Chapter 8 - The Saltville Raids |
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46 On August 27th, General Burbridge, Commander of the Military Department of Kentucky, gave orders to have the 11th Kentucky Cavalry mounted immediately, drawing horses from the Quartermaster's Department, and have them ready to march upon receiving orders. Burbridge had a plan to move to Saltville, Virginia to destroy the salt works at that place. On September 11th, 1864, Burbridge gave orders for most of the Cavalry and Mounted Infantry Units to move to Mount Sterling, Kentucky, leaving the dismounted men behind. This order included the 11th Kentucky Cavalry. Although Burbridge did not, at this time, have approval for his proposed raid to Saltville, he felt he would get it. On the 12th of September, Major General Halleck approved the plan, and on the 19th, General Schofield met with Burbridge and reluctantly approved the expedition also. General Burbridge moved out with his forces from Mount Sterling on September 20th, 1864. His column consisted of the 13th Kentucky Cavalry, the 26th, 30th, 35th, 37th, 30th, 40th and 45th Kentucky Mounted Infantry, the 12th Ohio Cavalry, and the 12th Michigan Cavalry. The 11th Kentucky Cavalry and the 5th U.S. Colored Cavalry had been borrowed by Burbridge from the Cavalry Division of the 23rd Corps and joined up with the column at Prestonburg, Kentucky. The 5th U.S. Colored Cavalry was a newly formed regiment, with many untrained recruits. The Mounted Infantry had about 600 horses that had been condemned as unfit for service for a single day, and a large number besides these were reported by the inspectors as probably fit for a march of not over 3 days. The result of all this was that many of men were dismounted after a few miles travel, and walked the remainder of the way, or were left behind. The whole Command left Prestonburg on the 26th of September, followed by six 12-pounder mountain howitzers, which were dismantled and packed aboard mules and a long train of pack mules loaded down with corn. At Pikeville, the mules were unloaded, and the corn put into small sacks, which the men carried with them. Most of the mule train was sent back to Mount Sterling. On the 29th, the column rode into the little town of Grundy, Virginia and a little ways beyond, where the men got a little sleep. In a rain that lasted all day, they left camp and marched to a farm near Richlands where they encamped. They pulled down the wooden rail fences on the Ratcliff farm and used them in their campfires to dry their sodden uniforms and ward off the cold. Most of the livestock on the farm was confiscated and eaten by the hungry troopers. Leaving the next day near noon, Burbridge's Command marched well into the night. Around midnight, they encountered a small group of the Burke's Garden Militia. A few volleys of rifle fire compelled the small enemy force to scatter. A little later, the column moved down on the Bowen farm, cleaning the house and farm of nearly all edible things, and even taking the pots and pans from the kitchen. Many of Bowen's slaves packed their bags and when the column left, they marched behind it. The Union column began its climb from the valley and up Clinch Mountain, with the white-horse Company of the 30th Kentucky Mounted Infantry in the advance. pg 47 The Confederate forces were waiting at the top of the mountain and when the white-horse troopers approached some 300 yards below them, the Confederate Commander gave orders to fire. A few troopers were felled from their saddles and the rest quickly dismounted and took cover. The next Union Brigade rushed up and began firing at the Confederate troops, which lasted for about a half hour. Soon the enemy withdrew to the top behind a thin screen of trees laid across the road. The Confederates then moved to a cleft on Flat Top Mountain. At 2 PM the Union troopers once again approached the enemy. The enemy opened fire, but Burbridge's forces fanned out in a flanking movement around them, causing the Confederates to retreat. At Low Gap, the Confederates awaited Burbridge's column again. However, seeing the sun shine off some of the rifles on the side of the gap, the Union forces were alerted. General Hobson dismounted his Brigade of Mounted Infantry and sent them against the enemy, that being the 64th Virginia. The enemy losses were severe, and the Union forces lost about a dozen men in this skirmish. The Confederates then retreated. The last obstacle between Burbridge and the Salt Works now was the Holston River. Instead of moving directly on the Salt Works, General Burbridge's forces crossed the river and encamped for the night. Unknowing to Burbridge, reinforcements for the Confederate defenders were on the way to Saltville. At dawn, October 2nd, the Union troops moved toward Saltville. Arriving within 2 miles of the Salt Works, skirmishing began with the enemy. The fight opened on the left early in the day and the action became steady along the entire Union line. About 1:00 PM, the 30th Kentucky Mounted Infantry and the 13th Kentucky Cavalry crossed the Holston River from the center of the Union line and attacked the Confederate line's center. The Kentucky Regiments lost several officers and men. Soon a detachment of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry made a charge against the rebel line in support of the 13th Kentucky Cavalry and succeeded in driving the enemy back. The enemy then commenced shelling the Union line with their artillery. The 11th Kentucky Cavalry's Brigade under Colonel Hanson found itself nearly surrounded by Confederates