The National tribune., 1902-10-02
xVZlH The WESTERN
EA ~4RMY~
s3kaHS{I Rousseau Raid
By GEN. GREEN B. RAUM.
Rousseau Raid.

EY GEN. UREEN b. kAUM.
crs Of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE.
able force. A sharp skirmish ensued.
Hearing the noise of the fight. Gen. ROus-
seau dispatched Lieut.-Col. Jones, of the
Sth Ind. Cav, with reinfOrcements. Maj.
Graham pressed vigorously forward. and
succeeded in routing his antagonist be-
fore the arrival of reinfOrcements.
While this skirmish fight was going on,
the main body of the column reached the
ford and began the passage of the stream
They were met by Il severe fire from the
enemy. posted on the east bank, sheltered
by works and trees. Col. Patrick gained
possession of two islands in the river.
where he formed a line with the 9th Iowa
and 4th Tenn. and kept UP vigorous
fire. In the meantime Maj. Graham ar
rived on the scene, and promptly attacked
the enemy in flank and rear, causing him
to hastily retreat.
The Confederate force consisted of the
9th and Sth Ala. Cav, commanded by Gen.
James II. Clanton. Their loss was 10
killed. 40 wounded and eight prisoners.
Among the killed were Capt. r. S. Am
hercrombie and Capt. Moore: Amongst
the prisoners were Lieut.-COl. Washington
T. Larry and Mai. Eliphalet A. NJ. Whor-
ten, of the 9th Ala. Cav.
The loss of Gen. ROusseau's force to
this point was Capt. Cure. of the 9th
Iowa Cav. killed; Capt j. G. Wilcox, of
this same regiment wounded. and one man
wounded of the Sth Ind. Cav.
After this engagement the crossing of
the river was effected without further re-
sistance. Gen. Rousseau learned from
guides that he forded the Coosa River at
the same point where Gen. Jackson made
the crossing in 1913 on his march against
the Creek Indians.
The hot weather and bad roads proved
too much for the artillery horses. They
were unable to keep up with the cavalry.
One gun and caisson were destroyed and
the horses attached to the remaining gun
and caisson.
DESTROYING RAILROAD AND SUPPLIES.
Five miles beyond the Coosa River an
extensive iron furnace employed in pro-
ducing war material was destroyed. Gen.
Rousseau reached Talladega July Is.
Here he captured large quantities of COM
missary stores of various kinds; sugar,
SALT flour, bacon, wheat were found in
abundance. Such as could be used was
taken; the balance was destroyed. One
hundred and forty-three Confederate sol
diers were found in the hospital and
paroled. Two gun factories. number
of railroad cars and the railroad depot
were destroyed.
To divert the attention Of the enemy
from his real purpose, Gen. Rousseau
in the direction of the railroad bridge. He
then marched off towards Montgomery,
as though that city were his objective. He
crossed the TalIapoosa River at Stoves
Ferry. and a ford half a mile below, on
the night of July 16, and still marching
on the road towards Montgomery, keep
ing up the impression that he intended to
attack that city. After following this
road for some time, he turned to the left,
directly to Loachapoka, on the West Point
& Montgomery Railroad, ~12 miles south
Of Opelika. This point was reached about
sunset July II. The work of destroying
the railroad was soOf begun. The iron
rails of these Georgia railroads Were
spiked to square sawed stringers. and
these stringers were set into the cross ties:
the timbers were all of pine, and burned
freely.
Gen. Rousseau devoted SO hours of ac-
tive work in the destruction Of the rail-
road. He sent detachments Of his COM
mand to different points along the line.
so as to hasten the work. Col. Harrison
at Loachapoka, Col. Hamilton at Auburn,
Maj. Baird to Chehaw and Lieut.. Col.
Jones to Notasulga, six miles to south of
Loachapoka, and Lieut.-COl. Watts to an
intermediate point. Small forces of the
enemy sought to protect the road. AT
Chehaw Maj Baird met superior force,
but was promptly reinforced by Col. Har-
riSon.
The Sth Ind. Cav, armed with Spencer
rifles, gained the rear of the rebel forces,
and with their rapid fire guns soon drove
the enemy in confusion, leaving 40 killed
and many wounded. The Union loss was
three killed and 10 wounded.
On the morning of July 10. Col. Harrl-
son, with the Sth Ind. and I'd KY, pushed
the work Of destroying the railroad to-
| wards Opelika Col Hamilton, with the
9th Ohio, struck the Columbus Railroad
two miles from its junction with the West
Point L. Montgomery Railroad at Opelika,
and destroyed it effectively, while Lieut..
Col. Patrick, with the 9Th Iowa and 4th
Tenn, destroyed the railroad and depot
at Opelka and the track towards West
Point.
At Opelika 10000 pounds of bacon, TO-.
| 900 pounds of sugar and 1000 pounds OF
-four and other commissary stores were OBJ
tanned and issued to the troops. Six cars
loaded with leather, nails, shOvels and
other articles were burned on the track
and turntable and Y-track destroyed
Thirty miles of railroad track were de
stroyed, including trestle bridges, water
tank and the station buildings at Opelika
Auburn. LoachapOka and NOtasulga. This
work was completed by 10 O'Clock a. m
July 10, when the command marched on
about one mile from Opelika and halted
for rest and refreshments.
In the afternoon the column was started
on the return march, which was continued
until midnight, covering % miles. Thirty
five miles was marched the next day, ant
the same distance on July q, the route
taken being Carrollton and Villa Rica.
On July %, the column reached
Marietta, and Gen. Rousseau reported hi.
arrival to Gen. Sherman. Several hun
dred able-bodied negroes accompanied thu
column on its return march.
Two Lieutenant-C Colonels. one Major
1.-TWO Captains and two Lieutenants wer
captured and paroled; 400 mules wer
brought in by the command. No armed
enemy was encountered during the return
mar.h.
The raid Of Gen. Rousseau must b.
recognized as one Of the most successful
enterprises OF this kind that was under
taken during the war. He marched 25
miles through the enemy's country durin
a period of 13 days; he struck and de
stroyed 30 miles of railroad within two o
three hours railroad travel of Gen John
ston's army near Atlanta. met and de
feated such forces as were brought agains
him, and returned to the Union lines wit
a loss of four killed and Is wounded.
The result of the expedition certainl
reflects great credit upon the cOmmandin
officers and every soldier in the column.
CTo be continued)