The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-02-12
THE c. THURSDAY

W0oAAANa1AVN1 Ne w 1aun
about two miles distant. On the 9th. to
| coOperateI with Afa;.-Gen. Stanley in a
| feint on Pine Hill, Gen. Fitzpatrick was
ordered toward Dallas, and became en-
gagged on that road. Sent in two prison.
ers from Hardec's Corps, who reported the
CORPS procefding from Powder Springs to
Lost Moghtiin. accompanied Gen. Gar.
rard's Division on the Burnt Hickory and
Allatoona rQRd to Hardshell Church, send
ing out "Reminiscences on all the roads.
The 4th H-S. Cav. drove infantry pickeis
to their camp on the Allatoona road be-
yond KeIpS Mill; saw the camp, and an
attempt was, made by the infantry of the
| enemy tOlcgt them off. On the 9th / ap,
piled for Instructions. Mt the same time re.
porting thRE covered all the roads and
had sent pGf scouts: at Q n. m. was in
formed by YOU. L have sent orders which
will define Operations for today A few
minutes before received Special Field
Orders, No. So. Oct. 6, 1864, and imme-
diately complied with same orders.
| think now, as l thought on the 9Th that
| the one reduced division of cavalry could
not have gone direct to Allatoona from
Hardshell Church, but had my orders of
the 9th directed me to make the recon-
nOissance made by Gen. Cox on that day,
have obtained the same information. My
cavalry has never avoided the cavalry of
the enemy in any force; it has too often
contendcd with it and with success; dur
ing the present scout has seen very few
cavalry. The orders of the MajOr-Gen-
eral Commanding have been complied with,
and to enable me to do so held my com
mand in readiness, picketing only the
roads, and sending ont scouts until l could
Inor hat 1,n xyscv,o vvnnd 10
do not regard the remarks derogatory to
my command, when made by those I'M
acquainted with the orders given me, but
desiring to do my duty and obey orders,
as does my command, / confess that it is
not only discouraging but mortifyiBG- to
hear of the Major-General Commanding
censuring the cavalry publicly in the hear
ing of officers and enlisted men.
Il am, Captain, very respectfully, your
Obedient servant,
"W. L. ELLIOTT,
"Brigadier-Generala and Chief of Cavalry"
GEN. sHERMAN's REPLY TO GEN. ELLIOTT.
Following is Gen. Sherman's reply:
Headquarters Military Division of the
Mississippi, in the Field,
'.kenesaw, Oct. Z, 1864.
Gen. Elliott: l have your communion
ton of today and will answer at length
at more leisure moment. Our cavalry
is wanting in enterprise. l am fully con-
scious of the many difficulties which they
encounter in SO wooded a country and
such blind roads, but it's useless to dis
cuss these now. l want to prevent Hood
crossing the AllatoOna Range, toward the
EtOwah bridge, and also to keep the in
fantry force employed in repairing the
damage already done to our road. l wish
you, therefore, to keep Garrard's Divi-
sion and Fitzpatrick employed in harass-
ing the enemy's rear, picking off parties
and also striking whenever he offers an op-
portunity. His road must be equally bad
as ours, and will occasion delay and
struggling of which our cavalry may take
advantage. don't care of pursuing much
below Dallas, but l do want to know that
Hoods main army has passed below Dali
las toward Carrollton. If our cavalry will
make boldland handsome dashes promise
to make fall and public acknowledgment
of their sedyiGes.
Major General, Commanding"
The enterprise, activity and courage of
men like Fitzpatrick and Garrard must be
fluence UPON their officers and men, who
were readgto.i go forward upon any enter
prise to which. they were assigned.
In operating against Gen. Hoods army
at this time,eit mast be understood that
it was not retraa ing army that the
Union cavalry had teal with, but a vet
eran army well &. I'D held closely to-
gether ready to 't=sees any emergency. Their
movements were ieslgned to bewilder their
Union ant&Eoilists.
REcoNNOIssANCEs BY GARRARD AND Kill
~. PATRICK.
The following, dispatches from Gems.
Garrard and Fitzpatrick show that they
were well to the front and well Informed
Headquarters Second Cavalry Division,
New Hope Church, Oct. Z, 1864;
80. 4:45 p. m,
BRIG. Gen. Elliott, Chief of Cavalry,
Department of the Cumberland:
Il have the honor to report that 1 drove
Armstrong from New Hope Church and
followed him to the creek near Dallas,
where found him in line across the creek
and drew seven shots from his artillery.
also explored the Powder Springs road
the Lost Mountain road, and the Burnt
Hickory road. The information is hard
to reduce to system, from the fact that all
the roads in this country have been used
by infantry and cavalry. As we'll as ]
can judge, l think infantry moved from
Powder Springs, via this place, yester-
day to Dallas. The wagon train and the
infantry that was on the railroad came
here, via Lost Mountain, and today are
moving to Van Vert. Armstrong; Bri-
gade is near Dallas Some prisoners and
citizens say that they are making for Blue
Mountain and some say for Rome, but
from their direction they can go to either
place. have "a citizen from Van Vert
this morning, and he says that there is
large column on the road there I will re-
main here tonight and await orders. 1 did
not move from this place, as l am just in
receipt of the information brought in by
my parties on the different roads.
very respectfully, your obedient serv-
ant, X. GARRARD,
'Brigadier- General, Commanding Div:s.
ion."
Headquarters Sd Cavalry Division
department of the Cumberland,
''On Right Branch Sweet Water, near
Flint Church, Oct. Z, 1864; 8 p. m.
"COl. w. r. Clark, Assistant Adjutant-
General:
"Colonel: l have forced two brigades of |
Cavalry Division beyond this |
point, and now hold the bridge over the |
right branch of Sweet Water and the |
Dallas and the CampbelltOn road and |
within three miles of the Dallas and Villa |
Rica road. Rebel cavalry have all left |
the lower Sweet Water and country south |
Of this point, and have gathered in about |
Dallas, covering the movements of Hoods |
army, which is not marching on any of |
the roads south from Dallas. have read |
Maj. Zen. SherMan's dispatch to Gen. |
Howard. shall here await further or.
1ers from him, 0Sen Howard) readv 70