New-York daily tribune., 1865-12-18
WILSON'S RAID.
PA, QUARTERS rlvALnr Corrs'
MILITARY DIVISION OP Tbs MISSISSIPPI. I
N,OaN Ga June " lcbJ.


c.is .c.r wu,1,. n WBuPLE CaiC Of Saf and
h,,i.,er, 1djytass Gereoi Hodqsartsr' Department
of he Cum5,riGnG.
GENERAL, Ny last general report OF opera.
t,on, dated q, (rsyeus Springs. Alabama Feb e, 1861
comn,eed the history II the Cavary Corps Military
Dvi.on NJ tho Msiss ppi. from Its organ ,tion to
that date
In ,n,susnc, OF Instructions from Gen. Thomas l
ss snborized srer the escape II Hood to the south
.as ~ the Tennessee River to assemble the avaab
fo,ce of the corps in the vicinity Of Passport at tie
head Of steamboat navs alton. the Tennessee River,
for the purpose II p.eg 'he organ z'tn sud put.
tns the troops in the best possible condition for early
srtire operations.
BY his direction, aft'r transferring the 7ih Ohio
and 9Th Iowa from the Nth Division. il was ordered
to Pulaski with view t. it's remaining in Tennessee
for local operations No reports have since been re-
ceiyed Of its services.
On the 2ith If January. La Oranges and Wstkins's
Brigades Of the Firsi Dlvsi after guing mar b..
arrived at Waterloo Landing. in the noIth-western
corner Of Alabama They Lad been detoited in Ken.
tucky under Gen McCo k. Tor the ru pose Of ricding
that State of a band Of Rebel cavalry ulder Lyon.
In pursuance Of previous rjeTs the Third Brig de OF
the division las len buicd be the FTst and
Second Brgades Breyet Biis- -Ger. Watkins. at his
own request was ordered ~ Nashville 10 rcpor TO
Brig Gen. K. W. johnson comm anding the Sixth Di.
vision. About the same tine the Second DIVISION.
Brg..GeD. Eli Long comm 'rdine and rewy mounted
snd equ pped. arrived frum Louisville having marched
from that place distance OF 0S mes. in midwlnter
oyor bad roads with niy supplies Of hrage. IN p
days Soon after this winsow's Biigsde Of the Fourth
Division arrived 10y steam trrnsports from the same
place. The Second Briea,e OF this division then
hv lsl tan frOm
Second DIvsion) vih the 5h lows ard tie 7th OHIO
transferred iron tie Sxth DvsIon). Breye Gen A. j.
Alexander a young officer OF courage snd odnrisra.
Give abilitv was assigned to the command. Brig. Gen
j. n. Griersou hsA leu originally assigned 10 the
command of this divisi"r hu, falling to use due dill
rence in assembling ard preparing it for the fed be
was replaced by Bre'ot MI rGeu. K. uiton sn officer
Of rare merit and ox1 Terce
Tie troops eh cantonod on the north bank Of
the Tennessee River. Lo gs Upton's aud Ha,chs
Divisions and Hnmmonds Briesde of knipes Division
at Grayely SPRINGS ana McC"Es Division at Water
loo The aggregate fo,ce about q 90 men, 1910
OF whom were ARMED Wth S.rpcer earhiEes and rhesi
16 900 were well ted ON horses SIMPLY requiring
few weeks rest led md attention. 10 become fit for
active service The balance were poorly armed and
dismounted.
On the 81 of bruary received instDctions 10 send
division of 500 cavaiy to Ger. Can'y. Aiier e"n
eutatiou with Gen. ILomns 1t wa Geoiied to send
Knipes Divsion bu, in order g. fun It with horses
81 was found necessary to disn"unt pr of the oom
yDand remaining behibd Gen. Hatcl's Division. com
posed OF most excellent troops hal. under its gallant
commander won great diSIi0cton during the recent
campaign; but having LARGEST uunbr Of dismoupted
mep and having been constantly IN service from tee
poeinning of the war thought it best to take the
,t
save. wished eve it Opportunity TO rest, furnish
a reIDount of fresh horses, equipments and arms a.
toped thereby 10 make model drill discipline and
touipment rs il had already made iis # IN dash,
staucy, and the cheerful leriCr:n snce OF duty
On the I'd of FebruIy the mounted pcriion 81 me
Tor Vicksbnrg The dsmuunted portion. WIN shcb
norses ~ could be obtained foll'wcd froo Nashville
ander the direct Command o! ten Knip" as s'oo a.
