Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-08-05
"reminiscences Of the Second TenneS-
T IT see Cavalry .fiIiN
BY LIEUT.. JNo. W. ANDES.

BY LIEUT.. JNO. W. ANDES.
, y I'D - =
NO. XIV.
- My last left Us in the memorable
battle Of Decatur, Ala, which coin~
menced on the 26th Of October. 1854,
and lasted until dark on the evening
of the 29th. Gen. Hood was on MS
way toNashville and veering around 20
Decatur, thinking perhaps II ne couid
drive out our forces there ne might
GROSS the Tennessee River on our pom
ICONS. Had he pressed US when
he first made his attack ne
might have captured the place, as our
forces then did not exceed one thou
sand men. In cur last We mentioned
the death of Capt. A. g. McReynolds
He was gallant young ofhcer, and
his gallautry was never more conspic-
uous than on the day he fell. AS be-
fore stated, the writer was alb
sent on other service when the attack
was made, but arrived coon after
Capt. McReynolds fell. he was shot
from his horse while riding bis lines,
by a Confederate who had climbed
into the top Of tree short distance
of. He was discovered by the Cap
tain's comrades, who avenged his
death by taking the life of the soldier
who had killed him, and he came
tumbling to the ground. re- 8
. Decatur is located on o bend OF the
Ten flessee River. with the Nashville
and Decatur Railroad tapping the
river on the opposite side, the bridge
of which runs Immediately into town.
Public roads come In from Somer
vile above, Motion in the
center, while CORTLAND comes in
below. General Hoods main
force came in on the SomerVille road,
where all the heavy fighting was the
fret day. Under cover OF night, the
enemy's line was extended from the
river below to the river above, q solid
line of at least three miles in length.
On the second day the lighting COM
menced at very early hour all along
the lines, while the battery was placed
on the river bank above. The cavalry
was of very little service. During the
day several trains arrived over the
Nasty and Decatur road, bringing
in from the posts between Decatur and
Nashville, several thousand troops
who were stationed around our lines.
| The Second Cavalry was on the left
flank, dismounted. Three men of
company k-R.s L. Neuse. James
fSwiddy, and Andrew Reaves-got
out of ranks and slipped near the
Confederate battery, thinking they
might capture it perhaps. They
slipped along the river bank and COM
meneed firing on the battery. But
the grey jackets poured svolley at
them. wOuBding Neuse In the left
shoulder and Reayes in the left leg.
Swiddy escaped unhurt and returned
| to The & regiment to tell the
news of the adventure. We. sent for
1 the wounded boys, who were glad to
around the lines throughout the day,
nenner side. appearing TO gain any
| advantage. Our forces did all their
fighting from behind their works, and
sustained very little loss. The. second
night the enemy moved up still closer
to our works, entirely surrounding US
on the south side of the river with q
solid line. They had also dug what
the boys called "gopher holes,
being small pits in which they placed
harpsshOoters who annoyed US ex-
ceedlngly all day.
The 18Th Michigan Cavalry slipped
down the bank of the river, got in De-
hind these fellows, aud succeeded in
capturing $50 of them, and routing q
good many others. About the same
time Col. J. M. Thornburgh took a
squad of cavalrymen and made a
dash out of the gates at the fort
and took q circle around, during
which Sergeant James Metals
was shot and instantly killed. A
more gallant fellow never fell.
The battle continued until a late
hour on the evening of the 20 b, but
the main body OF Gen. Hoods COM
mand had passed by. The COnfeder-
ate battery above town on one side,
aud Capt. Beach's battery aud the
Federal gun-bOat. then plying the
river, on the other side, did some of
the prettiest artillery fighting OF the
war. During the three days fight the
gHnboat had palroled the river, She
was up the river and about noon came
putting up The Confederate battery
of four guns fred upon her aimmedi.
ately from t1e bank Of the river, all
tOut tAO Jus AsAG6
The battery b al been concealed from
those in the gunboat by timber on the
bank. The first discharge from the
Confederate batteries Knocked hole
IN the boat, but she returned the fire
at once, passing on down the river to
where our regiment was stationed.
Then the fighting commenced
ia earnest. The gunboat was
we'll handled during the action
She had eight guns, four on either side.
One side would fire when the boat
would be turned and the other side
would fire. And thus they continued
for about one hour, until Capt. Beach
went up on the opposite side of the
river with his battery OF four guns,
when the Confederate battery was
soon silenced. Two OF their caissons
were blown up, two guns dismounted,
and nearly all the men killed and
wounded. The Confederates left, leav.
ing tIst bury their dead. During the
night the gunboat continued to patrol
the river. S2IG4 S ESeZ E51sE 80 a
Lieut.. Saunders Mcmahon, of Com.
pany E. was sent up the river on q
scouting expedition. and 1t being very
dark, he heard the gunboat in the
river as she was quietly plying the
waters with all lights out to prevent
the enemy from crossing, and thinking
It was the enemy fired upon the boat.
The boat returned the fire and soon
roaIo kha h;a iiffla