06 05 1864

Vaughn’s [BGen. John Crawford] brigade had recruited in Unionist-dominated East Tennessee. A mixture of mounted infantry and cavalry regiments comprised the brigade. At Piedmont, Vaughn had the:

1st Tennessee Cavalry

12th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion*

39th Tennessee Mounted Infantry Regiment

43rd Tennessee Mounted Infantry Regiment

59th Tennessee Mounted Infantry Regiment

[63rd Tennessee Infantry - ??, see Lindsey pp. 140]

and detachments of:

16th Georgia Battalion

3rd Tennessee Infantry Regiment

60th Tennessee Infantry Regiment

61st Tennessee Infantry Regiment

62nd Tennessee Infantry Regiment

* About June 1, 1863 the 12th and 16th Battalions Tenn.

Calvary were combined now bearing the name of the

First Tennessee Legion (4, pp. 757)

11 08 1864 (Tuesday)

HEADQUARTERS GOVERNOR'S GUARDS,

Henderson's Mill, November 8, 1864.

GOVERNOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the troops under my command from the 19th to the 28th of October:

I had been aware for some days that General Williams, commanding a rebel cavalry division of about 2,500 men and three pieces of artillery, had been ordered to join Hood by way of the French Broad and Tennessee Valley. I had also learned that on his way down the valley, it was Williams' intention to turn my position at Bull's Gap by crossing the French Broad at or near the mouth of Chucky, while General Vaughn made a demonstration in my front.

On the 19th of October I learned that Williams had arrived at Newport, and that Vaughn was at Greeneville. That night I crossed my command to the north side of the Holston River at Anderson's Ford, intending to attack a rebel force of two regiments at Rogersville, but the rebel commander, Major Day, learning that I had crossed the river, and believing that I was pursued by Vaughn and Williams, crossed Clinch Mountain, and marched down the valley of the Clinch. Learning of this move I marched down the Holston Valley, and at Moores-burg detached Colonel Parsons, with Ninth Tennessee Cavalry, and ordered him to cross the Clinch Mountain by way of Flat Gap, and to march down the Clinch Valley in the enemy's rear.
Late on the evening of the 20th I reached Bean's Station, and found the enemy in the gap. Night came before I could dislodge him. I ordered an attack the next morning at 4 o'clock, but the enemy, learning my force, retreated about daylight up the Clinch Valley, pursued by a battalion of the Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, under Major Sawyers. About 7 a.m. the enemy met Colonel Parsons. Attacked thus in front and rear he was routed and driven through Sneedville, with a loss of 15 killed, including 2 captains, 8 men, 17 horses, and 43 guns captured. This little affair reflects much credit upon Colonels Parsons and Brownlow.

On the 22d instant I learned that in consequence of the failure of Hood to capture Chattanooga, and hold lower East Tennessee, that Williams' command had been ordered to Georgia by way of Paint Mountain, Tenn., and Asheville, N.C. No sooner had I received this information than I determined to cross the river and attack General Vaughn, who had advanced to Morristown, and on the 23d crossed the Holston at Dyer's Ford and encamped at New Market. It being necessary to go to that point to get some necessary supplies and ammunition, I was unavoidably detained at New Market until the 27th, the military authorities at Knoxville acting with much apparent indifference in regard to furnishing supplies for my command.

On the 27th I marched from New Market, and met the enemy's pickets at Mossy Creek; skirmished with them until we arrived at Panther Springs, where we came upon about 250 of the enemy, who were charged by a battalion of the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Ingerton. The rebels lost 3 killed and 5 captured. It was now 5 o'clock, and we were yet five miles from Morristown. There was not, therefore, time enough to attack the enemy at that place and secure anything like a decisive result. I therefore determined to defer the attack until morning. That night the troops lay upon their arms ready for action at a moment's warning.