TRANSPORTATION coz b. u nishcd. brevet Brig Gen D.
III. Hammond had BEEN iehtved By direction OF the
Chief surgeon fom the eommand OF br,gads IN tnls
bottles abo II Nashville and tie pursuit oil hoou nom
aennessee. ,,.. .s
1000 men, requiring about $3.50 horses ~ iurpisb
ALE hoops arriyrd at Gravely Springs they were
assigned to camps c sc together rs toe ceumstinc
Of ground water and ii 'uHy t. the andDgs ""ulu
permit RE mild elimat-. roxy soil and roi sur
lace of the country rendered hi altogether the best
locality .Lat could have been found ior feeopciating
and preparing both men aud horses for an early sprng
csmptgn. c,.
tle opar,er, for the men aid shelters Tor the horses
were cor sracted viii out derl; roads were bhut "
che laDdugs, and supplies OF ior"se railos c"thibV
eoupments and an,niunhion verr FURNISHED IN g'tat
abundance. thOrOugn tystrm VI INST urOn Tor mrn
and officers was tmed. md every necs AZ! eh'it
was made 10 bring the corIs :" te hirhes P'ss.o'I
etate of efficiency Transmit herewith ht"pOsr'phch
sketch showing the situat Uf the ups ana tbe ar
Yangemeut The plnn of thst COZ siructed ~ TEN
Hammond. and afterEard occupied by PAT o nen.
Upton's Division regard tue vest aIrahsebeh' VI
cavalry cautonr,eDt YET devised ,.
The influence Of the system adopted In the snbse
quent of tie corps cannot be oEereN'naa,
1he final victory over Forrest nnd the heoe ea'hn.
was won by patient inbusuy aud INSTRUCTION Whht !"
fhe cant0nineBis Of Grayel Springs ad ~ateioo' ihe
great fault in cav. lry sy.tem nod previously peeh
0verwOfk in detachme u. aud the iosr,'e oI iHsiuc
fiOD orRaniZtt Oh, and uu fhmiy " equipment
Oh. the sd Of /, bray G"p. lbomhs hINeu AZ
EGstport with INSTRUCTIONS dfe,t'e me y, Al. ou. an
expedition o $500 or TO cavalry iof the puP use 81
making ademons ion upOu Tuscaloosa anl o'ihd W
favor of Gen. Cenby', Operations Against MCoie n'u
Central Alabama. AfteT consultation, h Whlch et
nressed a belief in the oipacn Of my COMMAND 10
capture those places and conduct from too ater most
important operatlos Gen. Is"nas gave me psrmsol"1
20 move With my entire available m"Hht ioics, a'u
authorized me 10 puisue such course M h.itn' sc
xroper keeping in WV the general Oiyces W the I'D
lending camp iign. The / SrIetinns al Lieut.
Grant TRANSMIT ted to ~ Gen. The nfeI dirtct
ing me 10 be read, = march soon es Gen 4 nDl
movement begun. allowed me the pesi useietioh
as ac independent con mstd'r
II was ri 6rst Intended that The eIpedlt0n tboad De
n its movement by tue 4th Of March but heavy IAN
storms setting in the iehnessee River became very
much swollen and the foads iupdtsabie.
Iieut .iIeB Grant hayiug directed hll the surplus
boyses uurcbasfd IN the West " be sent 10 Cen Candy
thero were no means left Ia the hands Of 'he Cavalry
pgrear 10 mount Haics Division therefore directed
bin 10 turn over his tew tc'nas nonps ~ I'a =,
Eastuot IL as expected tlnl TIE suppy departments
woud soon be able 10 furnish h1 toises ana spencer
esrbiue. 40 as 10 enable take the bcld and JOIN
gava in