Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-08-16
"reminiscences of the Third Tennes.
see Cavalry.
BY ADJUTANT WILL. A. M'TEER.
No. XIV.

GOING OUT TO MEET WHEELER
HARD FIGHT AT ATHENS,
ALABAMA.
On the 10Th of August, 1864, Colonel
George Spalding of the 18th Tennes-
see Cavalry, having been promoted 10
the full ColoneIcy of his regiment De-
came the ranking officer in the diVis-
ion, and, therefore, took command,
with headquarters at Pulaski, retain
ing DIR. Carrick and Lieut.. Dennee on
his staff This relieved Col. Thorn
| burgh from command of the division
and placed him again in command OF
the brigade. On the 21st of August
the writer with papers and orderlles of
headquarters returned to Decatur,
when Col. Thornburgh again assumed
command of the brigade, restoring the
same staff.
About this time the rebel General
Wheeler was making his raid through
E Ast Tennessee, and on the Second of
Septemb Der we were ordered out to
meet him, on his way through Middle
Tennessee for the Southern lines
The Third had been sent to Athens,
aud assigned to duty there. Lieut.
A. Sydney Prosser, the writer,
and eighteen men on duty at
headquarters went through from
Decatur to Athens on horseback. The
regiments had been sent in different
directi ons on the lookout for the APP
proach of Wheeler. Col Thornburgh b,
with some orderlies, went to Athens
on the train, but were detained by
some means until we had been there
some time before he came. When we
arrived We found some two or three
regiments of infantry and a section OF
artillery formed on the public SQUARE
ready for battle, the few conValescents
lett In the camps of the Third were
just coming into town, leaving their
tents short distance from the out
skirs of the town, while d battalion
OF Roddy's men were tearing up the
railroad track in plain view IRON the
depot. We took our little squad of
| eighteen men and started out Tor the
camps of the Third, but did not gel
far when the Ietels moved around 10
meet US. We fell back cautiously and
IN order, While they marched ana
counteTmarched. We could plainly
hear and understand their words OF
command when they got into a little
woodland TO our right. Occasionally
they fired snOt or two at US. AT
length we took position In a street in
front of a large brick academy, the
street or road running directly in
front Of US and out to them. Here
they made a dash for the
camps of the Third, and succeeded in
getting into them. We fired a vol
ley at .!hem, whereupOn they returned
IL, sending the ball whIstling through
our ranks aud spatung the brick wall
Ia our rear. The work now began in
earnest and as hot as it was passlbIe
for that number of men to make 1t.
A horse of Sergeant Waters and
another one was BILLED ana one or two
Others wounded. Lieut.. Prosser, with
part of The men, took another posi-
ton to protect our flank and make il
warm for them, while with the re-
| helu our position, dismount-
ing all but one or two men, VINO
looked after the horses. Tne dis
mounted men crept down a fence anu
Their bodies as best they
cUuid, took deliberate, and, we after
wards learned, deadly aim. OEe of
our guards, Corporal John Gibson by
name, took ii position at the corner of
d house. He would load his carOIne, |
then stepping TO the corner of the |
house, take aim with Fest and fire, |
Keeping 1t up as rapidly as pOssib Die.
Col. Cam pbeII, Post Commander at
A tueus, and of whom more Will be
said hereafter, came dashiug up to
" here l Was sitting on my horse. He |
had on a large red sash, with big shout |
Ier-strais, aud evidently determined |
Dn considerable display. Dismount-
lug, he walked iutO Vnere Corporal |
Gibson was, then picking up au empty i
uafTtl that CHANGED 10 be near, walked |
cut bOidiy near little apple tree al
sat it down. Then he uck board |
la 1t, reaching up To near The height |
Of u man. THESE were dune quickly |
as possib!e. Then being behind tue |
corner of the house, be asked Gibson |
TO loan hum his blouse. Gibson took |
It eft aud handed it 10 the Colonel, |
" hereupOu, with considerable pOmp, |
he Went out to bis barrel anu DoaIu, |
aud was just spreading the blouse over |
The iOp Of the BOARD when a couple of |
balls came WnIstlIDg along, one OF |
them cutting limb frOm the apple |
Iree by his head. Wnlle the other made |
a rap" iii passing through The board |
under his hand. Campbell Jumped |
back wards about as far as ever 1 saw |
man jump forward, landing behind
the house close TO Gibson, and at the |
same time exclaimed, "G0d! that
" as the best shot | ever saw He |
then wal ed deliberately, and o. little |
fast, 10 his horse, aud, mounting, took |
his Lave. We saw DO more OF hIm |
until after the fight was over. After
hghtiug desperately hard for over a |
half hour they began TO withdraw.
After the fight was over four fresh |
graVts were found in their rear, while |
we were Informed that a wagon went
III the direction of Rpgersvltie with a |
load of wounded. None of our men
were killed, and none wounded to
amount to anything. While in this
engagement, as was always the case, l
became very thirsty. AT length a
nausea came, but not enough 10 cause
The firing all over we
Went back into The town, and upon
quieting down the nausea increased
until l was deatbly siCk. DR.. j Nat
Lyle, of the Third, gave me medicine
"hlcn afforded temporary relief. On
the ) d of September we moved
TO Pul tski. L managed to sit Oh