The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-12-31
Letter from the LIST Ohio Cavalry.
CAMP lst ONO CAVALRY,


our cavalry have been posted pickets in ad, ance
of infantry, on every road running out Of the city
in some instances as far as four or nve miles in
others. close toiulantry camps Picket duty is the
most important that we are called on to perform,
being in fact the guarding Of the camps. Our
brigade, the Second, formed Of the lst 81 and ith
Ohio, and 9th Kentucky, under command of Colonel
Louis Zahm of the Sd Ohio The lst Ohio is COM
manded by Colonel Millkiu; 81 Ohio, by Lieutenant
Colonel Murray 4th Ohio, by Major Pugh and 5th
Kentucky, by Lieutenant Colonel Scott. Colonel
John Kennel, of the 4th Ohio, is Division Com.
mander. The whole force of cavalry in this De
partmcnt is under Brigadier General ID. s. Stanley.
| late of General Grants army. Shortly after we
arrived here from Hartsville, Colonel Millikin was
ordered to take the lst and Sd Ohio, and 4th Mich
! igan, and make reconnaissance to Lebanon, where
it was thought there was Il force of cavalry. How
ever, when we arrived they had flown, except
Brigadier General Stephenson and Colonel Hamil
ton, who saved by the feencss of their horses
/ on the approach of our advance guard.
! We should have found them quietly rcposng in
/ the bosom Of their families and friends it we had
not met flag of truce a few miles from the town
one of the guards leaving and going back to the
town and giving the alarm thus violating the char
acter OF flag Of truce. This has become quite
common with them of late, and you will see by
the following that General RoSencrAns is getting
warm on the subject:
HEADoURTERs iTH ARMY Cosrs,
NASHVILLE, Tenn, December Is, 1862.
GENERAL; You will see by the copies Of reports
to me, herewith incosed, that another outrage OF
the grosscst character has been pcrpetrated by
your own troops in the presence OF your own flag,
commanded BY a Lieutenant Colonel in your
vice, who but Yesterday was coureouSly received.
can not believe you have authorized or will per-
init To go unpuniShed or without prompt reparatiOn.
such barbarous conduct conduct hardly paraeled
by savages.
You can not store life to my men who have
been inhumanly murdered, but | shall leave to
yUur own head and heart to devise such repara-
ton as is demanded by your own honor and the
honor of our common humanity.
Very Respectfully. your 0bcdient Servant,
W. 5. ROSENCRANS, Maj. Gen. Com.
General BRAXToN BRAGG, Commanding Conted
crate Forces.
After leaving Lebanon we passed toward MUIR
freesboro seven miles, where we found two regiments
Of infantry from Geu>ral Morgan's (Federal) com
mand. We camped with them for the night The
infantry had quito n skirmish with rebel cavalry
just befo'e sent out our pickets for the night
We campeda at Baird mill, eighteen miles from Muir
frcesbNro- rather close for long stay, so next
moiniu we started for camp.
In gcn there the day before, the infantry cap
tured a w"ron-load of good things intended for
some Of Morgan's guerras, consisting of roasted
turkeys chi ckens, pigs, bread, biscuit and pies in
great variety and quantity. The Adjutant of one
of the regiments thought the good things should
be rcceipted for, so he mlde out an invoice of all
the items and signed it "Charles O'Maley, Comnis-
sary."
Last week General Stanley with our two brigades
and two pieces of artillery, made a raid into the
enemy's lines towards Murfreesboro, and into
franklin, on the Columbia pike. One company of
the lst Ohio and one company of the Sd Ohio sup
ported by another company of lst and three COM
panes of 81, run about six hundred rebel cavalry
10 within eight miles of Murfreesboro; but night
coming on we were forced to withdraw. At the
same time the 7th Pennsylvania was doing the
same kind of work another road-they being
supported by the lst Brigade. That night we
bivouacked in n field eight miles from Franklin,
with our horses saddlcd and brided, and before
daylight next morning we were in the saddle and
off. Our two companies were the rear guard, and
of course saw nothing of the fight Mt Franklin ]
believe the 4th Michigan had the most of this.
There were Soma fifteen prisoners taken, eight or
ten killed and wounded, mill broken up and a
good many horses taken-and all this with but one
Of our men wounded and none killed.
Yesterday Colonel Millikin received an order to
take the lst aud3d Ohio for the purpose of routing
out body of rebel cavalry on the Hardin pike.
These regiments were soon in their saddles They
heard the way from an "intelligent contraband"
that the rebels were camped five miles from the
city, with pickets three miles from townbut our
boys saw nothing but deserted picket posts and
camps. No doubt the rebels had learned from
some of their friends that this force was coming.
1t is almost impossible for us to get a fight with
them, as every man you see will give information
Of our movements, and knowing the country 50
much better than we do, it is not difficult matter
to head us off with the news.
Colonel Millikin is popular with his regimen,
rs It's possible for man to be-the men have the
most unlimited confidence in his courage, having
often it tested in his coolness and Judgment as
Witnessed by them, over aud over again. Though
disposed to be strict disciplinarian he is always
just in his punishments, and disposed to be lenent,
when he sees in the offender desire to do better.
Our companies are quite small, owing to the fact
that we have be n in the service nearly sixteen
months, without any opportunity for recruiting. 1t
is true that but very few ut our mln have died, but
many have been discharged, and the powers that
be" seem to have been affected with the insane idea
that cavalry should be subject all the petty details
for all purposes, at all places through which we
hayepasSed. General Stanley does not permit this
and is bringing back to many men who have been
on escort and hospital duty for months.
This part of the army, we'll every other arm of
tie service, is much pleased with the change Of
commanders General Buell. being very unpopular |
while General Rosecrans is just the reverse Every
one believes that he is the style of man that will
not leta Chaplin Hills fight pass with twothirds of
his force within striking distance, and not order it |
up; do they believe that fs Int can go on from
ten in the morning till four in the afternoon within
three miles of him, without his being aware of its
importance, and knowing exactly whether it is |
general engagement or only sharp skrmsh.
If General Rosecrans had been in command at
the celebrated retreat from TennesSe, to Louis sgiIle
Kentucky, |, for one, do not think Bragg would |
have passed entirely across this State and Ken
tucky without interruption nor do we generally |
think the small force at Mumfordsvie would have |
had to fight :he whole rebel army and finally sur
render, without any attempt being made to assist