Part 3

On December 6th, the regiment broke camp permanently and moved to Knoxville to refit. On December 10th Captain Roberts, with 50 men, was sent as an escort to General Stoneman, in command of Gillem’s and Burbridge’s Cavalry, on an expedition to the Salt Works in Southwestern Virginia. The regiment remained at Knoxville engaged in the affairs of the camp, until March 20th, 1865. During this time some changes had occurred. Lieutenant Colonel Trowbridge had been promoted to be Colonel; Major Smith to be Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Standish to be Major. But these officers could not muster in their new grades by reason of the paucity in numbers. An order was received from Washington to send an officer and six men to Michigan on recruiting service. Captain Light was selected for that service, which he discharged with his accustomed energy and zeal, and the ranks were filled.

On the 20th of January Lieutenant Colonel Trowbridge was appointed Provost Marshal General of East Tennessee, to relieve General S. P. Carter. Major Newell, having mustered out, the command of the regiment devolved on Major Standish. Colonel Trowbridge remained in the position of Provost Marshal General until March 20th, when he was relieved at his own request to take command of the regiment on an important expedition organized by General Stoneman, who had come to Knoxville to take command of the cavalry in Kentucky and East Tennessee, and to organize an expedition into Virginia. General Grant, with his great foresight, anticipating, as a possibility, that General Lee, when driven out of Richmond, might attempt to retire into the mountainous and easily defensible regions of South Western Virginia and East Tennessee, determined to send an expedition to destroy as much as possible of the railroad running to the southwest by way of Lynchburg. That was the Stoneman expedition of which the Tenth Michigan was a part. It consisted of three brigades and one field battery. It left Knoxville on March 20th and moved to Jonesboro. On the 26th there was an issue of rations for eight days, the last regular issue for nearly two months. The destination was kept very secret. In order to deceive the enemy, one brigade was sent to Bristol, to draw the attention of the enemy in that direction, afterwards rejoining the column as it crossed the mountains, while the other two brigades struck directly across the mountains to Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The appearance of a large body of cavalry in Western North Carolina, threatening both Salisbury and Greensboro, must have been somewhat disturbing to the confederate authorities. It was reported that troops were hurried to both of those places in anticipation of an attack. After waiting a few days for the subsidence of a freshet in the Yadkin River, and incidentally for its presence to be fully felt, the command turned square off to the north to strike the railroad. Five hundred picked men of the Tennessee brigade, under Colonel Miller, were sent to Wytheville. A battalion of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania, under Major Wagner, was sent to the immediate vicinity of Lynchburg, while the main body, by a rapid march, moved to Christiansburg, arriving there April 4th about midnight. The Tenth was immediately sent about 20 miles east to destroy six railroad bridges over the Roanoke River, which was thoroughly accomplished. While engaged in the work at Big Spring, Colonel Trowbridge found a Lynchburg paper of the day before containing an account of the fall of Richmond. He immediately sent it to General Stoneman at Christiansburg, and thus was the first to convey intelligence of that important event. After resting at Salem the 5th and 6th, he received orders at 1 a. m. of the 7th to move by the shortest and best route to Rocky Mount, thence to Martinsville, or Henry Court House, to be there by 9 o’clock on the morning of the 8th, and there await the balance of the brigade, which was to move by a different route. The distance was 75 miles. The regiment moved at 4 a. m., and by a forced night march reached Henry Court House about 7 a. m. of the 8th, to find it occupied by about 500 of Wheeler’s cavalry, said to be a regiment commanded by Colonel Wheeler, a brother of General Joe Wheeler. The regiment was encamped about a mile from the town, in a piece of woods, leaving a picket post in the town. Captain James H. Cummins, commanding the leading battalion, immediately charged and routed the party in the town, and drove them back on the main body. The noise of the firing aroused the main body, which quickly saddled and formed, and when Cummins reached them they were in line of battle. Nothing could restrain the Tenth, however, and they attacked with vigor, and the enemy was driven out of the woods. They mainly took refuge in a deep depression so common at the South, and there, huddled together, they formed an excellent target for the Spencer carbines of Captain Dunn and his plucky boys. The casualties of the enemy were reported as 27 killed. How many were wounded was not learned. The fight was not without loss to the Tenth. Lieutenant Kenyon, a gallant young officer, who had been promoted but not mustered, and four men were killed, and Lieutenant Field, a brave and gallant officer, and three men were wounded. As the regiment was ordered to remain there until the balance of the brigade came up, the men were drawn in and placed in the most available positions for defense in case they should be attacked, and then waited the balance of the brigade until 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The next day the command started for Germantown and Salem. General Stoneman, with two brigades, crossed the Yadkin at Shallow Ford and moved on Salisbury. The Tenth was sent to burn bridges on the railroad between Greensboro and Salisbury. One battalion under command of Captain J. H. Cummins was sent to High Point to attract the attention of the enemy, if any there should be, in that direction, while the other two battalions, under Colonel Trowbridge, proceeded towards Lexington to burn some bridges over Abbott’s Creek. Captain Cummins at High Point captured and destroyed a large amount of Confederate Government property, four warehouses filled with quartermaster and commissary stores, one woolen factory, one engine, 20 box cars, one baggage car, about $75,000 of medical stores and 7,000 bales of cotton.

