Today in History:

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

Page 222 KY., MID. AND E. TENN., N. ALA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXXV.

ours effect, literally strewing the ground with men and horses. I had halted Stanley 4 miles out, on the Murfreesborough road. He at once crossed his forces over at Hughes' Mill, vigorously attacking Forrest's division, moving down on the Lewisburg pike, capturing six pieces of artillery and some 200 prisoners, but, owing to the unfavorable nature of the country, was unable to hold them, being attacked by greatly superior numbers, outflanked, and nearly surrounded. At the moment I was about to support him with all of my available cavalry and infantry, I received a dispatch from General Morgan saying that his pickets were being driven in on the Wilson pike. This led me to suppose that either Brentwood or our rear would be attacked in force; hence I was unable to carry out my project of cutting off and destroying most of Van Dorn' force. Our loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners is less than 100, while the enemy's cannot be less than three times that number. They were repulsed on all sides, and driven until darkness prevented the pursuit. Captain McIntyre, of the Fourth Regulars, took the battery and prisoners, bringing off twenty-odd of the latter.

G. GRANGER,

Major-General.

Reports place Van Dorn's force from 10,000 to 18,000. The attack was repulsed so easily that I am waiting the return of General Stanley, who has gone with his force to the front, to know whether it was more than a reconnaissance.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.


Numbers 2. Reports of Major General Gordon Granger, U. S. Army, commanding of Kentucky.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF KENTUCKY, Franklin, Tenn., April 15, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit to the general commanding the Army of the Cumberland the following report of the attack that was made upon my forces at this point on the 10th instant by the forces of the enemy under the command of General Van Dorn;

For several days previous to the day of attack I had received information from Murfreesborough and Triune that such would be made by General Van Dorn on the 9th instant, with a force variously estimated at from 15,000 to 18,000. In accordance with this information, I made such disposal of the troops at my command as I thought proper to resist this threatened attack. My effective force consisted of 5,194 infantry, 2,728 cavalry, eighteen pieces of artillery, and two siege guns, subdivided as follows:

Command Men. Guns.

Brigadier-General 2,884 12

Baird's division

(infantry)

Brigadier-General 2,310 4

Gilbert's division

(infantry)

Brigadier-General 1,128 .......

Smith's Fourth

Cavalry Brigade

Major-General 1,600 2

Stanley's command

(cavalry), about

24-pounder siege ...... 2

guns at the fort

Total 7,922 20

With this force, composed principally of raw men who had never heard a hostile gun fired, I had to resist the attack of General Van


Page 222 KY., MID. AND E. TENN., N. ALA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXXV.