The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-02-22
A HOT TIM E.
More About the 18th Ill. Cav. Fight with
the Cherokees.

More About the 18th Ill. Cav. Fight with
the Cherokees.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In recent
issue you published sketch of the fight
between the 18th III. Cav and the Cherokee
Indians of North Carolina. If we are not
mistaken this was the only regiment in the
Union army during the war which had a
fight with disloyal Indians east of the Mis-
sissippi River. Mai. Davidson's official re-
port of the fight having been lost in trans
initial to Headquarters, and he being dead,
it is only just to himself and his comrades
that whatever is discovered in relation to
this fight should have record somewhere
The NATIONAL TRIBUNE chronicles history
In every number. Files of the paper will
be valuable aid to the future historian
In looking over some old war papers
have found an additional item relating to
the Indian fight To my personal knowl-
edge the Knoxville (Tenn.) Wing, immedi-
ately after the return of the expedition.
published dispatch from Gen. Grant to
Gen Halleck. wrote to Mr.. r. H. Hood, of
Knoxville, for copy Of this dispatch, and
from him / received what follows / am
under special obligations to Mrs Brownow,
who is mentioned in letter from Mr. Hood
for her kindness in allowing the article in
question to be cut from the Whig She was
formerly the wife of Gov Brownlow, the
distinguished fighting parsou and editor of
the Wing. Before and during the war her
life was crowded with great incidents and
events, and as loyal woman in East Ten
nessee she, as well as her patriotic family,
will live in history. What follows explains
itself
From The Kno1viIe (Tenn) Wing March G, 1884,
RECENT EXPEDITION INTO NORTH CAROLINA
The following dispatch from Gen. Grant refers TO
the recent expedition into North Carolina, con-
Quoted, as we are informed. by Mai Davidson of
the 18th Ill. Cav. 1t brilliant affair In lust
ice to this gallant officer and his brave command
let ii be remembered that this expedition was con-
Quoted la the midst OF the Winter the highest
range of mountains east OF the Mississippi River.
But few expeditions during this have been go
successful, or been conducted so skifully:
WAsBINGToN, Feb. o. 1864
The following dispatch has been received here:
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Feb. g. 1864
Msj-Gen. HALLECK, GeneraI-i in Chief
Gen. Foster telegraphs from Knoxville, under
date of yesterday, that expedition sent against
Thomas aud his band of Indians and whites at
They surprised the town, killed and wounded 2I5,
took 50 prisoners, and dispersed the remainder OF
the gang In the mountains Our loss was two
killed and six wounded. U. s. GRANT,
Major General.
George B. Davis, Major, U. S. A., in charge
of the War Records Office, Washington.
d. c., under date of April 5, 1893, writes me
that he has examined the records in relation
to the fight of the 18th Ill. Cav on the LIST
of February, 1864, with the Cherokee In
dams in North Carolina, and only finds a
brief dispatch by Gen. Foster to Gen. Grant.
dated Feb. 7, 1864. Can anyone explain
why the above dispatch of Gen. Grant is not
found in the War Department in the War
Records Office?
The 18th is singularly unfortunate in hay
ing no official statement on file in the War
Office giving an account of this expedition.
H. c. Connolly, Major, 14th Ill. Cav,
Rock Island, Ill.