Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-10-31

one from Nashville to Stevenson and
Bridgeport. Both were single track
and at best could barely transport food
and ammunition to the armies gather
ing at Chattanooga.
Sherman's instructions directed him
to concentrate his forces at Stevenson
He would then be within a hundred
miles of Nashville, the grand supply
base of the army at the front. Grant
believed that the Confederates were
about to march against Nashville, and
he wanted Sherman within striking
distance should his fears prove true.
Heroic Dispatch Bearer.
The n In which Sherman re
ceived his hurry orders at a point lear.
Tly 200 miles away, with enemies inter.
vening, illustrates the difficulties be-
setting the campaign. General George
Crooks cavalry patrolled the Tennes'
see river In stretches from Chatta.
nooga down as far as Huntsville, Ala.
Stretches not so patrolled were under
the guns of Confederates. Grant
charged Crook with the forwarding of
the dispatch to Sherman in Mississippi.
One day while Sherman was seated
on the porch of a farmhouse directing
the repair of a broken railway bridge
he twas approached by a dirty, black
haired individual with mixed Dress"
who inquired for the general. Upon
being sure that he addressed the right
man he handed over a telegraph dis
patch from Grant to Sherman.
The bearer stated that he was Cor
poral Pike of Crooks cavalry and had
padded all the way down the Tennes-
see from Huntsville in a canoe. He
had been frequently fired at from on
shore. where Confederate partisans
were in hiding. At Tuscumbia he
CHANGED to meet with Federal cavalry
men on a scout, who directed him to
Sherman's camp. Sherman employed
Corporal Pike In other daring enter
prises, which resulted In his promotion
to a lieutenancy In the cavalry OF the
regular army.
Danger In East Tennessee.
The menace to the Federal base at
Nashville, which Grant had in mind
when he urged Sherman to hasten,
was supposed to be In process of de-
velopment in east Tennessee. Grant
reported a Confederate column at
Cleveland, twenty miles northeast of
Chattanooga, which, he said, might be
aiming for Nashville. Certain fresh
activities were noted among the Con-
federates In that region about the time
of Grants arrival. They had TO do
with Knoxville. however, and not
Nashville.
General A. e. Burnside, head of the
Army of the Ohio, was at Knoxville.
His lines extended southwark as far
as Philadelphia, about thirty miles
north of Cleveland and north of the
Hiawassie, an arm of the Tennessee.
The C~onfederates had chung to the
region between Cleveland and Chat
tanooga throughout the campaign
around the latter place. They were in
ear of the Federal army at Chatta-
nooga and had been able to check
Burnside in an attempt made the
month before to connect with the
Army of the Cumberland. Burnside
had announced that he could do no
more than hold Knoxville, which he
fortified against attack from the south.
His cavalry outpost was at Philadel-
phia and his infantry reserve at Lou
don, ten miles nearer Knoxville.
Bold Dash of Confederates.
Early on Oct. 20 the Confederate
cavalry brigades of Colonel G. G. Di-
brell and Colonel ]. j. Morrison set out
to capture Philadelphia. Morrison's
column rode around to the rear of the
position held by Colonel Frank VOL
ford's Federal brigade. Dibrell was to
attack in front while Morrison assailed
the Federal rear.
Being seriously delayed in crossing
the Hiawassie, Morrison failed to get
into action at the appointed time. Di-