Chapter 9 - The North Carolina Raid |
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51 General Grant, on the 31st of January, had requested that General Thomas, Commander of the Army of the Cumberland, consider making a raid into Southwestern Virginia and North Carolina, tearing up the railroad at least as far as Lynchburg. Grant told him to place General Stoneman in charge of the expedition. On the 10th of February, General Thomas requested General Stoneman to issue and order to General Burbridge, directing him to turn over to Stoneman the 11th and 12th Kentucky Regiments of Cavalry, the 11th Michigan Cavalry and the 12th Ohio Cavalry. These regiments were to report to General Stoneman at Louisville. When General Burbridge received the notification, he protested giving these regiments up. He stated they were needed in operations against guerillas operating in the Green River Counties of Kentucky. His protests came to naught as General Grant upheld General Thomas' orders. The 11th Kentucky Cavalry was, at this time, issued the Spencer Carbines. General J. H. Wilson protested giving these weapons to the 11th Kentucky as he felt they should have gone to his men in preparation for Wilson's Raid on Selma, Alabama. He was turned down, and the 11th Kentucky Cavalry kept their Spencers. On the 27th of February, the 11th Kentucky Cavalry, with their horses, left Louisville by train. They moved to Nashville where they reported to a Colonel Palmer. On March 6th, they were at Mufreesbourough, Tennessee. General Stoneman was now with them on the train. They arrived at Knoxville on the 8th of March, 1865. The 11th and 12th Kentucky Cavalry were ordered to move to Strawberry Plains, Tennessee on March 15th. They were to wait there for further orders. Each regiment was furnished one wagon for the transportation of forage from the depot to their camp. On the 17th of March, the 11th Kentucky Cavalry was officially attached now to the Cavalry Division, District of East Tennessee, commanded by General A. C. Gillem and in the 2nd Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Simeon Brown. With the 11th Kentucky Cavalry, this Brigade also included the 12th Kentucky Cavalry and the 11th Michigan Cavalry. The Division was made up of 3 Brigades. The 1st Brigade consisted of the 10th Michigan, 12th Ohio and the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry, led by General Palmer. The 3rd Brigade consisted of the 8th, 9th and 13th Tennessee Cavalry and was led by Colonel Miller. pg 52 On the 21st of March, General Stoneman's Command left Strawberry Plains, moving toward Boone, North Carolina. They marched 15 miles and encamped. The next day they moved on to Rossy Creek. On the 23rd they arrived at Morristown at 1 PM, where each man was issued five days rations, one days forage (corn), and four horseshoes and nails. Colonel Miller's Brigade was sent on the road to Bristol, with orders to take the north Ferry Road and by a rapid march by Fall Branch to get on the railroad between Jonesboro and Carter's Station. The other 2 Brigades, including the 11th Kentucky Cavalry moved out on the Babb's Mill Road. On the he 24th they marched 19 miles and camped for the night. On the 25th they encamped 10 miles west of Jonesborough. Here, a train came up and the 1st and 2nd Brigades drew all the rations the men could carry conveniently. On the 26th they moved through Jonesborough at noon and later a portion of the command encamped at Buffalo Creek and the remainder at Doe River Cove. The next day they left at 4 AM. Colonel Miller was ordered to concentrate his Brigade and follow the Division on the following day. The Command forded Doe River and crossed the Smoky Mountains into North Carolina bivouacking on the eastern slope of the Iron Mountains. On the 28th the Command moved at 5 AM, and entered Boone about 10 AM., where they encountered some Rebel Home Guards. The 12th Kentucky Cavalry drove them off, capturing many. Here at Boone, the Command split up. General Stoneman, with Palmer's Brigade went by way of Deep Gap to Wilkesboro, while Brown's Brigade with the artillery and the 11th Kentucky Cavalry moved toward Wilkesboro by the Flat Gap Road. General Gillem and Miller's Brigade moved by yet another route. Brown's Brigade arrived at Patterson's Factory at 9 PM and found a good supply of corn and bacon. Gillem and Miller's Brigade joined up with Brown here. The next morning, after resting and feeding, the march was resumed at 11 AM. Colonel Miller was left