Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-05-30
"reminiscences Of the Third TenneS.
see Cavalry.
BY ADJUTANT WILL A. M'TEER.
NO. XIII
THE M'MINNvILLE RAID.

THE M'MINNVILLE RAID.
Ga the 10th of April. 1868, the Cav~
airy Division moved out OH the Wood
bury pike, our brigade bivouacing at
Readyville for the night. Col. Pick
ems being absent the regiment was
commanded by Lieut.. Col ID. q
ThorDburgb. About an hour ant a
half before day on the morning of the
2Ist the command was again put on
the march, passing through Wood
bury about sunrise, there leaving the
! nike and following rough dirt Rad.
| In the afternoon the march was quick
! cnad into a IrDt and after while ia
gallon. Here and there could be seen
broken guns aud other weapons indi-
eating that work was going on in front.
This rapid march was kept up some
two or three miles, when we came to
McMinnville, passing through the
streets in ii fast galiop. AS we were
thus passing through the town, little |
boy come running TO box or large !
stone on the corner of The street, |
mounting il he unfurled the stars aud |
stripes and joyOusly waved it to cheer |
US on. This was something we had /
not met anywhere in Middle TenUeE> |
see, so that it raised the spirits OF |
tired and worn uoldiers until they were |
ready to do and to dare anything for
the brave little boy who had kept his
flag hid until this opportunity was !
given TO east it TO the bTeeZas. SDO3 |
another greeting was given by loud,
strong voices at the side Of the road,
shouting for the Union and the boys
in blue. They turned out to be some
of our Ow brigade who had been cap
tured, and were kept there as prisoners
of war, being now RECAP tured they
cheered us Justify. Passing through
the town, the command dash ID at full
speed down q very steep hillside into IA
deep, clear river, neither halting for
bill or river, but going fast as horses
could well travel some little distance
beyond the river, when a halt was
called, upon which an orderly came
with orders to report i'm mediateIy
back in McMinnville. Upon getting
back we were informed that an en-
CINE with one or two cars had just left
the depot, and we were ordered to
pursue it. As reckless and silly a. il
may seem, the Second and Third
Tennessee and Second Michigan Cav
airy started after it. In passing
along, the read led US by
large cotton mill. Here. it seemed,
there was hundred or moe
women, employees of the mills, crowd
ing the doors and windows, excitedly
cheering us with their handkerchief .
which was answered by the officers
and many OF the men raising their
hats. These tokens of loyalty re-
mi 4 Cd ~ of 1T ]
chain-bOuud East Tennessee. Soon
after we started we found the rebels
were loaded with bacon, and they
were setting il on fire and throwing il
out. On, wildly dashed the cavalry
men, ever few rods passing middliugs
of fat bacon simmerlng and smoking,
while the burning lard was spreading I
over the ground. Following the rail-
road some ten miles, behold. the en-
CINE was in sight of us, but on fire
So, dashing up, il was found to tie +
injured from the fire, bat apparently
had been in good running order, ex-
cept perhaps from the want of some
water. An engineer OF our command {
mounted it aud raised come steam. Z
then attempted TO put it 10 full speed d
and run it down, on fire, into Bragg's y
camps. then at Tullshoma, but the
thing was too badly damaged and
dafk fast coming upon Us,
but the way was lighted by the burn
ng bacon. Imagine our surprise and
,hagrIn upon coming back to the cot~ @
on mills to find them smOuldeTiDg in y
TO the ground by some
eckless soldier aud so many loyal
women thrown out of employ ment
among their enemies.
Sleeping few hours near McMinn. .
i L
passing through Smithville and bI- 81
some seven miles from the :;
after place On the 23rd we were sup.
)lied with some ratiOns aud moved to fI
Liberty. Here / took supper and
breakfast the first time L had taken a
neal in "a house with citizens siuce he
,th of August before over eight
On the % h, we moved 20
Alexandria. Here little squad 81
# US went into mill. get
ing bran for our horses, part
I US got our bran and stepped out at
ne door, guard stepped in at another
nd arrested all in the mill, taking
hem TO Jail and keeping them all y,
ight-s narrow escape for some of US o.,
On the 9th we moved back near S4
liberty, and o. tue 29lh moved Il.
gain towards MurfreesborO', passing
trough Auburn and Lsscassus, re.
lrning to camps OF the 30th Of
.pril.
On this raid and at McNinnville.
ne notorious guerilla and BUSH
7scker Dick McCann, was badly
abred and captured. He was then
laced in charge of The Fourth Reg ba
lar Cavalry, aUd at night be made Lie
is escape and went back to his old
aunts and practices.