men. This exploit of Major Smith and his gallant little band was as daring as it proved successful.

"One of the most gallant things of the war occurred in East Tennessee at the time when Wheeler made his raid through there in August, 1864. Major Smith, of the 10th, was sent out from Knoxville with seventy-two men, all the mounted force that could be mustered, to scout in the direction of Strawberry Plains and ascertain the position of the enemy. With the true spirit of a cavalry man, he ordered his advance guard to charge the first party of rebels they should see. They discovered the enemy two and a half miles from Flat Creek Bridge, and, according to orders, charged them in gallant style. Smith followed up with his command. The enemy proved to be the 8th Texas cavalry, 400 strong. Smith routed them completely, captured their commanding officer, a lieutenant colonel, and thirty or forty prisoners, and was hotly pursuing them at a full gallop when he came to Flat Creek Bridge-a long, high, and narrow bridge. Over this Smith charged, to find himself confronted by Humes' division of rebel cavalry, 2,000 strong, drawn up in line of battle, scarcely three hundred yards from the bridge. Of course he had to get away, which he succeeded in doing without any very great loss, though the enemy charged him for seven miles. The boldness of the thing annoyed the rebels not a little, and they ever after entertained a wholesome fear of the 10th Michigan cavalry.

"In the summer of 1864 I was ordered to go up near the Virginia line to capture a large number of horses that were said to be in pasture. It was not expected that I would meet the enemy before I reached Kingsport, but unfortunately for the success of my enterprise I met them at Bean's Station. I at once ordered Capt. Roberts, with two companies, to charge them. One of the companies was commanded by Lieut. afterwards Captain Brooks. Brooks was smarting under some ill treatment from a superior officer, and immediately dashed forward with his company. After routing the rebels handsomely and charging them for a couple of miles, Capt. Roberts wisely ordered a halt. But Brooks had gone ahead with a few men, and actually kept up that charge with three men with him for a distance of ten miles and a half. Captain Brooks was afterwards rewarded for his gallantry by the brevets of major and lieutenant colonel."

THE ELEVENTH CAVALRY.

On the 10th of December, 1863, the 11th cavalry, which Colonel F. W. Kellogg had been authorized to raise, left Michigan for Kentucky, in command of Colonel S. B. Brown, of St. Clair, who had recruited and organized the regiment. After its arrival in Kentucky it was employed in protecting the eastern district of that State from incursions of parties of thieving rebels from Virginia, performing a vast amount of service, and first met the enemy at Pound Gap on May 17th, 1864. Out of the many battles and skirmishes in which this regiment participated with much credit, none, it is deemed, appear to have proved the sterling bravery and efficiency of this pattern cavalry regiment than the important battles of Saltville, Va., October 2d, 1864, and Marion, Va., December 17th of the same year, as they will undoubtedly be considered by the regiment and those familiar with its history as among its principal engagements.

In August of that year the regiment was at Camp Burnside, on the Cumberland river. On the 17th of September following it was ordered to Mount Sterling, Ky., and thence engaged with its division, in command of Gen. Burbridge, in a raid to Saltville, Va. Encountering the enemy at McCor