with orders to burn the remainder of the stores and supplies and the factory. The 2 brigades joined up with General Stoneman and Palmer's Brigade on the march. That night the 12th Ohio Cavalry moved into Wilkesboro and drove the enemy out. In order to find forage they found it necessary to move the 10th Michigan and the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry to the north side of the Yadkin River that evening. Early in the morning the 12th Ohio crossed the river. The river now had become swollen, and the rest of the Command could not immediately cross. They moved 4 miles to the east of Wilkesboro and encamped. The next day they moved 4 miles further east where they found plenty of forage. Colonel Miller's Brigade rejoined the command this day after following orders to destroy Patterson's Factory. pg 53 The Command moved to Jonesville on the 1st of April. The next day they moved out from Jonesville, crossed the Yadkin River, and marched to Mount Airy, North Carolina, by way of Dobson, encamping at 8 PM. They learned that a train of wagons had left that place at 3 PM, going in the direction of Hillsville, Virginia. Colonel Palmer was ordered to send a detachment in pursuit, with orders to follow until he captured the train. At 5 AM the next day, they crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains through Fancy Gap and halted at Hillsville, Virginia at 1 PM. Here, the captured wagon train was waiting. There were 17 wagons and one forge. The wagons were loaded with forage, which was fed to Brown's Brigade and the wagons were then burned. Colonel Miller, with a portion of his 3rd Brigade were ordered to proceed by way of Porter's Ford, on New River, to Wytheville and destroy the railroad bridges over Reedy Creek and at Max Meadows, together with the depot of supplies at Wytheville. General Palmer's Brigade was sent to Big Lick. Leaving the remainder of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry as guard, the Command moved at 7 PM in the direction of Jacksonville. Soon they encountered the enemy on the road. A brisk skirmish followed and the Command captured and burned a wagon train of 27 wagons. They then encamped in the vicinity of a depot of hay at 12 midnight. The next day the Command marched at 6 AM, halting at Jacksonville, Virginia at 10 AM where another depot of hay and corn furnished an ample supply for their animals. At this point Major Wagner of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry, with 250 picked men, was detached with orders to proceed to Salem, Virginia and from that point to destroy the railroad bridges as far east as possible. Here at Jacksonville, they obtained a copy of the Lynchburg, Virginia newspaper, where they learned of Grant's Capture of Richmond, Virginia. The Command resumed the march at 2 PM in the direction of Christianburg, Virginia, arriving there at 1 AM on the 5th. Colonel Palmer and his 1st Brigade were ordered to destroy the railroad track east of Christianburg. The 11th Kentucky Cavalry was sent to take possession of the railroad bridge and ferries over New River and the 10th Michigan Cavalry to destroy the bridges over the Roanoke River. For 2 days the Command was busy destroying the railroad and bridges over a 90 mile stretch. At Wytheville, Colonel Miller's Brigade had a fight with the enemy, repulsing them with a loss of 35 of his men killed, wounded or captured. On the 6th of April the Command moved at 7 PM toward Taylorsville, Virginia, arriving at Jacksonville at 10 AM on the 7th. At 2 Pm the march was resumed. They crossed the Blue Ridge at Mowbrey Gap and went into camp at Taylorsville at 11 PM on the 7th of April. Miller's Brigade rejoined the Command at 10 AM on the 8th. Palmer's 1st Brigade had encountered an enemy force of about 300 men at Martinsville, and routed them toward Lynchburg. pg 54 On the 9th of April, the Command once again saddled up at 7 AM, and moved south, halting at Danbury, North Carolina at 4 PM, a distance of 26 miles. Leaving Danbury at 7 AM, on the 10th, they arrived at Germantown at 12 Noon. Here, Colonel Palmer's Brigade was instructed to proceed to Salem, North Carolina and destroy the large clothing factories and then to send out parties to destroy the railroad south of Greensboro. The remainder of the Division moved at 4 PM by way of Bethania and arrived at Shallow Ford at daylight on the 11th. Detachments of the enemy were guarding the ford and were taken by surprise. They made a light attempt at resistance and then