Asboth through Aylett’s, Virginia

ASBOTH, ALEXANDER SANDOR, soldier, born in Keszthely, Hungry, 18 December, 1811; died in Buenos Ayres, S.A., 21 January, 1868. He was educated in Oldenburg, and served for some time as a cuirassier in the Austrian army. Subsequently he studied law at Presburg, and then, turning his attention to engineering, was employed upon various important works in the Banat. He served with Kossuth in the Hungarian war of 1848-’9, and participated in the battles of Tomasovacz, Kapolna, and Nagy Sarlo. He followed Kossuth to Turkey, shared his confinement at Kutaieh, and on his release came with him to the United States in 1851, where he soon became a citizen. He pursued various occupations, and on the outbreak of the Civil War in 861 offered his services to the government. In July he was sent to Missouri as chief of staff to General Frémont, and on 26 September was appointed brigadier-general and commanded the 4th division in Frémont's western campaign. He was next assigned to the command of a division in General Curtis's army, and during the Arkansas Campaign occupied Bentonville and Fayetteville. He participated in the battles of Pea Ridge, and was severely wounded. In 1863 he was placed in command of Columbus, Kentucky, and in August of the same year was assigned to the District of West Florida, with head-quarters at Fort Pickens. He was badly wounded in the battle of Marianna, 27 September, 1864, his left cheek-bone being broken and his left arm fractured in two places. For his services in Florida he was brevetted major-general 13 March, 1865, and resigned in the following August. In 1866 he was sent as U.S. minister to the Argentine Republic and Uruguay, where he died in consequence of the wounds in his face. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p. 108.


ASHBY, TURNER, soldier, born at Rose Hill, Fauquier County, Virginia, in 1824; killed in action near Harrisonburg, 6 June, 1862. He was a grandson of Captain Jack Ashby, who commanded a company in the 3d Virginia Regiment in the Revolutionary War. During early life he was a grain-dealer in Markham, Virginia, and afterward a planter and local politician. On the breaking out of the Civil War he raised a regiment of cavalry, and, being a fine horse-man, a soldier by nature, and possessed of remarkable personal daring, he soon distinguished himself. He was made a brigadier-general in the Confederate Provisional Army in 1862, but met his death shortly afterward in a skirmish preceding the battle of Cross Keys, Virginia. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p. 110.


ASHBYSBURG, KENTUCKY, September 25, 1862. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 48.


ASHBY'S GAP, Virginia, September 22, 1862. Detachment Cavalry Brigade, 3d Army Corps. In conformity with orders from the corps commander Colonel Price, commanding the brigade, left camp near Fort Blenker on the 20th with 800 men and one section of the 3d U. S. artillery, for Ashby's gap, his object being the capture or destruction of a wagon train, reported to be in that vicinity. At Bull Run gap he encountered the Confederate pickets and for the next 10 or 12 miles there was constant skirmishing, when the advance guard, supported by the 1st Vermont and closely followed by about 60 men, came suddenly upon some 600 of the 6th Virginia cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Green. Before the enemy had time to form, Price ordered a charge and the Confederates fled in disorder from the field, some taking to the woods and others escaping through the gap. All of them rode fresh horses and could not be overtaken. Under instructions not to go through the gap, Price halted his men and after a brief rest returned to camp, the wagon train having been moved over the ridge the night before, defeating the object of his expedition. One wagon, empty and without horses, was found in Paris and burned. Two others, containing little of value, were captured. The Federal loss in this affair was 9 killed and wounded; the Confederate loss was 18 killed, wounded and captured. The Confederate commander received three saber cuts on the head. Being too severely injured to bring in he was paroled. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 48.


ASHBY'S GAP, Virginia, July 12-20, 1863. Detachment 2nd Massachusetts and 1st New Jersey Cavalry. Colonel Lovell, with 364 men, while on the way to Alexandria, found at Ashby's gap two companies of Robertson's North Carolina cavalry. A picket of 20 to 25 men was maintained at this camp on the west bank of the Shenandoah and there was a small commissary store. A skiff was one of the conveniences of the camp. For some time Lovell's advance guard was subjected to a fire from the Confederates here without damage. He left there at 4 p. m. and passed through Union to Philomont, where he camped. After slight skirmishing the 5th and 6th Michigan cavalry occupied Ashby's gap on July 20. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 48.


ASHBY'S GAP, Virginia, July 19, 1864. The action at Ashby's gap on this date was a preliminary skirmish to the heavier engagement at Berry's ford (q. v.). The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 48.


ASHBY'S GAP, Virginia, February 19, 1865. Detachment of the 14th Pennsylvania and 21st New York Cavalry. Major Thomas Gibson, with 225 men of the two regiments, was ordered to scout from Camp Averell near Winchester into Loudoun county. He left camp on the evening of the 18th and after crossing the Shenandoah the detachment divided to meet again at Piedmont—one party being under the command of Captain Snow, of the 21st New York, and the other under Gibson himself, the object being to search all the houses in the vicinity for Mosby's men and stores of the enemy's supplies. In this work the expedition was aided by deserters from Mosby's command. When Gibson reached Upperville he learned that Snow had already been there and had left about 5 a. m. on the 19th. He then pushed on toward Paris, his rear and flanks being continually harassed by small parties of the enemy. Gibson had captured 18 prisoners, among them Mosby's quartermaster Page 49 and a lieutenant, and about 50 horses. At Paris he was fired on by a considerable force of infantry stationed behind a stone wall, but succeeded in getting his command through the town without loss. While passing through Ashby's gap he was compelled to march his men in single file, owing to the narrow defile through the rocks. Here his rear guard, under Captain Duff, was vigorously attacked and driven back on the main body. Gibson ordered a charge, but because of the uneven nature of the ground and the lack of room it could not be successfully made and the men broke in confusion. All attempts to rally them were vain, each one being intent on saving himself. In this affair Gibson lost 2 men wounded and 88 missing, 10 of whom afterward reached camp. The prisoners he had taken were recaptured by the enemy, who made the assault in overwhelming numbers.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 48-49.


ASH CREEK, KANSAS, November 13, 1864. On the night of this day a train of five wagons loaded with corn and enroute for Fort Larned was attacked by about 30 Indians. Of the 5 men accompanying the train, 1 was mortally wounded and the others escaped. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 49.


ASHEPOO RIVER, S. C., May 16, 1864. 34th U. S. Colored Troops. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 49.


ASH HILLS, Missouri, August 13, 1863. 1st Battalion, 2nd Missouri State Militia Cavalry. This detachment was commanded by Major Poole, who was ordered by Colonel Rogers to scout from Cape Girardeau as far south as the Ash Hills and return via Greenville. The battalion entered the Ash Hill country about 5 p. m. on the 13th. With Captain McClanahan and 2 men, Poole went some 200 yards in advance to select a camping site and met about 80 armed guerrillas. The 4 charged this force with sabers and revolvers, killing 6 and wounding several. The guerrillas sought safety in a swamp, abandoning several horses, which were taken by the victors. Poole was wounded; there were no other Federal casualties. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 49.


ASHBURN, GEORGE W., soldier, born in Georgia; died 1 April, 1868. During the Civil War he was a strong opponent of secession, and raised a company of southern loyalists, subsequently enlarged to a regiment, of which he was colonel. On his return home after the war he boldly advocated the Congressional plan of reconstruction. He was chosen a delegate to the Georgia Constitutional Convention of 1867, and did much toward perfecting the constitution of his state. His political enemies, unsuccessful in provoking him to violence, caused his death. This crime was investigated by General Meade, and it was shown conclusively by whom the murder was committed. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p. 109.


ASHLAND, TENNESSEE, January 12, 1863. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 49.


ASHLAND, VIRGINIA, June 25, 1862. Detachment of the 8th Illinois Cavalry. Lieutenant-Colonel Martin, commanding the Jeff Davis Legion (Mississippi) and the 4th Virginia cavalry, had a line of pickets from Wooding's shop on the Ashland road, along that road to Ashland and thence toward Hanover Court House, to the residence of Colonel Wickham. In the afternoon after General Jackson's advance guard had reached the neighborhood of Ashland, a company of the 8th Illinois cavalry drove in Martin's videttes from the intersection of the Ashcake and Telegraph roads and cut the telegraph line. Under orders from Martin, Lieutenant Smith, with 17 men of the 4th Virginia, charged on the Federals, driving them back with a loss of 1 man killed and 1 wounded, after which the telegraph line was repaired. The Confederate loss was 2 men wounded. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 49.


ASHLAND, VIRGINIA, May 3, 1863.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 49.


ASHLAND, VIRGINIA, March 1, 1864. The affair at Ashland on this date was an incident of Kilpatrick's raid to Richmond, and was in the nature of a diversion to cover the main body of the expedition. (See Richmond, Kilpatrick's raid to.) Ashland, Virginia, May 11, 1864. Sheridan's Cavalry. In the campaign from the Rapidan to the James, Sheridan reached Ashland about 2 o'clock on the morning of the 11th and commenced tearing up the tracks of the Fredericksburg railroad. The 1st Massachusetts charged into the place, losing 19 men in killed, wounded and missing. Sheridan destroyed the government buildings, containing a large amount of stores, a locomotive, a train of cars, the engine-house, 6 miles of railroad, including 6 culverts and 2 trestle bridges, and tore down the telegraph line for a similar distance. Ashland, Virginia, June 1. 1864. ist Brigade, 3d Division. Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. This brigade, commanded by Colonel J. B. Mcintosh. of the 3d Pennsylvania cavalry, drove the Confederates out of Hanover Court House on May 31, and camped there for the night. At day-break, June 1, one regiment of the brigade, supported by Chapman's brigade, departed to destroy the railroad bridge over the Pamunkey. Mcintosh with the 5th New York, 2nd Ohio and 1st Connecticut, pushed on to Ashland and was destroying the railroad there when his force was attacked by two divisions of Confederate cavalry. After three hours' fierce resistance to a superior force, Mcintosh withdrew, retired down the railroad and joined the 2nd brigade. Ashland, Virginia, March 15, 1865. 1st Brigade, 3d Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac, Sheridan's Raid. General Custer reached Ashland early in the day and learned that Generals Longstreet and Pickett were advancing upon that point with a heavy force composed of all arms. The 1st brigade commanded by Colonel Pennington and consisting of the 2nd Ohio, 2nd New York, 3d New Jersey and 1st Connecticut, was sent forward to hold the enemy in check until the rest of the command could pass toward the railroad bridge over the South Anna. The enemy made several attempts to force Pennington back, but was repulsed each time. The 1st Conn, sent out a reconnaissance of one squadron, under Lieutenant-Colonel E. W. Whitaker, from the right of Pennington's line toward the enemy, while a battalion of the 2nd New York moved down the telegraph road. Whitaker's squadron was ambushed by infantry and cavalry and lost a lieutenant killed and 2 men missing. The most determined movement of the enemy, made just before dark, when Pennington was about to obey orders and retire, was a complete failure. A spirited attack was made on the line of the 2nd New York by infantry, but it was resisted effectively till the regiment, which was to bring up the rear, retired. The Confederates did not follow as Pennington fell back. The 2nd New York lost 1 man killed, 3 wounded, and had 22 horses so badly wounded that it was necessary to abandon them on the march. Ashland Church, Virginia, May 4, 1863. Detachment of the 12th Illinois Cavalry. As an incident of the Stoneman raid Lieutenant-Colonel Davis was sent with the regiment to destroy the railroad in the vicinity of Ashland. Learning that a train of 18 wagons was encamped in the woods not far from Ashland Church, Davis sent Captain Roden, with Cos. B and C, to destroy it. This was successfully accomplished, the guard being routed and the wagons burned. No casualties reported. Ashley, Missouri, August 28, 1862. 30 Men of the Missouri Militia. The detachment under Captain Pierce, early in the morning was attacked by 150 Confederates under a Captain Beck, whose object was to capture the arms of two companies, most of the men of which had gone under orders to Paris. After an hour's fight the Confederates retreated. Federal loss, 1 killed, 5 wounded; Confederate, 2 or more killed, including Beck, and several wounded.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 49-50.


