Today in History:

453 Series I Volume XLIX-I Serial 103 - Mobile Bay Campaign Part I

Page 453 WILSON'S RAID - ALABAMA AND GEORGIA.

ford, Company A; Captain Banta, of Company I; Lieutenant Spurgin, of Company K; Lieutenant Junkins, Company B; Lieutenant Boes, Company E, and Lieutenant Wheeler, Company I-all acquitted themselves in a becoming and praiseworthy manner. Captains Hofman and Flood, senior line officers and acting field officers, were especially useful in that capacity. Captain Thistlewood, of Company C, after being severely wounded in the right leg kept up with the command for over a mile. Adjt. Aden Knoph, whilst bravely encouraging the men on the right flank to charge the enemy's works, fell, severely wounded in the left thigh, across the ravine in front of the picket-works. The loss of the Ninety-eighth Illinois as follows: Enlisted-Killed upon the field, 9; mortally wounded, 2 (both since dead); severely, wounded, 11; slightly wounded, 10. Commissioned officers-Severely wounded, 2; slightly, 3. Total killed and wounded, 39. Effective force engaged: Enlisted, 161; officers,11. I do not claim for my regiment the exclusive honor of entering the enemy's works first, but I do claim that the left flank of my regiment was upon the works as soon as the men from any other regiment. Captain Moutray, Company H, in command of the four companies detailed from the Ninety-eighth Illinois, proceeded to Summerfield, driving the enemy's pickets through the town until he came to the enemy in force, supposed to be 1,500 or 2,000 strong, being a portion of Forrest's command moving toward Marion. Not finding any wagon without loss. The officers and men of the Ninety-eighth Illinois under my command on the 2nd instant did their duty cheerfully, manfully, and without once faltering.* I only claim for them a fair ad equal share of all the honor and all the glory attached to the capture of Selman.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KITCHELL,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Ninety-eighth Illinois.

Captain O. F. BANE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, First Brigade, &c.


Numbers 21. Report of Captain Owen Wiley, One hundred and twenty-third Illinois (Mounted) Infantry, of operations April 1-2.


HEADQUARTERS 123rd ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS,
Selma, Ala., April 6, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to transmit a report of the part taken in the fight with General Forrest at Maplesville Station on the afternoon of the 1st instant, and in the assault and capture of Selma on the evening of the 2nd instant, by the One hundred and twenty-third Illinois Volunteer (mounted) Infantry:

Early in the afternoon of the 1st instant after our scouts and advance guard had skirmished for some twenty miles with two or three battalions of rebels, killing, wounding, and capturing some along the whole route, on reaching Maplesville Station, on the Selma Railroad, the enemy was found in considerably stronger force, and as our advance guard had been temporarily repulsed our brigade was ordered forward, dismounted, in line, One hundred and twenty-third Illinois occupying the right center of the brigade. We advanced through the woods a mile or more, reaching a slough, over which our


Page 453 WILSON'S RAID - ALABAMA AND GEORGIA.