12 02 1863 [Wednesday]
HEADQUARTERS, December 2, 1863--7 p.m.
Brig. Gen. JOHN C. VAUGHN,
Commanding, &c., Loudon:
GENERAL: The commanding general directs that you retire from Loudon at once, with your infantry and artillery, and march to join us here. Bring with you all the stores and supplies that you can, and destroy all that you are obliged to leave. Leave your cavalry behind you to cover your movement; observe the enemy and destroy the bridge and other means of crossing the river.
Be sure that the bridge is effectually destroyed. Report frequently your progress and movements.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. M. SORREL,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Assistant Adjutant-General. (OR 31/3, 779)
Near Loudon my advance regiment (Third Ohio) was met by a force of rebel cavalry, routed them and took about 30 prisoners, losing 1 killed and 2 wounded. General Vaughn, with a force of infantry and some artillery, occupied the fortifications about the town, and opened upon my column with shell. Not being able to dislodge the enemy any other way, I determined to charge the works. I dismounted my command, and moved forward in line, but, on approaching his position, I found him stronger than anticipated, the confronting force being fully equal, if not superior, to my own in numbers, besides the advantage of position being greatly in their favor. I then fell back, and, after reporting to General Sherman, bivouacked about a mile from Loudon. During the night Vaughn destroyed his stores, took up his pontoons, and, after running into the river 4 locomotives and 44 cars, evacuated the place.
On the 3d December (OR 31/1?[2], 562, Col. Eli Long, 4th Ohio Cav., Commanding 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Div., USA)
HEADQUARTERS,
Athens, December 2, 1863--daylight.
General HOWARD:
DEAR SIR: All my messengers are back. Granger moves this morning from Decatur, 15 miles to our left, on Philadelphia. I had an officer and 4 men in Madison last night; no signs of troops or wagons moving from Loudon to Tellico Plains. The same rumor pervades the country of Longstreet's defeat and retreat, but when or by what route I am not certain. We must not let him blind us by false rumors. I want you to move steadily and briskly on the main Loudon road and make, say, 15 miles by 2 p.m. Blair will keep close up. Davis has fallen behind in drawing rations and looking for a near road. He is 9 miles behind.
About 2 I will cause all the cavalry to pass to the front and push direct into Loudon, secure the locomotives and as much of the bridge as possible. If we can save the bridge, then all is right. Make all proper inquiries by the road, and if we find that Longstreet has sent wagons or troops to the right rear, we must turn across after him and leave Granger to go to Loudon, but we must be dead sure.
The officer I sent to Madison is a young but good officer, and I trust his report rather than the vague rumors we hear here. He brought back 2 prisoners, one of whom is the editor, who says he saw the dispatch from General Vaughn to Captain--, to the effect that they had attacked Knoxville on Sunday and were repulsed. To-day we must learn for certain the truth. When sure that Knoxville is safe we can venture to experiment on Longstreet's line of retreat. It is not south or southeast, and if true must be toward Virginia.
Yours,
SHERMAN,
On the 2d of December, the army moved rapidly north toward Loudon, 26 miles distant.
About 11 a.m. the cavalry passed to the head of the column and was ordered to push to Loudon, and, if possible, save a pontoon bridge across the Tennessee, held by a brigade of the enemy, commanded by General Vaughn. The cavalry moved with such rapidity as to capture every picket, but the brigade of Vaughn had artillery in position covered by earth-works, and displayed a force too respectable to be carried by a cavalry dash, and darkness closed in before General Howard's infantry got up. The enemy abandoned the place in the night, destroying the pontoons, running 3 locomotives and 48 cars into the Tennessee, and abandoning a large quantity of provisions, four guns, and other matériel, which General Howard took at daylight.
But the bridge was gone, and we were forced to turn east and trust to General Burnside's bridge at Knoxville. (OR 31/1?[2], 578, MGen. W. T. Sherman)
Confederates evacuate Loudon. (Blair, 62nd Tn-87)
12 03 1863 [Thursday]
LGen. Longstreet moves his forces toward Russellville, Tenn., for winter quarters, which effectively ends the Knoxville, Tenn., campaign. (29)
Pvt. G. W. Foster, Co. I, 43rd Tenn. Inf., was captured at Loudon, Tenn. (M268 Roll 291)
DALTON, December 3, 1863.
S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General:
General Leadbetter has just reached here. He left General Longstreet at Knoxville Sunday morning, November 29. General Longstreet had learned that General Bragg had fallen back from Missionary Ridge, and had decided to retreat to Virginia. An assault had been made on one of the enemy's works at Knoxville Sunday morning, the 29th, and had been repulsed. The force at Charleston had retreated to Loudon, and the force at Loudon, under General Vaughn, would probably retreat through the mountains into North Carolina.
