The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-05-08

SCCj auu 40 oCOOu VI III CulluCuCC
admiring the beauties of the landscape
was impressed with the peace and
quiet Of the scene, and could scarcely
realize that wars rude alarms" had
ever broken in upon this 7lmost Sab
bath like stiffness. Yet l remember
ed when thirty-fvc years before, the
ragged and reckless rough-ridcrs of
the South mad mere met the hardy
horsemeD Of the North and the clash
of sabcrs and bark Of carbincs and re
volvers had rcvcrbcratcd up and down
this now tranquil valley, while thc
artillery sang deep bass to the rest Of
the music.
The victory gained at the battle of
Chickamauga was barren one to the
Confedcratcs, for the policy Of fight
ing and rctrcaling which was inaugu.
rated at Shiloh and terminated at the
surrender again prevailed.
lLcrc, as at Pcrryvillc and Muir
frccsboro and the fighting incident
thereto, our cavalry was conspicuous
for it's prowess. Forrest was thank cd
by resolution Of the Confederate Con
grcss for his valuable services in con
tributing to the victory, while Wheel
CIR, no less distinguished, killed and
wounded many of the enemy, captured
eighteen stands Of colors and more
prisoners than he had men engaged,
besides one hundred wagons and teams
and other property.
After she battle Wheeler was order
cd to cross the Tennessee River and
operate in the rear Of Rosecran army
and if possible destroy his communi-
cations. So worn out were both men
and horses that his subordinate Off
GERS deemed it impracticable to at
tempt to execute the order, aud the
commanders Of three brigadcs entered
solemn protest against their troops
being called upon for further duty
until given time to rccuperato from
previous hard service. Cavalry Off
GERS of experience asserted that half
the force would be lost from sheer
Inability to travel and even predicted
that the entire command would be
sacrificed.
General Forrest was also ordered to
take his command and move into Ten.
nessee to cooperate with General
Wheelor, but as he objected to under
taking tho expedition, he was ordered
by General Bragg to turn over to
Wheeler part of his fcrcc, which
order Forrest cbeycd very reluc ctantly,
he claiming that his men we're short of
ammunition, that the horses had
scarcely been unsaddlcd for week
and needed shoeing, and that neither
horses nor riders were in condition for
service.
Probably no enterprise of such mag
nitudc was ever undertaken in the
face of more appalling obstaclcs-an
exhausted command with limited am
munition for both artillery and small
arms, too far away from the main army
to secure supplies; ina depleted coun-
try, with Burnside threatening his
rear and flank, the Tennessee River in
his front, guarded by force superior
to his own, the Cumberland Noun
tains and Walden's Ridge beyond, al
combined to present picture of most
dishcartening difficulties.
But In the face Of all these discour-
agements the "War Child Of the Con
fcderacy" knc. no rule Of conduct cx-
cept obedience to orders, and at day
light on the morning of September
30th ho crossed the river at Cotton.
port under fire, and with portion of
hi. command charged the enemy and
drove him toward the Cumberland
Mountains, capturing nearly hun
dred prisoners, the gallant Colonel
Jim Hagan, Of the Third Alabama,
leading the charge about thirty yards
in front of his regiment.
Late in the afternoon tho two bri-
gades from FORESTS command arrived
under Generals Davidson and Arm
strong, consisting of six small battal-
ions and -four fragments. of regiments.
Wheeler S force thus augmented num-
bcred not quite $500 men, which hc
organized in,o three divisions under
Brigadier Generals Wharton, Martin
and Davidson.
At dusk in drcnching rain the
column was put in motion toward
Waldens Ridge. About 10 o'clock
General Wheeler being in advance
with staff and escort, encountered in
the extreme darkness a regiment of
Federal cavalry, which he charged and
drove in confusion, wounding few