Geo. H. Thomas to CHAP. XIL] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.âUNION. 355, November 11, 1861
Louisville, Ky., November 11, 1861.
General GEORGE H. THOMAS, Crab Orchard, Ky.:
SIR: Yours of the 7th, reporting the reappearance of the enemy at Monticello, is received. i
The intention is doubtless so to occupy the attention of Bramlette and Wolford as to divide them from the forces in the direction of the Gap. The fact that two roads enter the fertile part of Kentucky at London makes that an important point, and must be held.
Whether the force of General Schoepf is sufficient I am unable tojudge, but itis impossible to re-enforce you by any except the new Kentucky levies, that are yetincomplete. Barnes’ regiment at Estill Springs might be called for, and Nelson’s force if it can be reached.
It is not alone the armies in the field that we have to watch, but the disunionists all over the State, who may at any moment be assembled in sufficient force to intercept trains and break up railroads.
The Kentucky volunteers will to-day be consolidated into regiments and mustered into service, and then, for the first time, be subject to orders; but, as you well know, without wagons or sufficient arms and clothing, they will not be of much use this year.
I have daily and constantly increased evidence of a vast force in our front, and that they are assembling wagons preparing for a move; and it is probable an advance on their part from Cumberland Gap along the whole line will be concentric and simultaneous. It was my judgment of the case when Secretary Cameron was here, and I begged him to pre-. pare for it, but they never have attached the importance to Kentucky – in this struggle that it merits.
My expression of dissatisfaction at the publication of Thomas’ report and request to be relieved from this charge has led to the assignment of General Buell, of whom I have not yet heard.
You should have atleast 10,000 more men, and could I give them they should be there, but I cannot get them.
The new regiments arrive without notice and perfectly raw.
All that I can now do is to say that I will approve of your course, let the result be what it may.
If you ean hold in check the enemy in that direction, is all that can be attempted ; or if you must fall back, your line is toward Lexington ; or RE E you are not bound to sacrifice the lives of your command.
I was in hopes McClellan, in assuming the command, would send on
adequate re-enforcements, but he has not done so. Indeed, it may be –
out of his power to do it. I am, yours, ; W. T. SHERMAN, Brigadier- General, Commanding.
LOUISVILLE, November 11, 1861. (Received November 12.) General THOMAS:
I am just in receipt of a telegraphic dispatch from McCook, at Camp Nolin, that the forces in his front along Green River have disappeared and that there is a rumor that Buckner is moving in force toward Lex. ington between us. If not engaged in front, at once withdraw your
forog back of Kentucky River, and act according to the state of facts en.
. Tf it be true that the force at the Gap has been increased, as represented, to 20,000, it would be madness to contend. My information is positive as to the state of affairs along Green River, but conjectural as to the other, and I send a special messenger to convey it to you. Yours, W. T. SHERMAN, ” Commanding.
= OAMP WOLFORD, November 11, 1861. General GEORGE H. THOMAS:
Since writing to you this morning, I have ascertained that there are above this, in process of construction, 80 coal boats, 44 nearly complete, the others temporarily suspended. These boats are usually 80 to 90 feet long by 25 to 30 in width. . Any number within reason could be constructed above this in the course of six to eight weeks, capable of transporting a large force, with all necessary equipments. They are a heavy boat, open-top, made to bear up the immense burden of 80,000 to 100,000 bushels of coal.
I made inquiry of an old boatman as to the number of boats building, and what preparations were making for the shipment of coal, and thus learned the state of preparations. -Boats might be built without excit- ` ing suspicion and a descent upon Nashville accomplished, if in the plan of operations such movement were desirable. I communicate these-facts
* * Y * * * * * I will send the section of Captain Hewett’s battery back so soon as I can determine whether it is necessary to make a descent upon the cavalry at Camp McGinnis. IfI do that, I wish to do so with the cavalry; two companies of skirmishers to go with the artillery, and shall accompany them and command myself. If they are back at McGinnis, I can so arrange those forces as to cut them off and bag them. But the uncertainty of all the reports, even of avowed eye-witnesses, renders it necessary that I get information through means of my own that
ean be relied on.