mick's Farm, Ky., on the 23d, and then at Laurel Mountain, Va., on the 29th, and at Bowen's Farm on the 30th and October 1st. Having experienced a long and hazardous march, through a rocky, barren country, and being in the advance, skirmished daily with the enemy, who contested every foot of the ground with much vigor and persistence, the command of Gen. Burbridge, on the morning of the 2d, came upon the enemy's works at Saltville, defended by the troops of Breckinridge, Echols, and Williams, numbering about 22,000, including 7,000 militia. The whole of Burbridge's command, numbering less than 4,000 effective men, were ordered to move on the enemy's works; a different point of attack being assigned to each brigade. The nature of the ground and the fact that the enemy greatly outnumbered the Union troops, and being behind strong embankments defended with twenty pieces of artillery, rendered the undertaking a very hazardous and desperate one. The brigade commanded and led by Col. Brown, and to which the 11th cavalry, then in command of Lieut. Colonel Mason, were attached, carried the main work in most brilliant style, and were the only troops that effected a lodgment within the defences. The fact that the 11th cavalry alone lost eighty-six in killed, wounded, and missing, more men than were lost by any other brigade of the command, proved conclusively that the success of the troops under Brown was not the result of lack of courage or of determined and desperate fighting on the part of their opponents, but was a result of their own gallant and persistent fighting. The rebel position proving too strong to be held, the command, after most stubborn fighting, was withdrawn, but not until all its ammunition had been expended. On the retreat the 11th constituted the rear guard, and next day skirmished with the enemy's advance, and the day following the battle was renewed near Sandy Mountain, where the regiment became cut off from the division and surrounded by a body of cavalry numbering about 4,000, under "Cerro Gordo" Williams. After a very sanguinary conflict of over an hour, the enemy closing in upon the regiment, Col. Mason determined on fight before surrender, gallantly led the regiment to the charge, and succeeded, after a bloody hand-to-hand encounter, in cutting through the rebel lines, punishing the enemy so severely that he abandoned any pursuit. This brilliant affair was not accomplished without loss, which included the gallant Mason, a noble soldier; he was mortally wounded in the charge and died next day.

Long and numerous marches and almost continuous battles and skirmishes followed the engagements at Saltville and Sandy Mountain, the regiment acquitting itself creditably on all occasions.

On December 4, 1864, it was at Bean Station, East Tennessee, and on the 11th, in command of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles E. Smith, moved with the force of General Stoneman on his raid into North Carolina, and after a long march and much fighting at various points, the command reached Marion, Va., on the 17th, when a detachment of the 11th, then forming a part of the brigade of Colonel Brown, coming upon the enemy under Breckinridge, charged his cavalry and opened the engagement, which continued with much vigorous fighting for thirty-six hours, during which repeated and daring charges were made by both sides, and the enemy, after the most determined fighting, fell back in disorder across the mountains into North Carolina. A detachment of the 11th Michigan, numbering one hundred and twenty officers and men, under the command of Captain E. C. Miles, held a bridge during the whole engagement which was of much importance, being the key to the position held by the Union troops. Captain George B. Mason, while gallantly attempting to reinforce Captain

S*

Miles with a squadron of the regiment, was mortally wounded. The bridge was stubbornly held under a severe fire from a heavy force on the opposite side of the river, and, in addition to the loss of Captain Mason, Lieutenant Davis and five enlisted men nobly fell in its defence. For this important service, the detachment of Captain Miles received the highest praise from General Stoneman, and the regiment was thanked in the general orders of the department commander for its meritorious and valuable services in the battle of Marion.

