Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-02
"reminiscences Of the Third Tennes-
see Cavalry.
BY ADJuTANT WILL. A. M'TEER.
NO. xxxv.

| wire tuo CUtu IDauu We uhu 10 t16tt
most in Northern Alabama. There
was an officer under him who rode a
white horse. We were informed that
he was a Lieutenant, and have heard
his name, but have now forgotten IL.
He was a brave, dashiI & officer, and
frequently annoyed us considerably.
We never met Roddy, but that white
horse and his daring rider were to be
seen, and generally one of the nearest
men to us. His daring stratagems
were the trouble with us, for 1T was
hard to tell how to take him. On one
occasion he came with four men on
the CORTLAND road, keeping them
selves concealed just enough to be
seen by our picket,, but so that their
numbers could not be told. Advanc-
ing near enough that he could be
plainly heard, he commanded in.
tones loud enough to be leading
u regiment by tours, right into
line, wheey, march! Forward! Make
ready! dim ! Fire :" Aud his little
squad fired, at the same time advanc.
ing on the pickets. OF course, it got
up an alarm, for the pickets thought
they were attacked in force, but as
soon as he got our forces under arms,
the dashing Lieutenant started back
for his own camps. On another occa-
sion, with his little squad OF four or
five men, he came dashing on our
pickets on the CORTLAND road, max
ing a bold attack, then as fast as their
horses could take them, they went
over and attacked the pipkets on the
Moulton road, and 80 On, until the
plckets around Decatur were all fired
upon. or course. we naturally thought
that IL was an overwhelming force
about to make an attack upon our
post, but at last we discovered the in
evitabie white horse, followed by a
few others The batlle of Decatur be~
ing over, we had but little to do except
occasional skirmishes and watching
the white horse,' until the IA b of
November, 1864, when the cavalry
engaged in sharp skirmish with the
enemy on the COurlland road, some
distance below Decatur. During this
time, Col. Thornburgh had gone to
his regiment, perhaps to meet Hood
at Nashville; part of the S-cond was
ordered to Nashville or Luis
vile to get horses. This left
our brigade with only piece OF a
regiment, headquarters, and battery.
Even Capt. White, A. A, Q. NJ, had
joined his regiment. so Gen. Granger
consolidated all the cavalry in his Dis.
trict into one command. styling it,
Cavalry, District of Norm Ala
bama." CD. w. +. Prosser icing the
ranking officer, he WAS p aced in com
maud. IhIs bod CON- sled of deIacn-
ments of the second Tennessee, Tenth,
Twelfth AL Thirteenth Iuuiaua Cav
airy together with he few men of the
Third tennessee Cavalry left on duty
there, and perhaps u few Of the FOURTH
left ia Ike manner. For some time,
duties almost without limit fel! upou
the writer of these "reminiscences
Abe Acting Assistant q iarteimaster
having joined his regimsnt Lieuteu-
ant Reveiy, aide de camp, having re
signed, the AcLing Assistant Inc pector |
General having joined bis company,
left Surgeon Jonn A. Souers and my
self as The only staff. After u while, |
when we became somewhat settled,
Lieutenant A. Sydney Prosser was
added to the staff. Gen. Hood, as
formerly stated, had passed around us,
so It became evident that we must |
evacuate that part Of Alabama. Gen. |
Granger had moved his headquarters
to Huntsville, Col. DooiittIe was
granted leave Of absence, and |
was gone, SO Col. Prosser was
left in command of the Post |
at Decatur; this lett Major G. w. Hut,
sell in command of the cavalry. On |
the morning of the 18th of November,
1854, everything wa, put in readiness
before day, for the evacuation. Soon
after daylight the rebels attacked the
pickets on the Moulton road. The vi
detles were driven back until the en-
tire reserve was engaged, and even
they were closely pressed. We were
ordered to reinforce them, and being
pressed for men, l took the orderlies
and guards Of our headquarters and
went myself to their aiu. On the |
right of the road, after crossing little
stream, there was an open field with a
gradual rise to the picket post. On the
left there was something OF an abrupt
rise into u ridge of crescent shape, firm
ing hollow between the two points.
to this branch, the command
was thrown out on either side OF the
road, the right under command of
Capt. I. f. Wallace, while the writer
assumed command OF the left. Being
thus on an ele, WALTON, we could gee the
Of the enemy, and autici-
pate their Intentions much more read
Nv than thosa Dypr the nil m UNA