Colonel Trowbridge wishing to get the bridges destroyed before daylight, sent on Captain Roberts with two companies to go ahead at a trot, while he followed more leisurely. It was an all-night march. About half-past six, to his great surprise, he came on a party of the enemy. All his information up to that time was to the effect that there were no confederate troops in that section. They had all gone to Greensboro to join General Beauregard. Such was the information, but before him quietly in camp was Ferguson’s brigade of confederate cavalry from Wheeler’s corps. His orders were, after destroying the bridges, to proceed on the direct road to Salisbury to co-operate with General Stoneman, who had gone to attack on the other side. But what had become of the two companies which had passed over the same road only a few hours before? And the bridges, what of them? Had Roberts been able to destroy them, or had he been gathered in and left no sign? It was a perplexing situation. Apparently the Confederates were quite unaware of the approach of an enemy, and, with horses and men fresh, it might be possible to stampede them by a sudden dash, but after a nearly continuous march of more than twenty-four hours, neither horses nor men were in good condition to make an aggressive fight against such large odds, six companies against a brigade. Moreover, if it were possible by any good fortune to drive the enemy, which was very doubtful, he would simply go towards Salisbury, and make General Stoneman’s task the harder. On the other hand if by falling back the enemy could be drawn after and still kept at arm’s length, it was thought to be a good move in this game of military chess, like capturing a bishop or a knight at the expense of a pawn. These considerations quickly passed through the mind of the commanding officer, and he decided to retire by alternate squadrons. But he did not wish to begin the movement without hearing from Captain Roberts, and so he placed his men in the best positions available, threw a barricade across the road, behind which he placed Captain Dunn with his reliable and plucky company. He had scarcely completed his arrangements when Captain Roberts came in with his two companies in good order, and reported that he had destroyed two bridges. “But,” said he, “there is a large force about a mile down the road.” Upon being asked how he knew, he said he had slipped passed them on their flank, and could see the whole camp. He was quite sure that besides the cavalry there was a good force of infantry. The object of the expedition, the destruction of the bridges, having been accomplished, the movement to retire by alternate squadrons was explained, and without longer delay commenced. It was not long before it was discovered, and the enemy attacked with great vigor. Then for two hours ensued a remarkable fight, in which the officers and men of the Tenth acquitted themselves with great credit. The enemy repeatedly charged with great gallantry, and as he attempted to pass a column around each flank, it became necessary to retire rapidly, but never at any time was there the slightest evidence of uneasiness or panic. The men wheeled out of line into column and into line again, when new positions were reached with the same coolness and precision as if on the parade ground and no enemy near. Their conduct was worthy of the highest praise. Strange as it may seem, the only losses in the Tenth were two men captured during the night while trying to get some horses out of a barn. From rebel newspapers, deserters and men who came in to be paroled, it was learned that the losses of the enemy in killed and wounded were between 75 and 100. Where all did so well, it may seem invidious to mention any specially, and in the lapse of years some names may have been lost sight of, but the following named officers are distinctly remembered as worthy of special mention for their coolness and courage: Major Standish, Captains Roberts, Dunn, Minihan, Lieutenants Beech, Wild and Sergeant Dumont, commanding Co. D.