On the 28th we left camp at 7.30 a.m., Colonel Parsons, commanding Ninth Tennessee Cavalry, in the advance. The remainder of the troops marched in the following order: Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, Battery E, First Tennessee Light Artillery, Eighth Tennessee Cavalry; the train I left at Panther Springs under a guard of two companies of the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry. The enemy's pickets were met soon after leaving camp, and rapidly driven in. About 9 a.m. we came upon the enemy's skirmish line about one mile and a half from Morristown. Colonel Parsons immediately charged and drove them back upon their main body, which was discovered drawn up in two lines, one just west, the other east of the village of Morristown. The lines extended entirely across the open fields, with the flanks resting on the woods, their artillery on the flanks of the second line. The distance between their lines was about 800 yards. I brought forward Patterson's battery, and placing it on an eminence on our right flank shelled their front line for a short time, whilst Lieutenant-Colonel Ingerton was forming his regiment in a column of fours by companies. Everything being ready I ordered Colonel Ingerton to charge the center and right of their front line. The distance separating our line from that of the enemy was about 1,000 yards. The first 600 yards of this distance was passed over at a walk, and with an utter disregard for the shower of shells hurled at them by the enemy's artillery, and which could not be replied to by our artillery without endangering our own troops. When about 400 yards from the enemy's line our cavalry took a trot. Soon after the enemy opened a musketry fire from his entire line, and Ingerton charged. For a moment both parties were enveloped in smoke; the next the rebels were seen fleeing, hotly pursued by Ingerton's regiment. Just at this time the enemy endeavored to turn our right flank. Colonel Parsons was ordered to meet this movement and turn the enemy's left flank. It was my intention not to charge their left flank and second line until Parsons had obtained a position from which he could cut off their retreat, but before Parsons could complete his move I perceived the enemy preparing to charge our battery. I immediately ordered Colonel Patton, commanding Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, to charge their left and center, whilst Ingerton, who had reformed his regiment, should charge their right. Both charges were gallantly made, and the enemy routed and fled. The entire command were then ordered to pursue, and the order was promptly obeyed and the enemy followed beyond Russellville. Their loss was 85 left dead on the field, including 6 officers; 224 captured, including 19 officers; 5 pieces of artillery with caissons complete, all their ammunition for small-arms; also 6 wagons were captured. Our loss was 8 killed and 18 wounded.

Where all behaved with so much gallantry it would seem invidious to mention individuals, but I hope Your Excellency will allow me to call your particular attention to Lieutenant-Colonel Ingerton, commanding Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, who led the first charge and broke the enemy's first line without firing a shot. I earnestly recommend that he may be appointed to the command of the first regiment of Tennessee Cavalry that becomes vacant. Colonels Patton and Brown, of the Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, and Colonels Parsons and Brownlow, of the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry, led their regiments with distinguished gallantry. Captain Patterson and Lieutenant Regan, Battery E, First Tennessee Light Artillery, displayed the same skill, coolness, and daring that has characterized their conduct since we have been in East Tennessee. To my personal staff' Lieut. J. B. Carpenter, acting assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. O. C. French, acting assistant quartermaster; Lieuts. J. J. Douglas, B. A. Miller, and D. M. Nelson, aides-de-camp, and Capts. George E. Grisham and B. P. Stacy, provost-marshal--I am under many obligations for the prompt and gallant manner in which they transmitted my orders to different parts of the field. Surg. A. L. Carrick, medical director, is entitled to much credit for the manner in which he provided for our wounded, embarrassed as he was by the large number of the wounded left behind by the enemy without medical attendance, all of whom received the same care of our own wounded. The forces engaged in this battle were about equal on each side and were exclusively Tennesseeans, except the Sixteenth Georgia (rebel) Regiment [Battalion].

I omitted to mention at the proper place that we picked up over 300 stand of small-arms that had been thrown away by the enemy. Some of these I had distributed to citizens to defend themselves against guerrillas, the remainder I have deposited at the office of the assistant quartermaster for Tennessee troops.

The enemy could not have lost less than 500 in killed, wounded, and captured. In this action their killed and captured amounted to 310 men. Among their wounded was General Vaughn.

` I am, Governor, very respectfully,

ALVAN C. GILLEM,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.