William E. Crane

“ The sight of an abandoned horse (and the hard-pressed enemy was now leaving his own as well [Pg 7] as our animals) was the signal for a yell that the pursued might have heard and trembled at miles away. Then spurs were clapped into horses’ flanks to urge them still faster on; and thus the column—if column that could be called which column was none—swept, dashed, plunged onward. Occasionally a trooper was dismounted by a projecting limb, and as he clambered out of the way, the sympathetic cry was wafted back from some comrade, “Say, what infantry rigiment does you’ns belong to?” ”

“ But there are incidents, episodes, deeds that come under the observation only of the few—sometimes of the individual—which, little in themselves and seemingly inconsequential, help to make up the grand story. It is an old, old story now, but the story has become history. A full and true history of the late war has never been written—never will be. ”

“ Over fences and gullies, and then a wide ravine; through brush and dense timber, whose gnarled and low-hanging branches literally tore men from their saddles; across a great marsh where horses almost swamped—onward the resistless force rushes and strikes the enemy fully and fairly. ”

“ If any thing new is furnished that shall also prove interesting, the end will be subserved. There are those among us, members of Ohio Commandery, who contributed largely to the grandeur, the magnificence, the glory of that army of the Union from which this Order sprang. There are those among us who made pages, aye, chapters, of history where great deeds are emphasized in blood ”

“ The train stops and the passengers, rebel soldiers and officers, leap to the ground and endeavor to escape. A few succeed, but the majority are taken. The train is boarded and brought back. Meanwhile the column dashes onward and goes whirling into Huntsville. At the station is another train just leaving, with troops who are going “on to Richmond.” A cocked pistol held at the engineer’s head has the effect of shutting off steam and the train is placed under guard. The regiment gallops up the street and through the town. Pickets are thrown out on all the roads. ”

“ From prisoners taken we learned that Ross’ Cavalry Brigade was our principal opponent.
A detachment of 400 men was now sent forward to Griffin to destroy the track there. The 2d Brigade of the 2d Division was ordered forward and, on the Jonesboro road, struck the enemy. Skirmishing continued nearly all day, the enemy falling back slowly and showing a disposition to impede our progress as much as possible. At Flint river a strong force was in position on the further bank and at the town of Jonesboro. ”

“ February 10th Mitchell broke camp at Bacon Creek, Kentucky, made a forced march to Bowling Green, driving the rebel Hindman before him, and on February 22d started for Nashville. The Fourth Ohio Cavalry, his advance regiment, was before Nashville on the evening of the 23d, and received from the Mayor the surrender of the city. The Third Division went into camp and the Fourth Ohio Cavalry was placed eight miles in the front, at the outposts, on the Murfreesboro pike. ”

“ It will go on down the ages to be read by grand-children and their grand-children, who will point with pride to the illustrious achievements and say: “These were my ancestors who fought in that great war and did these glorious things!” What richer legacy can you hand down? ”

“ So galling was their fire that the charge was greatly retarded on that flank. These must be silenced, and a force dashes up the aclivity “into the very jaws of death.” Every gunner is killed or captured.
At such a time artillery was an awkward encumbrance, yet one piece was brought off safely. Prisoners, too, were an encumbrance, and few were taken along. They were simply disarmed and left on the field where captured. Had time and circumstance permitted the rebel battery could have been brought off as a trophy, and some hundreds of prisoners. ”

“ Statistics are not at hand from which to give our casualties in full, but Long’s Brigade lost seven officers and eighty-seven men in killed, wounded, and prisoners. The charge at Lovejoy’s Station was one of the grandest, most extensive, and brilliant cavalry charges of the entire war. ”

“ Halting at sundown to feed and await the remainder of the division, the cavalry again moved on rapidly and went into bivouac at 10 p. m. At two in the morning a detail of picked men was made to ride across the country and tear up the track on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad leading east from Huntsville. Pickets were also thrown out to intercept all travel to and from the town. At four o’clock on the morning of April 11th the artillery and cavalry were in motion for Huntsville, eight miles away. Nearing town the battery galloped on to the front, the Fourth Ohio following close. ”

“ Friday morning, the 19th, the 2d Division struck the Atlantic & West Point Railroad. Men from the advance division were already at work tearing up the track, and one regiment—the 1st Ohio—was detailed from the 2d Division to assist. A mile of track was soon destroyed. Meanwhile, the rear of the moving column (Minty’s Brigade) was attacked by a force from the woods on the left with musketry and artillery. The fighting soon became heavy. The 1st Ohio was ordered up to Minty’s relief, [Pg 13] and a systematic attack made with good results, the enemy retiring from sight. ”

“ The 3d Division had the advance, and with it was the 10th Wisconsin Battery of four pieces. The 2d had two sections of the “Chicago Board of Trade Battery.” Quietly as all had been planned, the movement was already known in the rebel camp and our advance encountered an impeding force early in the march. These fell back as we advanced but continued harassing and delaying the column, and skirmishing was kept up all night, a bright moon rendering some aid to both sides. ”