The Washington herald., 1915-03-21
CIVIL WAR DAY BY DAY, FIFTY YEARS AGO
Land Exploits Union and Confederate Forces Rsvswe

three cavalry brigades. under Col. Will
liam J. Palmer, Gen. Simeon Il. Brown
and Col. John X. Miller. each of only
three regiments. The whole command
numbered not more than 1000 men.
with four guns of the First Tennessee
Light Artillery. under Lieut.. James NJ
Regan. One wagon and ten amou-
Iances made up the cavalry train.
Stonemans main objective was the
railroads near LynchburG Va. where
the Confedcrates had gathered consid-
cradle supplies and upon which Cen
Lee had been counting as prospec-
tive line of retreat when he should
give up the Petersburg lines.
The country along the East Tcnncs-
! ec-Virginia border was held by Con
| federatc force under Gen. Jackson, and
the militia and reserves were also
posted in too great strength for Stone
man. with his small command. to cope
with as speedily as was desired.
IL was determiu"d. therefore. to
swing around the Confederate flank.
On March 26. when the F"derals Were
at Jones boro. in tho northeast corner
of Tennessee. Stoncman mad" a sharp
turn toward the south. marched up the
valley of the Watauga River and over
: the Iron Mountains continuation OF
the Great Smokcs-tO Boone, i'll North
Carolina.
! President Davis Escapes Capture
! in another hard march he crossed
I til" Blue Ridge and then. turning
| north once more. moved directly upon
/ Wythesvillc. Va. in tn" rear OF Gen.
| JackSons Confederate force. and lln
miles west from Lynchburg.
! At WythcViIIr q large store of Con-
fcdcratc supplies was destroyed and
parties moved out along the railroad
burning bridges and wreCklnS culVcrts
to within fifty miles of l.ynchburE.
! This work was in progress on April
! :. TN that day the Confederate army
under Gen. Lee, which had rctreated
| from Petersburg on April and had
been Intercepted by Grant and cut on
I from retreat via Danyille into North
Carolina was making n desperate dash
| for LynChbuTg ON the only open route
Of escape. The knowledge that Can.
| SLOVENIAN was engaged in wrecking
that railroad beyond LynchburG would
| have added greatly to Lees discom-
future.
| Learning Of Lees retreat. Stoneman
on April =. turned southwark and
made 4 sudden drive into the sole
remaining Confederate territory. that
| in the rear of Gen. Joseph T.. john
| stoUs army.
| NONtns alOhE 'ne lfNnNlIlt anu tltt =
! Iotr- Railroad, n" sent out detached
parties on both his Hanks to destroy
! factories. mills, and stores accumu-
| lated for the use both or Gen. John
sion and ten. Lee. when their armies
should have made their proposed con-
ccntration. which Grant had fooled.
| President jefferson Davis and mem
hers OF his Cabinet, fleeing before the
| Federal advance. barely escaped fall
/
mans raiders near greensboro, y. Z.
Vast stores Destroyed.
ON arriving near Salem. y. =. Col.
| Palmer's brigade was detailed to de-
| stroy the bridges on the railroad be-
! tween Danville and Greensboro and be-
| tween Greensboro and the Nadkin
| River. and the large depots of sup
plies along the road. This work was
| carried out with considerable fighting
and the capture of about 400 prisoners
| by Col. Palmer.
! with the Two other hriCades-
Browns and Miller's-and the artillery
, under the command of Lieut.. Regain.
we pushed for Salisbury" wrote Gen.
Stoneman, where we found about
| 5000 troops under the command OF
Maj. Gen. William NJ. Gardner and
| fourteen pieces of artillery under
/
Pemberton. the whole formed behind
Grants Creek. about two and one-half
miles from Salisbury.
| AS soon proper disposition
could be made l ordered general
| charge along the entire line. and the
result was the capture of the whole
| fourteen pieces of artillery, 1861
prisoners, including fifty-two officers.
All the artillery and LIZA prisoners
llrn ha dor of
the force Was chased through and
| several miles beyond the town, hut
| scattered and escaped into woods. We
remained at Salisbury two days, dur
ing which time we destroyed fifteen
miles of railroad track and the bridges
| toward Charlotte
Among the public property captured
and destroyed by Gen. Stoneman, most
of it being taken at Salisbury, were
| four large cotton factories and 1000
bales OF cotton. 100000 stand of small
| arms. a million rounds OF small-arms
ammunition, 10000 rounds artillery
ammunition. 10000 pounds of powder,
5000 bushels of grains. 10000 pounds
of bacon. 100000 Confederate uni
| forms. $4,000 army blankets. medical
supplies and stores valued at 100000
in gold, and an immense amount of
machinery at the Salisbury arsenal.
which had been sent from Raleigh and
Richmond for safety.
From Salisbury Con. SLOVENIAN
moved back toward East Tennessee.
En- route he learned that Johnston anu
| Sherman had arranged an HrmIsIICe.
Subsequently. Stonemau's Commana
took part in tn" pursuit OF President
| Davis and his Cabinet.