Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-05
Woods

Bragg at once began a system of re-
treats Wheeler's cavalry covering his
until the Monday following, when Wheel
err received notice that Bragg was ready
for Rosecrans and to fall back gradually
from Lavargne until the main forces were
reached.
Bragg's army was drawn up in battle
array when we came up, and 1t was
through his lines of grim, visaged, deter
mined soldiers that we of the Eighth Con-
federate, in company with the other
troops under Wheeler, passed, the ranks
closing in behind us as we proceeded TO
the rear, and every soldier of Braggs
army saluting the boy Brigadier" as we
passed through.
The battle began, and with Rosecrans'
forces largely Outnumbering his own
Bragg drove back the entire right wing
of the federal army in confusion, selling
1900 prisoners and 30-odd cannon.
Night had put an end to the fighting,
and the opposing forces were sleeping on
their guns while the soft, mysterious
darkness of night brooded over blue and
gray alike, when the buglers of Wheeler's
Icavalry sounded saddle up" and, barely
awake, we rode away through the Ten
nessee woods, each man and horse fol-
lowing the man and horse ahead, the
blind leading the blind as only Wheeler
and his superior officers were aware of
our destination. All night long we rode,
a vigilant, never-resting procession of
men and horses, past wood and river and
hut, the farm dog Weakening to bay his
| midnight salute to us from some distant
cottage that the tread of hoofs and jangle
/ Of sabers and spurs had reached. And
when the new day came cold and pale
across the hills we found ourselves at
Lavergne, where we had encamped three
days before and Rosecrans army in front
of us. and not until then did the wearied
men and a majority of the officers realize
the military genius of the man all called
Little Joe Wheeler"
BY a detour of twenty-five miles we
had marched entirely around Rosecrans'
army, which was Just awakening from its
exhausted sleep.
Rosecrans himself barely missed cap
, ture. being engaged with his breakfast
when the attack was made The federal
provision. trains, heavily laden with sup
plies of all descriptions. were captured
and ''in one red burial blent." By the az
ternoon we were back on the front assist
ing Bragg
II These maneuvres were continued the
second and third night, our troops march
ing around the enemy under cover of the
darkness, attacking and destroying their
supplies at dawn, and returning to aid
Bragg in the afternoon on the front.
During the third mornings attack
4 Wheeler ordered my company to charge
a train heavily guarded by the Rosecrans
infantry, assuring us of support from
|
ordered, but the support failed to mate
rialize and the federals were too many
for us, closing In around us until we were
forced TO cut our way out as best we
| could
1 was separated from my command, and
In company with handful of men, was
forced to spend the remainder of the day
and that night lying in the woods close
to the pike, waiting for a chance to cross
and join the main forces.
Often since when have felt the crisp
January air around me and seen a winter
moon lying on her back in the northern
skies. have thought Of that night, now
nearly forty years ago, and see again
the long level pike stretching like a white
and very crumpled ribbon ahead. down
which Rosecrans' army came all night
long in full and rapid retreat, and again
as If by some strange necromancy of mat
ter over mind feel frost whitened sod
cold beneath my feet, the odor eXhaled
from woods I'm winter rushes to my nos
trils, and once more an Eighth Confed-
crate volunteer, am crouching in the
shadows, waiting for the dawn.
By daylight the retreat Of the enemy
became scattered, and we seized an early
opportunity to dash across the pike and
into the woods beyond. We met courier
and were astounded to learn that Bragg
was also retreating, and orders were to
leave Murfreesboro far to our right.
After the battle of Murfreesboro Bragg
and his infantry went into winter quar-
tiers, but as one writer has expressed it,
the winter quarters of Wheeler's men
were literally in the saddle. The active
brain of their general could not and did
not remain long idle. Being free to form
his own plans. he conceived the idea of
patrolling the Cumberland river in an at
tempt to waylay and capture northern
transports. He accordingly began prepa-
rations to put his attempt into execution
/ md lao A1,a&
the convoy of one gunboat, were expected
to pass point below Nashville known
as Harpeth Shoals, We departed on a
forced march for that point.
My regiment. commanded by Colonel
Wade. was stationed on a bluff overlook
ing the river, where a good view both
above and below could be had. We car
ried well mounted cannon and a number
of unusually good sharpshooters The
transports were in advance, and soon came
in sight. and after a short skirmish sur
rendered. They had large cargo Of.
supplies and a number of wounded fed
erals and their friends on board.
The men were ordered ashore, and
ashore they came in their high plug-hats
and broadcloths very much frightened. We
expected the gunboat to put in its APP
pearance every minute; indeed, the smoke
from it's funnel could already be seen
above the tree tops on the curving banks
of the river Our men were, therefore
! ordered to dismount, and with their rifles
conceal themselves in the underground
and necessary preparations for an imme-
date attack made.
One of the finely dressed Yankees noting
these preparations came up to me and in
a quivering voice asked me what we in
tended doing with them. replied that
we did not intend hurting them in the
least but we expected a skirmish in
few minutes and that I advised him and
his friends to seek the timber until 1t was
over They seized the advice and oppor-
tunity with comcal avidity and it was
ludicrous to watch them hustle for the
! woods.
The gunboat a sheet-iron affair, con-
structed after the crazy fashion of those
times. came on up the river, Smelling the
woods on both sides. It's officers had
heard that the three transports had been
captured by a number of daring bush
wackers and when Wade ordered them to
surrender paid no attention to the COM
mand. Our battery Immediately opened
fire. and the first ball passed directly
| through the front door of the vessels
cabin and out at the back, hurting moth
ing or no one. IT informed the captain,
| however. that he had trained soldiery to
deal with, and he at once commanded one
Of his men to hoist a white flag. The
man Ioonshly put his head out of the
j oh of I