Today in History:

52 Series I Volume XXXIX-II Serial 78 - Allatoona Part II

Page 52 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LI.

Grenada to head off a raid which was contemplated from Memphis toward the prairie in Mississippi. One of Forrest's scouts near Hudsonville told him they were moving this way.

G. E. WARING, JR.,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.


HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Murfreesborough, Tenn., May 27, 1864.

Major B. H. POLK,

Assistant Adjutant-General, District of Nashville:

MAJOR: I respectfully inclose reports of Major Stephenson, Thirty-first Wisconsin, and of Captain Hill, provost-marshal, respecting guerrilla parties, for the consideration of the general commanding the district. That there are rebel parties growling about the country is very evident, from the fact that Shelbyville was plundered by them a short time since, and my scouting parties have come in contact with them several times. With regard to their numbers, I cannot speak. They may be exaggerated. I think they are. I have ordered the prisoner Rousseau, who, by the by, claims kinship to our general, to be sent immediately to Nashville.

Very respectfully,

H. P. VAN CLEVE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Post.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.] HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Duck River Bridge, Tenn., May 22, 1864.

Captain E. A. OTIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report to you that I have ascertained from a Federal scout named Young that the guerrilla band or organization of bushwhackers that has infested this part of Tennessee for some weeks past now rendezvous near the head of Mulberry Creek, about fifteen miles nearly south from Shelbyville, and is composed of the following commands: Captain Davis, seventy men; Blackwell, seventy men; Blackwell now ranks as major; Roddy, sixty men; Roddy now ranks as colonel or lieutenant- colonel; Cruzer, forty men;

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, forty men--this name is forgotten--making in all 280 men. Cruzer seems to be operating along the line of Lincoln and Marshall Counties. The squad from Short Mountain, under Major Hughs, was at Fairfield on the 20th instant. Lieutenant Thomas Beattie and twenty men returned yesterday from a scout, on which he visited Shelbyville and Richmond; from Richmond he proceeded to within five miles of Lynchburg, thence to the headwaters of Flat Creek, thence down said creek to Flat Creek store. Davis and Blackwell have been scouring that country almost constantly for the last three weeks. He learned that their headquarters was on Mulberry Creek, near Mulberry village. The greatest number of men of Blackwell's command seen together at one time in that neighborhood was thirty-six. I learn that General Paine will send an expedition through that country, if deemed necessary, whenever you are ready.

I have the honor to be, captain, your most obedient servant,

R. B. STEPHENSON,

Major Thirty-first Wisconsin Volunteers.


Page 52 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LI.