Today in History:

22 Series I Volume XXXIX-I Serial 77 - Allatoona Part I

Page 22 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LI.

and the other officers on duty and await the action of the proper authorities in the case of rebel escort, because they claimed (without grounds, I thought) the benefit of a flag of truce. Since this, by direction of the Secretary of War, I have placed General Hobson in arrest, and now I respectfully request that he be relieved from arrest and be permitted to go on duty, and I hope I will be pardoned the remark that I think this due to General Hobson as a useful, gallant officer. If he did a wrong, he did it unintentionally, and with no desire to shield himself.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. G. BURBRIDGE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, U. S. Army.

HDQRS. DIST. OF Kentucky AND 5TH DIV., 23rd ARMY CORPS, Lexington, August 1, 1864.

I have the honor to herewith submit the following report of the movements and engagements of the troops in my command during the late Morgan raid:

About the middle of May I received an intimation from General Halleck, and also one from General Schofield, that it would be advisable for me to watch well General Schofield's left flank, and if possible to make a diversion in this favor by attacking the enemy in Virginia. Having had General Hobson, commanding Eastern DIVISION, to concentrate all the force he had in Central Kentucky at Mount Sterling, I ordered him to move on Monday, May 23, of the mouth of Beaver, and making that point as soon as practicable, there await my arrival with the remainder of his forces. Tuesday afternoon, May 24, I left Cincinnati for Catlettsburg, arriving there Wednesday evening. Thursday, very early in the morning, I went to Louisa, and there remained all day looking into the condition of the troops and making such additional preparations for the expedition as suggested themselves. Friday morning, May 27, I left Louisa, taking with me the Thirty-ninth Kentucky Mounted Infantry and the Eleventh Michigan Cavalry, together with two 12- pounder mountain howitzers, all under command of Colonel D. A. Mims, Thirty-ninth Kentucky. About 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon, May 28, we arrived at the mouth of Beaver, where I found General Hobson encamped, his arrival having preceded mine some hours. I determined to rest the whole command here one day in order to supply them with rations and forage. Greatly to my surprise, disappointment, and intense chagrin, instead of finding the ten days' supply of food and forage which I had ordered to be accumulated at that point, there was scarcely a sufficiently for two days. Monday, May 30, I promptly ordered back to Louisa every available horse under command of Colonel Mims, of the Thirty-ninth Kentucky, with orders to use the most strenuous endeavors to get the requisite supplies forward as soon as possible. That energetic and capable officers succeeded in getting back Saturday night, June 4, with abundant supplies for the whole command. In the mean time I had sent Colonel John Mason Brown, of the Forty-fifth Kentucky, with his regiment, to Pound Gap to watch the movements of the enemy, with instructions to keep me advised as nearly as possible by courier. On Saturday Colonel Brown reported with his regiment, stating the enemy was in such force on the Virginia side of the mountains as made in prudent for him to withdraw after skirmishing with them until they commenced


Page 22 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LI.