Today in History:

769 Series I Volume XXXVIII-II Serial 73 - The Atlanta Campaign Part II

Page 769 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMB'D (CAVALRY)

description found the river. No party of the enemy has crossed the river except six or eight footmen belonging to Cheatham's division, of whom 2 were captured by Major Carter, in command of dismounted cavalry, at Turner's Ferry, and from which probably originated the report that the enemy had crossed between the mouth of Peach Tree Creek and Turner's Ferry. Major Carter has 500 dismounted cavalry at Turner's Ferry, and pickets the river from that point to the mouth of Nickajack.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. B. DORR,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain LE ROY,

Assistant Adjutant-General, First Division.


Numbers 382.

Report of Colonel John T. Croxton, Fourth Kentucky Mounted Infantry, commanding First Brigade, of operations July 27-30 (McCook's raid).


HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION,
Kingston, Ga., August 20, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the part taken by my command in the late raid as follows:

On the morning of the 27th ultimo my brigade, consisting of the Eighth Iowa Cavalry, Colonel Dorr; the First Tennessee, Colonel Brownlow; and the Fourth Kentucky Mounted Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Kelly, and reporting in the aggregate 940 officers and men, moved in advance across the pontoon bridge at Turner's Ferry, and south toward Campbellton, reaching that point at 3 p.m. A company sent in advance, under Captain Goulding, division provost-marshal, found the enemy upon either bank of the river at Cambellton, and also at a ferry, three miles above. We halted here to await the arrival of the pontoon train, which reached us at 3 a.m. on the 28th. We moved at once to Smith's Ferry, six miles south of Campbellton, reaching it at daylight, capturing a rebel scout on the western, and finding no force on the eastern, bank of the river. By direction of the general commanding the division, I began crossing the brigade, dismounted, in a single bateau, capable of transporting four men, and by 12 m., when the pontoon train arrived, had crossed nearly the whole of my brigade. At 3 p.m . the bridge had been thrown over, and the Second Brigade having crossed and moved in advance on the Palmetto road, the horses of my command were brought over; the brigade mounted and followed the Second about two miles, when we took a road to the right, the First Tennessee in advance, pressing on rapidly, encountering only a small squad of the enemy, and reaching Palmetto at sundown simultaneously with the Second Brigade. Here we were busily engaged for two hours in destroying the railroad and telegraph line. We then moved, following the Second Brigade, on the Fayetteville road, reaching that place at daylight on the 29th.

For five miles west of the town the road upon either side was lined with the enemy's trains, which were taken possession of by details from the advance brigade. At sunrise we left Fayetteville, my

49 R R-VOL XXXVIII, PT II


Page 769 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMB'D (CAVALRY)