Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-05
Through the Tennessee Woods
With Joe Wheeler

After the battle of Shiloh Bragg chang
| ed cavalry generals, Chalmers retiring
TO the infantry and General Joseph E.
| Wheeler, of the Alabama Volunteers,
| taking his place. Wheeler was at that
time young man OF about Is years, nerv-
Gus motioned and forceful in both man
ner and speech. and showing much OF the
dominant military genius which was TO
make his name so widely known and hon
ored.
Bragg and Wheeler, with their troops
proceeded TO Danville. Ky, leaving my
individual regiment, the Eighth Confeder-
| ate. behind at Columbus. Miss, for re-
organization, with orders 10 rejoin them
at that point.
In the selection of officers the first lieu
| tenancy was conferred upon me, and the
man elected captain being away on a fur
Tough. I assumed command at once. We
came I'D with our superior officers the day
following the battle of Perryville, and
were in time to fall in with the retreating
troops.
Wheeler struck camp few miles from
4 Danville and sent small detachment
Of men under my command back to the
| town with directions 20 watch the move
ments OF the enemy at that place, and re-
/ port to him every few hours. We fol-
lowed these directions faithfully, remain
ing IN Danville until late in the afternoon.
A number OF Yankees were lettering
around the streets Of the town, lounging
and carousing rather noisily, but they
noticed US very little. and we them, be-
Il yond obeying Wheeler's orders.
. About two hours OF dusk some ladies'
i passed us in an open carriage and per-
| ceiving our uniforms inquired IL we be-
longed 20 Wheeler's cavalry. Being an
swered In the affirmative, they Informed
us that they were returning from Wheel-
/ er's encampment. which they had found
deserted. They had taken out dinner to
the general and his stan. and offered us
/ the provisions. As we had not tasted
food since morning we gladly availed our
Il selves OF their hospitality.
Wheeler's departure without our knowl-
/ edge seemed at first slightly unceremo-
nious, but upon reflection we concluded
that some sudden information was the
Il cause or that he had acted with intent
Il supposing that as long as Confederates
Il were seen in and around Danville the
Yankees would think their general not far
1 distant In short, as usual Wheeler was
covering Bragg's retreat, and as slight
ly unusual proceedings we were covering
Il Wheeler's.
| A few hours OF swift trotting brought
! US TO the second encampment. where fres
were blazing and preparations for supper
and rest in progress. But as soon as that
meal was over and the night dews began
Il to fall the buglers sounded saddle up"
and each man frightened the girths of his
saddle. looked to his accoutrements, and
i swinging himself across his horse, was
soon riding noiselessly through the rapid
ly darkening forest, carnage and death
before. and behind him, the woods close
around him and the tranquil heavens
above. He and his horse a component
Il part Of the great Wheeler cavalry.
These maneuvres were continued for
weeks. Bragg slowly falling back toward
| the Gan, obstinately contesting every inch
Il . au#,
by night and the enemy barking at our
/ heels like so many hyenas of the plains
all the time. The dawn of each day found
i the wearied men almost Keeling in their
saddles, their sleep-hungry eyes endeav-
oring TO pierce the mists that hid the
rifles Of the federals, until at or near the
/ first OF October we reached the vantage
point of wild Cat Heights. KY. where we
rested for one night beyond rife range
Of the enemy.
The next morning, however. we heard
their guns saluting US over the ridge.
Il On the afternoon OF that day Wheeler
rod down the line OF jaded dispirited
cavalry drawn up before him and address
ing my regiment ordered US to charge
/ across an open field on our right, and
/ across which the enemy's bullets were
singing. Beyond this plain and the fringe
i OF woods that bordered IL, he assured US
/ wound a mountain road, where we would
Il
KEGS, and along which Kirby Smiths wa
gon train was passing in need of our es-
| cort until the Gap was reached.
Unwearied and undaunted. Wheeler
looked unusually small and pugnacious on
his big bay horse that afternoon. Some
thing like a school boy with unrecited
i lessons weighing on his mind, but alert
and anxious for the excitement, of the
/ moment.
captain" he began; captain. you must
4 charge across that field and up the road
beyond. where. I am informed Kirby
Smiths wagon train is passing. You will
report TO Smith and join his guard until
the boundary is passed"
Then. despite the proximity Of the enc
my, and the bullets continually whistling
around his head, he began and finished
harangue. which the lapse of time mas
obliterated from my memory, but which
under the circumstances seemed unneces-
sarily long.
At its termination I gave the command
and we charged across the open. reach
i ing the woods without loss. Continuing
in swift gallop up the mountain road
| for mile or so we had begun to check
! our speed. when the adjacent woods SEEM
| ed to suddenly vomit lead. Men and
| horses went down In the unexpected as
sault. Half or my regiment wheeled and
( galloped furiously back. Calling on the
men near me to follow put spurs to my
horse. and we dashed at tremendous speed
| through the surrounding confusion and
Il down the mountainside out of sight
/ Here we paused to consider. The am
| buscade had been so sudden we were at
a loss TO fathom its meaning. Moreover,
Wheeler had assured us of safety in this
/ portion Of the country. Two men were
detailed TO make a careful reconnoiter.
They reported us in the midst of Smiths
men. We were nearer them than Wheeler
had thought. and our rapid galloping up
the road in the gathering dusk had been
mistaken by them for an onslaught Of
the federals, and they had acted accord
i ingly. and rather hastily.
The result might have been worse. One
OF the younger members of the company
was more frightened than hurt by a spent
ball lodging In the back OF his scalp, and
| went around complaining that he was
| killed, until the surgeon ripped the skin
with his pen knife and the bullet fell out
one poor fellow was so seriously hurt
that he was sent back to Nashville, where
II was found necessary TO amputate both
OF his limbs.
We reported to Smith and fell in with
his men. He was driving down from the
blue grass plains of Kentucky a herd Of
the finest. latest cattle I had, or ever
| have, seen.
And so through the glorious golden Oc-
tober weather that lay like a royal robe
over the war-cursed land we rode
Through frosty mornings when the cold.
l brilliant skies seemed set in a superb