The Tennessee Campaign Fall 1864

President Jefferson Davis and his military advisor, General Braxton Bragg, had envisioned a military operation into Tennessee, in the rear of the Union forces at Atlanta. The belief was that such a move would cut the supplies to Union Maj. Gen. Wm. T. Sherman's army and force a withdrawal of the Union army back into Tennessee and beyond. Gen. John Bell Hood, after his disastrous defeats in and around Atlanta, was anxious to please the officials in Richmond, and prove his generalship.

Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler with his cavalry command, moved from the Knoxsville area into East and Middle Tennessee, at the end of August 1864, in an attempt to cut the railroads in Gen. Sherman's rear. Maj. Gen. Wheeler's fast moving cavalry troops presented the Union commanders a problem in determining his destination and intentions. Also, there was fear among them, that Brig. Gen. Roddey would move across the Tennessee River and join Maj. Gen. Wheeler in the destruction of the railroads.

On August 26, 1864, it is reported that Roddey with 2,000 men was preparing to cross the Tennessee River between the Elk River and Florence. On August 30, Roddey and Forrest are both reported to have troops on north side of river, in the Savannah vicinity. On September 1, 1864, Brig. Gen. Roddey is reported at Lamb's Ferry, with about 1,600 men. Also, on September 1, Union Brig. Gen. R.S. Granger reports, Brig. Gen. Roddey has crossed at Bainbridge with 2,000 men and five or six pieces of artillery.

On September 4, 1864, Union reports indicates Maj. Gen. Wheeler crossed the Duck River below Columbia, Tennessee, and joined Brig. Gen. Roddey in menacing the railroad. On September 6, Brig. Gen. Roddey was reported to be back across the Tennessee River. Union Brig. Gen. Granger reported that day, thirteen and a half miles from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, that Maj. Gen. Wheeler was about an hour ahead of him, using Brig. Gen. Roddey's force as a shield. He had little doubt that they where heading to cross the river that night. With Brig. Gen. Roddey having fresh horses, Granger predicted they would make their escape. Brig. Gen. Roddey's force was estimated at 3,000 men, and was reported to have recrossed with his entire force, part at mouth of Elk River and balance at Lamb's Ferry.

On September 6, 1864, J.T. Parrish, Assistant Adjutant-General to Brig. Gen. Roddey writes to General Wheeler:

GENERAL: Brigadier-General Roddey directs me to say that your two favors of 5th and 6th are just at hand. The general is very much indisposed, but will take the saddle and join you, and will be at Lamb's Ferry by daylight. He has ordered Colonel Johnson to report to you. Colonel Patterson's brigade is tonight at Gilchrist, ready to cross. He has been ordered to communicate with you. (Gilchrist is opposite mouth of Elk, your former crossing.) ****

Colonel Patterson's orders from General Rodder were to cross the river at mouth of Elk, passing between Athens and river, strike the road and destroy as far as practicable in the direction of Decatur; then to pass across, striking the road between Decatur and Huntsville, destroying as much as possible, then passing across, leaving Huntsville to the left, and striking the road between that place and Stevenson. **** He (Patterson) is subject to your orders.

On September 8, 1864, the Union reports indicate Roddey returned to Courtland. On September 10, Roddey is reported, to have camped the night before twelve miles south of Huntsville, on the south side of the river. He was reported to have 1,000 men and be headed to cross the river at Guntersville.

On September 21, 1864, Maj. Gen. N.B. Forrest embarked on a raid into Middle Tennessee to again harass the Union posts and railroads on the Union supply lines.

On September 24, 1864, the District of Northern Alabama was divided into the District of North Alabama and Central Alabama, with Brig. Gen. P.D. Roddey in command of the District of North Alabama. The District of North Alabama was composed of the counties of Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison, Jackson, De Kalb, Marshall, Morgan, Lawrence, and Franklin. The District of North Alabama was part of the Department of Ala., Miss., and East La., Lieut. Gen. Taylor, commanding.