ASHLEY, JAMES MONROE, 1824-1896, Ohio, Underground Railroad activist. Republican Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, voted for Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery.  Adamant opponent of slavery.  Member, Free Soil Party, 1848.  Joined Republican Party in 1854. (Dumond, 1961, p. 339; Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. I, p. 110; Dictionary of American Biography, Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1936, Vol. 1, Pt. 1, pp. 389-390; Congressional Globe)

ASHLEY, James Monroe, Congressman, born near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 14 November, 1824. His education was acquired while a clerk on boats on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Later he worked in printing-offices, and became editor of the "Dispatch." and afterward of the "Democrat," at Portsmouth, Ohio. He then studied law, and was admitted to the bar of Ohio in 1849, but never practised. Subsequently he settled in Toledo, where he became interested in the wholesale drug business. He was elected to Congress as a Republican in 1859, and was reelected four times, serving continuously from 5 December, 1859, till 3 March, 1869. He was for four terms chairman of the Committee on Territories, and it was under his supervision that the territories of Arizona, Idaho, and Montana were organized. He was nominated for the 41st Congress, but was defeated, and in 1869 was appointed governor of Montana. In 1866 he was a delegate to the loyalist convention held in Philadelphia. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p. 110.


ASHLEY'S MILLS, ARKANSAS, September 7, 1863. Davidson's Cavalry Division, Department of the Missouri. During Steele's movement on Little Rock, Davidson's cavalry, which was in advance, had a sharp skirmish here with troops of Walker's division of Price's army, which division had the day before been placed in command of Colonel Dobbin. In the morning Davidson advanced on the enemy's troops encamped at Ashley's Mills and drove them back to the river, inflicting a loss of 1 killed, 3 wounded and 2 captured.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 50.


ASHLEY'S STATION, ARKANSAS, August 24, 1864. (See Devall's Bluff, same date.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 50.


ASHMUN, GEORGE, 1804-1870, Massachusetts, statesman, lawyer, Congressman.  Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. I, p. 111

ASHMUN, George, statesman, born in Blandford, Massachusetts, 25 December, 1804; died in Springfield, Massachusetts, 17 July, 1870. He was graduated at Yale in 1823, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1828 at Springfield, Massachusetts In 1833, 1835, 1836, and 1841 he was elected a member of the lower branch of the Massachusetts legislature, and during the last term he was speaker of the house. He was a state senator in '38-'9. He was elected to Congress in 1845, and served continuously until 1851, being a member of the committees on the judiciary, Indian affairs, and rules. He was a great admirer of Daniel Webster, and although he did not follow the latter in his abandonment of the Wilmot Proviso, defended him in the ensuing quarrels; his replies to Charles J. Ingersoll, of Pennsylvania, and Charles Allen, of Massachusetts, when they assailed Webster with personal and political bitterness, were among the strongest efforts of his career in Congress. Subsequent to his retirement from political life he devoted his attention to the practice of his profession. In 1860 he was president of the Chicago Convention that nominated Lincoln for president. It is said to have been through his influence that in 1861 Senator Douglas, of Illinois, was won over to the support of the administration, and the results of a subsequent interview at the White house between Lincoln, Douglas, and Ashmun, were of great importance to the country. In 1866 he was chosen a delegate to the national union Convention, held in Philadelphia, but he took no part in its deliberations. He was also for some time a director of the Union Pacific Railroad. Appletons’ Cyclopædia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. I.  p. 111.


ASHTON, LOUISIANA, May 1, 1864. Ashwood, Mississippi, June 25, 1864.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 50.


ASHWOOD LANDING. LOUISIANA, May 1-4, 1864. 64th U. S. Colored Troops. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 50.


ASPER, JOEL F., born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, 20 April, 1822; died in Chillicothe, Mo., 1 October, 1872. He was admitted to the bar in 1844, elected a justice of the peace in 1846, and prosecuting attorney of the county in 1847. In 1849 he edited the “Western Reserve Chronicle,” and in 1850 became editor of the “Chardon Democrat.” In 1861 he raised a company and was commissioned a captain. He was wounded in the battle of Winchester, and, after being promoted lieutenant- colonel in 1862, was mustered out in 1863 on account of wounds. In 1864 he moved to Missouri and founded the Chillicothe “Spectator.” He was elected to Congress in 1868, and served on the committee on military affairs. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p. 111.


ASPINWALL, WILLIAM H., merchant, born in New York City, 10 Dec, 1807; died there, 18 January, 1875. He was trained in the house of G. G. & S. Howland, his uncles, and taken into the firm in 1832. In 1837 the new firm of Howland & Aspinwall was established. This house had the largest Pacific trade of any firm in New York, besides doing an extensive business with the East and West Indies, England, and the Mediterranean. In 1850 he retired from the active management of the firm, and secured the contract for a line of mail steamers from the isthmus of Panama to California, and a concession from the government of New Granada for the construction of a railroad across the isthmus. The road was completed after many difficulties, and opened on 17 February, 1855, the eastern terminus being named Aspinwall. Mr. Aspinwall was president of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company until 1850. He travelled much in the last twenty years of his life, and made an important collection of paintings, which were sold by his family in 1880.—His son. Lloyd, born in New York city in 1830, died in Bristol, R.I, 4 September, 1880, commanded the 22d New York Militia in its three months' service before Gettysburg, had charge of the purchase of vessels for the Newbern Expedition, was president of a board to revise army regulations, was General Burnside's aide at Fredericksburg, and after the war was a brigadier-general in the national guard. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p. 112.


ASSAULT. In any assault, it is necessary that the officer, commanding and responsible for the whole operation, should be in immediate communication with the troops during the assault, and be present with the reserve or supporting party; 2. The troops destined for this duty should be divided into two portions, each equal in strength to three-fourths of the garrison attacked: one portion being the attacking party, and the other half, the reserve or supporting party; 3. Each column of the attacking party will also be subdivided into advance, main body, and support, whatever may be the number of these columns; 4. The disposition of the attacking party, as it reaches the point of attack, will be regulated by the engineer officer, under the orders of the officer commanding they having made the necessary reconnoissances; the party must be furnished with tools, ladders, and proper implements, adapted to the circumstances of the moment, and accompanied by a detachment of sappers; 5. The disposition of the reserve, equal, as before observed, to the whole attacking force, should be regulated by the officer intrusted with the execution of the assault; and this reserve should be accompanied or not, according to circumstances, by cavalry and field artillery. When these descriptions of force are present, the former should be placed under cover or out of gun shot about 1,500 yards distant; the artillery should be kept in hand until the attacking party is engaged, when the guns should be spread out on the flanks, and open a vigorous fire upon the works; the infantry, brought immediately in rear of the leading attack, should be placed under cover, if possible, from fire of grape and musketry, and halted until the issue of the first assault is seen; 6. It is impossible to regulate an assault by any minute suggestions for the advance, except to observe that it is usual for each column to attack the salient points of the works, and least defended portions; to throw out skirmishers and firing parties under any cover available, and keep up a rapid and compact fire upon the defenders; to follow with the sappers and grenadiers to force all obstructions; and then to advance the main body, the supports of each column being judiciously planted in the rear. Eventually, as success occurs and the whole move on, points of security should be taken up, such as the reverse, or the exterior slope of the works; buildings, walls, as well as gorges and flanks, which frequently give cover. Men should be planted under an officer, with instructions to take no notice of the pell-mell, but to keep up a heavy firing in front; employing the sappers in entrenching the position taken up by the supporting party, or in collecting wagons, carts, carriages, &c., capable of being made into a barricade; 7. Either on the supposition that the success of the assault is doubtful, or that there is a check or repulse, the reserve, in case of doubtful success, to render the attack doubly sure, should move forward under the officer commanding the whole assaulting force, and relieve the assailants, who take their places as the reserve as soon as order can be restored; the artillery brought into position in the openings, between the advancing columns, would be directed upon the retreating or resisting forces; and if success is finally complete, the cavalry, in the event of their being employed, will move forward, either through the openings cleared, or by a detour, if a fortified town, in pursuit.

In the second case that of a check the reserve, on the reconnoissance of the officer commanding, will either march forward in support of the attack, or to cover the retreat, if further perseverance in the assault is deemed impracticable the artillery and cavalry being warned as to the intention. In the event of the assault being repulsed, the reserve, which should be in echelon, having advanced guards in front, 'will allow the retreating party to move through the intervals, and the advanced guard will endeavor to check the pursuit; if over-powered, they will fall back on the reserve, and the whole may in that manner retreat until beyond gun shot, endeavoring to make a stand, repulse the garrison, and if possible convert failure into success, if the pursuit has been badly conducted and without due caution. As an important rule in all assaults, except in partial attacks, as an outwork, or any particular work in which a lodgement is to be made, the composition of the forces should be by regiments and corps, and not by detachments; and each non-commissioned officer should be provided with the means of spiking a gun, for which purpose even an old nail is sufficient. Assaults, if feasible, would seldom fail with these precautions, and there are few posts not open to assault, by taking the proper opportunity, an officer intrusted with the defence of a place should therefore exercise the most unremitting vigilance. (Consult DUFOUR, Tactique des Trois Armes; Aide Memoire by British Officers.) (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 70-72).


ASSEMBLY. Drum beat to order troops to assemble; assembly for skirmishers, a bugle sound. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 72).


ASSIGNMENT. If, upon marches, guards, or in quarters, different corps of the army shall happen to join, or do duty together, the officer highest in rank of the line of the army, marine corps, or militia, by commission, there on duty or in quarters, shall command the whole, and give orders for what is needful to the service, unless otherwise specially directed by the President of the United States, according to the nature of the case; (Art. 62, Rules and Articles of War.)

