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HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, Douglas Church, December 17, 1864-7 p. m. Major BEAUMONT,
Assistant Adjutant-General:
MAJOR: I am four miles south of Franklin, on the Lewisburg pike. Have sent down three miles farther. Nothing passed on this road save stragglers and about two regiments cavalry. Sent within two miles of Peytonsville and found not force. Have taken to-day 130 prisoners. Had to swim Harpeth. Sent my artillery via Franklin. Rations out to night. Shall I order up my supply train, or will it be done?
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN T. CROXTON,
Brigadier-General of Volunteers.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
You are currently in Volume XLV | Page 241
MRS. OWEN’S HOUSE, Wilson Pike, Four Miles and a Half South of Brentwood, [December 17], 1864-9.30 a. m.
[General WILSON:]
GENERAL: I am at this point, with my advance two miles farther. Have sent scout to Nolensville pike, and will not move farther until I hear from it. Have captured about fifty prisoners. No considerable force moved by this road. Forrest reported to be on my left. Will the infantry follow me on this road? I am two miles and a half from the Franklin pike.
Respectfully, yours,
JOHN T. CROXTON,
Brigadier-General.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
You are currently in Volume XLV | Pages 240
SPECIAL
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS,
FIELD ORDERS,
MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Numbers 4.*
Johnson’s House, December 17, 1864.
I. Commanding officers will be very active to-night and early to-morrow in obtaining forage, and will see that every horse is well fed.
II. The corps will be assembled in the following order to-morrow:
Johnson’s division, with one regiment on Carter’s Creek, the balance connecting with the Seventh Division, General Knipe, on the West Harpeth River. The Seventh Division will be on the right side of the Columbia pike. The Fifth Division will be on the left of the Columbia pike, its right resting on the left of the Seventh Division. General Croxton’s brigade will be on the Lewisburg pike. When this disposition is effected, at 6.30 a. m. to-morrow the command will move forward in that order.
III. Commanders of divisions and detached brigades will detail a suitable officer from their respective commands to report to these headquarters as aides to the general commanding.
IV. Commanding officers will take measures to bring forward supplies of ordnance, and such other supplies as they may need.
By order of Brevet Major-General Wilson:
A. J. ALEXANDER,
Lieutenant-Colonel and Acting Chief of Staff.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
You are currently in Volume XLV | Page 240
CIRCULAR.] HDQRS. CAV. CORPS, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISS.,
Granny White Pike, Eight Miles from Nashville,
December 17, 1864-3.30 a. m.
The Cavalry Corps will move at the earliest possible moment after the receipt of this order, by the following lines:
1. Croxton’s brigade will march, by the most direct road, to the Franklin pike, pressing the enemy closely by that road and those immediately to the east of it, leaving the pike itself for Knipe’s division.
2. Knipe’s division will move, by the nearest road, to the Franklin pike, and press the enemy on that road and any that may be found on its immediate right.
3. Hatch’s division will follow the enemy, on this road, to Brentwood, and press the enemy closely on the right of the Franklin pike. It may not be necessary to strike Brentwood at all, if roads can be found between the Hillsborough and Franklin pikes. General Hatch will use his discretion.
4. General Johnson will march, in pursuance of instructions last night, by the Hillsborough pike.
5. Cavalry Corps headquarters will be with the Fifth Division. Frequent communications must be sent in by the various columns.
J. H. WILSON,
Brevet Major-General, Commanding.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
You are currently in Volume XLV | Pages 239-240
HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Johnson’s House, Six Miles from Franklin, December 17, 1864-7.10 p. m.
Brigadier-General WHIPPLE,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Dept. of the Cumberland:
GENERAL: Upon further investigation I find that Knipe’s division participated most handsomely in the affair of this evening; nothing could have been more brilliant than the behavior of the troops. If it had only been light we would certainly have destroyed their entire rear guard; as it was, they were severely punished. The guns will be sent in as soon as wheels can be fitted to the carriages. My command needs forage badly; this country seems to be entirely stripped. I will assemble everything, except Croxton’s brigade, along the line of the West Harpeth to-night. Johnson must be near our right flank. As soon as it is light in the morning, and everything fed, I will push forward.
