Today in History:

205 Series I Volume XXIII-I Serial 34 - Tullahoma Campaign Part I

Page 205 EXPEDITION TO WOODBURY, TEN. Chapter XXXV.

I here found that the First Kentucky Volunteers had not come up. I waited about three-quarters of an hour, and directed Major Lasselle to go back and order them forward; he found them within 1 mile, coming up. I then ordered the Ninth Indiana forward, when the enemy's vedettes challenged my advance guard. Lieutenant Nickeson ordered his men to fix bayonets and charge them. The moon had gone down, and it was quite dark.

The enemy's reserve finding my men coming in with their vedettes, jumped from their beds and ran, leaving 7 horses, saddles, and bridles, several guns, 3 pairs of boots with spurs on, 8 or 9 coats, and 5 pairs of pants, with their bedding.

Being then 5 miles northwest of Woodbury, I ordered my command forward. When I came up with the 4 men who had been sent in the rear of the vedettes. I found that they had only killed 1 horse, and had captured none of the rebels, who dashed by them when they found there were only a few of them. I then moved rapidly forward till I reached a hill between the Half-Acre road and the McMinnville turnpike. From that point I could see the enemy passing out in the valley beyond. Believing pursuit useless, I ordered my command to move toward Woodbury, then distant 4 miles. Having 10 of my men mounted on the captured horses, I ordered them to scour the country and driven in toward Woodbury all the stragglers of the First Kentucky Volunteers. It appeared that the officers had no command over their men. They would sit down in the presence of their officers, and, when ordered forward, would reply, "I am tired," and remain behind.

When the column arrived at Woodbury, I halted it about an hour and a half, when General Hazen arrived and ordered it to camp. The Ninth Indiana Volunteers lost 1 man, who straggled from his company and has not yet returned to camp. I have no means of knowing whether the First Kentucky Volunteers brought in all their men or not. Their stragglers brought in 1 prisoner, who had lost his horse (killed in the morning). They found him somewhere in the country as they straggled through.

Respectfully,

I. C. B. SUMAN,

Lieutenant-Colonel Ninth Indiana Volunteers.

Major R. L. KIMBERLY,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Second Brigade, Second Division.


Numbers 3. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Aquila Wiley, Forty-first Ohio Infantry.


HDQRS. FORTY-FIRST REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEERS,
April 4, 1863.

MAJOR: In compliance with orders, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the detachment I commanded in the attack on the rebel cavalry posted 2 miles east of Woodbury, on the 2nd instant:The detachment consisted of the Forty-first Ohio Volunteers (12 commanding officers and 305 enlisted men) and Sixth Kentucky Volunteers (14 commanding officers and 215 enlisted men), Lieutenant-Colonel Shackelford commanding. It marched from camp at Readyville at 12.30 a. m. on the morning of the 2nd instant, the Sixth Kentucky on


Page 205 EXPEDITION TO WOODBURY, TEN. Chapter XXXV.