On the 19th of January, 1865, the regiment being stationed at Lexington, Ky., moved to Mount Sterling, and was engaged in scouting the eastern portion of Kentucky. On February 23d it started to join General Stoneman's command at Knoxville, reaching there, via Louisville, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn., March 15th, when it was assigned to 2d brigade, and formed part of the force on Stoneman's expedition through East Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and Georgia. The command left Knoxville, March 17th, and passed through Boon, N. C., on the 27th, crossed the Yadkin river on the 30th, passing through Mount Airy on the 31st, Hillsdale, April 1st, and arrived at Christiansburg April 3d, where it destroyed a portion of the East Tennessee railroad, and passing through Danbury, April 9th, Germantown, April 10th, and arriving at Salisbury, April 12th, it engaged a superior force of the enemy, and captured 1,800 prisoners, 22 pieces of artillery, and destroyed a large amount of property, and also the railroads and telegraph lines leading from that point. In this engagement Captain John Edwards was killed. From Salisbury the command marched via Taylorsville on the 14th, passing Lenoir Station on the 15th, and was engaged at Morgantown on the 17th. On the 19th it proceeded to Swananoa Gap, and passing through Rutherfordton on the 20th, Hendersonville on the 23d, arriving at Ashville on the 26th, taking at that point two hundred prisoners, and capturing a large amount of property, including artillery. Passing again through Hendersonville on the 27th, the command entered South Carolina, via Saluda Gap and Caesar's Head, arriving at Anderson Court-house May 1st. It destroyed the remnant of the rebel treasury, then moved to Carnesville, Ga., on the 3d, and to Athens on the 4th, and on the 11th captured the cavalry escort of Jefferson Davis near Washington, moving to Hartwell on the 13th, the command guarding the crossing points of the Tugaloo and Savannah rivers. On the 22d, crossing the Savannah river, reached Maxwell's Farm, S. C.; on the 23d, Greenville, and on the 25th, Ashville, N. C., and Greenville, Tenn., on the 27th; Strawberry Plains on the 29th, Knoxville on June 3d, and arrived at Lenoir Station June 4th, and encamped until the 24th, when the regiment moved by rail to Pulaski, and on the 20th of July it was consolidated with the 8th Michigan cavalry.

THE "MERRILL HORSE" CAVALRY.

In September, 1861, two companies of cavalry were raised respectively by Captain James B. Mason and Captain Jabez H. Rogers, at Battle Creek, and in January, 1863, another company was recruited by Captain Almon E. Preston, of the same place. These companies were designated as companies H, I, and L of the regiment known as the "Merrill Horse," a Missouri organization, and served during the whole term of the service with the Western armies. It is known to have been actively engaged, and to have seen much service in the field during the period covered by this report, but the returns of these companies are very meagre in the details

of their operations, consequently it has been impossible to give a full and satisfactory sketch of their movements and services.

It has been ascertained that they were in engagements and skirmishes as follows: Memphis, Mo., July 18, 1862; Moor's Mill, Mo., July 28, 1862; Kirsville, Mo., August 6, 1862; Brownsville, Ark., August 25, 1863; Bayou Mecoe, Ark., August 27, 1865; Ashley's Bayou, Ark., September 7, 1863; Little Rock, Ark., September 10, 1863; Benton, Ark., September 11, 1863; Princeton, Ark., December 8, 1863; Little Missouri River, Ark., April 3, 4, 1864; Prairie Dehan, Ark., April 12, 13, 14, 1864; Camden, Ark., April 15, 1864; Jenkins' Ferry, Ark., April 29, 30, 1864; Franklin, Mo., October 1, 1864; Otterville, Mo., October 10, 1864; Independence, Mo., October 22, 1864; Big Blue, Mo., October 23, 1864; Trenton Gap, Ga., March 22, 1865; Alpine, Ga., March 24, 1865; Summerville, Ga., March 25, 1865.

On May 1, 1865, they were at Resaca. On the 9th left for Kingston, arriving there same day, and on the 20th started with the regiment for Atlanta as an escort to a supply train, arriving at that point on the 23d, and were then ordered to return with the train loaded with cotton to Chattanooga. On September 21st following they were mustered out of service at Nashville, and soon thereafter paid off and disbanded. They were known as Michigan companies, and their officers were commissioned by the Governor of the State.

THE LIGHT ARTILLERY.

The regiment of Michigan light artillery was composed of twelve six-gun batteries. It was commanded by Colonel C. O. Loomis; but, from the character of that arm of the service, the batteries were never brought together as a regiment.

Battery A, originally designated Loomis's, left the State under command of Colonel Loomis, on July 1, 1861, for the field in Western Virginia; and at Rich Mountain, in July following, while serving with General McClellan, first engaged the enemy, and thus early in the war gave the rebels a taste of its pluck.

Passing through the Western Virginia campaign, it was transferred to Kentucky, and was in advance in the route of the rebels from Bowling Green.