It has been contended that the last clause of this article enables the President to make rank in the army vary at his pleasure, by an order of assignment. But inasmuch as the authority given to the President by the last clause of Article 62 is equally applicable to all commissions in the line of the army, marine corps, or militia, it would follow, under such a construction, that the laws creating rank did not fix a range of subordination; or, in other words, that Congress, after creating rank, or a range of subordination, and establishing rules of appointment and promotion, which require seniority or gallant and meritorious services, and the sanction of the Senate for the attainment of such promotion, have undone their whole work by giving to the President the power to deprive rank of the only quality which gives it consideration. The bare statement of this proposition is sufficient to show that such could never have been the meaning of the last clause of Article 62 of the Rules and Articles of War, and an attentive and candid examination of the article will, it is believed, convince all that its purpose was to declare that the officer highest in rank should command whenever different corps came together, “ unless otherwise specially directed by the President of the United States, according to the nature of the case” That is to say, unless the President, in any special case, should deem the highest officer inefficient or incompetent; then he might supersede him, by withdrawing him from the command. Or, in other cases, the President might desire to carve out of the general command particular trusts, or limit the discretion of the commanding officer in regard to what is needful for the service. This plain interpretation of the disputed passage in no case permits the violation of the rights of any officer, by placing a junior over a senior; but the authority which it gives the President is indispensable to a proper administration of his great office of commander-in-chief. And it may be here stated that, during the Mexican war, Mr. Polk's administration after much deliberation emphatically disavowed the possession of any legal authority to assign a junior major-general to command a senior. (See article RANK, for a statement of the case of Major-general Benton. See also BREVET; DETACHMENT; LINE; PRESIDENT.) (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 72-73).


ASSIGNMENT OF PAY. No assignment of pay made by a non-commissioned officer or soldier, is valid; (Act of May 8, 1792.) (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 73).


ASTRAGAL Small convex moulding used in the ornamental work of ordnance, and usually connected with a, fillet or flat moulding. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 73).


ASYLUM, (MILITARY.) The persons entitled to the benefits of the Asylum, or Soldier's Home, as it is now called, located in the District of Columbia, are: 1. All soldiers, and discharged soldiers of the army of the United States, who may have served honestly and faithfully for twenty years. 2. All soldiers, and discharged soldiers of the regular army, and of the volunteers, who served in the war. with Mexico, and were disabled by disease or wounds contracted in that service and in the line of their duty, and who are, by their disability, incapable of further military service. This class includes the portion of the marine corps that served with the army in Mexico. 3. Every soldier, and discharged soldier, who may have contributed to the funds of the Soldier's Home since the passage of the act to found the same, March 3, 1851, according to the restrictions and provisions thereof, and who may have been disabled by disease or wounds incurred in the service and in the line of his duty, rendering him incapable of military service. 4. Every pensioner on account of wounds or disability incurred in the military service -- though not a contributor to the funds of the Institution -- who shall transfer his pension to the Soldier's Home during the period he voluntarily continues to receive its benefits. No provision is made for the wives and children of those admitted.

No mutineer, deserter, or habitual drunkard, or person convicted of felony or other disgraceful crime of a civil nature, while in the army or after his discharge, is admitted into the asylum without satisfactory evidence being shown to the Commissioners of the Soldier's Home of subsequent service, good conduct, and reformation of character. The Commissioners are: the adjutant-general, the commissary-general of subsistence, and the surgeon-general. The Soldier's Home has its governor, secretary, and treasurer, appointed from the army; (Act March 3, 1851.) (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 73-74).


ATCHAFALAYA, LOUISIANA, July 21, 1864. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 50.


ATCHAFALAYA, LOUISIANA, October 5, 1864. Atchafalaya River, Louisiana, June 4, 1863. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 50.


ATCHAFALAYA RIVER, LOUISIANA, September 7, 1863. (See Morgan's Ferry.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 50..


ATCHAFALAYA RIVER, LOUISIANA, September 20, 1863. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 50.


ATCHAFALAYA RIVER, LOUISIANA, EXPEDITION TO, May 30 to June 5,1864. Troops of the 13th and 19th Army Corps. On the 29th, Brigadier-General VV. H. Emory, commanding the two corps, while at Morganza, learned that Confederates were crossing the Atchafalaya. On the morning of the 30th he despatched a detachment of the 13th corps, and a battery from the 19th corps, about 7,000 men, under General M. K. Lawler and about 1,700 cavalry under Colonel Davis, to disperse them and destroy their means of crossing. He also asked a naval officer at Morganza to send two gunboats into the Atchafalaya if he deemed it prudent to do so. The enemy was reported to have crossed at Morgan's ferry, the day before, with 3,000 to 7,000 men and two pieces of artillery. Lawler was instructed to move to the junction of the Fordoche and Morgan's ferry roads and to attack the enemy if he should be found there. Only 300 or 400 Confederates were there and at Lawler's approach they retreated toward Livonia. On the Morgan's ferry road at the Fordoche, Davis dispersed a party of 50, taking 1 prisoner. Chrysler's cavalry brigade reconnoitered on the Morgan's ferry road and found no foe on that side of the river, but found a sawmill in operation on the opposite side and at a ferry 3 miles above it 5 flat-boats, each large enough to carry 8 to 10 men and horses. He met with no opposition in approaching the ferry, but in leaving it received an ineffective running fire from a small force of the enemy, concealed by the levee on the other shore. Lawler determined to return to Morganza via Livonia and the False river road. At the Fordoche bridge about 200 Confederates, mostly Texans, were found apparently in position and threw three or four shells at Davis' cavalry skirmishers. A section of Norris' battery silenced their gun, and a cavalry advance, immediately afterward, put them to flight down the road toward Livonia, leaving a lieutenant and 3 soldiers dead and several men wounded. The Federals camped at Livonia at 9 p. m. On the way there after dark, General McGinnis' command was fired on by Confederates concealed in the brush beyond Bayou Fordoche. Captain Pan of the 24th la. was killed and 8 men were wounded. One return volley dispersed the attacking party. The False river road was bridgeless and partially inundated and Lawler had to retrace his steps. On the 31st Davis moved forward 4 or 5 miles on the Rosedale road and at 5 a. m. marched to the Morgan's ferry road, where he encamped at 10 o'clock. With the 1st Louisiana, 2nd New York, and 87th Illinois, he followed the enemy down Grossetete and Maringouin bayous to a camp in a dense canebrake, where the Confederates were routed and a quantity of clothing and commissary stores captured. On the morning of the 1st Colonel Sharpe with his brigade, 500 cavalry under Davis, and 4 pieces of artillery destroyed the sawmill above mentioned. As he returned he destroyed the bridges between Morgan's ferry and the Fordoche. Next morning about 10 o'clock Davis started down the Fordoche and Grossetete bayous. That night he camped at Woolfolk's plantation, driving off a small Confederate picket. On the morning of the 3d he crossed the Rosedale drawbridge over the Grossetete, followed the plank road and arrived near Lobdell's landing on the Mississippi at 2 p. m. He camped that night on the Mississippi 4 or 5 miles below False river. Reaching the latter stream about 8 a. m. on the 4th, he sent Lieutenant-Colonel Crebs with about 300 men to reconnoiter one side of the river, and Colonel Chrysler with an equal force to reconnoiter the other. The latter had gone some 6 or 8 miles when he encountered and charged on 50 to 60 of McNelly's scouts. His loss in killed and wounded was 3; Confederates 11. Davis' command returned to headquarters on the morning of the 5th.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 51.


ATCHAFALAYA RIVER, LOUISIANA, July 28, 1864. (See Morgan's Ferry Road.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 51.


ATCHAFALAYA RIVER, LOUISIANA, August 25, 1864. (See Morgan's Ferry Road.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 52.


ATCHAFALAYA RIVER, LOUISIANA, September 17, 1864. Colonel Terrell, commanding a body of Texas cavalry, reported that he fought a force of Federals, estimated at 4,000 strong, with Nim's battery of 6 pieces, and drove it back with considerable loss. No further mention of the affair is to be found in the official records of the war. Atchison, Kas., January 24, 1862. Detachment of the 1st Missouri Cavalry. On this date Captain Fuller of the 1st Missouri cavalry, stationed at Atchison, was notified by one Irving of Missouri that Chandler's jayhawkers had robbed his farm, taking horses, mules and negroes, dragged several women and other members of his family from bed, brutally insulted them, robbed them of their jewelry and had then gone toward Elwood. Irving and some of his neighbors were sent after the jayhawkers as guides and Fuller and a detachment of soldiers followed. Upon overtaking Irving's party Fuller found that they had engaged the jayhawkers, captured 2 of their number and killed their leader. Some of the marauders were captured in the direction of Elwood, others in the direction of White Cloud and Irving's property was recovered. Athens, Alabama, May 1, 1862. 3d Division, Army of the Ohio. Colonel Stanley's regiment of General Mitchell's command, while guarding bridges on the Athens & Decatur road, was attacked by 112 men of the 1st Louisiana cavalry, with a mountain howitzer battery, under Colonel Scott. An onslaught was made on guards at one or two bridges, then on pickets of the main body at Athens. Two companies were sent out and skirmished with the Confederate cavalry for an hour or two, when the latter retreated. Suddenly fire from the battery was opened on the Federals. Stanley ordered his wagon train to leave at once and followed with what force he had at Athens, abandoning his tents and camp equipage to the enemy. At this juncture Mitchell, who was approaching on a locomotive, learning of the attack, sent word to Stanley that he should be immediately reinforced. Running his engine to a telegraph station, he ordered a force to go at once to Stanley's aid. Two trains were on the track at Athens, with steam up, ready to leave for Huntsville. One of them was under Stanley's control, the other had just come from Elk river bringing supplies that had been brought by a train of 50 wagons from Columbia. Both followed Mitchell's engine, but were delayed an hour at Mooresville, 15 miles from Athens. Mitchell's engine and Stanley's train passed safely on to Athens. The guard at a bridge 4 miles from Mooresville had been driven off by Confederates and Confederate sympathizers, with a loss of 2 killed and 4 wounded. Then the string-pieces of the bridge were nearly severed with saws. The supply train broke through the bridge and was wrecked. A brakeman was killed, but fortunately Mitchell had ordered most of the men on the train to leave it at Mooresville and join the detachment sent to reinforce Stanley. The train was fired and plundered, but about 70 Federal soldiers from Mooresville, led by Captain Crittenden, attacked the Confederates and drove them off. Meantime Stanley's reinforcements arrived, but the enemy had retreated and the coming of night rendered impossible further operations that day. Athens, Alabama, January 26, 1864. Detachment of the 9th Illinois Mounted Infantry. Captain Emil Adam, with 75 men of the 9th Illinois mounted infantry, was attacked at Athens at 4 a. m. by General Roddey, with 2 regiments and 2 pieces of artillery, his force estimated at 600 men. After 2 hours' hard fighting the Confederates were repulsed with heavy loss in killed and wounded. The Union loss was about 20 killed, wounded and missing. Roddey opened on the town with his artillery without warning, his object evidently being to create a stampede and capture the train and stores at Athens, but the coolness and bravery of Adam and his men defeated his purpose. Athens, Alabama, September 23-24, 1864. 106th, 110th, and mth U. S. Colored Infantry; 2nd and 3d Tennessee Cavalry. About 4 p. m. on the 23d Colonel Wallace Campbell of the 110th U. S. infantry commanding the post at Athens learned that the enemy were destroying the railway track 5 miles south of the town. Major Pickens, of the 3d Tennessee cavalry, with 100 men, went by the Decatur road, and Campbell, with 150 men, went by train to the scene of action. The combined forces drove off the Confederates and saved a trestle that they had set on fire. Returning to Athens toward nightfall the Federals became involved in a sharp skirmish. Their pickets on the Brown's ferry and on the Buck Island road were driven in and just before dark their artillery at the fort fired a few rounds. The quartermaster's building was set on fire. Forrest's command, which had invested the town on all sides, consisted of Bell's and Lyon's brigades of Buford's division; Rucker's brigade, some of Roddey's troops, Biffle's brigade, the 4th Tennessee, and Colonel Nixon's regiment. The Confederates made several attempts to get possession of the town and were repulsed with considerable loss. About 11 p. m. they captured the railroad depot. The 2nd Tennessee cavalry, just returned from a scouting expedition, drove them away, wounding and capturing several. At midnight the commissary building was burned and during the latter part of the night all Federal troops were removed to the fort, which was an earth work, 180 by 450 feet, 1,350 feet in circumference, surrounded by an abatis of felled trees, a palisade 4 feet high and a ditch 12 feet wide with its bottom 17 feet below the parapet. The garrison consisted of about 450 men. About 7 a. m., on the 24th the enemy opened on the fort with 12-pounder batteries on the north and west. During the ensuing 2 hours about 60 well directed shells were thrown and exploded in and about the fort, doing no damage to the works and killing only one man, a non-combatant. The fort, which inspecting officers considered the best between Nashville and Decatur, was strong enough to resist any field battery. The Federals answered with two 12-pound howitzers. About 9 o'clock an unsigned demand for surrender was sent in under a flag of truce and was returned unanswered. A second demand signed "Major General Forrest" was refused. Forrest asked for a personal interview with Campbell, showed him that the Confederate force numbered 8,000 to 10,000 men, and again demanded a surrender "in the interests of humanity." Campbell surrendered the fort and its garrison at noon. In the morning, General Granger, commanding at Decatur, sent by railroad, detachments of the 18th Michigan and 102nd Ohio, 350 men in all, under command of Lieut-Colonel Elliot of the 102nd, to reinforce the garrison at Athens. When they arrived at the break in the railroad, they were attacked by the whole of Buford's division, but pressed on toward Athens, bestrewing the woods with the enemy's dead. They charged two or three heavy lines of battle, drove them back in disorder and advanced to within 300 yards of the fort, which had surrendered not more than half an hour before. The surrender allowed Forrest to interpose a portion of his force between the fort and the rescuing party, thus compelling them to surrender after a hard fight of 3 hours' duration in which they had lost one-third of their number in killed and wounded. Had Campbell held out they might have saved the day. The officers whom Campbell surrendered joined in a statement over their signatures that on the night of the 23d and 24th, Campbell caused most of the commissary stores of the post to be moved into the fortifications and that they were ample for a ten days' siege; that a well in the fort afforded plenty of water; that there were 70,000 rounds elongated ball cartridges, an ample supply of cavalry carbines, 120 rounds for each of the howitzers; and that the surrender was uncalled for by the circumstances, was against their wishes and ought not to have been made. The Federal loss was 106 killed and wounded; Confederate loss, equal to the Federal force engaged.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 52-54.


