The National tribune., 1902-10-30

of the extent of the Confederate victory
over the cavalry forces of Gems. StOneman
and McCook, he came to the conclusion
that Gen. Sherman's c.-Yalry was COM
pletely broken, and that he would be safe
from any further serious cavalry raids
against his lines of railway. Gen. Hood
thereupon decided to dispatch force Of
cavalry to the rear of the Union army
with the hope of destroying its conimuni-
cations.
He ordered Maj.-Gen. Joseph Wheeler,
with 4.5C0 cavalry to make this movement.
reserving a considerable force of cavalry
for other service.
These orders were given Gen. Wheeler
immeda tely after his return from the
campaign against Gen. McCook. He
found both men and horses pretty well
tagged out. but he entered with spirit
upon this new enterprise, and soon had his
command well fitted out for the movement.
Gen. Wheeler started on his march Aug.
10. He made wide detour east of At
lanta, avoiding all scouting parties from
Garrard's Cavalry, stationed northeast OF
Atlanta He made a safe passage OF the
Chattahoochee River, and directed his
march northeastward. He detached a
considerable force to operate west of the
main force. against the railroad.
On Aug. IL, Col. Eli Long, most capa-
. BILE and enterprising officer, commanding
the Second Brigade. Second Cavalry Di-
vision of Shermans Cavalry, reported
from Buck Head that ''the battalion of
my command sent out this morning has re-
turned. They proceeded beyond Decatur
on the McDonough road some two or
three miles. and also some five or SIX
miles north and east of the town, without
encountcring any of the enemy, or learn
ing anything of any movement on their
part"
WHEELER STRIKES RAILROAD AT AC-
While Col. Longs scouting party was
out, Gen. Wheeler's fankers struck the
railroad near Acworth, tore up part of
the track and destroyed a portion of the
telegraph line. This fact was reported
to Gen Sherman by the following dis
patch:
Marietta, Aug. 13, 1864.
"General Sherman:
Following dispatch lust received.
IVAN DYNE.
"Train No. . first section, Engine p,
was fired upon one mile south Of AcwOrth; !;
the road entirely torn up for eight rods;
Engine % badly off; ties all burnt and
iron bent.
.. Il have brought my train back to
Big Shanty, and will wait orders from
you.-SULLIvAN, Conductor
L d
to repair track.-J. b. VAN DYNE, Master
of Transportation"
Gen. Sherman Immediately telegraphed
to Gen. Macarthur, commanding at Mari
eta. to 'see at once as to who and what
force broke the road at or near Acworth.
1t is, in my Judgment mere cut, having
bearing on something beyond"
Gen. Macarthur from Big Shanty, Aug.
13, 12:50 p. m, replied:
Damage to railroad repaired. Enemy s
force, about IS, came on the Alabama
Road, about one mile south Of Acworth::
and returned same day. Nobody hurt and
ne serisus damage to engine.
II have taken measures to prevent a
recurrence"
On the same date Gen. Sherman gave
Gen. Macarthur the following instructions:
Make somebody suffer for the break
OF the railroad at Acworth. 1t would be
well to keep good picket out in that di,
rection.
1.-The Macon papers announce the cap
ture of Marietta by their cavalry. That
indicates purpose. l think you had bet
ter bring the Kenesaw force close in, with
a regiment to picket the mountain, with
q signal station"
During the afternoon the raide-s struck
the railroad near Cassvil!e and d ,stroyed
portion of the railroad and telegraph
line.
The movements of these E;cn were
rapid, and their stay upon the railroad
was brief, They were evidently not hunt
ing fight; they avoided even the patrol
which passed along the track every hour
Late in the afternoon Col. Moses w
Harmon, with his brigade Of four regi
ments of cavalry and two pieces of artil
lery. struck the railroad four miles south
OF Calhoun. Here he met drove Of beef
cattle being driven to the front. He at
tackled the guard. and had an active skir
mish with them, but with his superior
force soon overeame all resistance. and
captured large portion of the guard. He
tore up the railroad track and drove of
LOO fine beef cattle. Col. Faulkner
commanding the cavalry at Calhoun. sent
out q battalion in pursuit. They recov
cred some of the cattle, but Col. Harmon
was successful in making way with the
most of his booty.
NY FIRST INFORMATION OF THE RAID.
About o'clock in the evening of Aug
13, l received n dispatch from Col. Wat
kins at Calhoun, informing me of the at
tack on the railroad below that place ant
of the capture of the cattle by a consid
cradle force of Confederate cavalry. II,
stated that he had information that ther,
were about 600 rebel cavalry at Fair
mount, about IS miles southeast of Cal
houn. This was the first information
had received Of these various attacks OIL
the railroad that day; the telegraph lin
having been broken south, l had hear,
nothing from Gen. Macarthur. / at ono
came to the conclusion that large cav
airy force WAS about to raid our railrOa,
and that the force that appeared below
Calhoun was operating to cover the move
ments of the main column. l decided t
discover the movements of the main bod
il possible.
had two companies of Kentucky cav
airy under my orders at Resaca. 1t Wa
fine body Of men, and they were we
mounted. l sent for the officer In CON
mand of these troops. and spreading ou
my map pointed out exactly what l wan,
ed him to do, which was that at til
break of day the next morning he shoult
with his whole command, ford the Gonna
sauga River and make n rapid march east
word 20 miles to the Federal Road. an
ascertain whether the enemy was marcl
ing to our rear
| directed that n few men should b
thrown out to watch the fOrds on til
Coosawattee, n stream flowing from til
east, and which unites with the Conn:
sauga about three miles above Resaca, th
two forming the Oostanaula River, tt
stream on the north bank of which Resac
is situated. | also directed that an ei
gagement with the enemy should be avoit
ed, and that if the enemy was discoveres
to send me word promptly by courie
This force moved out at the appointe
time. and performed their task well.
When they approached the FEEDER:
Road (Which, by the way, is a macadan