Today in History:

384 Series I Volume XXXVIII-IV Serial 75 - The Atlanta Campaign Part IV

Page 384 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

ON BOARD U. S. GUN-BOAT, Off Bridgeport, Ala., June 1, 1864.

Colonel W. KRZYZANOWSKI,

Commanding Post, Bridgeport, Ala.:

I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of U. S.gun-boat:

May 26, 1864, after taking aboard fifty-three men of First Ohio Sharpshooters, under command of Lieutenant Botsford, I got under way at 10 a.m. Arrived at Larkin's Landing at 2 p.m.; landed; wounded; reconnoitered the river below, and returned to Larkin's after dark; having only one point I lay to until morning. At Roman's Landing found eleven bales of cotton, claimed by J. R. Hamblin, captain of the home guards, who requested me to take it to Larkin's Landing, where his company is cutting wood for the boat, as the guerrillas had threatened to burn it. May 27, got under way at 4.30 a.m., with home guards aboard. At foot of Buck Island I set ashore a detachment of sharpshooters, under command of Lieutenant Botsford, to reconnoiter Gunter's Landing four miles below; floated down; made Gunter's at 10 a.m.; landed; wooded; took aboard detachment set off above;turned out; run down. Landed at Whitesburg at 2 p.m.; run up the chute opposite the island; tied up; wooded. Cast anchor at 8 p.m. May 28, weighed anchor at 5.30; landed at Triana at 7 a.m. We found the Sixty-third Illinois Regiment stationed at this place. Cast off at 8.30 a.m., and without anything transpiring worthy of note, arrived at Decatur at 10 a.m. Got under way again at 5.30 p.m.; ran up the river; arrived at Whitesburg at 10 p.m.; cast anchor and lay to till morning. May 29, about 2 o'clock a.m., I received orders from General Smith, Huntsville, through Colonel Jackson, that it was reported that the rebels were crossing in force at Point Rock and Gunter's Landing, and for me to proceed to these points as soon as possible, prevent the crossing, and destroy all the boats I could find. I was under way at 2.30 a.m. Found the enemy at Paint Rock, or signs of any crossing; passed on, arriving at Gunter's Landing at 6.30 a.m.; ran up about two miles above; landed the home guards and sharpshooters. At 9 I dropped down to the landing, tied up, and wooded. Soon after landing Lieutenant Botsford reported that he had driven some seventy-five or eighty rebel cavalry from Guntersville, and had possession of the place, and that they had killed two men, captured some prisoners, also some horses and equipments. Having enough wood aboard, I recalled the infantry, who brought off with them three prisoners and four horses, also a large mail captured in the post-office of the place. After swimming the horses over the north bank, I turned out and ran down the river; landed a few moments at Mr. Williams'; I arrived at Whitesburg at 4.30 p.m. May 30, got under way at 8.30 a.m., after taking aboard four companies of the Eighteenth Wisconsin Regiment, under command of Colonel Jackson. Landed at Mr. Williams' at 11 a.m., crossed the river and landed the infantry to destroy some saltpeter works situated about two miles from the river, which were reported quite extensive, and men working them. After landing the infantry, I dropped down a short distance and lay till 3 p.m., when the infantry returned; report having met no opposition whatever in taking it, as the enemy had all fled. They completely destroyed the works. There had been me at work quite recently, as the fire was still under the kettles. Turned out and ran down at Paint Rock, where I landed a detachment of infantry again on the south bank; dropped down to Hallowell's landed; wooded while waiting for the infantry to come up. Destroyed one large stout ferry-boat


Page 384 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.