The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-02-09

under Lieut. E. NJ. King. made a deter
mined attack upon Forrest below the
town, but after stubborn fight were
repulsed, during which, however. they
recaptured a transport carrying two
20-pound guns and stores, and forced
Forrest to burn the gunboat he had
seized at Fort Holman a few days be-
fore.
The garrison at Johnsonville consisted
of about 900 men of the 43d Wis, the
18th L. S. c. r, and a detachment Of
the 18th Tenn. Cav, all under the
command of Col. C. r. Thompson, of
the 18th L. s. c. T. They could not
render any assistance in the lighting be-
tween the gunboats and the rebel bat
teries. On the morning of Nov. the
! fight was renewed between these two,
with the batteries getting the best of 1t.
One after another the gunboats were
disabled. and to save them from being
/ captured by the enemy they, together
with the transports. were set on fire
and destroyed. The flames reached the
stores on the levee, and more than
/ S1,500,000 of very valuable supplies
| were burned up. Gen. Thomas pro-
nounced this last wholly unnecessary.
Forrest did not attempt to cross the
/ river at this point TO take advantage of
| this decentralization, but moved up the
stream and crossed by means of fat
\ boats, which had been gathered up,
| moving toward Clifton to join Hood.
Gen. SchofieId Hurries to JOhnsonyille.
Gen. Schofeld had first been ordered
to move by railroad to Tullahoma and
then march across to Pulaski to oppose
i Hoods crossing of the Tennessee.
| When however, Gen. Thomas heard of
/ the events at Jacksonville, he ordered
i Schofield to come at once to Nashville,
as his own force was not strong enough
Il Il. l.
his whole force. reported to Gen.
!! Thomas at Nashville Nov. 5. He was
then ordered to go to Johnsonville,
4 drive OFF the Confederate cavalry, after
i which he was to return TO Nashville,
and from that point proceed 10 Pulaski
Schofeld found little at JohnsonvilIe
to occupy him, having arrived too late
to save the gunboats and supplies, and
leaving two brigades at that place re-
turned to Nashville, carrying out his
instructions. He then went by rail al
once to Pulaski, where he took COM
| mand of all the troops there, in 'ac-
: cordance with Gen. Thomas's order
He arrived at Pulaski on the evening
of Nov. 10.
! Ger. Thomas had taken advantage
of Schofields position as a Department
! commander TO assign him to command
over Gen. Stanley, who was his senior
= as a Major-General, but the two Gen.
!
t irving at Pulaski, and consulting will
3 Gen. Stanley, both decided that Il
2 would be unwise to attempt to fgh,
/ Hood at that position, which could bt
| easily turned by the enemy's superior
= force. Fortunately, the bad weather and
the wretched roads were retardinl
] Hoods advance and giving the Unior
: Generals time to make dispositions tc
meet him.
j Gen. Thomas, all this time was Gag.
erly watching and ardently hoping fol
Il the arrival of A. j. Smiths Divisions
from Missouri, which would give him
] a sufficient force to try conclusions with
3 Hood between Duck River and the
Il Tennessee.
This arrival, however, was greatly de-
: layed, and the divisions did not reach
Thomas until time 10 take part in the
battle Of Nashville. Therefore Thoma.
: sent instructions to Schofield to retart
/, the enemy as much as possible, and, Il
e necessary, to fall back slowly from Pu
i laski to behind Duck River.
} (To be continually