Morgan's and Forest's Raids.
On April 11th, Halleck arrived at Pittsburg Landing and at once reorganized the troops in his command, designating the divisions of his army as the right wing, centre, left wing, reserves, and cavalry under Major-Generals George H.Thomas, D.C.Buell, John Pope, and J.A.McClernand and Brigadier-General A.J.Smith respectively.
Thomas's command comprised four divisions of the "Army of the Tennessee," and his old division of the "Army of the Ohio." The remainder of the army was under the command of Buell.After the fall of Corinth, the enemy breaking his large force into several smaller commands rendered necessary a similar disposition of the Federal forces.Buell was ordered with his command to enter into a campaign looking to the occupation of East Tennessee.One division of his army under O.M.Mitchel left Nashville about the middle of March under orders to proceed to Murfreesboro and repair the railroad bridges burned by Johnston on his retreat.On Colonel Duffield's reporting with the Twenty-third brigade, Mitchel pressed forward to Shelbyville and from there by a rapid movement on the 7th of April he occupied Huntsville, Ala., with Turchin's brigade, Kennett's Ohio cavalry, and Simonson's battery, capturing 170prisoners, 15 locomotives, and 150 passenger and freight cars, and a large amount of army stores.On the 8th, Mitchel ordered Sill with his brigade to proceed east along the line of the railroad to seize Stevenson, the junction of the Nashville and Chattanooga, and Memphis and Charleston Railroads, and directed Turchin with his command to move west and take possession of Decatur and Tuscumbia.
This was successfully done, and Mitchel was in possession of over one hundred miles of this important link connecting Corinth with Richmond in the heart of the enemy's territory.He then posted his troops at the more prominent points, ready to move to any place threatened by the enemy.
On April 29th, Mitchel, hearing of the advance of the force under Kirby Smith from Bridgeport against the command beyond Stevenson, moved as rapidly as possible by rail from Huntsville to resist him.
He found the enemy had attacked the detachment posted five miles west of Bridgeport, and that his troops had driven the enemy's advance back across Widow's Creek.The bridge over this creek had been burned by the enemy on their retreat.Mitchel strengthened the detachment and engaged the attention of the enemy by an apparent effort to cross this creek, while with his main force he advanced on Bridgeport by a detour by the left and drove that portion of the enemy in the town across the Tennessee River.In their retreat the enemy set fire to the bridge reaching from the west bank of the river to the Island.This bridge Mitchel succeeded in saving, but the bridge east of the Island was completely destroyed.General Mitchel then turned his attention to that part of the enemy's force at Widow's Creek, which he succeeded in capturing, taking in all some three hundred and fifty prisoners.Early in May, Mitchel, who had been placed in command of all the troops between Nashville and Huntsville, ordered General Negley with the Seventh Brigade, belonging to McCook's division--who had been left at Columbia on the advance of the main army upon Savannah--to make an advance against General Adams with a brigade of troops at Rogersville, Ala.
At the same time Mitchel sent Colonel Lytle from Athens, Ala., to cooperate with Negley.On the 13th, the enemy learning of the approach of the Federal forces, retreated across the Tennessee River.This placed Mitchel in complete position of that portion of Alabama north of that river.On May 29th, Mitchel concentrated Negley's command from Columbia, Turchin's brigade from Huntsville, and the Eighteenth Ohio under T.R.Stanley from Athens at Fayetteville for an expedition against Chattanooga under the command of Negley.
These troops passed through Winchester, Cowen, and University Place to Jasper.Advancing upon the latter place, the head of his column, under Colonel Hambright, encountered a brigade of the enemy's troops under General Adams.The enemy was driven from the place after a sharp engagement, leaving his supply and ammunition trains.His loss was 18 killed, 20 wounded, and 12 prisoners.Leaving Jasper, Negley arrived on the north bank of the Tennessee, opposite Chattanooga, on the 7th.Negley, on the evening of that day and the morning of the next, bombarded Chattanooga, and made a demonstration of crossing the river and attacking the town.General Duke says:
"The commandant of the place, General Leadbetter, had two or three guns in battery and replied, when the gunners, who were the most independent fellows I ever saw, chose to work the guns.The defence of the place was left entirely to the individual efforts of those who chose to defend it, and nothing prevented its capture but the fact that the enemy could not cross the river."Negley then withdrew and encamped his command at Shelbyville.
