Campaigns of Wheeler and His Cavalry.1862-1865, from Material

«* r AND HIS CAVALR: 1662-1865 WHEELERS SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN 1898. ess* aasHsaas (^urttdl Itttueraitg Sjthranj Strata, SJeui fork THE JAMES VERNER SCAIFE COLLECTION CIVIL WAR LITERATURE THE GIFT OF JAMES VERNER SCAIFE CLASS OF 18S9 1919 C Un ' VerS,,yUbrary E547.W5 D6l" C !iBSBULZ!aSS-S« his cavatay.186 3 1924 olin 030 921 682 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030921682 LIEUT.-GENERAL JOSEPH WHEELER, AGED 28. MAJ.-GEN. JbSEPH WHEELER. CAMPAIGNS OF Wheeler and his cavalry 1862-1865 FROM MATERIAL FURNISHED BY Gen. Joseph Wheeler TO WHICH IS ADDED HIS CONCISE AND GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF The Santiago Campaign OF 1898 PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICESOF WHEELER'S CONFEDERATE CAVALRY ASSOCIATION AND Edited by W. C, DODSON, Historian atlanta, ga. Hodgins Publishing Company 1899 s Copyrighted by "W. O. DODSON. All Bights Reserved. Press of The Franklin Printing and Publishing Company, (Geo. W. Harrison, ManagerJ Atlanta, Ga,, U. S. A. TO THE MEMORY OF ©ur Comraoes wbo oteo witb Spurs on AND WHOSE BONES REST UNDER THE SOIL OF KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. — PREFACE. The facts contained in this narrative of the operations of Wheeler and his Cavalry were furnished by General Wheeler, and compiled by Colonels William E. Wailes, E. S. Burford, W. S. Hawkins, M. G-. Hudson, and others of General Wheeler's staff, immediately after the close of the civil war. Earlier publication has been prevented by several causes, the most prominent of which being the modesty of General Wheeler himself. It is possible that publication would never have been made but for the importunities of the editor, who, as historian of Wheeler's Confederate Cavalry Association, appealed to General Wheeler for assistance, explaining that it was a duty to the living as well as to the dead that a record be made of the achievements of Wheeler and his old command. In response to this appeal the manuscript for this volume was tendered to Colonel John S. Prather, as commander, and to the editor, as historian, of the Association. In consent- ing to the use of the manuscript, General Wheeler contended that it was entirely too personal to himself, and stip- ulated that this should be corrected, as he, having just been ordered to the Philippines, had not the time to make the revision he had intended. He insisted that the ' narrative should ' commend by name the officers and men of the command whose courage enabled it to accomplish what it did" ; and especially requested that the meritorious services of Colonel Prather, who commanded the Eighth Confederate Cavalry (of Wheeler's old brigade) , be given due prominence. None of these requests have been complied with, and for once at least we must plead guilty of disobedience to orders. Our reasons for this disregard of the instructions of our commander are : VI WHEELER AND HIS CAVALRY. First. We do not think the public will agree with General Wheeler in believing the work at all too personal to himself, especially as the complimentary allusions to which he objects were in most instances made by his superior officers and others who had a right to speak. Second. We have no data except that contained in the official reports from which to mention by name officers and men distinguished for gallantry, and we have used these records wherever practicable. Hence we could not comply with if do not know that we would if this request we would ; we we could. The story of Wheeler cannot be told with- out also telling the story of his men, for it is inconceiva- ble that his magnificent achievements could have been ac- complished with troops other than as good as the best, by men as brave as the bravest. Following the lead of such a man was not work for the timid, and the hardships they en- dured, the privations they sustained, the dangers they en- countered, would have appalled any but the stoutest-hearted, and furnishes the best evidence of their fortitude, patriotism and valor. Third. Colonel Prather declines to have any exception made in favor of himself or his men, being content to share in common with others the honor which is the heritage of all, and of which there is enough for all. It would have been a melancholy pleasure to have meu- Jpned in fitting eulogy the names of the officers and men of this command, many of whom are sleeping their dreamless sleep in unknown graves, who by day and by night, in the skirmish, in the wild charge, in the daring raid, or dis- mounted in line of battle, gave up their lives for the common cause. But as this is impracticable, we must be content ' to dedicate our book to them—to the brave men ' who died with spurs on "—over 2,000 of whom went down from Ken- tucky to the Carolinas. We are aware that