Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-09-30
"reminiscences Of the Second Tennes-
see Cavalry.
BY LIEUT.. JNo. W. ANDES.
NO. XXI,

Our last was about the fight with
the Seventh Alabama Cavalry, thirty
miles south of CORTLAND, on the 4th
OF January. 1865, resulting In the cap
ture of twenty-five prisoners. we
left that place the same day. an0
Travelled until 10 o'clock at night
through a rough, barren country
Coming to a small settlement, we
stopped and foraged long enough tc
procure a little food for our stock and
something for ourselves. About
O'Clock the bugle sounded at headquar'
ters, and soon every man was in bis
saddle, and in fifteen minutes we were
marching. There was good deal o.
cursirg from the tired and hungry
men, but it was unsafe for Us 10 remain
long in Que place. Daylight on the
5 h found US in a few miles of Court.
land, where we stopped long enough
to feed and get breakfast. We then
passed through CORTLAND, and on
to P nd Spring where, we
went into camps while the rain
fell in torrents. John Fleming, Of
Company K had captured very fine
mare on our rounds. A black boy had
worked himself up into his good
gIaces, until he bad the utmost conf
deuce in him. As VS. passsd along be
told ] I'M he was We'll acquainted with
everybody through that part OF the
,unty, that he would rice out to q
house and get him some bread. and
then Overtake him. John consented.
| But to this good day he has never seen
| the boy or heard of his mare.
On the b we returned TO Decatur,
where we turned over 100 prisoners
several horses and mules, aud went
into camps. On our trip We had de-
stroyed 395 wagons. We got into
camps about 10 o'clock at night, cold
wet, hungry aud nearly dead for sleep.
Here We found Col. w. r. Cook, for
the first time since our Okalona raid
in 1864. There he was wounded and
captured. The regiment was at this
time very much scattered. There was
about 200 in our squad, $50
at huntsville, while 400 had been
at Nashville during the Hood cam
paigu. We remained at Decatur until
the b, when we were ordered to re-
join our Odd command, then al Gravel
~ Syringe, Ala. We crossed the Ten
nessee River at Decatur for the last
time, aud went to MooresviIle, where
We remained over night. Our com
pany camped on the lot of Mr..
Thompson, who was q very strong
Southern man. He was much alarmed
and frequently came down to say that
he was an old man and had but little
left To support his family. and ap>
pealed t. the boys not to disturb what
he had left. Through something of a
Yankee trick" worked up by Jim.
Smiddy, q boy Of my company, OF
which / knew nothing, the old man
invited NE to g. to his house and en-
joy his hospitality. I reluctantly
went and was elegantly entertained
gether with my friend Smiddy, aud
when We left the old gentleman re
fused all compensation. We remaiDe
in town uUIii the 12.h, during which
time we Iormed the acquaintance of
everal hOspItabie families, among
them that of Mr.. Kinds. a s0nAiu-law
of Mr.. SIoss, a wealthy Elk River man
referred to in former letter. so much
tOl . strategy w = EuUNSu OUT
TO Eik River and found it too full to
ford, and We were forced to the neces-
sity of constructing temporary
bridge, made of old beats, upon which
We crossed Oh the evening of the IA b i,
aud went beyond Sulphur TrestIe and
camped near the spot where the third
Cavalry had been captured.
On the 18Th, we passed through
Dr. nj n 10 70 ho D.,I r.
pike. On the l7.h, We passed
through Florence, TO a point
uear Waterloo, and on the 18Th
Gen. Knipe comm Anded our division
aid Gen. Hammond the brigade.
There were 10000 men in the corps
Here We received supplies. We we're
under rigid discipline here and the
boys didn't take to it well. S)me of
our commanding officers were of the
red tape kind. Various orders were
i-sutd and various duties were to be
performed which appeared unnecessarily
uODseDsical. We were in q finely
timbere country and were ordered 10
build winter gu irteIs of timber cut in
the woods. Each cabin was to be 10
by IA feel, uniform in style, each COM
pRbS W. ttEClAV anu w 10 Wv Will
3-feet Dard-, aud every one TO have a
puncheon Il JOr.
Every company was to do it's
own bujldiug. Every Cns was at
liberty TO go to the woods and select
his own timber. Now imagine ten
Thousand men turned loose in the forest
with axes, save, etc, aud each one to
cut any IIes he saw proper. As am after
of Ct urse, each o. e would take W hat
cnme handiest. Some companies would
select their timber and forbid others to
touch l., but the rule was, no one could
claim a tree until it was down. or
course there was great confusion, and
sometimes bad blood. while axes.
msllets, rails, etc., could be- heard
everywhere.
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