The Civil War Flags Message Board

For Gregg Biggs, Tenn Flags Captured

At the battle of "Saltville, Virginia" on 2 October, 1864. (O.R. 39 Page 553, for Union order of battle)

All Union cavalry regiment were dismounted.

Colonel G.G. Dibrell, wrote his Tennessee cavalry brigade captured, "Five Colors". (O.R 39, LI, Page 497).

"I feel very certain that my command killed and wounded more than we had in the fight, and more than Two-Third's of the whole; captured all the prisoners taken and five stand of colors." (Page 497)

O.R. 39, Page 553, lists the losses among Union cavalry regiments. I will list the highest losses.

1) 5th USCT Colored Cavalry= 4 Officers and 114 Enlisted loss.
2) 11th Michigan Cavalry==== 11 Killed, 61 Wounded and 16 Captured. (Also served as rear guard after the battle)
3) 12th Ohio Cavalry======= 5 Killed, 31 Wounded and 12 Captured.
4) 35th Kentucky Mounted Infantry= 3 Killed, 11 Wounded and 21 Captured.

All other Union regiments had slight losses.

The order of attack had the 5th USCT Cav on the left, 12th Ohio Cav center and 11th Mich Cav on the right.

O.R. 39, Page 556, "5th USCT Cavalry's after battle report". "Dismounted, repeatedly charged the earth-works with their guidons flying, but suffered considerable loss."

The 5th USCT Cavalry went in with around "400" men. "100 men were sick and/or had bad horses". Another "100 held the horses in the rear".

As usual, neither side wrote who lost the flags and what regiments captured the flags (Guidons). But I will let you use you're judgement based on those losses of the Union regiments.

I have another report. (O.R. 39, Page 565) "12 October, 1864" "BG Vaughn's cavalry brigade" attacked (Generals Gillem and Ammen) forces at Greenville, Tennessee (AKA Blue Springs) "Whipping and routing them and pursuing them to within sight of Bull's Gap." "Killing and wounding 10, capturing 25 others, together with "Two stand of regimental colors". "Some 75 horses and saddles, and about Fifty stand of arms." "Vaughn's casualties were, two killed and two slightly wounded, but Colonel J.A. Rowan commander of the 62nd Tenn was one that died."

BG. Vaughn, on Page 567, wrote "GENERAL;  The 2 flags captured* from the Eighth and Ninth Federal Tennessee Cavalry have been received, together with the communication accompanying them. The major-general commanding desires you to convey to your command his thanks for the gallantry displayed in the action in which they were captured, and his special acknowledgments of the signal  valor and daring of Privates Samuel H. Selvidge, Company C, THIRD Tennessee Regiment, and Charles Dent, Company B, SIXTEENTH Tennessee Battalion, in securing the enemy's colors. The flags will be forwarded with the statements sent by you appended, and  they will be recommended for promotion."

Well I hope that helped out,

Shawn Prouty