newspaper reports and correspondence are not history, but they possess value as throwing sidelights on historical events, and often present details which official PREFACE. VII chroniclers have omitted. A large number of these have been placed at our disposal, some of which we use by append- ing them to chapters describing the events to which they relate, and others are inserted because they contain defense of General Wheeler from criticism and detraction which we do not feel authorized to notice in any other way. Mark Twain has said that the men wlo served in the Con> federate army " exhausted all human experiences." We believe this to be true, especially as regards the cavalry, and so we have endeavored to enliven our story a little by the inter- spersion of anecdotes showing the ludicrous side of army life. These, for the most part, relate to actual occurrences which came under the immediate observation of the editor or his comrades. No effort at "fine writing" has been made, no literary ex- cellence has been aimed at or is claimed. We have tried to tell a soldier's story in the way a soldier would tell it, and if in some places it reads like a romance, it is the romance of reality and not of fiction. Careful effort has been made to exclude everything that would wound the feelings of the most sensitive ; no place has been given to jealousy or rivalry, and no criticism of superior officers, or the policy of commanders of the army with which General Wheeler operated, have been indulged. In fact the narrative is marked by rare conservatism throughout, and much labor has been expended in comparing the facts herein stated with the official records, in a desire tc make the work as nearly historically accurate as possible. It has always been contended by Wheeler and his men that they fought more, marched more, suffered more, cost their government less, and inflicted greater injury on the enemy than any other cavalry command in the Confederate army, and we believe this true story will sustain the claim. To even the best informed the magnitude and scope of the operations of Wheeler and his cavalry and the results accom- plished by them, will be a revelation, not the least surprising VIII WHEELER AND HIS CAVALRY. part of which will be the phenomenal modesty of a man who could " with such a record his silence keep." The work of preparing the manuscript for press has been arduous, but not tiresome. The editor was a participant, though in an humble capacity, in many of the events herein described, and reading of them has carried him back to the morning of his own life, and brushed from his memory the cobwebs which obscured many almost forgotten incidents and scenes. His task has been a labor of love, undertaken in be- half of his comrades, the few living, the many gone before. If the work meets the approval of the few, he will have received all the reward to which he has aspired. The Editor.* *Note.—If in the following pages the editor's signature appears oftener than seems modest, he begs that the reader will not ascribe it to egotism ; but merely to a desire to distinguish his work from that of others, and assume his share of responsibility. —— TABLE OF CONTENTS.. Introductory—Summary of Wheeler's Career from Washington (D. C.)> Chronicle. CHAPTER I. Youth—Education —Enters West Point—Devoted to military studies Graduates with honor—At Carlisle as dragoon officer—In jNew Mexico—Wheeler's letter to his brother—Resigns and joins Confed- eracy—At Pensacola—Distinguished at Shiloh—Letter from Au- gusta ladies—Flag presented—Commands rear in retreat from Cor- inth— In command of cavalry — Successes in West Tennessee Extracts from Wheeler's report—Anecdote: "Bet the doctor ten' dollars he wouldn't die." i-ii CHAPTER II. Kentucky Campaign—Bragg crosses the mountains—Wheeler guards flank with cavalry—Letters from General Hardee—Orders from Bragg and from Hardee—Wheeler enters Kentucky ; numerous engagements—Wheeler holds Buell at bay until Bragg has taken Mumfordsville—At Mammoth Cave—Covers retreat of Bragg to Bardstown—Battles of Woodsonville and Mumfordsville — Letter from General Wood, V. S. A. —Wheeler's guards approach from " Louisville—Anecdote : Captor and captive in same bed.."' 12-19) CHAPTER III. Buell's March from Louisville—Bragg's position—Wheeler opposes- Buell—Letters from Hardee to Wheeler—Wheeler's, engagements near Springfield and other points— Federal account of Buell's movement—Battle .of Perryville—Wheeler's gallantry—Covers Bragg's- movement to Harrodsburg — Letters from Bragg to Wheeler — Wheeler's continued successes — Complimented by Bragg — Ap- pointed chief of cavalry—Covers general retreat—Heavy fighting and great success in retarding Buell— Complimentary letters from General Bragg and General Smith—Anecdote : "Cavalry Cooking" 20-30* CHAPTER IV.

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