fled. The Command moved on south and when near Mocksville the advance came upon a small party of the enemy, which was at once charged and dispersed. At 8 PM the Command bivouacked in the road 12 miles north of Salisbury. At 12:30 AM, on the 12th, the Command was again in motion, with Colonel Miller's Brigade in the advance. Three miles down the road they came to the South Yadkin River. A few of the enemy were on the north side of the River, but retreated, offering no resistance. South of the River, the road forked, both roads leading to Salisbury. The main column took the west road and a battalion of the 12th Kentucky Cavalry was sent by the east road. At daylight the advance guard came upon enemy pickets, which were pushed back to the bridge over Grant's Creek. At this point enemy artillery and Infantry fire opened up on the Union troopers. ACTION AT SALISBURY General Stoneman ordered 100 men to ford Grant's Creek 2 � miles above the bridge, cut the railroad, capture a train if possible, and then get in the rear of Salisbury. The 11th Kentucky was selected for this purpose, commanded by Major Slater. About the same time, the 13th Tennessee Cavalry, with about 100 men, was ordered to cross the stream lower down. Major Keogh, of General Stoneman's staff, afterwards joined the 11th Kentucky Cavalry and led it during the charge. Major Keogh will later be remembered for being with Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn in Montana. The rattling fire of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry's Spencer rifles announced that the enemy's left had been turned and Colonel Miller's Brigade advanced on the main road and charged across the bridge. The remainder of Brown's Brigade was ordered to move in support of Colonel Miller. The enemy's retreat soon became a rout. The 11th Kentucky Cavalry having charged and capturing all the artillery of the enemy joined with Colonel Miller's Brigade. The enemy soon retreated and scattered into the woods. The enemy artillery officer was Colonel J. C. Pemberton, late Lieutenant General and the defender of Vicksburg. Nearly 1,200 enemy prisoners were taken. Colonel Miller's Brigade was called back from his pursuit of the enemy and ordered to destroy the railroad eastward. Colonel Palmer's Brigade returned late in the afternoon, having destroyed 2 large factories, 7,000 bales of cotton and had cut the railroad north of Greensboro. Major Wagner, who was detached at Jacksonville, had also rejoined the Division, reporting he had destroyed all the bridges on the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad to within 4 miles of Lynchburg, Virginia. Colonel Palmer was directed to destroy the railroad south of Salisbury in the direction of Charlotte. At 2 PM on the 13th, Major Barnes reported the destruction of all rebel supplies to be complete. ------o------ The Division moved at 3 PM on the 13th of April and encamped at Taylorsville, North Carolina at noon on the14th, destroying railroad depots, etc. on the march. At 10 AM on the 15th, the Command marched to Lenoir, encamping for the night. General Stoneman left the Command and started back to Greenville, Tennessee with a detachment, taking with him the rebel prisoners. Colonel Palmer, whose Brigade was at Statesville, was ordered to establish his headquarters at Lincolnton, and watch the line of the Catawba River. Miller's and Brown's Brigades moved toward Morganton on the 18th, and arriving at the Catawba River, 2 � miles east of Morganton, the bridge was found to be torn up, the ford blockaded, and the passage of the River disputed by about 300 of the enemy and one piece of artillery. The 8th Tennessee Cavalry was sent up the river to get in the enemy's rear. A few discharges from the Union artillery drove the enemy from their rifle pits, and the Union troopers charged across the bridge and drove the enemy from the ford. About 50 prisoners were taken. Moving into Morganton, large supplies of corn and bacon were found. About this time General Stoneman had received a message from General Sherman, which was relayed to his Cavalry forces in the field, that a truce had been agreed to and hostilities should cease. However, not all of the Confederate troops had received the word of General Joe Johnston's surrender to Sherman. On the 19th, the Command marched 23 miles toward Asheville and encamped at Pleasant Grove. On the 20th, the Command headed for Swannanoa Gap, in the Blue Ridge, where they found the enemy in force. They then turned