who were in position on high bluffs. The enemy fire was fierce and 45 men were killed or wounded, including Colonel Hanson who was shot in the stomach. On or about 4 PM, Burbridge ordered General Hobson to assume command of all the troops and withdraw them from the field, as ammunition was almost exhausted and rations were low. General Burbridge himself, with his escort, left for Kentucky. The Union forces moved back across the river where they built fires all along the line as soon as it was dark to let the enemy think they were still there. The Union troops then began their retreat. On reaching the Bowen farm, the Union troops rested and got some sleep. The next morning as they resumed the retreat, Confederate cavalry came close to the rear guard of the column and skirmished with the Union Troopers, primarily the 11th Michigan Cavalry. The Commander of the Michigan Regiment was killed in this skirmish. pg 48 After arriving in Lexington, the 11th Kentucky Cavalry replenished its supplies. The Regiment was busy scouting and chasing Confederate guerillas in Central Kentucky for the rest of October and most of November, 1864. Rebel forces in East Tennessee were building up strength and threatened the Union troops there. General George Stoneman, recently exchanged and released as a prisoner of War, asked that reinforcements be sent to East Tennessee. On November 16, General Burbridge sent a telegram to Major General Thomas stating that he could concentrate five Regiments, being the 11th Kentucky Cavalry, 11th Michigan Cavalry, 12th Ohio Cavalry and the 30th and 39th Kentucky Mounted Infantry in 3 days. These regiments were presently scattered over the state after guerillas. As of the 21st of November, various detachments of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry were at Crab Orchard, Kentucky, Aurora, Indiana, Harrodsburg, Russellville and Louisville. Orders were given for all Regiments to at once move to Camp Nelson. On the 23rd of November, in a snowstorm, Burbridge moved his available forces from Camp Nelson to Barboursville. They were heading for Cumberland Gap and East Tennessee. At Barboursville, on the 24th, General Burbridge ordered the balance of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry be sent to Barboursville, if they can be found. The next day, at Cumberland Gap, Burbridge sent a message to General McLean asking him to hurry up with the 37th and 30th Kentucky Mounted Infantry and the 2 Companies of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry. Most of the 11th Kentucky, under Colonel Graham, was with Burbridge at this time. On the 28th of November, a message was sent to the Secretary of War by General Burbridge, saying that "General Schofield had relieved him from Command, assigned by the President, in view of the presence of Major General Schofield." The Secretary of War tells Schofield that "this order is unauthorized and is hereby countermanded." The Secretary further directs that "General Stoneman be relieved from Duty in the Department of the Ohio, and go to Cincinnati, to await orders." General Grant told General Schofield that it was his (Schofield's) decision to relieve or keep Stoneman. Schofield elected to keep Stoneman and appointed him as second in Command of the Department in his absence, to the chagrin of the Secretary of War. None of this was known to General Stoneman at the time. On November 30th, Burbridge and his forces were at Bean's Station, Tennessee. General Stoneman directed him to send scouts up toward Rogersville and Kingsport as Confederate forces were said to be in that area. Earlier, on the 26th of November, Stoneman had outlined a plan for a raid into Virginia and possibly destroy the Salt Works at Saltville. This plan was approved by General Schofield on December 6th. On the 10th of December, General Stoneman left Knoxville for Bean's Station, arriving there on the 11th. General Gillem was also there with his Cavalry Division. Stoneman's forces now consisted of the 11th and 12th Kentucky Cavalry, the 10th and 11th Michigan Cavalry, the 12th Ohio Cavalry, the 8th, 9th and 13th Tennessee Cavalry, and the 5th and 6th U.S. Colored Cavalry. In Addition there were the 30th, 45th, 53rd and 54th Kentucky Mounted Infantry together with Battery E of the Kentucky Light Artillery, in all about 5,500 men. On the 12th of December, 1864, at daylight, the Union forces moved out toward Kingsport, Tennessee, General Gillem moving out first and then followed by General Burbridge and his command, which included the 11th Kentucky Cavalry. pg 49 On the morning of December 13th, General Gillem's Cavalry attacked Confederate Commander, Basil Duke's Command across the Holston River, killing and capturing many. General Burbridge's Command moved on to Bristol, Tennessee, where on the 14th, at 3 AM, the 11th Kentucky Cavalry was sent forward into the town. They met the enemy and skirmished with him until General Gillem's Cavalry came up. The enemy then retreated. The Union columns moved on toward Abington, Virginia. There they destroyed portions of the railroad in order to cut the line between Wytheville and Saltville. The troops spent the night in Abington. That evening General Gillem's forces arrived. The next day, Stoneman arrived and sent Gillem's forces on to Glade Springs, with Burbridge's forces following a few hours later, at which point they all spent the rest of the night. At 2 AM of the 16th, the Command was again in motion. General Gillen was reinforced by two Regiments from Burbridge's forces, being Colonel Brown's Brigade consisting