ATHENS, ALABAMA, October 1-2, 1864. Lieutenant-Colonel Wade of the 73d Indiana, with detachments from that regiment, and the 10th Indiana cavalry (dismounted), and a section of Battery A, 1st Tennessee artillery, held the Federal works at Athens. About the time the engagement began he was reinforced by a portion of the 2nd Tennessee cavalry, making a total force of about 500 effective men. Opposed to the garrison was General Buford's division of Confederate cavalry, aggregating nearly 4,000 men. The results of recent attacks on this fort and the one at Sulphur Trestle had convinced Wade that the fatal defect in both of these works was a want of protection for the garrison against artillery, and for two days before the attack his men were busy constructing a temporary bomb-proof work entirely outside the fort. The ditch, 6 feet deep and 15 ,feet wide, was roofed with logs over which was laid a covering of earth. The entrance to the underground strong-hold, a covered passageway under the gate of the fort, was not ready for use until 12 o'clock on the night of October 1, and the delay of the enemy in making the main attack proved the salvation of the garrison. The pickets on the Huntsville road were driven in at 3 p. m. on the 1st and the enemy took position behind the railroad. One company was deployed as skirmishers to engage him and delay his movements as long as possible. A rain aided the purpose. Firing was kept up on the skirmish line until dark when Wade reinforced his skirmishers with another company to prevent the Confederates from taking some buildings near the fort. A scattering, irregular fight with small arms was maintained from daybreak until 6 a. m. on the 2nd, chiefly to the west of the fort where a wood stretched down within short range, affording the enemy cover. At 6 o'clock the Confederates got a gun in action on the Brown's ferry road, southwest from the fort. So far Wade had reserved his artillery fire, but now his response was prompt. Ten minutes later 3 rifled guns, on a slight elevation, half a mile north. began to throw missiles into the fort. Under this cross fire scarcely a spot in the fort was safe and Wade moved his troops into the new bomb-proof, leaving sentinels to watch for signs of assault. In half an hour the enemy's artillerymen had obtained the range and were throwing shell into the fort with great accuracy. About 60 rounds were fired, 22 of which fell inside the fort or struck it, the rest bursting over or beyond it. Two shots tattered the regimental flag of the 73d Indiana, another toppled over a tall chimney, another disabled a caisson and others killed or wounded about 30 horses. With his battery section, Lieutenant Tobin returned this fire coolly and deliberately and ambulances were seen in motion near the Confederate guns, showing that his shots were effective. At 8 a. m. there was a cessation in the attack. Buford then demanded a surrender of the fort, but Wade refused his demand. Under cover of their flag of truce, Buford unfairly advanced a portion of his troops to within 200 yards of the fort and took 6 wagons and 4 ambulances from under the Federal guns. Respect for the usages of war prevented Wade from resenting this baseness so long as the white flag was in sight, but as soon as it disappeared he opened on this body of troops and drove it from its new position with a loss of 4 killed and several wounded. The latter were carried away in the wagons. In similar attacks the Confederates' cannon had prevailed; here and now they were ineffectual. Buford immediately began to withdraw his troops, leaving sharpshooters to distract the Federal attention from his real purpose. It was penetrated, however, and as early as 9:30 Wade pushed out skirmishers in every direction and with the help of his artillery drove the Confederates from the field. Major McBath with the 2nd Tennessee pursued them for some distance on the Florence road. The Federal loss was 2 wounded.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 54-55.


ATHENS, KENTUCKY, February 23, 1863. Troops not stated. Athens, Missouri, August 5, 1861. Home Guards and 21st Missouri Infantry.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p.


ATHENS, OHIO, July 24, 1863. This affair was an incident of the Morgan raid, and, like numerous other slight skirmishes with roving detachments of the guerrillas, was not reported in detail.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 55.


ATHENS, TENNESSEE, September 25, 1863. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 23d Army Corps. On this date the brigade, commanded by Colonel R. K. Byrd, became engaged with a superior force of the enemy at Calhoun and was forced to fall back toward Athens. When within 2 miles of that place Byrd was reinforced by Colonel Wolford's mounted brigade and the two commands took up a strong position to resist the further advance of the Confederates. As soon as the enemy appeared Byrd's battery, and Law's battery of mountain howitzers, which was with Wolford's brigade, both opened upon him, temporarily checking his progress. The 8th Michigan cavalry, armed with Spencer rifles, was then pushed well to the front and joined with the batteries in the action. After an engagement of an hour the Confederates withdrew. Casualties not reported.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 55.


ATHENS, TENNESSEE, August 1, 1864. Detachment of 3d Brigade, 4th Division, 23d Army Corps. About 8 a. m. some 60 or 70 men belonging to Vaughan's Confederate cavalry attacked a Union outpost of 8 men near Athens. A prolonged fight occurred, notwithstanding the great odds in numbers, the Confederates losing 2 killed, 3 wounded and 1 captured. Lieutenant-Colonel M. L. Patterson, commanding the brigade, stationed at Loudon, sent about 00 men of the 1st Ohio heavy artillery, under Captains Bivens and Preble, in pursuit. The Confederates were overtaken at Murphy, North Carolina, about 11 a. m. of the 2nd. The Federal advance charged and routed the enemy, killing 10, and capturing 18 horses, 6 mules, 20 guns, 4 revolvers, 2 pistols and other stores and equipments. One of the pursuing party was killed.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 55.


ATHENS, TENNESSEE, January 28, 1865. About 300 Confederates of Vaughan's and Wheeler's cavalry, with some bush-whackers, attacked the Federal garrison at Athens and got away with about 20 prisoners of the 7th Tennessee mounted infantry with a loss of about 50 in killed and wounded. The Federal loss was 6 wounded. The fort and court-house were guarded, but the Confederates most of the time kept well out of musket range. The Federals were without cannon, with which they might have fought them at longer range and with greater success, and also without horses with which to pursue them when they retired.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 55.


ATHENS, TENNESSEE, February 16, 1865. A detachment of 75 men of Vaughan's Confederate cavalry defeated and captured the Federal garrisons at Sweetwater and Athens, commanded by Lieuts. Wiley and Smith. taking 60 men of the 2nd Ohio heavy artillery, with their horses and equipments.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 55.


ATHENS, TENNESSEE, March 2-4, 1865. Detachment of 7th Tennessee Mounted Infantry. Captain W. A. Cochran reporting from Athens under date of March 4, 1865, says: "The guerrillas made a raid into this country the night of the 2nd. We pursued them within fourteen miles of Murphy, and killed 5 of them, captured 15 horses, 2 Spencer rifles, 2 carbines. 2 fine pistols, and other property.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 55-56.


ATHERTON, CHARLES GORDON, senator, born in Amherst, New Hampshire, 4 July, 1804; died in Manchester, New Hampshire, 15 November, 1853. fie was graduated at Harvard in 1822, and admitted to the bar in 1825. He practised at first in Nashua and then in Dunstable. After being a Democratic member of the legislature for many years, and for three years speaker of the house, he was elected to Congress in 1837 and sat in the lower house until 1843. He introduced in 1838 the resolution, which remained in force until 1845, declaring that all bills or petitions, of whatever kind, on the subject of slavery, should be tabled without debate, and should not be taken again from the table. This was called "the Atherton gag." From 1843 to 1849 he was a senator from New Hampshire, and in 1852 he was again elected to the Senate and served as chairman of the finance committee. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p. 114.


ATKINS' MILL, TENNESSEE, April 26, 1862. 2nd Michigan Cavalry. Four companies of this regiment, Major Shaw commanding, drove in the Confederate pickets at Atkins' Mill with a loss of 1 man killed. Confederate loss not reported.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 56.


