MARCH 12, 1864.--Skirmish near Union City, Tenn.

Report of Col. Isaac R. Hawkins, Seventh Tennessee Cavalry.

UNION CITY,
March 14, 1864.
SIR: I reached my camp with my entire command at 3 p. m. this day.
Have with me 30 prisoners, many of them of the worst cast. On the
12th, had a running fight for 10 miles with Capt. Bolen's company
with about an equal number of men commanded by Lieuts. R. Y.
Bradford and Hawkins, in which 2 of the enemy were killed, 1 severely
wounded, and 1 captured. We also captured 6 horses. Our loss nothing.
The vote in my country (Carroll) was 1,326. In one district election
broken up. Health of men excellent. My scouts proceeded within 8 miles
of Jackson and 13 miles south of Lexington.

The vote in Henderson was 564; in Weakley, something over 1,100.
Advertisements were everywhere posted, threatening the people with
severe punishment if they should vote. I shall report more at length in
a day or two.

ISAAC R. HAWKINS,
Col., Cmdg. Seventh Tennessee Cavalry.

Brig. Gen. H. T. REID,
Cmdg. District.

Source: Official Records
PAGE 495-57 KY., SW., VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. [CHAP. XLIV.
[Series I. Vol. 32. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 57.]

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Report of Capt. John W. Beatty, Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, of the capture
of Union City.

CAIRO, ILL.,
April 12, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to report to you that I have made my escape from
the enemy after being surrendered, together with 16 officers
and about 500 enlisted men, by Col. Isaac R. Hawkins, at Union
City, Tenn., on the 24th of March, after fighting six hours and
repulsing the enemy four times.

The enemy drove in our pickets at 4 a. m., 24th March, and
skirmishing commenced soon after, and by sunrise our camps were
entirely surrounded. Their force numbered about 1,500 commanded by
Col.'s Faulkner, Bell, Duckworth, Faris [?], Freeman, Tansil and
Russell. They first made a charge, mounted, and finding that they were
losing a great many men and horses, dismounted and made three
unsuccessful charges with heavy loss in killed and wounded. Finding it
impossible to rout our forces from their works, fell back great
confusion, taking shelter behind fallen timber, stumps, &c., their
sharpshooters keeping up a continuous fire until fifteen minutes to 11
o'clock when they cease firing and sent in a flag of truce, demanding
an unconditional surrender of our force, &c., giving Col. Hawkins
fifteen minutes to make up his mind, stating that they would take the
camp by storm as they had re-enforcements close at hand.
Col. Hawkins called together the officers and asked them what they
were in favor of doing. I remarked if they had artillery
they could whip us; if not they never could get inside our works. All
the officers said fight except Maj. Thomas A. Smith. Just at that time
the telegraph operator said that they had two pieces of artillery; that he
had seen them. Col. Hawkins said that it would save a great many
lives if we would surrender, and that if we renewed the fight they would
kill every one that might fall into their hands. We the officers, then
agreed, to surrender on condition that they would parole the officers and
men and allow the men to keep their private property and the officers
their side arms; otherwise we would fight as long as there was a man
left.

Col. Hawkins then went out and met Duckworth at 11 o'clock, and
ten minutes after 11 o'clock, the rebels came in, and Col. Hawkins
ordered that all commanders of companies and detachments march their
men outside of the fort, or works, and require them to lay down their
arms. Afterward we found that Col. Hawkins had made an
unconditional surrender. The officer and men cried like a whipped child.
They also cursed Col. Hawkins and said he was a traitor, and that
they would never serve under him again.

At 12 o'clock the rebels burned our barracks and marched us via
Jacksonville to Gardner's Station, on the Nashville and Northwestern
Railroad, a distance of 16 miles, where we camped for the night.
Lieut.'s Hawkins and Helmer during their night made their escape.

On the next morning, March 25, at sunrise, we were marched 15 miles
toward Trenton, Tenn., where we encamped for the night. The rebels
gave our men about 1 ounce meat each, and no bread; this was the first
that they at since the evening of 23d.

March 26, we started at sunrise and marched to Trenton, Tenn., where
the citizens sold our men biscuits at $5 per dozen and baked chickens at
$5 each.

March 27, we remained at Trenton during the day. The rebels drew our
men up in line and marched them into court-house and searched each
man as he went, in robbing them of their money, blankets, &c.
Lieut.'s Neely, Bradford, and Morgan made their escape at
Trenton. Col. Hawkins said that he would have any officer dismissed
from the service that would leave the rebels. They offered to parole
Col. Hawkins at Trenton, but he refused to accept it. The rebel
officers told me that they knew they would get
our regiment when they were 400 miles south of Union City, Tenn. They also
said they were willing to parole Colonel Hawkins and let him get some more
horses and arms and then they would come and get them.

March 28, we marched to Humboldt, a distance of 15 miles, where Capt. P. K.
Parsons and myself made our escape.