Upon rejoining the brigade at Salem the command moved to Shallow Ford to join General Stoneman in his attack on Salisbury. On reaching the South Fork of the Yadkin, about three miles from Salisbury, General Stoneman was unable to cross. The stream, though narrow, was deep, with high precipitous banks. It was spanned by a bridge, the planks of which had been removed, and it was covered by artillery well supported. General Stoneman, with his battery, tried to drive them away, but could not succeed. After some delay he said to Major Smith, of the Tenth, who was serving on his staff, “I want you to take 20 men of the Tenth Michigan, with their Spencer carbines (he had an escort from the Tenth), get across this stream in some way, and flank those fellows out of there.” Smith got across on logs and fallen trees, and creeping up on the flank of the rebels, delivered some rattling volleys from his repeating carbines, when the whole force broke and fled. Stacey, with his Tennesseeans, who had been waiting for the chance, quickly relaid the planks on the bridge and charged across. The fight was over in a very short time, and the city, with 900 prisoners, 19 pieces of artillery and immense quantities of stores was captured. It was estimated by General Gillem’s quartermaster that enough quartermaster stores were destroyed to equip an army of 75,000 men. About midnight of the 14th news was received at Statesville of the surrender of Lee’s army. On the 17th the Tenth was sent to Newton to guard the fords of the Catawba, and to gather in any stragglers from Lee’s army who were seeking to get away without being paroled, being busy at that work for several days. News of the assassination of President Lincoln was received at Newton on the 23d. Then came the ill-judged armistice between Generals Sherman and Johnson, and the division was ordered to East Tennessee. When about fifteen miles from Ashville, an order was received reciting that the armistice had been disapproved, and directing General Palmer, commanding the division (Generals Stoneman and Gillem having returned to East Tennessee) to return to the Carolinas, and make sure by laying waste the country, if necessary, that no supplies should reach General Johnson’s army from south or west of the Catawba River. The Division returned, but before the work of laying waste the country had begun, Johnson had surrendered, and that painful necessity was avoided.

* * * * *

Thus ended what has been called the Stoneman Raid of 1865. It may be safely said that no similar enterprise in the history of the war accomplished so much of importance with so little public attention. General Thomas, in his official report, said that no railroad was more effectively dismantled than the road running to the southwest from Lynchburg. For 125 miles substantially every bridge and trestle of any importance had been destroyed, while several bridges on the Danville road had met a similar fate. Large quantities of military supplies and property of the Confederate Government had been captured and destroyed at High Point and Salisbury. That it attracted no more attention ought not to be wondered at under the circumstances. With Farragut and Canby knocking at the gates of Mobile, with Wilson and his splendid army of cavalry sweeping over the states of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, with Sherman striding like a giant through the Carolinas, and Grant tightening his relentless grip on the army of Northern Virginia, it was not strange that a small division of cavalry in Virginia and North Carolina, away from the scenes of great achievements, should attract but a small degree of public attention. In all the operations of the division, the Tenth Michigan Cavalry bore a conspicuous part.