ATKINSON, EDWARD, 1827-1905, industrial entrepreneur, economist, abolitionist, activist.  Opposed slavery as a supporter of the Free Soil Party.  Also a member of the Boston Vigilance Committee, which aided fugitive slaves.  Atkinson also supported John Brown’s efforts by supplying him rifles and ammunition for his raid on the US arsenal at Harpers Ferry in 1859.  Opposed Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt’s imperialist ambitions in the Philippines and in Cuba.  After 1898, became a full-time supporter of the American Anti-imperialist League.  (Pease & Pease, 1972; Appletons’ Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1900, Vol. I, p. 114; Dictionary of American Biography, Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1936, Vol. 1, Pt. 1, p. 407)

ATKINSON, Edward, economist, born in Brookline, Massachusetts, 10 February, 1827. His education was obtained principally at private schools, and his reputation has been made by the numerous pamphlets and papers that he has contributed to current literature on economic topics. The subjects treated embrace such general topics as banking, competition, cotton, free trade, mechanical arts, and protection. The most important of his addresses are “Banking,” delivered at Saratoga in 1880 before the American Bankers' Association; “Insufficiency of Economic Legislation,” delivered before the American Social Science Association; “What makes the Rate of Wages,” before the British Association for the Advancement of Science; address to the chief of the Bureau of Labor Statistics at their convention in Boston in 1885; vice-presidential address on the “Application of Science to the Production and Consumption of Food,” before the American association for the advancement of science, in 1885; and “Prevention of Loss by Fire,” before the millers of the west, in 1885. His pamphlets and books include the following: “Cheap Cotton by Free Labor” (Boston, 1861); “The Collection of Revenue” (1866); “Argument for the Conditional Reform of the Legal-Tender Act” (1874); “Our National Domain” (1879); “Labor and Capital-Allies, not Enemies” (New York, 1880); “The Fire Engineer, the Architect, and the Underwriter” (Boston, 1880); “The Railroads of the United States” (1880); “Cotton Manufacturers of the United States” (1880); “Addresses at Atlanta, Georgia, on the International Exposition” (New York, 1881); “What is a Bank” (1881); “Right Methods of Preventing Fires in Mills” (Boston, 1881); “The Railway and the Farmer” (New York, 1881); “The Influence of Boston Capital upon Manufactures,” in “Memorial History of Boston” (Boston, 1882); and “The Distribution of Products” (New York, 1885). In 1886 he began the preparation of a series of monographs on economic questions for periodical publication. Through his efforts was established the Boston manufacturers' mutual fire insurance company, an association consisting of a number of manufacturers who, for their mutual protection, adopted rules and regulations for the economical and judicious management of their plants. He has invented an improved cooking-stove, called the “Aladdin Cooker.” Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. I. pp. 114. 


ATLANTA (FINGAL), C. S. S., June 17, 1863. Early in the morning this vessel proceeded to Warsaw sound to attack 2 Federal monitors which had been there some days. She fired only four shots, then surrendered. Captain Kennard, C. S. N., a witness of the affair, reported that to him the Atlanta (Fingal) appeared to have run aground before the encounter.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 56.


ATLANTA, GEORGIA, SIEGE OF, July 20 to September 2, 1864. Army of the Cumberland, Army of the Tennessee, and Army of the Ohio. The objective points for the year 1864 were Richmond and Atlanta—the head and heart of the Confederacy. Early in March General U. S. Grant was made lieutenant-general and transferred to the immediate command of the Army of the Potomac, Major-General W. T. Sherman being at the same time placed in command of the forces in the West. Sherman's new command consisted of four departments: the Army of the Cumberland, at Chattanooga, commanded by Major-General George H. Thomas; the Army of the Tennessee, at Huntsville, Alabama, commanded by Major-General James B. McPherson; the Army of the Ohio, in East Tennessee, commanded by Major-General John M. Schofield; and the Army of Arkansas, under the command of Major-General Frederick Steele. The last named was subsequently transferred to Canby's trans-Mississippi division, and took no part in the Atlanta campaign. The Army of the Cumberland was composed of the 4th, 14th and 20th army corps, respectively commanded by Major-Generals O. O. Howard, John M. Palmer and Joseph Hooker; the cavalry corps of Brigadier-General Washington L. Elliott, and some unattached troops. The 4th corps was made up of three divisions, commanded by Major-General David S. Stanley, Brigadier-General John Newton and Brigadier-Gen Thomas J. Wood, and later in the campaign an artillery brigade was organized and placed under the command of Major Thomas W. Osborn. In the 14th corps were three divisions, the 1st commanded by Brigadier-General R. W. Johnson, the 2nd by Brigadier-General Jefferson C. Davis, and the 3d by Brigadier-General Absalom Baird. In this corps was also an artillery brigade, commanded by Major Charles Houghtaling. The 20th corps comprised three divisions, the 1st commanded by Brigadier-General Alpheus S. Williams, the 2nd by Brigadier-General John W. Geary, and the 3d by Major-General Daniel Butterfield. Major John A. Reynolds commanded the artillery brigade of the 20th corps after it was organized in July. The cavalry corps included the three divisions commanded by Brigadier- Generals Edward McCook, Kenner Garrard and Judson Kilpatrick. The Army of the Tennessee embraced the 15th, 16th and 17th army corps, commanded by Major-Generals John A. Logan, Grenville M. Dodge and Frank P. Blair. Logan's corps included the divisions of Brigadier-Generals Peter J. Osterhaus. Morgan L. Smith and William Harrow. In Dodge's corps were the divisions of Brigadier-Generals Thomas W. Sweeny and James C. Veatch. The 17th corps was made up of the two divisions commanded by Brigadier-General Mortimer D. Leggett and Brigadier-General Walter Q. Gresham. The Army of the Ohio consisted of the 23d corps, which was composed of the three divisions of infantry commanded by Brigadier-Generals Alvin P. Hovey, Henry M. Judah and Jacob D. Cox, and the cavalry division of Major-General George Stoneman The effective strength of the army on May 1, 1864, was 98,797 men, with 254 pieces of artillery. At that time the 17th corps was not with the main body. After it joined on June 8 the effective strength was 112,819 men. Opposed to this force was the Confederate army under the command of General Joseph E. Johnston. It was made up of Hardee's corps, consisting of Cheatham's, Cleburne's and Walker's divisions and the artillery under Colonel Melancthon Smith; Hood's (or Lee's) corps, consisting of the divisions of Hindman, Stevenson and Stewart and the artillery under Colonel R. F. Beckham; Wheeler's cavalry corps, embracing Martin's, Kelly's and Hume's divisions and Roddey' command, with the artillery under Colonel F. H. Robertson; Polk's corps, which included Loring's, French's and Cantey's (or Walthall's) divisions; the cavalry division of Brigadier-General W. H. Jackson, and the 1st division of the Georgia state militia. In his article in "Battles and Leaders," Johnston states his effective forces as being 42,856 men, with 112 guns, but Major E. C. Dawes, of the 53d Ohio, who made an extended investigation into the subject, estimates the Confederate strength at Resaca as being at least 67,000 men with 168 cannon, and figures that Johnston had under his command something over 84,000 men later in the campaign. With a view of preventing Johnston from sending reinforcements to Longstreet in East Tennessee, and also to assist Sherman's expedition to Meridian, Mississippi, Thomas made a demonstration against Dalton, Georgia, in the latter part of February, but the campaign against Atlanta really began with the occupation of Tunnel Hill by the Union forces on the 7th of May. Then followed engagements at Rocky Face Ridge, Mill Creek Gap, Dug Gap, Dalton. Resaca, Lay's Ferry, Adairsville, Cassville, New Hope Church, Pickett's Mills, Big Shanty, Brush Mountain, Kolb's Farm, Kennesaw Mountain, Ruff's Station, Smyrna and the Chattahoochee river, with almost constant skirmishing as Johnston retired toward Atlanta. On July 17th Sherman's entire army crossed the Chattahoochee, his advance being within 8 miles of the city. Up to this time Johnston had acted on the defensive and so well had he conducted his campaign that it had taken Sherman nearly two and a half months to advance a distance of 100 miles. During the winter of 1863-64 General Gilmer, Confederate chief engineer, had strengthened Atlanta as a base for Johnston's army by intrenching the city. About the middle of June Captain Grant of the engineers was instructed to strengthen these fortifications, especially on the northern side, toward Peachtree creek. Johnston had been promised by General Maury at Mobile a number of rifled guns for this portion of the works, and Governor Brown had promised 10,000 state troops to aid in the defense of the city. Johnston's plan was to engage the Union army while it was divided in crossing Peachtree creek. If he failed there he would fall back to the line of works constructed by Grant, where he could hold on until the arrival of the state troops, when he could sally out and attack either flank of the Federal forces as opportunity offered. But he was not permitted to carry out his plans. His defensive campaign had not found favor with the Confederate authorities, and on the very day the Union forces crossed the Chattahoochee he received the following telegram from Adj-General Cooper at Richmond: "I am directed by the Secretary of War to inform you that, as you have failed to arrest the advance of the enemy to the vicinity of Atlanta, and express no confidence that you can defeat or repel him, you are hereby relieved from the command of the Army and Department of Tennessee, which you will immediately turn over to General Hood."

