Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864-January 23, 1865: No. 228.— Report of Lieut. Col. William F. Prosser, Second Tennessee Cavalry, of operations December 7-8, 1864.

No. 228.

Report of Lieut. Col. William F. Prosser, Second Tennessee Cavalry,

of operations December 7-8, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY,        

Paint Rock Bridge, December 8, 1864.

I reached this point yesterday about 12 m. The bridge and railroad, as far as I could see, are all right. The country from Bellefonte here we found full of small parties of the enemy. I captured a few prisoners at Scottsborough, who will go to Stevenson with this dispatch. We drove a small force of rebels across the creek yesterday in our advance, and about half an hour afterward the enemy appeared with an engine and a train of cars. We drove them back some two or three miles, but shortly afterward they appeared again with the train and some cavalry, and we skirmished with them until dark, when they retired. I endeavored to capture the train, but was not successful. Roddey is reported at Huntsville. Russell has recruited his regiment considerably of late, and now has from 700 to 800 men. If the enemy moves some infantry up on us by rail we may have some trouble, but we can do something for them if they come. I have been looking for a train down from Stevenson with some infantry, but so far have heard nothing from them. I should have arrived here a day sooner, but was delayed in scouting the country between Scottsborough and this place, particularly at Larkinsville. About 100 of the enemy were on the Larkinsville Ferry road, to the left, and I sent a party toward Winchester, to the right. The prisoners I send you belong to Roddey, Russell, and Twentieth Mississippi. Doctor Irwin and some other citizens were captured at Scottsborough, and they fired on my men when they went after them. He lives near Courtland and acts as surgeon for Roddey. I inclose a note* from Russell which explains his business. I wish these messengers to return as soon as possible, with some other men of my command at Stevenson, who ought to be here. I shall look for train down here, and if there is one coming please send down with it 10,000 rounds of Burnside ammunition. Please send me some late papers or news if you have any.

With my compliments to the general, and hoping to hear from you shortly,

I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. F. PROSSER,        

Lieutenant-Colonel Second Tennessee Cavalry, Commanding.

Lieutenant KNEELAND,
        Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

_______________

* Not found.

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. 640

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes, April 18, 1862

A. M. Finished letter to Lucy. Must get ready to move. Put all the regiment into tents today, by one o'clock. A shower fell just after the tents were up.

Colonels Scammon and Ewing [arrived]; Lieutenant Kennedy, A. A. A. G. to Colonel Scammon, and Lieutenant Muenscher, aide, with an escort of horsemen came with them. The Thirtieth began to arrive at 2:30 P. M. They came in the rain. Major Hildt came to my quarters. I joined the regiment out in camp — the camp in front of General Beckley's residence one mile from Raleigh. Rainy all night. Our right rest on the road leading southwardly towards Princeton, the left on the graveyard of Floyd's men. The graves are neatly marked; Twentieth Mississippi, Phillips' Legion, Georgia, Fourth Louisiana, furnished the occupants. Four from one company died in one day! (November 2, 1861.)

Slept in Sibley tent. Received orders to proceed with Twenty-third, thirty [of] Captain Gilmore's Cavalry, and a section of McMullen's Battery to Princeton tomorrow at 7 A. M.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 230-1