É THO. E. BRAMLETTE, Colonel First Regiment Infantry Kentucky’ Vols.
General THOMAS:
Respectfully, THO. E. BRAMLETTE,
Colonel First Regiment Infantry Kentucky Vols.
MONTICELLO, Ky., November 11, 1861—12 m. Lieut. Col. Joun W. LETCHER:
SIR: We have just arrived at this place—total about 230 men. Some 25 or 30 rebels were in some nine or ten miles of this place yesterday. There are some 1,200 rebels in Fentress County, Tenn., some 25 miles from here. There are some 500 near Old Monroe, Tenn., and some 600 below Livingston. Of this number there are about 1,000 cavalry.
We do not apprehend any danger here at present, but they might see proper to attack us. We could not conveniently make arrangements for our men any other place. We will stay here to-night and await further orders. Send us word as to your movements; whether we will be re-enforced and when.
Send this to Colonel Bramlette.
We must be re-enforced soon or we will have to fall back, as the rebels will receive information of our condition.
Yours, respectfully, J. A. BRENTS, Major First Kentucky Cavalry, Commanding Forces.
CAMP WOLFORD, NEAR SOMERSET, : November 11,1861. (Received November 12.) General GEORGE H. THOMAS: 1
I have been enabled to ascertain pretty full and accurate information of the enemy recently in Cumberland, Clinton, and Wayne Counties.
The opinion heretofore expressed by me to you in a former communication is fully sustained.
The forces consisted of two regiments infantry and about 650 to 700 cavalry, the same that had heretofore been stationed at Camp McGinnis, in Fentress County (the cavalry), and at Camp Myers, in Overton County, near the old town of Monroe, two regiments infantry, under Colonels Stanton and Murray.
They became alarmed upon a report reaching them that I was moving upon them with a large force, and the infantry regiments fled preeipitately until they reached Camp Zollicoffer, 3 miles south of Livingston, the county seat of Overton County, and about 38 miles south of the * State line.
The cavalry fled from Monticello very hastily upon the report that Colonel Wolford and myself were near at hand and moving upon them, and did not halt until they made Jamestown, Tenn. In a day or two they found that they were not pursued, and returned to their old camp at Camp McGinnis, where they now are, having obstructed the road with abatis.
I am quietly waiting for them to recover from their fright and venture to peep out this side of their brush, and will, if they do so, make a dash at them and cut them off and to pieces. I know their hiding place, and how to surround it, when they get sufficient confidence to think themselves safe.
From a man whom I know well, and have from his infancy, and who has been a prisoner with them for three weeks, until they reached Camp Zollicoffer, I have learned their movements. ZE
Mr. Huff is my informant. He got to camp Saturday night just from their camp, and is perfectly reliable. He says they talked very boldly
until they heard of my approach (which was really at the time a false report, as 16 was started about the time you ordered me forward); they
a ‘were then suddenly overtaken with alarm, and left as before stated. 4 Huff says they are armed with stolen Home Guard muskets, with pisE tols, shot-guns, common rifles, &c., just what they ean lay their hands a upon; that most of the men are very much dissatisfied with their condition, and swear if they could get away they would, never to be drawn in again. The cavalry are generally well mounted, having seized all the fine horses they could lay hands upon, but badly armed. They had no artillery. At Camp Zollicoffer Huff says he overheard the colonels talking the day before he got off that they were to remain there ten or
A twelve days, till they got orders. There is a report that the rebels have at Jamestown, just in the rear of the cavalry, 180 wagons. I have set fa on foot an investigation, and if I find this to be certain, it will be an in- – A centive to capture which I can’t resist, but will do it cautiously and with entire safety to my men, as we should have nothing to do but to Er frighten the cavalry again and go forward and take them. There is i some plausible grounds for belief that those wagons are there for the
purpose of hauling the hogs they expected to steal and carry off from along the border as soon as fattened. ;
And this suggests the propriety of my forming a camp forward at Monticello, and having Colonel Haggard to resume his camp at Burkesville. At Burkesville the whole Upper Cumberland can be controlled, ‘ i ascent and descent of the river be regulated, and with sufficient cavalry zi force to keep up a regular line of pickets between the two posts at Mon- : ticello and Burkesville the entire central border can be assured protecmy ‘tion against these marauding wretches or they intercepted and cut off. p At Monticello I can, when you desire it, either move forward or turn — to Whitley County, join any movement made via Huntsville, or on toward Barboursville or in a descent of the river; it is 5 miles from the
Cumberland at one of the shipping points. It is a rich agricultural eountry about Monticello, abounding in subsistence and forage. ` I make these latter suggestions for your consideration and instruetion. Idosoonly because of my thorough knowledgeof the geography and topography of the country, without any purpose of obtruding my 4 opinions, but simply to give you the facts, and then rigidly to conform 3 to your directions. Respectfully, AERE THO. E. BRAMLETTE, Colonel First Regiment Infantry Kentucky Volunteers.