The news of the change soon reached the Federal lines, where it was received with general satisfaction. Knowing the feeling of the Confederate government toward Johnston's course, the new commander determined upon an aggressive policy. His opportunity soon came. Schofield had crossed the Chattahoochee at Phillips' ferry, near the mouth of Soap creek, and moved against the Georgia railroad in the vicinity of Decatur. McPherson had effected a crossing at Roswell and moved to Schofield's left, striking the railroad between Decatur and Stone Mountain, where Garrard's cavalry and M. L. Smith's division destroyed several miles of track. He then effected a junction with Schofield and moved toward the city. On the 19th Sherman ordered Thomas to hold his right near Howell's mill on Peachtree creek and swing his left across the stream to connect with Schofield. Davis' division made an attempt to cross at the mill, but finding the enemy too strong on the opposite bank moved farther down the stream, where he crossed without serious resistance, though Dilworth's brigade had a sharp skirmish with and repulsed a Confederate detachment. Geary succeeded in crossing about half a mile above the mill. Wood moved forward on the Buckhead road, but found the bridge destroyed and a force strongly intrenched on the high bank opposite. By resorting to a flank movement he succeeded, after a stubborn fight, in gaining a footing on the south side of the creek below the road. At dark that evening Thomas had the heads of three columns on the south side of the Peachtree and the remainder of his army in position to follow early on the 20th. There was still a considerable gap between Thomas and Schofield, and to remedy this Sherman ordered Howard to extend his line to the left to connect with Schofield. Stanley's division crossed the north fork of the Peachtree above the Buckhead road and went into camp for the night between the forks of the creek, ready to move toward Schofield's line early on the following morning. Baird's division of Palmer's corps crossed during the night and took position on the left of Davis, who occupied the extreme right of the line, and early the next morning Johnson crossed and moved into position on the left of Baird. Hooker sent over Williams' division to form on Geary's right, and Ward's (formerly Butterfield's) was ordered to Geary's left. Wood's division made a detour to join Stanley and Newton moved up on the Buckhead road into the position vacated by Wood. The general course of Peachtree creek is westwardly. Howell's mill stood at the point where the Marietta road crossed the creek and from there to Buckhead bridge the distance was about a mile and a half up the stream. About half-way between the two roads a small stream called Shoal creek flowed into the Peachtree from the south, and a short distance east of the Buckhead road was another stream known as Clear creek. On the bank of Shoal creek, about a quarter of a mile from the mouth, stood Collier's mill. Newton, after relieving Wood, moved forward to a position about half a mile south of the Peachtree, his left thrown out toward Clear creek, with his line commanding the cross road running to Collier's mill, and threw up a barricade of rails and logs. In a hollow to his right and rear lay Ward's division, while still farther to the right beyond Shoal creek was Geary. Hood was aware of the gap in the Federal line and planned an assault on Thomas before Schofield and McPherson could come to his support. The attack was ordered for 1 p. m. on the 20th, with Stewart's corps on the left, Hardee's in the center and Cheatham's on the right. Wheeler's cavalry was sent to hold Schofield and McPherson in check, Cheatham was instructed to hold his left on the creek in order to keep between Thomas and Schofield, and the other two corps were to be hurled against Thomas. The advance was to be made by divisions in echelon, beginning on Hardee's right, and when the Union lines were forced back to the creek the Confederates were to turn to the left and press down the creek toward the west, sweeping everything before them. At the last minute it became necessary to change the plan of battle to meet certain contingencies. Schofield and McPherson had moved faster than Hood had expected, notwithstanding Wheeler's efforts to hold them back. On the night of the 19th Schofield crossed the south fork of the Peachtree and took up a position along Peavine creek, almost parallel to Cheatham's line of intrenchments. To prevent Schofield from forming a junction with Thomas, Cheatham was directed to withdraw a division from his left to meet Schofield, and Hardee and Stewart were ordered to move to the right to close the space thus vacated. This movement caused a delay, so that it was about 4 o'clock before the attack was begun. The movement of the Confederates to the right brought Hardee in front of Newton, who bore the brunt of the first assault. Without skirmishers Hardee advanced with Bate on the right. Walker in the center, Maney on the left and Cleburne in reserve. His first division passed Newton's left flank near Clear creek and for a little while it looked as though Newton would be swept from his position. But Bradley's brigade, which was in reserve, quickly formed and with the assistance of a well manned battery repulsed the attack. Kimball's brigade, on the right of the road, was forced to change front to meet a force that was outflanking it. The movement was successfully executed and just at this juncture the brigades of Wood, Harrison and Coburn, of Ward's division, came up on Kimball's right. The sudden appearance of these fresh troops threw the enemy into confusion and he beat a precipitate retreat. In the meantime the attack had been extended beyond Shoal creek toward the Union right. Near Collier's mill was an angle between Ward and Geary. When the enemy had advanced into this angle Geary's batteries opened with canister at short range and at the same time a fierce infantry fire was maintained both in front and on the flank. The slaughter here was terrific. After the fight Geary's fatigue parties buried over 400 of the Confederate dead. Stewart sent in the divisions of Loring and Walthall, holding French within easy supporting distance. This part of the Confederate line was subjected to a heavy enfilading fire and forced to retire with heavy losses. Loring lost 1,062 men in a few minutes. Again and again the Confederates rallied and advanced to the assault. But Thomas—"The Rock of Chickamauga"—was there in person, directing the movements of his men. all of whom had the utmost confidence in their general and presented a front that was invincible. Ward's batteries were placed in .1 position to sweep the Clear creek valley, driving back Bate's column that was trying to gain Newton's rear. The enemy's losses in the subsequent attacks were not so great as in the first charge, but their repulse was none the less decisive. The efforts to reform the lines for another assault were continued until sunset, when the attempt was abandoned and the enemy retired within his works. The Federal loss at the battle of Peachtree creek in killed, wounded and missing was 1,707. No official report of the Confederate casualties was made. General Hooker's estimate of their losses in front of the 20th corps was 4,400 in killed and wounded, and the total loss in killed, wounded and missing was not far from 6.000. While the battle of Peachtree creek was in progress Gresham's division forced Wheeler's cavalry back across the Augusta road toward Bald Hill. In this movement Gresham  was severely wounded and Brigadier-General Giles A. Smith was assigned to the command of the division. The 21st was spent by Thomas and Schofield in the readjustment of their lines. Skirmish lines were advanced and intrenched within a short distance of the enemy's works, and the space between Howard and Logan was filled by Schofield's troops. On the Union left McPherson was more aggressive. Seeing that Bald Hill was the key point to the situation on that part of the line he determined to possess it. The hill was held by Cleburne's division, which had occupied and intrenched it the night before. McPherson sent Force's brigade of Leggett's division, supported by Giles A. Smith, against Cleburne. Force advanced under cover of the hill itself until within a short distance of the enemy's lines and then made a dashing charge across the intervening open space against the slight intrenchment before him. Cleburne's men were veterans and met the charge with that bravery which had distinguished them on other fields, but after a sharp combat they were forced to yield. The hill, afterward known as Leggett's hill, was promptly manned by artillery, well supported by infantry, and a few shells were thrown into the city. Having failed in his attempt against Thomas, Hood now turned his attention to McPherson. In his report he says: "The position and demonstration of McPherson's army on the right threatening my communications made it necessary to abandon Atlanta or check his movements. Unwilling to abandon, the following instructions were given on the morning of the 21st: The chief engineer was instructed to select a line of defense immediately about Atlanta, the works already constructed for the defense of the place being wholly useless from their position; Stewart's and Cheatham's corps to take position and construct works to defend the city, the former on the left, the latter on the right. The artillery, under the command of Brigadier-General Shoup, was massed on the extreme right. Hardee was ordered to move with his corps during the night of the 21st south on the McDonough road, crossing Intrenchment creek at Cobb's mills, and to completely turn the left of McPherson's army. This he was to do, even should it be necessary to go to or beyond Decatur. Wheeler, with his cavalry, was ordered to move on Hardee's right, both to attack at daylight, or as soon thereafter as possible. As soon as Hardee succeeded in forcing back the enemy's left, Cheatham was to take up the movement from his right and continue to force the whole from right to left down Peachtree creek, Stewart in like manner to engage the enemy as soon as the movement became general" Such were Hood's plans for his sortie of the 22" d, but again the unforeseen interposed to prevent its success. Blair's corps, its right at Bald Hill, had a line of intrenchments along the McDonough road, which made it necessary for Hardee to take a different route from the one laid down by Hood, so that he was not in position to begin his attack until about noon. At daybreak that morning the Confederate works in front of Thomas and Schofield were found abandoned. Of this situation Sherman says in his report: "I confess I thought the enemy had resolved to give us Atlanta without further contest, but General Johnston had been relieved of his command and General Hood substituted. A new policy seemed resolved on, of which the bold attack on our right was the index. Our advancing ranks swept across the strong and well finished parapets of the enemy and closed in upon Atlanta until we occupied a line in the form of a general circle of about 2 miles radius, when we again found him occupying in force a line of finished redoubts which had been prepared for more than a year, covering all the roads leading into Atlanta, and we found him also busy in connecting those redoubts with curtains, strengthened by rifle-trench, abatis and chevaux-defrise." In contacting the lines about the city Dodge's corps (the 16th) was thrown somewhat to the rear by the 15th corps connecting with Schofield's right near the Howard house where Sherman had his head-quarters. Dodge was therefore ordered to move to McPherson's left flank to strengthen and extend the line in that direction. About noon the two divisions of Dodge's corps were marching by fours in a long column to the new position. Their line of march was nearly parallel to Hardee's line of battle, consisting of Bate's and Walker's divisions, concealed in the timber on the left. The first intimation Dodge had of the presence of an enemy came with a few straggling shots from the Confederate skirmishers. All Dodge had to do was to face his veterans to the left and they were in good line of battle on ground well calculated for defense. Thus the engagement was begun on different ground and with a different body of troops from what Hood intended or Hardee expected. When the corps halted and faced to the left Fuller's (formerly Veatch's) division was on the right and Sweeny's on the left. In front was an open field over which the enemy must advance. Fuller received the brunt of the first attack, but it was handsomely repulsed. Walker's and the 14th Ohio batteries were wheeled into position and these, with the unerring infantry fire, checked every attempt to cross the field, each time driving back the enemy with heavy losses. Some idea of the carnage at this part of the field may be gained from the statement that 13 of Walker's men were found dead in one corner of a rail fence behind which the line was formed. In one of these charges General Walker rode out of the woods, swinging his hat to cheer forward his men, and a moment later was shot from his horse, dying almost instantly. While the line was in some confusion Fuller made a headlong charge and captured a number of prisoners, including the colonel and adjutant of the 66th Georgia McPherson was in consultation with Blair and Logan near the railroad when the sound of the firing was heard, and hurried to the scene of action. Noticing that a considerable gap existed between Dodge's right and Blair's left, he sent orders to Logan to push forward a brigade to close up the line. A short time served to satisfy McPherson that Dodge could hold his position and he started back to Blair. Just at this juncture Cleburne's skirmishers were advancing into the gap above mentioned. They called to McPherson to surrender, but instead of obeying the summons he lifted his hat, as if in salute, and wheeled his horse to gallop away. His action drew forth a volley and he fell mortally wounded. As soon as the news reached Sherman he assigned Logan to the temporary command of the Army of the Tennessee. The sound of the volley that killed McPherson told Fuller that the enemy was advancing on his right, and he threw forward the 64th Il1, armed with the Henry repeating rifles, to protect his flank. This regiment met Cleburne's skirmishers with such a galling fire that they fell back with a loss of several in killed and wounded and some 40 prisoners. Upon one of the prisoners was found McPherson's effects, including an important despatch to Sherman, and the body of the dead general was soon afterward recovered. Almost immediately after the fall of McPherson the divisions of Cleburne and Maney emerged from the timber on the right of Dodge and under the protection of a heavy artillery fire from the ridge in their rear advanced in three columns against the left and rear of the 17th corps. They struck Blair's left flank, fronting west, then swung through the gap and seized the works constructed by Leggett and Smith in their advance on Bald Hill the day before. In this movement the 16th Iowa, 245 men, on Blair's extreme left was cut off and captured. On moved the Confederate advance until it reached the foot of the hill and even began the ascent to attack Leggett's works on the summit. Here the tide of battle was turned. Smith's division leaped over their works and began to pour in a deadly fire from the other side. Wangelin's brigade, which Logan had sent in response to McPherson's last order to occupy the gap, arrived and opened fire on the enemy's flank. This gave Blair an opportunity to change front and form a new line, by which arrangement the Confederates were forced back. Hood watched the movement from a salient in the city's fortifications, and about 3 p. m., when he saw Hardee's attack had driven Blair's left back far enough to attack the hill from the south, ordered Cheatham's corps and the state troops under G. W. Smith to move against the Union position from the Atlanta side. Here Col . Jones, of the 53d Ohio, with two regiments of M. L. Smith's division and two guns of Battery A, 1st Illinois artillery, occupied a position on a hill about half a mile in advance of the main line. Near his position the railroad ran through a deep cut and close by stood a large house of which the enemy could take advantage to cover his advance along the railroad. Jones wanted to burn the house but failed to get permission to do so. Cheatham sent forward Manigault's brigade to occupy it, while the main body of the corps poured through the cut and struck Jones on the flank, throwing his line into disorder. The two guns were spiked, however, before they fell into the hands of the enemy. About 800 yards in advance of the 15th corps was Battery H (De Gress'), 1st Illinois light artillery, composed of 20-pounder Parrott guns and occupying the works evacuated by the enemy on the night of the 21st. The battery, practically unsupported, was charged about 4 o'clock. The attack in front was repulsed, but the enemy gained the rear, and De Gress, seeing that capture was imminent, spiked the guns and withdrew his men. The guns were soon afterward recaptured, unspiked and fired a few rounds after the retreating enemy. This part of the engagement was witnessed by Sherman from his position near the Howard house and he ordered Schofield to mass his artillery there and open a cross fire on Cheatham as he advanced toward the hill. At the same time the 1st division of the 15th corps, commanded by Brigadier-General C. R. Woods, and Mersey's brigade of Sweeny's division moved forward and attacked Cheatham on flank and rear, checking his advance. The whole 15th corps now rallied and by a counter charge drove Cheatham in confusion from the field, recapturing De Gress' guns. This virtually ended the battle. Though several subsequent attacks were made they only served to increase the Confederate losses without giving them any advantage. Hardee and Cheatham were operating on lines nearly at a right angle and several miles apart. Had they attacked with vigor at the same moment the result might have been different. Fortunately for Blair, who occupied the hill for which the enemy was contending, the assaults were so disconnected that he always had time to change front to meet each one when it came. One thing that made it comparatively easy for Hardee to gain Blair's flank and rear was the fact that Sherman had sent Garrard's cavalry on the 21st to Covington to destroy the Georgia railroad. Had the cavalry been with the left wing it is quite probable that some scouting party would have discovered the movement in time to check it, or at least to have given a different turn to the battle.