On September 28, 1864, Union Brig. Gen. R.S. Granger reports Patterson's old command of 600 men, near this place (Decatur), other side. Some of Roddey's troops did accompany Forrest into Middle Tennessee, but from the above statement and in reading Forrest account of the raid; it would appear the Fifth Alabama Cavalry (Patterson's old command) did not.

It appears that Colonel Patterson's command remained on the south side of the river during the month of October, 1864. Brig. Gen. Roddey's command was busy repairing the railroad from Corinth, Mississippi, to Cherokee Station, Alabama, to provide supplies to General J. B. Hood's Army of Tennessee, that was moving into the Tennessee Valley from Georgia.

On October 11, 1864, Union Brig. Gen. R.S. Granger reports his scouts have been toward Courtland and Moulton and could ascertain Patterson's troops, only, in that area. Stating Patterson's pickets were met eight miles out (from Decatur) on the Courtland road.

On October 23, 1864, Brig. Gen. Roddey is directed to cooperate with General Hood and to make raids north of the river to keep the enemy off Hood's flank.

On October 26, 1864, Hood's infantry made its appearance in front of Decatur, Alabama. The Army of Tennessee passed south of Decatur, camping around Tuscumbia. No serious attempt was made to take Decatur, since the plan was to soon flank that place and move into Middle Tennessee.

On October 30, 1864, Maj. Gen. Forrest reports General Hood has Decatur surrounded, with Roddey on north side. General Hood advises Brig. Gen. Jackson to observe the river as far down as Bainbridge, as the command of Roddey is ordered to move.

General G.T. Beauregard reported on November 6, 1864, that Brigadier-General Roddey with his command would guard the left flank of the Army of Tennessee. Brig. Gen. Roddey's command was to cover the lines of communications from Tuscumbia to Corinth, and on toward Meridian, Mississippi. On November 9, Union Brig. Gen. Granger reports that Roddey has gone to Corinth.

On November 14, 1864, Union Brig. Gen. Edward Hatch in his report states that Brig. Gen. Roddey's division is at Tuscumbia. He further states the Confederate horses are in poor condition and the men have not been paid for fourteen months. Union Brig. Gen. R.S. Granger reports the same day, that his pickets had returned from a scout on the Courtland road and found all of Roddey's troops between Decatur and that place.

On November 18, 1864, the following request was sent:

Corinth, November 18, 1864.
General J.B. Hood,

Florence:
Unless necessity for Colonel Patterson's command to move from here to Iuka is very urgent, I recommend it should be left here as long as practicable, or until proper garrison for this place shall have arrived. General Roddey should come here as soon as possible to confer with Colonel Reid, commander of this post.

G.T. Beauregard,
General.

On November 19, 1864, Maj. Gen. N.B. Forrest is reported with his command moving forward toward Lawrenceburg on the Butler road, on the west side of Shoal Creek. Roddey's division is reported to accompany Forrest.

On November 20, 1864, in the returns of troops in the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana, Lieut. Gen. Richard Taylor, commanding, list the following:

On November 25, 1864, General Hood directs Brig. Gen. Roddey to send all the force he can spare from guarding Corinth, to destroy the railroads between Decatur and Huntsville and on to Stevenson.

On November 26, 1864, Brig. Gen. Roddey reports that the enemy left Decatur at 2 p.m. on the 25th, and were taking up the pontoon bridge under cover of gunboats and shore batteries.

On November 29, 1864, Union Maj. Gen. J.H. Wilson reports to Maj. Gen. G.H. Thomas that Forrest's cavalry has crossed the Duck River by swimming their horses between the Franklin and Lewisburg Pike and Huey's Mill, seven miles above Columbia.

Captain Wm. A. Reid reports from Corinth, on the 29th, that Roddey left previous night with his command, except one regiment of Patterson's brigade, to execute General Hood's order.

It would appear that all of Patterson's troops did not accompany the Army of Tennessee into Middle Tennessee. On December 3, 1864, Capt. W.A. Reid is advised at Corinth, that Patterson is under command of General Roddey, and if pickets and details are needed from Patterson to call on General Roddey.

On December 12, 1864, Capt. W.A. Reid writes from Corinth: "All of Patterson's brigade has gone from here, except one regiment doing picket duty." This was in response to an order by General Hood to send forward all available men.

