The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-10-07
CHASING HOOD.
The 18th Pa. asss far q Share OF the Cred; Of
Capturing The Army Train.

NAltADl ~ " IAOOD.
The 18th Pa. asss far Share OF the Credi; Of
Capturing the Army Train.
To THE EDITOR: In an article published in
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE Sept. 9 lSS6, en-
titled Hatch's Hard Riders, an injustice is
done the 18th Pa. Cav. The writer says: " The
Colonel ,Spaldng Of The 18th Tenn. Cav.l
pressed Hood SO hard as 10 compel him TO
abandon his poutoons and 40 army wagons aud
ambulances. HIS entire train was burned by
a detachment of the 18th Fem. and 18th Ia.
Cav. after he crossed the river Hood did not
abandon his pontoon train or wagons, but sue
coeded In getting them across the river aud
many miles on has way 10 Mississippi They
were captured and destroyed by detachment
under command OF Col. w. j. Palmer, OF the
18Th Pa. Cav.
Gen. Thomas in his official report seo Report
OF Committee GA Conduct of the War, supple
mont. part 1. page 3sl) says: The pursuit OF
Hoods retreIting army was discontinued by
my main forces on the 29th Of December on
reaching the Tennessee River, however, force
of cavalry numbering COO men, made up FROM
attachments OF the 10Th Pa, 2d Mich, 10th,
18TH and 18th Ind, Hnder command of Col. w.
j. Palmer 18th Pa, operating with Steedmaus
column, started from Decatur, Ala, IN the
direction of Hoods line Of retreat in Missis-
spp The enemys cavalry, under RodGy, was
met at Leighton, with whom Col. Palmer
skirmished and pressed back i'm small squads
toward the mountains. Here il was ascertained
that Hoods trains passed through Leighton on
the 2sth of December and moved oil toward
Columbus, Miss. Avoiding the enemy cavalry,
Col. Palmer left Leighton on the 3lSt December,
moved rapidly via lie Grange a. Russelyille and
by the Cotton Gin road and overlook the
encmSs pOutoOn train, consisting OF POO wag-
Ons and - pOntoon boats when 10 miles out OF
Russellvlle This he destroyed. Having
4 .,F Sut.,l.s frai n al 10
Tuscumba, Col. Palmer started on the lst of
january toward Aberdeen, Miss, with a view
Of cutting IL OF, and succeeded IN surprising
il about l0p IN. on the same evening, just over
the line, IN Mississippi. The train consisted OF
10 wagons aud 500 mules, the former OF winch
were burned and the latter saberei and shot.
Returning via Tall Gate Ala, and Ola the old
I M llitary and Hackburg roads, the enemy, under
Roddy, Bifles and Russell. was met near
! RusSellville and along Bear Creek while
another force under Armstrong was reported 10
4 De I'm pursuitof our forces. Evadng the force IN
has iroat by moving of to the right under cover
of the darkness, Col Palmer pushed for Moul-
ton. coming upon Russell when within j. miles
! OF Monlt0n aud near Thorn Hill, attacked him
unexpectedly, utterly routing him and captur-
/ ing some prisoners, besides burning five wagons.
! The command then proceeded 10 Decatur with
out mulestatiOn. and reached that place on the
! 9th of january, after a march OF over 20 miles,
capturing $50 prisoners aud destroying nearly
! 900 stand OF arms. Col. Palmer's loss was one
/ killed and two wounded. Gen. Hood had sent
Gen Lyon into Kentucky with force num-
berng 500 men and two guns. This COM
mand succeeded in Gliding McCook and La
/ Grange and crossed the Cumberland River.
They attacked the garrison al Scottsboro on Jan.
10. but were repulsed. Lyon succeeded IN
crossing the Tennessee River with POO men and
one gun. Col. w. }. Palmer, with $50 of the
18th Pa. Cav, crossed the river at Paint Rock
aud pursued Lyon 10 near Red Hill, at which
place be surprised his camp during the night OF
the l4th Of January, capturing Lyon himself
one piece Of artillery and about loo Of his men,
with their horses. Lyon being IN bed at the
time of his capture asked his guard 10 permit
him to dress himself, which was acceded 10
when, watching his opportunity, he seized hi'
pistol, shot the sentinel dead upon the spot anc
escaped in the darkness. This was the only
casualty during the expedition. To Col. Pal
mer aud his command is accorded the credit o
giving Hoods army the last blow of the cam
paign, at a distance Of over POO miles from
where We first struck the enemy on the l0tl
Of December, near Nashville.
Singular TO relate. the sentinel shot by Gen
Lyon was also named LyOn-Arthur r. Lyon
Sergeant OF the 18th Pa. the leader Of tn
advance-guard, and as brave a soldier as eve
wore a uniform.
Gen. Steedman, in his report, says: Co
Palmer, of the 18th Pa. Cav, commanding
moved from Decatur at 6 p. IN. and pushe
rapidly forward. encountering the enemy 81
miles from the river and at once attacked an
routed him, capturing his artillery and SEE
ton Of six FOUNDER brass guns II
. ceived a dispatch from Col Palmer,
I asking my permission TO pursue, capture an
destroy Hoods pontoon train. i immed
ately gave him permission 10 exercise b.
own Judgment in the matter. he decided
| pursue, and in the most splendid manner nC
= only accomplished all he propOsed-the destrn'
ti0n of the pontoon train-but pursued, car
= tured and destroyed a supply train Of no waG
Ons. Col. Palmer's command in this enterprii
! ingand daring expedition captured and desiroye
4 upwards Of 300 wagons, nearly 1000 stand {
arms n large number Of mules and oxen, an
captured aud turned over two pieces Of arti
: lery, 200 prisoners including 10 commissions
: officers, and 40 seryiceable mules"
Gen. Grant, in his report as LieutenaDt-Gcl
I eral, lS64-65 says: "A small force of cavalr
: under Col. W. j. Palmer 18th Pa, continue
% TO follow Hood for some distance, capturI
" considerable transportation and the enemy
= pontoon bridge "-GTAnts Memoirs, Vol.
page 60l.
81. The 18th Pa Cav served with distinctiC
g and is deserving of great credit, but the 18th
= Justly entitled 10 its share of the defeat
n Hood, in which neither the 18th Pa. or IL
= Tenn. participated. NJ, 10TH PA. CAV.