The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-07-12

nonors or the day rested with Gne
Union troopers, although they stopped
short OF reaping the full cce which
was in their grasp as the result Of the
brilliant fighting they had done. The
Southern troops, who for more than
three hours, i'm the outskirts of Shelby
vile, stood up before and held at bay
q large superior force of Federals, were
a forlorn hope numbering 1900 men,
placed there and commanded by Major.
General Joseph Wheeler, in the des-
perate effort TO Protect from capture
or destruction an immense wagon
train loaded with supplies invaluable
TO Bragg's army. While the fighting
was going on, this immense train was
filing across the narrow bridge which
two miles from the battlefield spans
Duck River, and was making its snail
like progress over the muddy and al
most impossible road to Tullahomo.
''The army of Rosecrans began it's
forward movement from M~urtreesboro
on the 221 Of June, 1868. Convinced
Of the individuality Of risking a great
battle with so large @ stream az the
Tennessee River Immediately in his
rear, General Bragg had ordered q
withdrawal of his picket lines Of cav
airy under Generals Wheeler and For
rest TO the south bank of Duck River.
At Shelbyville, on the northern bank
A ~ &ATn @&mlnw m &Anma Rod han nw1%hGmaA
@ large supply Of commissary and
quartermaster's stores, and it became
OF the utmost Importance to remove
these to some point of safety. Wheeler,
in command Of all the cavalry operat-
ing in the department Of which Gen,
Bragg was commander-in-Chief, was
directed to withdraw his troops south
of Duck River by way of Shelbyville,
holding off the Federal advance until
the wagon trains were across, when,
by destroying the bridge, they would
be safe from pursuit. In accordance
with these instructions General For
rest, who was operating in the neigh
borhood OF Franklin and Spring Hill,
was directed to fall back, i'm order to
unite with General Wheeler Rt Shell
byville. The junction was to be Of
fected as early in the afternoon of the
9th OF June &C was practicable, and
the two commands q then to form
the rear guard Of the army which was
in retreat, and convoy the wagons
southwark. However,
1.-THE best laid schemes o'mice an men
Gang aft q gley.'
General Wheeler had calculated
that the force he had left TO hold the
Union cavalry i'm check at Guys Gap
would be able 70 maintain their posi-
ton long enough to permit Forrest,
who had the greater distance to travel,
to effect the junction at the time agreed
upon; but upon this day the Federal
troopers we're evidently intent upon
great deeds. Advancing on Guys Gap
they were backed by a corps Of in,
fantry under the command Of General
Gordon Granger, making a combina-
ton Of strength against which the
small Confederate cavalry command
was able TO make but feeble resistance.
In addition TO Granger's infantry, Ma
r-General David 8. Stanley, com
manding all the cavalry Of the Army
of the Cumberland, was here at the
head Of the troopers, leading in person
one OF the beat brigades Of mounted
men at that time in the Union army
At eight O'Clock on the morning of the
9th OF June, as Colonel r H. G.,
Minty in his official report says, the
entire cavalry force was ordered tc
move or Guys Gap, the fret division
in advance Colonel Minty, at the
head of the Fourth Regulars, and
Major General Stanley leading the Sew
enth Pennsylvania, Fourth Michigan,
and Third Indiana, so overmatched
the Confederates that they quickly
passed by the left flank and gained the
rear Of their position and drove them
rapidly toward Shelbyville. Major
General Granger says: Our advance
met here with no resistance to speak
Of From the Gap to within a few
miles of ShelbyvAle the fight resolved
itself into q horse race, with the STAN
peded Confederates as far i'm the lead
as they could get. The writer Of this,
who at the time was filling the humble
role OF a private in the COME derate
lcavalry, was one of q detachment sta
toned on this day about two miles in
front of Shelbyville, several hundred
yards in the rear Of some abandoned
earthworks which had been thrown ur
there earlier in the war. Even after
the lapse OF thirty five years there