back and went into camp 6 miles from the Gap. On the 21st the Division moved to Rutherford, 40 miles south of Swannanoa Gap and by sundown on the 22nd they had passed over the Blue Ridge at Howard's Gap with but slight resistance. At daylight on the 23rd the advance entered Hendersonville. Hearing that the Confederates had been in Hendersonville the previous day with 4 pieces of artillery and had gone toward Asheville, the 11th Kentucky Cavalry was ordered to pursue, attack and capture this artillery at all hazards. The 11th Michigan Cavalry was ordered to support the 11th Kentucky Cavalry. At 12 noon Major Slater of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry reported he had overtaken the artillery 12 miles from Hendersonville, and had charged and captured the 4 pieces and 70 of its infantry guard. At Hendersonville about 300 stands of arms were captured. At noon the Division left Hendersonville for Asheville, intending to attack the town the same evening. At 3 Pm on the 24th, General Gillem met with Confederate General Martin under a flag of truce who claimed privilege of the armistice between Sherman and Johnston. The Command passed through the town and after marching 15 miles, was ordered back to capture and hold Asheville. On the 26th of April, the Command took possession of Asheville at 7 PM. pg 56 The Command stayed here at Asheville until the 29th of April, when they were ordered to be on the lookout and to pursue Confederate President Jeff Davis, who was fleeing south from Richmond. The Command moved out at 7 AM and crossed the Blue Mountains at Saluda Gap. They halted near Pickensville, South Carolina at 7 PM. The next day they marched to Anderson, arriving there at 4 PM. They moved thence to Danielsville, Georgia, arriving at 11 PM on the 2nd of May, 1865. On the 3rd, the Command entered and took possession of Athens, Georgia, capturing 2 general officers and a number of prisoners. General Brown's Brigade, including the 11th Kentucky Cavalry, was ordered to hold the crossroads, fords, etc. from Athens northward to the head of the Savannah River, and Colonel Miller to do the same thing from Lexington to Danielsville. This was for the purpose of intercepting the disbanded officers and soldiers of Davis' escort, and depriving them of their arms and horses and making prisoners of their officers. In a report to Cavalry Headquarters in Tennessee, General Palmer stated he would order Brown's and Miller's Brigades to return to Knoxville after their above orders had been carried out. The reason he gave for their return is because he believed their officers for the most part had lost all control over their men. Further stating that a large number of the men and some of their officers devote themselves exclusively to pillaging and destroying property, and that General Brown appears to have given them carte blanche in South Carolina. On the 13th of May, word was received that Jefferson Davis had been captured near Irwinville, Georgia on the 10th, by a cavalry detachment from General Wilson's Division at Macon. With this news, the 11th Kentucky Cavalry moved to Atlanta. On the 22nd of May, Brown's Brigade and the 11th Kentucky Cavalry moved back into South Carolina. And on the 25th they reached Asheville, North Carolina. On the 27th of May they arrived at Greenville. By the 3rd of June the Regiment was in Knoxville. Leaving Knoxville, the 11th Kentucky Cavalry moved up to Cumberland Gap into Kentucky and on June 11th they were in Lexington, Kentucky. The newer men of the Regiment were transferred to the 12th Kentucky Cavalry to serve out their term of duty. Pvt. William Hurt died in the hospital at Nashville on June 23rd of small pox. He was the last man of the Regiment to die before the Regiment was mustered out. Of the 69 men originally mustered into Company A, not counting the officers, there were only 26 of them remaining in the Company. Most of the men captured at Philadelphia and Maryville, Tennessee died in confederate prisons, although a few had been exchanged and had returned to the regiment. On the 1st of July, the 11th Kentucky Cavalry moved to Louisville, Kentucky and camped at the fairgrounds. They would never be the same. Young men had turned old from the horrors of war which they witnessed. Farm boys had seen new places and some would never be satisfied to stay in one place again. Friends had been made which would last for a lifetime. The majority of the Regiment was mustered out on the 12th day of July, 1865. The End |