David, I remember reading something, I do not remember where, about Wilson sending a detail to Tallassee when he was enroute to Columbus. Seems I remember the story was that the Union detail asked a black man how to get to Tallassee and he told them they had to cross the river here over to the east bank and go north because there was no bridge on the river at Tallassee. Well, the Union Commander had maps or other intellegence that showed a bridge or that Tallassee was on the west bank of the river, so he accused the black man of lying to him and had him shot. When the Union detail reached Tallassee on the west side of the river they found the old black man had spoken the truth..Tallassee was on the east side of the river with no bridge or shallow place to ford. The Union detail did not have time to double back or search for a place to ford the river, so it returned to the main army headed to Columbus leaving Tallassee untouched.