At the battle of Perryville it played an important part, saving by its gallant and effective service the right wing of the Union army from being flanked.

Fighting through many other battles, where its vigorous action, stubborn pluck, and brilliant dash gave it an enviable reputation throughout the whole army, it is found hotly engaged during the memorable days and nights of hard and desperate fighting in the bloody battle of Stone River, where it lost heavily, but achieved a most noted distinction, second to no battery in the service, and the history of the times will bear witness to its noted fame in the ages that shall follow.

From the annals of the Army of the Cumberland, we take the following

extract:

During the battle of Friday, at Stone River, General Rousseau rode up to Loomis's battery, and saw there a youth of the battery holding horses, and in the midst of a very tempest of shot and shell. He was so unconscious of fear, and so elated and excited, that, being debarred from better occupation than holding horses, his high spirits found vent in shouting out

songs and dancing to the music. The General was so well pleased with his whole deportment, that he rode up to him and said: 'Well done, my brave boy; let me shake hands with you.' A few days after the fight, General Rousseau visited the camp of the battery, and mentioning the circumstante to the commanding officer, expressed a desire to see the youth again. 'Step out, McIntire,' said the officer. The youth came forward, blushing deeply. The General again commended his conduct, and said: 'I shook hands with you on the battle-field, and now I wish to do it again in the presence of your brother soldiers. May you carry the same brave spirit through the war, and come out safely at last, as you are sure to come out honorably.' The General again shook his hand warmly in the presence of his officers and of his companions."

The gallant services of this battery and Guenther's, fighting by its side, were conspicuous, demanding the attention of the general officers, while General Rousseau, specially noticing them in his report, says:

"As the enemy emerged from the woods in great force, shouting and cheering, the batteries of Loomis and Guenther, double-shotted with canister, opened upon them. They moved straight ahead for a while; but were finally driven back with immense loss. In a little while they rallied again, and, as it seemed, with fresh troops again assailed our position, and were again, after a fierce struggle, driven back."

This high compliment to their fighting qualities is strongly endorsed in the "Rebellion Record," by Mr. Greeley, who says:

"After debouching from cedars, Loomis and Guenther could find no good position for their batteries, and the whole line fell back under severe fighting, the left wing flat upon the ground, the right covered by a crest. The two batteries now swiftly wheeled into favorable positions and poured doubleshotted canister into the enemy. The 23d Arkansas was literally swept away by their devouring fire. Loomis and Guenther were wild with delight at their success. The baffled enemy came no farther. The field was red with the blood of their slain."

At Chicamauga, September 19th and 20th, the record is nobly maintained and gloriously almost ended. There, sooner than abandon its position, it suffered nearly annihilation; making one of the most determined defences on record; dealing to the rebel hosts, pressing up in masses to the muzzle of the guns, utter destruction within its entire range; but finally had to surrender the guns so dearly prized, Lieut. Van Pelt, its commander, fighting most heroically for their preservation, and dying by their side. Mr. Greeley, in noticing this great struggle on the 19th, says:

"It was now 9 A. M., and while Baird and Brannan were making the required movements, Palmer's division, of Crittenden's corps, came up and took position on Baird's right. By 10 A. M. Croxton's brigade, of Brannan's division, had become engaged, driving back Forrest's cavalry, when Ector's and Wilson's infantry brigades were sent in by Walker to Forrest's support. Croxton, of course, was brought to a dead halt; but now Thomas sent up Baird's division, and the rebel brigades were hurled back badly cut up. Hereupon, Walker in turn sent up Liddell's division, making the odds against us two to one, when Baird was in turn driven; the rebels charging through the lines of the 14th, 16th, and 18th U. S. regulars, taking two batteries.

"One of the batteries here lost was the 1st Michigan, formerly Loomis's, regarded by the whole army with pride, and by those who served in it with an affection little short of idolatry. It had done yeoman service on many a hard-fought field, and was fondly regarded as well nigh invincible. But