No. 181.
Reports of Col. John G. Mitchell, One hundred and thirteenth Ohio
Infantry,
commanding Second Brigade, of operations November 29, 1864-January 13,
1865.
HEADQUARTERS SECOND
BRIGADE, PROVISIONAL DIVISION,
Near Nashville,
Tenn., [December ––, 1864].
CAPTAIN: In obedience to instructions received from General
Cruft, I have the honor to report the result of a reconnaissance toward Rains'
house:
The command was in motion in fifteen minutes from the time
the order was received. The skirmish line was promptly moved into the woods on
this side of the said house; the outhouses were held by a small guard of the
enemy, who were promptly driven back upon the main house and into the principal
line of their works. The line was advanced to and held Rains' house, but was
unable to drive the enemy from their works, which are about 100 yards from the
house. My line could not be extended to the left because every man who
understood skirmishing was already on the line. I therefore withdrew. My belief
is that the line was not held in great force, but was occupied by a greater
number of men than would be intended for a mere lookout.
I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
JOHN G. MITCHELL,
Colonel, Commanding.
Capt. JOHN A. WRIGHT,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
_______________
HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, PROVISIONAL DIVISION,
ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Near Courtland,
Ala., January 3, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to transmit herewith the following
report of the operations of this command during the campaign just ended:
November 29, pursuant to orders, left Chattanooga on
railway. November 30, arrived at Cowan, Tenn., bivouacked, and at dark received
orders to re-embark on the cars and proceed to Nashville.
December 2, moved down the Nolensville road one mile, and,
with my entire command, prepared a line of intrenchments on a commanding
eminence between the Nolensville road and the Nashville and Chattanooga
Railroad. December 3, abandoned the position of yesterday and retired to a
range of low hills nearer Nashville; threw up a line of works, with my right
resting on the Murfreesborough road, extending to the left toward the Lebanon road.
December 4 to 10, remained quietly in camp, drilling and performing ordinary
camp duties. December 11, received orders at 11 a.m. to make a reconnaissance
toward Rains' house, to the right and front of the Murfreesborough road. In
fifteen minutes from the reception of the order the command was moving.
Notwithstanding the severity of the weather and the almost impassable condition
of the roads and fields the reconnaissance was accomplished with entire
satisfaction and the object fully attained. December 11 to 15, remained in
camp. December 15, at 3 a.m. moved into the works to the right of Franklin
road. December 16, moved with command after dark and occupied the line of
fortifications erected on the 2d instant. December 19, marched to La Vergne,
and bivouacked. December 20, marched to vicinity of Murfreesborough. December
21 to 26, on the cars en route between Murfreesborough and Limestone
Creek, Ala. December 26, disembarked and marched through Mooresville toward
Tennessee River. December 27, reached river, crossed, formed line of battle at
dark, and moved to Decatur. December 28, resumed march toward Courtland.
December 30, reached Courtland and moved into camp.
lt would be doing injustice to the officers and men under me
to fail to notice the uniform zeal and earnestness displayed in the performance
of every duty assigned them in this most severe campaign. The command, composed
in large part of disabled officers and men just recruited or drafted into the
service, was most difficult to maneuver in the out-start. It affords me great
satisfaction to say that I have never known duties more faithfully performed or
dangers and hardships more un-complainingly borne than during the present
campaign, which has required all the fortitude and endurance heretofore displayed
in the history of this struggle.
I have the honor to remain, captain, very respectfully, your
obedient servant,
JOHN G. MITCHELL,
Colonel, Commanding.
Capt. JOHN A. WRIGHT,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
_______________
HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, PROVISIONAL DIVISION,
ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Near Chattanooga,
Tenn., January 16, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to transmit the supplemental
report of the operations of this brigade during the latter part of the campaign
just ended:
Pursuant to orders this command left camp at Courtland,
Ala., on the 6th of January, and arrived at Decatur on the morning of the 7th
instant, where it was embarked on the cars for Huntsville, at which point it
arrived at 9 p.m. of the same day. Owing to the destruction of the railroad
bridge across Paint Rock River the brigade could not proceed, and was ordered
into camp two miles from Huntsville, on the Meridian road. At 2 a.m., two hours
after going into camp, I received an order to re-embark my command on the cars
and proceed to Larkinsville to the relief of the garrison, which was threatened
by the enemy. Arrived at Paint Rock River just at dawn of day of the 8th
instant, crossed the whole command on rafts, and reached Larkinsville at 12 m.
of that day. Scouting parties were immediately sent to all parts of the
surrounding country to gain information, but nothing of importance gathered. On
the morning of the 9th instant my command marched, at 4 o'clock, to the
intersection of the Scottsborough and Larkinsville roads. Here my scouts
brought the information that the enemy had passed down the Bellefonte road
eight hours before, taking the direction of Gunter's Landing, on the Tennessee
River. I moved the command as speedily as possible, on a country road, in the direction
of Guntersville. The advance guard came upon small detachments of the enemy in
the act of burning the bridge across Santa. The skirmishers fired on the enemy
and rushed upon the bridge, throwing off a large pile of burning timbers. But
little injury was done to the bridge, and the command was delayed a few minutes
in crossing. But for the prompt action of the skirmishers we must have been
delayed some hours in the pursuit. Command bivouacked at Pendergrass' house
during the night. On 9th instant moved to Claysville. On the 10th the advance
in sight of small parties of enemy during most of the morning. The Third
Battalion, in command of Lieutenant-Colonel O'Brien, was moved down to the
landing at Guntersville. Lieutenant-Colonel O'Brien captured a small amount of
stores and an ambulance, &c., which was turned over to the quartermaster's
department. 11th, remained in camp at Claysville. Third Battalion still at
Gunter's Landing. 12th, marched at daylight for Woodville, twenty-two miles
distant, without rations except for breakfast. Arrived at Woodville at 6 p.m.,
drew rations for two days, and immediately embarked on the cars for
Chattanooga, where we arrived on the evening of the 13th instant.
General Lyon's cavalry was actually broken up through the persistent
pursuit to which he was subjected, and although but few of them were captured
they were completely disorganized and fled in small squads, escaping as they
best could through the mountains.
Very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
JOHN G. MITCHELL,
Colonel, Commanding.
Capt. JOHN A. WRIGHT,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 524-6
