The National tribune., 1906-07-12
Tor bold and dashing movements. which
doubt not will be initiated bv Others.
H. w. Halleck. General-in-Chief."


doubt not will be initiated by others.
H w. Halleck. General-in-Chief"
A Series OF Cavalry Battles.
Rosecrans had planned to make an
ouensiye movement against Bragg's
left by way OF Columbia. when his REIN
torcements should arrive. but the dis
aster at Thompsons Station stunned
him and drove such thoughts out of his
mead: 1t showed that Bragg had far
heavier force on that flank than had
oeen supposed. and 1t was necessary to
TOOK out more carefully to the safety
OF Nashville. This feeling was deep-
ened by Forests bold capture of the
remainder of the 22d Wis and 18Th
Mich. which had escaped from Thomp-
son station and taken up positions at
the fort guarding the crossing of the
Harpeth and at Brentwood. far in the
rear OF Gordon Granger. who was try
ing 10 drive the enemy across Duck
fSiVer. These events unfortunately
shook the confidence of Rosecrans in
the character of the reinforcements he
was receiving.
John III. Morgan, who was on the left
OF RosecranS. was not meeting with as
much success as Van Dorm on the right
March Is, 1863. Col. Albert S. Hall.
commanding brigade fn which was
his own regiment. the l05th Ohio. the
sOth and 123d H.. the i0lst Ind. a sec
ton of the 18th Ind. Battery. and a
company OF Tennessee cavalry, in all
l.3Oe men, was sent to clear out the
guerrilla bands northeast of Murfrees-
boro- These fell back before him. and
Hall cleared out the little towns of
GAINESVILLE and StatesviIic and proceeded
to return 10 Murfreesboro. John H. Nor
gan started with brigade to intercept
Halls retreat. The latter handled his
men warily and skiIlnry. and finally
a in ,sF.a
near Milton. with his two guns raking
the road Morgan came up. and rely
ing upon his great superiority In num-
bers promptly attacked. He was un-
able to make any impression upon
Halls firm front. Infuriated by his ILL
success in running over the small force
he had attacked with so much conf
dence. Morgan hurriedly massed hts
forces in two columns to attack stimuli,
taneousiy and savasely from the east
ana west. He prepared for this by
FURIOUS cannonadc, but the little Union
band met these bewildering assaults
with the same firnness as before. and
broke the columns on both sides with
well-aimed fire. Morgan was beside
himself with rage. and gathering his
men under the cover of the bushes, re-
peated his assault in front. to again re-
ceive a bloody repulse. BY this time
he had lost nearly 400 men, and l,is
dead and wounded covered all sides of
the sloping hill. Morgan himself was
slightly wounded, and many of his Off
GERS were more or less hurt. He
finally withdrew from the field. and
Hall was too weak to pursue and gain
the fruits of his victory. Hall. how
ever, brought back with him, when he
withdrew. unmolested- to Murfreesboro
So stands of arms, 10 stands of arms.
and eight horses. His own loss was one
Captain and five men killed. one Lieu
tenant and IL men wounded, and eight
men missing
1t was the seyerest blow that Morgan
had yet received. He had attacked in
open ground 1900 men. with nine regi-
rnents numbering anywhere from g.
500 to 1000 men. and had been beaten
off In fair stand-up fight. in which he
had exhausted all the resources of his
generalship. The action was important
in showing the Army OF the Cumber-
land how easily the great raider could
be whipped if he was met with reso-
luton.
(To be continued.)