: LOUISVILLE, November 12, 1861.
E : ^ . (Received November 13.)
General GEORGE H. THomas, Commanding, Crab Orchard:
L SIR : I sent a special dispatch to you last night, intimating the neces- — sity of withdrawing your forces farther back. E
E I am convinced from many facts that A. Sidney Johnston is making
— – Bereulean efforts to strike a great blow in Kentucky; that he designs to move from Bowling Green on Lexington, Louisville, and Cincinnati. I may be in error, but he has pressed into service some 1,500 wagons at and near Bowling Green, and his force is not far short of 45,000 men,
with a large proportion of artillery. Ã ;
P The movement may depend on new circumstances, but I think the
354 ‘ OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. [Cuar. XIL
«best disposition of your force is to leave the Tennesseeans and Colonel Garrard in a kind of ambush near Rockeastle River and draw back of Danville the balance. Establish communication with .Bramlette and . Wolford and with the other Kentucky regiments, such as Bruce’s and – Barnes).
Have all these things planned, and defer the execution of them till you know from the direction of Greenville and Campbellsville and Lebanon that my conjecture is right. i
Nelson has succeeded in breaking up Williams! party, and I will direct him to return as rapidly as possible towards Paris and Lexington.
I have furnished arms and saddles to the cavalry company attached to Barnes regiment because you will need them. Wolford’s cavalry has been supplied, but I have not kept memoranda of the issues, and ean’t say if they are completely armed or not. ;
There is one incomplete Kentucky regiment (Harlan’s) at Lebanon ; one at New Haven, with a good Indiana regiment.
The bulk of our force here is under McCook, with a brigade on the Ohio at its nearest point under Colonel Hazzard. AK
The railroad is so exposed that I am compelled to guard it with a
strong force, and even then am hourly apprehensive of some devilish .
destruetion. ‘ ; If the movement be made in force, our effort should be to concentrate before they reach the neighborhood of Danville.
We cannot trust the telegraph, but when I telegraph to Nicholasville, —
“Your application by letter is granted,” you will únderstand that my conjectures are correct. When I telegraph it is denied, then my inference is wrong. .
We find it impossible to penetrate their designs, except I know their
force is very large and they have pressed in all the wagons from several .
counties, for which they could have no other use than what I name. Yours,
W. T. SHERMAN, Drigadier- General, Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS, Louisville, November 14, 1861. (Received at 4.20 p. m.) To General THOMAS, Crab Orchard:
Your application [by letter] is granted. Pun W. T. SHERMAN, Brigadier-General. —
CRAB ORCHARD, Ky., November 12, 1861. General W. T. SHERMAN, 45 Commanding Department of the Cumberland, Louisville, Ky. : GENERAL: Your dispatch received. I will give orders at once for a retrograde move, but I am sure the enemy are not moving between us. All my information indicates that they are moving south. *
I send this by Lieutenant Jones, Second’ Regiment Kentucky Volun- .
teers, who will take baek any orders you may have for me. Respectfully,
your obedient servant,
Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers.
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