Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-05-21


McCooks division ofs cavalry took the
lead and had q few slight skirmishes
with the enemy, driving them from our
front upon their reserve Several Of the
enemy were killed and wounded Our
loss was one man killed
Thursday and Friday,
May 5sh and 9th, the army, or st least
the 4th, l4th and 23d corps, which had
arrived At advanced positions, remained
in It's position of "Wednesday, awaiting
the arrival Of Gen. Hooker's and Me
PheFson's corps, who marched around to
ocr right, preparatory TO 3 flank move
rnent upon the enemy's left, for the pur-
pose Of taroiEg IL
General Sherman arrived q. the front
to-day, and in company With other Gen
eral officers, rode along the lines, mi-
nutely inspecting the country, aad IA
miliarizing himself with the position Of
bis command. This morning. at an
early hour, small force advanced upon
the enemy, who, in small force, held
Bald Knob, 3 small hill about a mile
from Catoosa Platform, aud drove them
from il without the loss Of a man on
either side.
Saturday, Aay7
Al FIVE o'clock in the norning, the
Fourth corps, encamped in the hills
about Catooaa Springs, moved east,
Stanley taking the lead, followed bv
Generals Newton and Wood, arriving al
Lees House il the valley TO the north
vest Of Rocky Fsce Ridge. Newtonis s
division haltedin line Of battle. Stan
ley With his invincible division, moved
forward about mile further, tss the left
Of Tunnel Hill, and throwing out heavy
skirmish line, the right of which rested
at the base Of Tuanel Hill Ridge, whsrs.
it joined Ger Davia's skirmishers under
Col. Dan. McCook, whose brigade vas
on she extreme left Of the line Of the
Fourteenth corps The left rested 90
base Of Rocky Face Ridge. It was
Gen. Howard intention to throw Woods
division in on the right centre to support
Gen. Stanley; but the enemy presented
so weak front that Stanley was able to
accomplish all that vas expected-tbe
turning OF the eBemYs left flank By :
movement along Tunpel Hill range to
the bill Immediately in front Of the lown.
At ten o'clock the enemy. abont 500
strong, comprising artiliery and dis
mosnted cavalry, could be diseeFned on
the ridge commanding the town. Whit
aker's brigade Of Sianisys division at
once moved forward up the moderate
slope OF the range occupied by the ene-
my, and with 3 single line of skirmishers
drove the enemy from the bill, assisted
by the 5th Indiana battery, ose section
Of which was located on a commanding
hill about = mile northwest Of the town.
While the 4th corps wers thus engag-
ed Johnson's and Davis divisions NOV
ed up from Catoosa Platform, on the cen
te., aud entered Tunnel Hill Davis
division moved along she main wagon
road Fnnning from parallel With the rail
road, and threw his line across the val
laJ Johnson came up on the right and
entered the town by q narrow trail run
ming down from The direction Of Nieka-
jack Gap. Bhrnett's Illinois battery at
ta"hed to Davis division, opened their
gu"s upon the enemys position about
nine and brisk eannonaiding was kept
up for two hours, until the enemy was
Hsnked and took aighl The Ere Of the
enemys artillery vas quite accurate,
and the cavalry displayed remarkable
abandon and contempt for our Ere, only
retiring when compelled BY overwhelm-
ing number.
On comparisonsof notes By brigade
il was found that less thaa
ten wounded was our total loss in the
occupation Of the town and the surround
ing ridges
1mmsdialeiy on the retirement Of the
enemy, Stanley threw his colulAn for
ward along the ridge overlooking the
approach to Buxzard Roosf, and Joined
his right 10 Palmer, at the wago1 road
leading 70 Dalton At one p M. small
brigade OF rebel infantry approached
within mile Of our advance, and form
ed in al open field; bet few well-di-
rected shots from the 9Th Indiana bat.
terry soon dispersed them, aud they re-
tired, leaving out small picket force.
Generals Sherman and Thomas were
early in Tunnel Hill, and tonight have
their headquarters within a mile Of our
advanced line. Both Generals watched
every movement Of the enemy, aud gave
their orders with eoolness and conf
dence that proved them TO be equal 10
any emergency that may arise. The
hrigades in Stanley's division Of the 4th
corps engaged, were commanded BIZ
Gems Whitaker and Crufl and Col Gross,
and these of the l4th corps, by General
Morgan and Coils. McCook and Mitchell
The principal skirmishing was performed
BY McCooks brigade which lost no men.
Sunday, Nay s.
AT eight o'clock A. M the assembly
vas sounded in General Johnson's disi-
sion, and it Immediately moved forward
and formed line of battle about . mile
in advance Of its fcrmer position, imme-
diateiy after General Howard, who, in
the absence Of General Thomas, had
command Of the l4th and 23d corps, in
addition to his own corps, and ordered
forward General Stanieys division on
the centre, to make g demonstration to
develop the enemy s strength and posi-
ton. Simultaneously with this order
General Newton was instructed TO en-
deavor to throw a regiment or two up
Rocky Face, and TO move along it eau-
tiously. General Harker was instructed
By Newton to execute the order, and
promptly selected the l25th Ohio, Colo
mel Opdycke, to perform the task The
response of Colonel 0pdycke and his
"Ohio Tigers" was prompt, fearless and
steady. The veteran regiment climbed
the steep ridge, ever and anon stop
ping 70 cross some rocky gorge,
or scale almost perpendicular bluffs,
where to miss q step was certain
death. Arriving on the summit Of the
ridge, the regiment Immediately encoun-
tered the skirmishers Of the enemy WAC
in small force extended across the ridge.
The enemy was driven slowly from the
! ridge toward Dalton, retreating before
he nnerring Ere of the brave regimen;
that confronted them. So many natural
and artificial distractions we're eneoun-
tered, that the regiment did not move
more than half mile per hour. Learn
+ ing that the rebels were moving to ouE
left against our force in large numbers