 551 Chapter XLIII. ACTION NEAR ROGERSVILLE, Tennessee


Numbers 1.

Report of Colonel Israel Garrard, Seventh Ohio Cavalry, commanding United States forces.

MORRISTOWN, November 6, 1863.

GENERAL: I was attacked this a. m. and totally defeated. I lost my guns and two-thirds of my command; rebel force not known, as they were continually sending their troops forward. I think the whole of the Second Tennessee is lost. About one-half of the Seventh [Ohio] Cavalry is lost.

The rebel cavalry was following us this side of Bull's Gap.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

I. GARRARD,

Colonel, Commanding.

General BURNSIDE.


Numbers 2.

Report of Major Daniel A. Carpenter, Second Tennessee (mounted) Infantry.

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, September 14, 1864.

SIR: Having but recently been released from a rebel prison, I have the honor to embrace the earliest opportunity to submit the following report of the affair which led to the capture of a large part of the Second East Tennessee Mounted Infantry on the 6th of November last:

On the 5th of November, 1863, the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Second East Tennessee Mounted Infantry Volunteers, and four guns of Captain Phillips' (Second Illinois) battery were encamped 4 miles east of Rogersville, Tennessee, Major McIntire commanding the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, myself commanding the Second East Tennessee Mounted Infantry, and a lieutenant, name unknown, commanding the artillery; the whole under command of Colonel Garrard, of the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. Late in the afternoon Colonel Garrard informed me that the rebels were crossing Holston River at Kingsport, Tennessee, 18 miles east of our encampment. About 12 o'clock that night he (Colonel Garrard) ordered me to detail 50 men, under a good officer, and have them to report to him at 2 o'clock the following a. m., for the purpose of going out on a scout. Accordingly Captain Marney, Company A, and Lieutenant Jones, Company E, were detailed, with 50 enlisted men, and ordered to report to Colonel Garrard at the appointed hour, which they did, and were ordered by him to proceed to the Carter Valley road and up said road to where Captain Rogers, with a company of home guards doing picket duty, was posted.

Captain Marney arrived at Captain Rogers' quarters at the specified time. Colonel Garrard had ordered Captain Marney to take Captain Rogers' company, together with his 50 men, and proceed up Carter Valley about 9 miles and establish a line of pickets from the Carter Valley road to the Kingsport road, informing him (Colonel


Page 551 Chapter XLIII. ACTION NEAR ROGERSVILLE, Tennessee