On November 30, 1864, the battle at Franklin, Tennessee, was fought against Union troops, entrenched. Terrible losses were suffered by the Confederate attackers. Many general, regimental, and company officers were killed and wounded. The fighting efficiency of the Army of Tennessee was almost destroyed. In spite of these losses, General Hood decided to continue on to Nashville. Another battle was fought there on December 15 and 16, 1864, when the Union forces at Nashville attacked the weakened Confederate troops in front of Nashville, with the same result as has had been experienced at Franklin. General Hood then decided to withdraw back across the Tennessee River. Gen. Forrest fought a rear-guard action that saved the Army of Tennessee from being destroyed. The last units of the army crossed back over the Tennessee River on December 26 and 27, 1864, on a pontoon bridge, at Bainbridge, Alabama.

On December 28, 1864, General Hood issued orders for Maj. Gen. Forrest to hurry Patterson and Burtwell to Roddey as rapidly as possible. The enemy had taken possession of Decatur the previous day at dark. On December 30, Maj. Gen. Forrest ordered General Armstrong, and a portion of his command, back to assist Brig. Gen. Roddey, who was being pressed by the enemy from Decatur.

Union Maj. Gen. Geo. H. Thomas in reporting on the events, during this period of the war, writes in part:

The pursuit of Hood's retreating army was discontinued by my main force on the 29th of December, on reaching the Tennessee River; however, a force of cavalry, numbering 600 men, made up of detachments of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania, Second Michigan, Tenth, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Indiana Regiments, under command of Colonel William J. Palmer, Fifteenth Pennsylvania, operating with Steedman's column, started from Decatur, Ala., in the direction of Hood's line of retreat in Mississippi. The enemy's cavalry under Roddey, was met at Leighton, with whom Colonel Palmer skirmished and pressed back in small squads toward the mountains. Here it was ascertained that Hood's trains passed through Leighton on the 28th of December and moved off toward Columbus, Miss. Avoiding the enemy's cavalry, Colonel Palmer left Leighton on the 31st of December, moved rapidly via LaGrange and Russellville and by the Cotton-gin road, and over took the enemy's pontoon train, consisting of 200 wagons and 78 pontoon boats, when ten miles out from Russellville. This he destroyed. Having learned of a large supply train on its way to Tuscaloosa, Colonel Palmer started on the 1st of January (1865), toward Aberdeen, Miss., with a view of cutting it off, and succeeded in surprising it about 10 p.m. on the same evening, just over the line in Mississippi. The train consisted of 110 wagons and 500 mules, the former of with were burned and the latter sabered or shot. Returning via Toll-gate, Ala. and on the old military and Hackleburg roads, the enemy, under Roddy, Biffle, and Russell, was met near Russellville and along Bear Creek, whilst another force under Armstrong, was reported to be in pursuit of our forces. Evading the force in his front, by moving off to the right under cover of the darkness, Colonel Palmer pushed for Moulton, coming upon Russell when within twelve miles of Moulton, and near Thorn Hill, attacked him unexpectedly, utterly routing him, and capturing some prisoners, besides burning five wagons. The command then proceeded to Decatur without molestation, reaching the place on 6th of January, after a march of over 250 miles. One hundred and fifty prisoners were captured and nearly 1000 stands of arms destroyed. Colonel Palmer's loss was 1 killed and 2 wounded.

On January 22, 1865, General Beauregard writes to General Cooper at Richmond about the disaster: General Hood reports the loss of his pontoon-train, eighty-three boats, one hundred and fifty wagons, and four hundred mules, due to inability of General Roddey to bring his troops from their homes. I wish to substitute another brigade in its place, and put all cavalry of this department under one commanding officer, Forrest.

The Army of Tennessee had suffered a disastrous defeat. The Army was again withdrawing to Tupelo, Mississippi, the same action it had taken after the Battle of Shiloh in 1862, to recoup and reorganize. The men of the various units, whose homes where in the area, had, as they had done 1862, after the Battle of Shiloh, gone home.

The Army of Tennessee was about to enter its final campaign and the war its final action.

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