Sunday, December 8, 2019

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 185. Reports of Col. Adam G. Malloy, Seventeenth Wisconsin Infantry, commanding Second Brigade (Army of the Tennessee), of operations November 30--December 27, 1864, and January 8-12, 1865.

No. 185.

Reports of Col. Adam G. Malloy, Seventeenth Wisconsin Infantry, commanding Second Brigade (Army of the Tennessee), of operations November 30-December 27, 1864, and January 8-12, 1865.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, PROVISIONAL DIVISION,                 
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,       
Courtland, Ala., January 3, 1865.

In compliance with your circular of this date, I have the honor to submit the following report:

On the 30th of November, 1864, my brigade was temporarily bivouacking near Chattanooga, Tenn., when I received orders from General Cruft, commanding division, to proceed to the railroad and embark at once.

On the evening of December 1, 1864, the command arrived safely at Nashville, Tenn. On the afternoon of December 2 my brigade was ordered to the front by the general commanding, and occupied a position about one mile east of Nashville, its right resting on the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, and threw up works. These works were occupied until the morning of the 3d, when I was ordered back to within the limits of the city, where my command occupied a position between the Lebanon and Murfreesborough pikes, my right resting about twenty rods to the left of the latter, while my left reached about the same distance to the right of the former, the line running at about right angles with the pike, when I was ordered to throw up works. On the 13th of December my brigade was ordered out on a reconnaissance to the east of the city. I marched out the Murfreesborough pike about one mile, formed line of battle at right angles with the pike, my left resting upon the same. I immediately sent out a heavy skirmish line, which soon became engaged and drove the enemy to his works. The object of the reconnaissance having been attained, I received orders from General Cruft to return to camp with my command. The casualties during the reconnaissance were as follows: Killed, 1; wounded, 8; missing, 1.

On the morning of December 15, 1864, in compliance with orders received the previous evening from the general commanding, my command marched at 5 a.m. and occupied the works to the right of Fort Negley. From this date until the morning of December 19, 1864, the command occupied various positions in the line of works surrounding Nashville. On the morning of December 19, 1864, in compliance with orders from the commanding general the evening previous, my brigade marched at 5 a.m., on the Murfreesborough pike. On the afternoon of December 20, 1864, the command arrived at and went into camp near Murfreesborough, Tenn. On the morning of December 21, 1864, I received orders from General Cruft to march my command to the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and embark as soon as cars could be procured, which occupied nearly the whole day. On the morning of December 26, 1864, having arrived at a point on the Huntsville and Decatur Railroad about ten miles east of the latter place, I received orders to disembark and march at once. On December 27 I arrived with my brigade at the Tennessee River about three miles above Decatur, Ala., and immediately embarked on transports and crossed my command to the south side, when I received orders from General Cruft to form line of battle and act as reserve to the brigades of Colonels Harrison and Mitchell in the advance on Decatur, Ala. From that date until the present time nothing of interest has transpired in the command.

Yours, with respect,
A. G. MALLOY,       
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
Capt. JOHN A. WRIGHT,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Provisional Division.
_______________

HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, PROVISIONAL DIVISION,                 
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,       
Larkinsville, Ala., January 12, 1865.

I have the honor to submit to you the following report of recent operations of my command:

On the evening of the 8th instant, pursuant to orders from the general commanding, with a portion of my command, numbering 950 men, I proceeded by rail from Larkinsville, Ala., to Scottsborough, Ala. When within one mile of Scottsborough the trains were halted by the officer in charge of the Scottsborough garrison, who reported that he had been attacked and driven from the town by an overwhelming force of the enemy, estimated at 1,500 strong, with three pieces of artillery. I immediately disembarked my command and formed in line of battle. Having thrown forward a skirmish line, I advanced and moved into the town, which I found evacuated by the enemy. Before his retreat the enemy set fire to the depot buildings at Scottsborough; my skirmishers succeeded in extinguishing the flames and saving the building. I occupied the town of Scottsborough at 2.30 o'clock on the morning of the 9th instant. At 4 a.m. of the same day I had my command in readiness to move in pursuit of the enemy, but my guides having failed to report, I was detained three hours, at the expiration of which time Lieutenant ———, commanding Independent Scouts, reported to me, as ordered by General Cruft, with ten men as guides. At 7 a.m. my brigade moved out from Scottsborough. I had marched but a short distance when I ascertained that the enemy was moving down on the Guntersville road. This fact I reported to the general commanding. I pushed my command forward as rapidly as the weather and bad roads would permit. It rained incessantly, and the roads were almost impassable. At Scott's Creek I was detained three hours in constructing a bridge over that stream. The pursuit was kept up until dark, when the command went into camp near the residence of one Gross. At 5 a.m. on the 10th instant the march was resumed, my command moving on toward Guntersville. About 4 p.m. of the same day I arrived at Claysville, where, in obedience to orders, I encamped my command. By the afternoon of the 10th instant my command had accomplished a march of thirty miles in sixteen hours, over roads rendered almost impassable by the heavy rains which fell during the march.

As my command had no rations it was compelled to subsist on the country. Foraging parties succeeded in finding very little in the way of provisions.

On the morning of the 11th instant I received orders from General Cruft to march my command back to Larkinsville. At 11 a.m. of that day the command was in motion, and reached Larkinsville the evening of the 12th instant.

The casualties in my brigade were 2 men killed and 1 mortally wounded.

I am, sir, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. G. MALLOY,       
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. 532-4

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