JOHN W. BEATTY,
Capt. Company K, Seventh Tenn. Vol. Cavalry.

Brig. Gen. M. BRAYMAN,
Commanding District of Cairo.

Report of Capt. Thomas P. Gray, Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, of the capture
of Union City.

CAIRO, ILL.,
April 4, 1864.*
SIR: On the 23d of March it was generally understood at the said post that
at least a portion of the rebel Gen. Forrest's command were advancing
on us. About 8 p. m. of that day the advance of the enemy were seen and
fired upon, near Jacksonville, 6 miles from Union City, by a small scouting
party sent in that direction from our post. This party reported the facts
immediately to Colonel Hawkins, of the Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, who was
commander of the post. The picket guard was then doubled, and two or three
companies were ordered to keep their horses saddled during the night.

I was notified at 4.30 a. m. of the 24th of March to order my horses
saddled. About 5 o'clock firing commenced all around the line of pickets.
The main part of Company B, Capt. Martin, were abreast, and a part of
Company I, also, I think. The remaining force, about 500 strong, were
distributed around at the breast-works. The pickets were driven in, with a
loss of 2 killed and several wounded. About 5.30 a. m. a cavalry charge
was made from the south side. It was repulsed with but little difficulty.
The same was immediately dismounted and charged again, this time coming
within 20 or 30 yards of the breast-works. They were repulsed again, with
considerable loss this time. Immediately following this another charge
was made in front from the northwest, and again repulsed. Immediately
following this, the fourth charge, and last, was made from the northeast,
which charge confronted my company, and were repulsed again with loss.
This charge was made at about 8 a. m. About this time the colonel came
to this part of the works. I remarked to him that it was my opinion the
rebels were defeated in their first programme; that they would either
leave the field or assemble and make a consolidated charge. Our troops
were in fine spirits. Sharpshooting lasted till 9.30 a. m., when an
escort, with a flag of truce, approached my position. I sent notification
to Colonel Hawkins of the approaching truce flag, and then advanced in person
and halted the truce escort 200 yards from the defenses. Then Col. Hawkins
came; a document was handed him, the contents of which I know not. At
this time the
rebel troops were in full view, in the logs and stumps. The truce
escort retired, and in twenty minutes after again came. I again
halted them on the same ground as before, and remained with them
during this interview. This time an order was handed to Col.
Hawkins, which I read. As near as I can remember, it read as follows:

HEADQUARTERS C. S. FORCES
In the Field, March 24, 1864.
Commanding Officer U. S. Forces at Union City, Tenn.:
SIR: I have your garrison completely surrounded, and demand an unconditional
surrender of your forces. If you comply with the demand, you are promised the
treatment due to prisoners of war, according to usages in civilized warfare. If you
persist in defense, you must take the consequences.

By order of Maj. Gen. N. B. Forrest.

Then followed a council of our officers in which a large majority
violently opposed any capitulation whatever with the enemy.
Notwithstanding this, the colonel made a surrender at 11 a. m., which, to
the best of my knowledge and belief, was unconditional. No artillery
was seen or used. The surrendered troops were very indignant
on hearing of the surrender. Only 1 man had been killed, and 2 or
3 wounded inside of the works. It was generally believed to be a
rebel defeat. Our troops, after grounding arms, were marched away
on foot. The rebel troops were commanded by Col. Duckworth,
and as nearly as I could estimate them there were 800.

A list of prisoners was made on the 26th, at Trenton, which numbered 481,
including 10 of Hardy's men and a few of the Twenty-fourth
Missouri Infantry, who were doing provost duty.

T. P. GRAY,
Capt. Company C, Seventh Tennessee Cavalry.

[Brig. Gen. M. BRAYMAN.]

Source: Official Records
CHAP. XLIV.] FORREST'S EXPEDITION INTO W. TENN. AND KY. PAGE 542-57
[Series I. Vol. 32. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 57.]

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MARCH 21, 1864.--Skirmish at Reynoldsburg, Tenn.

Report of Col. Isaac R. Hawkins, Seventh Tennessee Cavalry.

UNION CITY, TENN.,
March 22, 1864.
GEN.: A detachment of 10 men belonging to Maj. Hardy's
command, stationed at Reynoldsburg, Tenn., has just arrived, who state
that on the 20th they left the major there with 50 men; that at 11 a. m.
the 21st a detachment of 20 men were attacked by from 100 to 150
Confederates, and are probably all captured. That about 100 men of the
battalion are somewhere south of Huntingdon; that there are only about
100 men in camp and a large amount of public stores there. I am
apprehensive for the fate of the major. The fight occurred 65 miles from
this place.

ISAAC R. HAWKINS,
Col., Cmdg.

Brig. Gen. M. BRAYMAN,
Cmdg. District of Cairo.

Source: Official Records
CHAP. XLIV.] SKIRMISH NEAR MOULTON, ALA. PAGE 624-57
[Series I. Vol. 32. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 57.]

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