On the 29th an order was received from the Secretary of War reciting that Jefferson Davis and his Cabinet, with a large amount of treasure (estimated at $6,000,000.00 in coin), with a large escort of cavalry, was making his way to the southwest, and directing the commanding officer to spare neither men nor horses, but to pursue him to the ends of the earth if necessary, and to obey no orders except such as should come directly from the Secretary of War. Mr. Davis and his party, with an escort of 6,000 cavalry, had been reported two days before at Yorkville, two days’ march in advance. By making a wide detour and a rapid march, the Division was thrown across his front on his line of march. All the commands of the escort had been embraced in the terms of surrender of Lee’s and Johnson’s armies, and consequently were not in condition to do any more fighting. When they found further progress disputed by an armed force, they broke up into small parties and scattered in different directions for their homes. Many of these small parties reported having Mr. Davis with them, so that according to apparently very reliable authorities Mr. Davis was reported in many different places in many different directions at the same time. The plan of the pursuers was to occupy all the roads running to the west, and all the fords and ferries on the rivers, and this was done for a distance of probably one hundred and fifty miles from north to south. It was while trying to avoid these forces as well as General Wilson’s cavalry at Macon by a wide detour to the south of Macon, that he was captured by the Fourth Michigan Cavalry near Irwinsville. While the Tenth had no part in the capture itself, there is no doubt that the close watch they kept by scouting parties on the roads, bridges, fords and ferries, contributed very largely to the result. The capture, however, was not known for several days at General Palmer’s headquarters, and the Tenth was ordered to move to McDonough and guard the road from there to Sandtown. At McDonough orders were received to move to the west side of the Coosa River in Alabama, and there take up a line as had been done in Georgia. At Newnan, May 13th, it was learned that the railroad and telegraph lines were opened to Atlanta, and a halt was made to get rations and forage, the first regular rations that the men had received since the issue of March 26th in East Tennessee. While waiting for them information was received by telegraph from Atlanta that Mr. Davis had been captured, and passed through Atlanta for Savannah under good escort. This information was at once sent to General Palmer, in the hope that it would soon be followed by an order to return to East Tennessee, but Division Headquarters were about 100 miles away toward the north, and it necessarily took some time to reach there, and a long and tiresome march through a sparsely settled country, affording scant provender for men and horses, was unavoidable. But there is an end to all disagreeable experiences, and there was an end to this pursuit of President Davis, whom we knew to have been captured, and the Tenth returned to East Tennessee on the 31st day of May, having marched not less than 1,800 miles in the enemy’s country, without any base of supplies, living on the country, except for the few days’ rations received from Atlanta, for 58 days, counting from the end of the eight days for which rations were issued on the 26th of March. Much to the disappointment of the men, the regiment was not to be mustered out at once. There was a reorganization of the Division at Linoir Station. Colonel Trowbridge was assigned to the command of the First Brigade, and Major Standish to the regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Smith being still on staff duty at Headquarters in Knoxville. This assignment continued at Linoir Station and Sweetwater until the latter part of August, when the Tenth was ordered to Jackson, West Tennessee. Colonel Trowbridge’s term of enlistment would expire on the 1st of September, and he thought as the war was over it would be but fair for him to muster out, and thus make possible a promotion in each grade. By permission he remained at Knoxville until he mustered out on September 1st. On August 24th the regiment, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Smith, left for Jackson, West Tennessee. Captain Light had returned, having had great success in recruiting, and the ranks were full enough to permit promotion and muster in all the grades. The regiment remained in West Tennessee until the latter part of October, when it was ordered to Jackson, Mich., where on November--it was finally mustered out and paid off.

In the short space allowed for this general history, it has not been practicable to mention in detail all the engagements in which detachments of the regiment participated, and only the more important ones are selected for special mention. The monthly returns of the regiment show that some portions of it came in contact with the enemy on the following occasions:

At House Mountain, Tenn., Jan., 1864; Bean’s Station, March 27 and June 14, 1864; Powder Spring Gap, Tenn., March 28, 1864; Rheatown, Tenn., April 24, 1864; Jonesboro, Tenn., April 25 and Sept. 30, 1864; Johnsonville, Tenn., April 25, 1864; Wautauga, Tenn., April 25, 26 and Oct. 1 and 2, 1864; Dandridge, Tenn., May 19, 1864; Greenville, Tenn., May 30, Aug. 3 and 23 and Sept. 4, 1864; White House, Tenn., May 31, 1864; Morristown, Tenn., June 2, Aug. 2, Nov. 13, 1864; Rogersville, Tenn., June 15, 1864; Kingsport, Tenn., June 16, 1864; Blountsville, June 16, 1864; Cany Branch, Tenn., June 18, 1864; New Market, June 19, 1864; Mooresburg, June 25, 1864; Williams’ Ford, June 25, 1864; Dutch Bottom, June 28, 1864; Seviersville, July 5, 1864; Newport, July 8, 1864; Mossy Creek, Aug. 18, 1864; Bull’s Gap, Aug. 21 and 29, 1864; Blue Spring, Aug. 23, 1864; Flat Creek Bridge, Aug. 24, 1864; Rogersville, Aug. 27, 1864; Sweet Water, Sept. 10, 1864; Thorn Hill, Sept. 10, 1864; Seviersville, Sept. 18, 1864; Johnson’s Station, Oct. 1, 1864; Thorn Hill, Oct. 10, 1864; Chucky Bend, Oct. 10, 1864; Newport, Oct. 18, 1864; Irish Bottoms, Oct. 25, 1864; Madisonville, Oct. 30, 1864; Morristown, Nov. 13, 1864; Strawberry Plains, Aug. 24, Nov. 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, 1864; Kingsport, Dec. 12, 1864; Bristol, Dec. 14, 1864; Saltville, Dec. 20, 1864; Chucky Bend, Jan. 10, 1865; Brabson’s Mills, March 25, 1865; Booneville, N. C., March 27, 1865; Henry C. H., N. C., April 8, 1865; Abbott’s Creek, N. C., April 10, 1865; High Point, N. C., April 10, 1865; Statesville, N. C., April 14, 1865; Newton, N. C., April 17, 1865.

The writer of this short history himself a companion in nearly all the hardships, dangers and successes of the Tenth Michigan Cavalry, desires to put on record his high appreciation of the courage, patient endurance and conspicuous gallantry by which it established and maintained to the end a high reputation. Whether acting on the defensive, as at Strawberry Plains, Morristown, McMillan’s Ford and Abbott’s Creek, or on the offensive, as at Carter’s Station, Morristown, Blue Springs, Greenville, Bean’s Station, Rogersville, Flat Creek and Henry Court House, it was always the same cool, courageous and reliable body of citizen soldiers, never seeking to provoke useless or unnecessary fighting, and never declining or seeking to avoid in any way a fight where fighting was the thing to be done. It is and ever will be a source of profound satisfaction that he was permitted to serve with such a manly, resolute, courageous and patriotic body of men. He rejoices with them in their enviable record of hardships patiently endured, dangers bravely met and victories nobly won.

L. S. TROWBRIDGE, Colonel 10th Mich. Cavalry.

[Illustration: REUNION OF THE TENTH MICHIGAN CAVALRY AT THE HOME OF GENERAL L. S. TROWBRIDGE, AT DETROIT, AT THE TIME OF THE NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT OF THE G. A. R., AUGUST 5TH, 1891.]

Total enrollment 1,886 Killed in action 13 Died of wounds 12 Died in confederate prisons 11 Died of disease 121 Discharged for disability (wounds or disease) 80

[Illustration: OFFICERS OF THE TENTH MICHIGAN CAVALRY

Col. Thaddeus Foote

Col. and Bvt. Maj. Gen. Luther S. Trowbridge

Col. and Bvt. Brig. Gen. Israel C. Smith

Major Cicero Newell

Lt. Col. and Bvt. Col. John H. Standish

Major Wesley Armstrong

Major Peter N. Cook

Major Harvey E. Light

1st Lieut. and Adjt. Charles E. Soule

Major Henry W. Sears

1st Lieut. and Brevet Capt. Adjt. Charles W. Watkins

1st Lt. and Adjt. William T. Merritt

1st Lt. and R. Q. M. Oliver N. Taylor

1st Lt. and R. Q. M. Alphonso A. Maxim, Jr.

1st Lt. and R. C. S. Don A. Dodge

1st Lt. and R. C. S. Wallace W. Dickinson

Surg. David C. Spaulding

1st Asst. Surg. Charles W. Leonard

1st Asst. Surg. William D. Scott

2nd Asst. Surg. Thomas Shaw

Chaplain Henry Cherry

Capt. and Bvt. Lt. Col. Edwin J. Brooks

Capt. and Bvt. Maj. James H. Cummins

Capt. and Bvt. Maj. William H. Dunn

Capt. Ben. K. Weatherwax

Capt. Stephen V. Thomas

Capt. George M. Farnham

Capt. James B. Roberts

Capt. Ambrose L. Soule