Today in History:

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

Page 281 Chapter XXXV. STREIGHT'S RAID.


Numbers 3. - General Joseph E. Johnston, C. S. Army.


Numbers 4. - General Braxton Bragg, C. S. Army.


Numbers 5. - Thanks of the Confederate Congress to General Nathan B. Forrest and the officers and men of his command.


Numbers 1. Report of Major General William S. Rosecrans, U. S. Army.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Murfreesborough, Tenn., May 9, 1863.

GENERAL: I informed the General-in-Chief that I proposed to send out an expedition to cut the Georgia Railroad south of Dalton, so as to prevent troops being sent by that route to re-enforce General Bragg, and to impede the forwarding of ammunition and supplies to his army in our front. Colonel Streight, Fifty-first Indiana Volunteers, was chosen to command the expedition, which consisted of the Fifty-first and Seventy-third Indiana, Eightieth Illinois, and Third Ohio, and two companies of the First Middle Tennessee Cavalry, raised in Northern Alabama. They were provided with pack animals, and mounted with the best we could furnish. They left Nashville on the 11th ultimo, and arrived at Eastport, Miss., on the 20th ultimo, by transport from Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River. General Dodge, to cover and protect the movement, advanced from Corinth to Iuka, and thence to Tuscumbia, and finally as far as Town Creek, taking Colonel Streight with him.

General Hurlbut reports by telegraph from Memphis, under dates of May [1], 5, and 6 (copies inclosed), that the movement was a perfect success up to Sunday, the 26th ultimo, when Colonel Streight left Tuscumbia with every prospect of succeeding in his work.

We yesterday had rumors from rebel sources that the expedition had been captured, after destroying a large iron foundry in North Georgia, but before they had succeeded in cutting the road. This report is further confirmed by the Chattanooga Daily Rebel, of the 7th instant, a copy of which is inclosed. I very much regret the failure of the main purpose, but trust that the enterprise will yet compensate us for the temporary loss by the number of troops we shall draw from their front to protect their lines of communication hitherto quite undisturbed.

Inclosed is a copy of the orders and instructions to Colonel Streight, which, together with the copies of General Hurlbut's telegrams of the 5th and 6th instant, I forward for the information of the Department and the General-in-Chief.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General, Commanding.

Brigadier General LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

P. S. - I also transmit a copy of a dispatch just received from Colonel Streight, dated Tuscumbia, April 26.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Murfreesborough, Tenn., April 8, 1863.

COLONEL: By Special Field Orders, Numbers 94, Paragraph VIII, you have been assigned to the command of an independent provisional brigade


Page 281 Chapter XXXV. STREIGHT'S RAID.