At Decatur was Sprague's brigade of Fuller's division guarding a train. About the time that Hardee began his attack two divisions of Wheeler's cavalry made a descent upon Sprague in an endeavor to capture the train. Sprague disposed his force in such a way as to cover the withdrawal of the train and put up a gallant resistance to a vastly superior force. Reilly's brigade of Sweeny's division came to his assistance and Wheeler was repulsed with a loss estimated at from 500 to 600. Sprague lost 242 men, most of whom were evidently captured, as Wheeler reported about 225 prisoners. General J. D. Cox reports the Union losses in the battle of the 22nd at 3,521 in killed, wounded and missing. Full returns of the Confederate casualties are not available, but Logan estimated them at 10,000. His command captured 5,000 stand of small arms, 18 stand of colors and 1,017 prisoners. The total number of prisoners taken by the Union army was about 2,000. Walker's division lost so heavily that the remnants of its brigades were assigned to other commands. Hood made another sortie on July 28, at Ezra Church (q. v.). After that Sherman settled down to a siege, with occasional cavalry raids against the railroad communications south of the city. (See McCook's, Stoneman's and Kilpatrick's Raids.) These expeditions having failed to destroy the railroads, Sherman decided to intrench the 20th corps, now commanded by Major-General Henry W. Slocum, at the railroad bridge over the Chattahoochee and at Pace's and Turner's ferries, and move the rest of his army to the south of Atlanta. This movement began on August 25. The 4th corps was relieved by Garrard's cavalry, dismounted, and covered the withdrawal of the 20th corps to the river. The next day the 4th and 14th corps were massed on Utoy creek, and by the evening of the 27th the entire army except Slocum's corps was between Atlanta and Sandtown. Hood had unconsciously played into Sherman's hands by sending Wheeler with about 10,000 cavalry to cut the Western & Atlantic railroad in the rear of the Union army, thus weakening the Confederate forces in the field where Sherman was now operating. On the night of the 28th Thomas was at Red Oak, a station on the West Point railroad, Howard, with the Army of the Tennessee, was at Fairburn, and Schofield was near Mt. Gilead church, about 4 miles east of Thomas. Hood sent out Hardee's and S. D. Lee's corps on the 30th to check Sherman's movements and save the railroads if possible. During the next few days skirmishes occurred at Red Oak, Rough and Ready, Morrow's mill, Mud creek and some other places; the battle of Jonesboro was fought on August 31 and September 1, and the fighting continued around Lovejoy's Station until September 5. In the end the enemy was beaten at every point, for on the night of the 31st the Federals were in full possession of the railroads. Upon learning this Hood realized that further resistance was useless, and at 5 p. m. on September 1 the evacuation of the city was begun. During the night heavy explosions were heard by Sherman's army, 20 miles south. caused by blowing up their stores and magazines, and the next morning it was discovered that the Confederate force at Jonesboro had been withdrawn during the night. In the meantime Slocum's command had been engaged in constructing works at the railroad bridge and ferries, the 1st division being at the bridge, the 2nd at Pace's ferry and the 3d at Turner's. On August 27 French's division, with 4 pieces of artillery, came out and made a spirited attack on Slocum's position, but it was handsomely repulsed with considerable loss to the enemy and very slight loss to the Union forces. The explosions on the night of September 1 were heard in Slocum's camp, and early the next morning he sent out a detachment of the 2nd brigade, Ward's division, under Colonel John Coburn, to make a reconnaissance in the direction of the city and learn the cause of the explosions. Coburn reached the old line of the Confederate works and found it abandoned. In the suburbs of the city he was met by Mayor Calhoun, with a committee of citizens bearing a flag of truce. The mayor formally surrendered the city and about 10 a. m. Ward's division marched in and took possession, the remainder of Slocum's corps following later. The Army of the Cumberland reached the city on the 8th and took position in the works around it to guard against any attempt to retake it. Sherman ordered all families of Confederate soldiers to move southward within five days, and all citizens of the north, not connected with the army, to move northward, as the city was required purely for military purposes. When the march to the sea was commenced the torch was applied to all buildings except churches and dwellings, but as the work was somewhat indiscriminately done many buildings of the exempted classes were consumed.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 56-64.


ATLANTA, GEORGIA, November 6, 1864. (See McDonough Road.) Atlanta, Georgia, November 9, 1864. 2nd Division, 20th Army Corps. This affair was an attack of a Confederate force under General Iverson upon the pickets of the city. It commenced before daylight and lasted until 8:15 p. m. The enemy's line of skirmishers advanced at one time to within 150 yards of the outer works and planted a battery within 400 yards. The attack was finally repulsed by the bringing up of Federal artillery and the advance of the 2nd division skirmishers, when the Confederates fell back, leaving 2 dead and 3 wounded on the field.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 64.


ATLEE'S STATION, VIRGINIA, March 2, 1864. Kilpatrick's Raid. Colonel Dahlgren's command consisted of detachments of the 1st Me., 1st, 2nd and 5th Vermont and 5th Michigan cavalry, aggregating about 500 men. About 400 of this command under Captain Mitchell reached Atlee's station on this date and drove in a Confederate picket of 35 men. Its column, more especially the rear-guard of the 1st Vermont, was fired on by a number of mounted Confederates, probably of Wade Hampton's forces.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 64.


ATLEE'S STATION, VIRGINIA, June 26, 1862. The action at Atlee's station on this date was on account of the Federal and Confederate armies maneuvering for position, just before the beginning of the battle of Mechanicsville, which marked the commencement of the Seven Days' Battles (q. v.).  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 64.


ATTACK AND DEFENCE. (See REDOUBT.) A redoubt may be either armed with cannon, or only defended by infantry. In the former case, it may be necessary to silence cannon by cannon; in the latter, we may march at once to the attack. Light infantry, principally rifle-men, envelop the work, and even, at a distance of 1,000 yards, direct their fire upon the interior of the work and crest of the parapet, so as to prevent the defenders from showing themselves, or at least to cause them to fire hurriedly. Gradually approaching and converging their fire, the riflemen groove the parapet, and assert the superiority of their arm. Arrived at a short distance from the ditch, they run and leap into it, unless prevented by obstacles such as palisades, abatis, and trous-de-loup. In that event, they get rid of the obstacles by means of their axes, or fill the trous-de-loup with fascines, with which they have previously provided themselves. The whole number, however, do not throw themselves into the ditch, a portion remain upon the counter- scarp, to fire upon any one daring to show himself behind the parapet. When the troops have taken breath at the bottom of the ditch, they assault, and to do this the soldiers aid each other in mounting upon the berme. From thence they mount together upon the parapet, leap into the redoubt, and force the defenders to ground their arms. If the redoubt is armed with cannon, and is of greater strength than has been supposed, it might be necessary at first to cannonade in such a manner as to break the palisades, dismount the pieces, and plough up the parapet. Favorable positions for the cannon used in the attack will be sought: these positions should command the work, or be on the prolongation of its faces, so as to give an enfilading fire. If the redoubt is pierced with embrasures, it is necessary to direct one or two pieces upon each embrasure so as to dismount the pieces, and to penetrate into the interior of the work, in order to demoralize the defenders. Some good riflemen will also approach towards the embrasures, shunning their direct range, and fire upon the artillerymen, who may attempt to reload their pieces.

It is only after the attacking artillery has produced its desired effect, that the light infantry envelop the work, and do what has been already indicated. When infantry of the line take part in the attack, it is formed in as many columns as there are salients of attack. Each of these columns is preceded by men armed with axes and carrying ladders. It is a wise precaution to give to front rank men, fascines, which not only serve as bucklers, but are also useful in filling up part of the ditch. The light infantry open to allow the passage of the columns, but redouble their fire to sustain the attack at the moment that the assailants begin to climb the parapet. The essential thing in this decisive moment for the assailants is unity of effort, and to leap into the work from all sides at once. It is necessary, then, that the troops stop a moment upon the berme, and await the concerted signal to clamber up the exterior slope, in order to mount upon the parapet. If the redoubt be not aided by other troops, or strengthened by works upon its flanks, it will be difficult to resist an attack thus directed when valiantly executed. Whatever may be the result, it is the first duty of the commandant of a post to sustain and invigorate the morale of his soldiers, by his own confident air, his valiant resolutions, and his activity in putting every thing in the best order. If the attack is not immediate, the commandant will surround the redoubt with abatis; he will provide heavy stones for the defence of the ditches; he will endeavor to procure bags of earth, to make embrasures upon the parapet. Wanting these he will supply himself with sods, making loopholes, through which the best marksmen will fire upon the enemy. A beam placed across these sods may, at the same time, serve as a protection to the marksmen, and a means of rolling down the assailants. Cannon begins the defence. As soon as the batteries of the enemy are discovered, the fire is opened. But when once the batteries have taken their positions, when their pieces are partly covered by the ground, and their fire begins to produce an effect, the struggle is no longer equal. It is then necessary to withdraw the cannon of the work into its interior, or to leave those pieces only which are covered by good traverses, throwing, however, from time to time, some canister among the light infantry, who may press too nearly. The artillery is at first only aided by a few good marksmen placed in the angles, behind traverses, or wherever the fire of the enemy is least felt. But when the work is so closely pressed that the artillery of the assailants cannot continue its fire without danger to their own men, the defenders mount upon the banquettes, the guns are brought back, and the warmest fire is directed upon the columns of attack, and upon the squads of light infantry, who seek to make a passage through the abatis to the counterscarp. This is the moment to explode such small mines as have been previously prepared under the glacis, or in the interior of the work.