of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry and the 11th Michigan Cavalry. Stoneman then sent Gillem's troopers on toward Wytheville, Virginia. They rode into Marion, Virginia where they skirmished with General Vaughn's rebel troops. However, the rebels soon retreated toward Wytheville, pursued by Gillem's men. The Union troopers arrived at Wytheville about dark. Vaughn's small force escaped leaving behind all their artillery and trains and 198 prisoners of war. By the night of the 16th, Gillem's men had completed the destruction of stores, supplies and trains at Wytheville. He sent the 11th Kentucky Cavalry to Reedy Creek, 13 miles beyond Wytheville, where they destroyed the important railroad bridges over that stream. Gillem then withdrew his forces 3 miles outside Wytheville and encamped. At 7 AM on the 17th, Gillem started on his return toward Abingdon. After marching about 4 miles, he met a courier from General Stoneman, with a dispatch saying General Burbridge was at Marion in a battle with a considerable force of the enemy, and requested Gillem reinforce Burbridge. Gillem moved forward toward Marion with his entire Command, leaving Colonel Brown's brigade to bring up the rear. About dark, Gillem met up with General Stoneman near the bridge, 2 miles from Marion. He sent a regiment of Tennessee Cavalry on to help Burbridge in the fight at Marion, in addition to Colonel Brown's Brigade which he had borrowed from Burbridge. The next morning the battle began in earnest, in a heavy rain and cold. Burbridge's forces attacked the bridge which was held by the Confederates and at the same time Basil Duke's Brigade on the right. The Union troops were eventually driven back. Lt. Colonel Boyle, of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry was killed leading a charge to the bridge. When darkness once again fell, the Confederates still held the bridge and fords. During the fight that day, General Stoneman sent General Gillem's troops around the Confederate right and on to Saltville. General Breckinridge's men were nearly out of ammunition and he retreated for Saltville. However, Union Colonel Buckley's Brigade was planted firmly on the road. Seeing he could not advance, Breckinridge turned his force south and moved away into North Carolina. pg 50 General Burbridge's troops moved out at dawn on December 19th, from Marion, stopping to feed and rest the horses, when he met Colonel Buckley near Preston's farm. General Stoneman and General Gillem rode around Burbridge's camp, bivouacking that evening near Glade Spring. The next day, Gillem's command moved down the Glade Spring Road leading to Saltville and about 2 PM, encountered and skirmished with enemy pickets, driving them in. General Burbridge was on the Lyon's Gap road, also leading to Saltville. At dark, Gillem moved quietly past Confederate Fort Breckinridge without being challenged, and made his way into Saltville where they began the destruction of the Salt Works. Confederate Fort Stathan was another story. General Burbridge could not get pass this fort right away. However, after the Confederates in the fort had seen flames coming from Saltville, they knew the Union forces were there and they skedaddled, leaving Burbridge with the fort and the way open into Saltville. Burbridge's forces moved into Saltville at 4 AM, and found Gillem's men wrecking the Salt Works and the town. His men joined Gillem's in the destruction. Stoneman's Command worked all day of the 21st, destroying the town. After a cold and frost-biting night, Stoneman led his men out of Saltville. Burbridge's Command, including the 11th Kentucky Cavalry, went back to Kentucky via the Big Sandy River. Stoneman and Gillem moved back into Tennessee and on to Knoxville. General Burbridge's Command left Saltville in a blinding snowstorm, and as they went down the steep mountain road the cold became more intense. The necks, breasts and forelegs of the horses were covered with clinging sheets of frozen breath or blood that had oozed from the fissures in their swollen nostrils. Often their lips were sealed by the frost to the steel bits. Many of the men were now walking as their mounts had died. In one mile alone, at least 200 horses had died. They reached Lexington on the 5th of January, 1865. In his report of the Battle, General Burbridge recommended that 1st Lieutenant L. Linn, of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry be promoted to Captain, for valuable service rendered during the expedition. On January 9th, 1865, the 11th Kentucky Cavalry was at Camp Nelson, Kentucky. On that day, orders were given to send the mounted part of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry to the New Lebanon Road, for operations in the region of Raywick, New Haven and Hodgensville against guerillas. On the 10th of January, Special Orders were issued, from the Headquarters of the Military District of Kentucky, ordering newly recruited volunteers and unmounted members of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry, to proceed to Louisville by railroad and report to Brigadier General H. Ewing, commanding the 2nd Division, for duty. Orders were given, on January 13th, to Major Slater, commanding a detachment of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry at Lebanon, Kentucky, to move with his detachment on the following morning to Elizabethtown, going by way of Saloma, Pitmansville, Buffalo, and Hodgensville, and to scout the country thoroughly at Elizabethtown. Slater was also directed to report to General Ewing at Louisville, for orders. They were to carry rations for 3 days. |