The Washington herald., 1914-08-12
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
August H. IS64-Gen Joseph Wheeler Was Cavalry Raid the Rear
Sheman Army Georgia, with Force Of About 45Oo Men,
ing up Railroads and Destroying Federal Stores.
written expressly for The washlns,on Hsralal

cavalry 10 remain near the railroad
Gen. Wheeler determined TO reach the
mere productive country near the Hia-
wassee River. on the edge of East Ten
nessee, in order 10 prevent his command
from being dismounted.
Selecting six detachments of thirty men
each. which he ordered to continue men
acing the railroad Cwho in the course of
their operations did considerable dam
age), Gen. Wheeler with his main force
moved to Cleveland. Tenn. less than
twenty-five miles east of Chattanooga,
and from there swung into East Ten
nessee
At Ghtes of Nashville.
At Loudon. on the Holston River. a
depot OF supplies was burned Finding
the river at that point impossible, Gen.
Wheeler made a wide circuit completely
around Knoxville, crossing the French
Broad and the Holston rivers above the
town.
Detaching nearly half of his command.
with three Of his six small guns. under
Gen. J. s Williams. to capture the garri-
son and destroy the bridge at Straw
berry Plains, fifteen miles east OF Knox
vile, Gen. Wheeler with the balance of
the force. headed west for Middle Ten
nessee. Gen. Williams failed in his OBJ
ject and did not rejoin Gen. Wheeler, but
made his way directly back to the Con-
federate lines.
With the remaining force. scarcely ex-
ceeding 1000 men and three guns. Gen.
Wheeler moved into Middle Tennessee by
way of Clinton, Kingston, and Sparta.
A two DAYS march from the latter point
brought the Confederates to the Chat
tanooGa and Nashville Railroad. where
the real work of the expedition was
begun.
Gallatin, McMinneville. Lebanon. and
Smyrna were captured. and various
bridges and stretches OF track south OF
MurfreesbOro were destroyed. For two
days Gen. Wheeler continued his work
Of destruction, damaging the road TO
within eight miles OF Nashville. On
August IS Gen. Lowell Rousseau, Federal
commander at Nashville, moved out and
engaged Wheeler's forces, but retired, it
being superior in strength TO his own.
Recalled to Georgia.
On the evening Of August 2s Wheeler
turned his course toward the Alabama
and Tennessee Railroad, which he
reached a short distance below Nash
vile. Various stores were captured and
was not nearly so important to the Fed
erals as that which the Confederates had
just left.
Near the town OF Franklin Gen Rou-
seau made another attack upon the raid
ers, but was repulsed. The Confederates
lost a number OF killed, including Mai
Gen. John H. Kelly.
Early in September. while Gen. Wheel
er was recruiting in Middle Tennessee,
he received peremptory orders to rejoin
Gen. Hoods army. Leaving about 100
of his men to re-enforce Gen. n. B. For
rest, who had invaded Tennessee from
Mississippi, Gen. Wheeler made his way
back to Georgia and united with Gen.
Hood about two weeks after the fall Of
Atlanta.
wheeIer's cavalry. destroying and dam
aging railroads, had taken about 500 pris-
oners. Their loss, according to Gen.
wheeler's report, was not more than 80
men killed. wounded, and missing. Il
brought out more than 1000 recruits for
my own and other commands" Gen.
Wheeler wrote, and brought out at least
800 absentees from the army who were
returned to their proper commands"
Copyright. Is1LJ
TemOrrowi Mosby stampeded . Fed.