Respectfully, &c.,
J. H. WILSON,
Brevet Major-General, Commanding.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
You are currently in Volume XLV | Pages 238-239
Action
The following detail is taken from:
http://www.1sttennesseecavalry.com/history2.asp
December 14th, 1864
Special Field Order No. 342
Laid out the plan of attack on Hood’s troops General Smith’s Sixteen Corps and Wilson’s cavalry took the right General Wilson formed his cavalry in the following order: Hatch’s Fifth Division on the right of the Sixteenth Corps; Croxton’s brigade of McCook’s First Division to the right of Hatch. General Johnson’s Sixth Division was on Croxton’s right.December 15th, 1864
The effective force of General Wilson’s corps was twelve thousand, five hundred men and eighteen guns. It was a fine body of men, but very deficient in horses, many being wholly unfit for active service. Around 9am, Thomas started his attack on Hood outside Nashville. Steedman, on the left moved first, then General Smith, then Wilsons cavalry.Croxton’s brigade had been standing in line of battle during the morning just outside of the entrenchments near the Nashville & Northwestern Railroad. About 10am Croxton threw out a strong line of skirmishers and moved his brigade out between the Charlotte turnpike and the Nashville & Northwestern Railroad.
Croxton was ordered to move his brigade from the Charlotte turnpike across the country to the Hillsboro turnpike, and in doing so, skirmished most all the way. Shortly after crossing the Harding turnpike, Croxton encountered a portion of Chalmers’s division. The First Tennessee was in the advance and was marching left in front when they were fired upon by the enemy by a stone wall. Lt. Colonel Dyer was ordered to dismount his regiment and dislodge the enemy and in a few minutes the regiment was over the fence in line ready to move. At the command “forward,” the men raised the yell and moved forward under a brisk fire, and in a few minutes reached the stone wall, and springing over succeeded in capturing a portion of the Fifth Mississippi Cavalry.
Darkness set in and Croxton’s brigade was ordered to bivouac near the Hillsboro turnpike which they were glad to do as they had been in the saddle since morning.
Wilson’s cavalry had fought during the day infantry and cavalry, had cleared their front, covered the extreme right of Thomas’s infantry, and not only enveloped Hood’s flank, but had taken it in reverse, had completely turned his left flank and swept everything before them, and at night bivouacked near his line of retreat.
December 16th, 1864
Wilson moved his troops forward dismounted and by noon was east of the Granny White turnpike and had completely turned Hood’s left flank, and cut off his line of retreat by this route. Stewart made several attempts during the forenoon to drive back Wilson’s dismounted cavalry and retake the ground lost, but was unsuccessful and was repulsed without difficulty.
Thomas’s charging troops pushed Hood out of his works and the enemy fled toward the Franklin turnpike in great confusion. Wilson’s cavalry was delayed in the pursuit, caused by the troops being so far from the led horses, as the men leading them made slow progress over the hills and dense forests. Croxton’s brigade, which had been in reserve, was not moved to the right of Hammond’s brigade of Knipe’s division, and in making this move captured several prisoners.
As soon as Wilson’s men gained their horses the pursuit was begun, with the commands of Hatch, Knipe and Croxton on the Granny White turnpike and Johnson on the Hillsboro turnpike. Everything indicated a rout, and after moving a short distance the leading division, Hatch’s, encountered Chalmers’ division about dark.
This was called the great cavalry battle of the west, and it is exceedingly doubtful if there was a single battle of the war where so much gallant and meritorious service was rendered by that arm of the service.December 17th, 1864
The cavalry continued the pursuit. At Brentwood, Croxton’s brigade was ordered t take the Wilson turnpike where the enemy was again routed and fell back toward Franklin. Croxton’s brigade skirmished with Hood’s rear guard most of the way to Franklin. Hood attempted to make another stand at Franklin, but again his flanks were turned and he fell back toward Columbia. Croxton and Hatch moved to the left of Franklin, swimming Harpeth River at McGavock’s Ford and encamped for the night near Douglass Church on the Lewisburg turnpike.December 18th, 1864
Wilson continued the pursuit south from Franklin with great energy, moving on all the roads, and continued to harass the flanks and rear of Hood’s army.
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- 1st TN Cavalry site - nice
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