W. J. HARDEE,
HEADQUARTERS ELEVENTH CORPS,
Lieutenant-Colonel SAWYER,
COLONEL: From information that I deem reliable I think the enemy is trying to retreat through New Market, Warm Springs, Asheville, &c., into North Carolina. His original plan was through Murphy, into Georgia. A large train of wagons left here yesterday via Knoxville loaded. About 60 loaded wagons, 75 cars, 3 locomotives were burned after having run over the river bank. I have found flour, rice, a few crackers, and corn enough certainly for three days for my command.
Very respectfully,
O. O. HOWARD,
Respectfully,
O. O. HOWARD,
December 3, we broke camp at 4 a.m. and marched for Loudon. Colonel Long's cavalry was about 2 miles from town. His advance picket not nearer than 1 mile. On his approach the evening before, the enemy had opened upon him with artillery, so that he deemed it prudent not to make the dash. On entering the town, we found that the rebel General Vaughn's command, consisting of a small brigade of infantry, artillery, and a detachment of cavalry had evacuated, having destroyed from 60 to 75 cars containing supplies of commissary stores, clothing, and ammunition, 3 locomotives, and, finally, their pontoon bridge. The railroad bridge at Loudon, previously burned, had not been rebuilt. The stone piers were standing. The main channel of the Tennessee is between the Loudon shore and the first pier. We found this channel completely filled with the rubbish of locomotives, cars and their contents, which had been set on fire before being run into the river. (OR 31/2, 352, MGen. O. O. Howard, usa)
Go back and review the totatlity of Howard’s report
12 04 1863 [Friday]
December 3, we broke camp at 4 a.m. and marched for Loudon. Colonel Long's cavalry was about 2 miles from town. His advance picket not nearer than 1 mile. On his approach the evening before, the enemy had opened upon him with artillery, so that he deemed it prudent not to make the dash. On entering the town, we found that the rebel General Vaughn's command, consisting of a small brigade of infantry, artillery, and a detachment of cavalry had evacuated, having destroyed from 60 to 75 cars containing supplies of commissary stores, clothing, and ammunition, 3 locomotives, and, finally, their pontoon bridge. The railroad bridge at Loudon, previously burned, had not been rebuilt. The stone piers were standing. The main channel of the Tennessee is between the Loudon shore and the first pier. We found this channel completely filled with the rubbish of locomotives, cars and their contents, which had been set on fire before being run into the river.
Notwithstanding this wholesale destruction of property, there was distributed among the inhabitants and stored in warehouses a sufficient quantity of rebel provisions to feed my command for three days; this after leaving sufficient for the rebel wounded, captured in hospital at Loudon, about 75 in number. These were a part of Longstreet's wounded from his unsuccessful assault at Knoxville on the Sunday previous.
There were two redoubts upon the heights on the west side of Loudon, one of which was located upon a position of natural strength, and made to face southward: the other was nearer the river and facing toward it. One of my batteries was located in the latter, and on the appearance of some squads of rebel cavalry upon the opposite bank, opened fire. Considerable artillery firing was allowed in accordance with instructions, in the hope that the guns might be heard by General Burnside at Knoxville, and he thus be made aware of the approach of re-enforcements.
Off against the redoubts the river makes a sudden bend, forming a peninsula. The road leading to the rebel pontoon bridge passes across this peninsula, making the bridge about three-fourths of a mile from town by land and 6 by water.
One incident occurred at Loudon which made a strong impression upon my mind. Along the entire route from Parker's Gap to Loudon we were cheered by the most lively demonstrations of loyalty on the part of inhabitants. Therefore we never lacked for information as to roads, bridges, fords, location of the enemy, &c.
The next day [4th] Colonel Hecker, commanding Third Brigade, Third Division, sent a regiment across the Tennessee, which skirmished with the enemy's cavalry and took possession of four rifled guns, which General Vaughn had been compelled to abandon. They also captured a rebel flag.
I must not omit to mention about thirty rebel wagons that the enemy had partially destroyed by cutting the spokes of the wheels. In anticipation of crossing the Little Tennessee at Davis' Ford, I set a detachment at work to repair these wagons sufficiently to enable their transportation to the ford, 6 miles, and to construct from them a bridge suitable for infantry. (OR 31/2, 352/3, MGen. O. O. Howard, USA, 11th Corps)
Major-General. (OR 31/3, 312)
Lieutenant-General (OR 31/3, 780)
Loudon, Tenn., December 3, 1863--1.15 p.m.
Assistant Adjutant-General:
Longstreet ordered up ammunition, but Vaughn had already destroyed it.
Major-General, Commanding
.
P. S.--Can I not march direct on Maryville without going to Madisonville?
Major-General, Commanding. (OR 31/3, 318)
But here a man, who had been a major in the rebel service and resigned, came to me and without laying any claim to loyalty, stated that he had drifted with the current, but since our recent victory was satisfied that Tennessee would resume her place in the Union. He gave me information so accurate that I was able to sketch the works at Knoxville and the enemy's position. He also gave me the enemy's strength, with the names of the officers commanding at different points, all of which proved to be substantially correct.