If, notwithstanding such efforts, the enemy reaches the ditch, and collects his force for the assault, all is not yet lost. The defenders roll upon him shells, trunks of trees, and heavy stones, and then mounting upon the parapet, stand ready to receive him at the point of the bayonet, or to use the butt of the musket. History records the failure of more than one attack from such conduct on the part of the defenders; and if we reflect upon the disorder of the assailants, and the physical advantage which those standing upon the parapet must possess, it is necessary, for the success of the attacking force, that they should have a great moral superiority. This does often exist, but the commander of a work may infuse-his own indomitable spirit into his men. Temporary works may be attacked by SURPRISE or by OPEN FORCE. In all cases, the first thing to be done is for the commander of the attack to obtain the fullest possible information that circumstances will admit, of the character of the work, garrison, ground around it, defences, and probable aid at hand, &c. If an intrenched village is to be attacked, it should be ascertained by what means the streets and roads leading into it have been closed, whether by stockades or breastworks; how these obstacles are flanked; what obstructions are placed in front of them, (fee., &c. If the post is an isolated building, such as a country house or church, attention should be directed to the mode in which the doors have been barricaded, or the windows blocked up; how the loopholes are arranged; what sort of flank defence has been provided; how it can best be approached; what internal preparations have been made for prolonging the defence, &c. Part of this knowledge may be obtained from spies, and reconnoissance must do the rest. In the attack of military posts, infantry are frequently thrown upon their own resources. They have no guns or howitzers for tearing up and destroying stockades, abatis, palisading, chevaux-de-frize, &c. Their reliance must therefore be their own activity and fertility of invention. Abatis may sometimes be fired by lighted fagots, or else passed by cutting away a few of the smaller branches. Small ditches may be filled up with fagots or bundles of hay; chevaux-de-frize may be displaced by main force with a rope, and a good pull together, or they may be cut up or blown to pieces by a box of powder. Stockade work or palisading may be escaladed with ladders brought up in a line under the protection of a firing party, and carried by two or four men according to their length; or a stockade, barricaded doors, gates, and windows may be breached by a bag of powder, &c. By such measures, decisively and boldly used, troops would be a match for any of the ordinary obstructions which might oppose their advance, whether the attack were made by night or day, by surprise or by open force. (Consult DuFOUR; Aide Memoir, &c.)  (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 74-77).


ATTACK AND DEFENCE OF PERMANENT FORTIFICATIONS. (See SIEGE.) 


ATTENTION -- Cautionary command addressed to troops, preparatory to a particular exercise or manoeuvre. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 77).


ATTESTATION. A certificate, signed by the magistrate before whom a recruit is sworn in as a soldier. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 77 ).


AUBREY, KANSAS, near, March 12, 1862. Detachment 8th Kansas Infantry. First Lieutenant Rose, with 30 men of Company E, had a skirmish with a portion of Quantrill's band of guerrillas. The latter were repulsed with a loss of 2 killed and several wounded. On their retreat the guerrillas drove a family from their home and burned their house.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 64.


AUBURN, ALABAMA, July 18, 1864. 9th Ohio Cavalry; Rousseau's raid. General Rousseau ordered the destruction of the railroad running through Opelika, Auburn and West Point. The order was executed by Colonel Hamilton and his regiment with great energy and perseverance. His command was fired on by parties of the enemy, but drove them off and continued the work, destroying some 6 miles of the road extending 3 miles north of Auburn, at which station a large amount of lumber and other material and supplies were burned. A locomotive running from Opelika toward Auburn was captured and destroyed.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 64.


AUBURN, TENNESSEE, near, February 15, 1863. 2nd Michigan Cavalry. Lieutenant- Colonel Fowler was attacked by Confederates at 8 p. m. He repulsed them, drove them 3 miles beyond Auburn, where he charged on them and routed them from a bridge, which they were trying to destroy on the road toward Liberty. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 64.


AUBURN, VIRGINIA, near, October 1, 1863. 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry. A detachment of about 100 men under Captain McNitt, scouted through the country about Warrenton. Near Auburn, 4 miles from headquarters and 1 mile beyond the Federal picket-line, McNitt was attacked by 100 to 150 Confederate cavalry. After a short skirmish in which 2 Union men were wounded and 1 Confederate was captured, the enemy retired on the Greenwich road.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 65.


AUBURN, VIRGINIA, October 13, 1863. 1st Division, 3d Army Corps. At Three-Mile Station, on the Warrenton branch railroad, Major-General David B. Birney, commanding the division, was ordered from corps headquarters to precede the Federal column. At the head of the column he was joined by Major-General French and escort. Before reaching the woods immediately in front of the bridge at Auburn, dismounted cavalry of the enemy poured a volley into the advance guard and the head of the column. A section of Sleeper's battery was opened upon the enemy, the 1st and part of the 3d brigade were formed on the right and left of the road, a charge was made into the woods and the Confederate force was speedily dislodged. By command of General French, Birney immediately advanced and took possession of the heights on which the enemy had their battery, left there the 3d Michigan and a section of battery and marched to Greenwich. He reported a loss of 33 killed, wounded and missing.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 65.


AUBURN, VIRGINIA, October 14,1863. 1st Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac. Early in the morning a sudden and furious attack was made on the rear-guard of the Army of the Potomac, while it was moving northward along the line of the Orange & Alexandria railroad, between Catlett's station and Warrenton. The 1st division commanded by Brigadier-General Caldwell and forming the advance of the 2nd corps, under Major-General Warren, had reached Cedar run near Auburn at dark the day before and bivouacked there. At daybreak the division forded the run and Caldwell's orders were to hold this point against any attack from the direction of Warrenton, until the rest of the corps with the artillery and wagons had passed on toward Catlett's station. He must remain until his line could be relieved by cavalry, the battery by horse artillery. Suddenly the enemy opened fire from a battery on a hill about 800 yards in his rear. Caldwell ordered each of his brigade commanders to take his troops rapidly round the hill under cover. Ricketts' battery, immediately in the rear of the division, was quickly reversed and soon silenced the Confederate guns. Then the division again changed front and faced toward Warrenton, for the enemy's skirmishers had appeared in its rear. Since daylight there had been skirmishing to the left and in front. Now skirmishers were coming in across the field. Caldwell ordered the 57th New York of the 3d brigade to report to Colonel Brooke and directed him to cover the Federal front. Brooke deployed the 57th Pennsylvania, 2nd Delaware, and 57th New York as skirmishers and kept the 145th Pennsylvania and the 64th New York as support. The 2nd and 3d divisions, and the batteries, except Arnold's and Ames', had gone toward Bristoe Station. The 1st division and Arnold's and Ames' batteries remained. The enemy opened on the Federal left and Arnold's battery, first with one battery, then with 2 others further to the left. His aim was accurate, but the Federal artillery and infantry were so well covered that he did little damage. About 200 rounds of ammunition were fired. On a crest across Cedar run, Carroll's brigade, its front covered by a picket-line, commanded by Colonel Beaver of the 148th Pennsylvania, was menaced by the enemy, and by order of Warren, Caldwell sent the Irish brigade to reinforce it. By 8 o'clock Gregg's cavalry was in line across the run. At length the horse artillery arrived and Ames' battery and the Irish brigade were sent to an elevated position in the rear beside the road. Caldwell withdrew the division, detailing Brooke's brigade with a section of artillery as rear-guard. The cavalry which was to have covered Brooke's rear preceded his skirmishers. A quarter of a mile from his first position he was vigorously attacked on the right and rear. The enemy, with a column of infantry thrown across the road, cut off the 57th New York, which was in the rear, but by a detour the regiment regained the column. Brooke withdrew in perfect order, fighting and repelling the attacks of two lines of battle, the first consisting of 5 regiments. Before reaching the railroad the division took up two defensive positions, and though the Confederates approached they did not attack.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 65-66.


AUDENRIED, JOSEPH CRAIN, soldier, born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, 6 November, 1839; died in Washington, 3 June, 1880. He was graduated at West Point in 1861, was brevetted second lieutenant, 4th U.S. Cavalry, and assisted in organizing and drilling the troops then assembled in Washington. He took part in the first campaign as aide-de-camp to General Tyler, and served with the 2d Artillery till March, 1862. During the Peninsular Campaign he was acting assistant adjutant-general to General Emory's cavalry command. In July, 1862, he became aide-de-camp to General Sumner, commanding the 2d Army Corps, and acted in this capacity until the death of General Sumner in March, 1863. He was wounded at Antietam, and brevetted captain. He reported as aide-de-camp to General Grant in June, 1863, and witnessed the surrender of Vicksburg. He joined the staff of General Sherman at Memphis on 1 October, 1863, and shared in the Chattanooga and Knoxville Campaign, that to Meridian, the Atlanta Campaign, the march to the sea, and that through the Carolinas. He accompanied General Sherman during his several tours through the great west, among the Indians, and through Europe, and continued to discharge the duties of aide-de-camp to the general of the army until his death. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I,  p.117.


AUDITORS. (See ACCOUNTABILITY for their duties.) They may administer oaths; (Act March 3, 1817.) (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 77).


AUGUR, CHRISTOPHER COLON, soldier, born in New York in 1821. He was graduated at West Point in 1843, having been appointed to the academy from Michigan. During the Mexican War he served as aide-de-camp to General Hopping and, after his death, He was promoted captain 1 August, 1852, and served with distinction in a campaign against the Indians in Oregon in 1856. On 14 May, 1861, he was appointed major in the 13th Infantry, and was for a time Commandant of Cadets at West Point. In November of that year he was commissioned a brigadier-general of volunteers, and joined McDowell's corps. In July, 1862, he was assigned to a division under General Banks, and in the battle of Cedar Mountain, 9 August, was severely wounded. He sat on the military court that investigated the surrender of Harper's Ferry. He was promoted major- general 9 August, 1862, and in November joined his corps and took part in the Louisiana Campaign. At the siege of Port Hudson he commanded the left wing of the army, and for meritorious services on that occasion he was brevetted brigadier-general in the U.S. army, 13 March, 1865, receiving on the same date the brevet of major-general for services in the field during the rebellion. From 13 October, 1863, to 13 August, 1866, he was commandant of the Department of Washington; from 15 January, 1867, to 13 November, 1871, of the Department of the Platte; then of the Department of Texas until March, 1875; of the Department of the Gulf until 1 July, 1878, and to General Caleb Cushing. subsequently of the Department of the South and the Department of the Missouri, and in 1885 was retired. On 15 August, 1886, he was shot and dangerously wounded by a Negro whom he attempted to chastise for using coarse language in front of his house in Washington.—His son, Jacob Arnold, is a captain in the 5th U.S. cavalry. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p. 119.


AUGUSTA, ARKANSAS, April 1, 1864. (See Fitzhugh's Woods.)  


AUGUSTA, ARKANSAS, August 10, 1864. Brigadier-General West, commanding an expedition from Little Rock against the Confederate forces under General Shelby, was informed that the latter was at Augusta and would there cross White river to form a junction with McCray. On August 9, to prevent such a movement, West advanced to a point opposite Augusta, hoping to intercept Shelby in the act of crossing, but Shelby had gone toward Jacksonport two days before. On the loth West stationed the 3d Michigan across the river from Augusta and sent 7 men over on a ferry boat half a mile below. This small party came up to Augusta and drove out a few Confederate pickets. In the evening West and brought the boat up the river and landed the 3d Michigan, with 2 mountain howitzers of the 10th Illinois cavalry in Augusta. The approaches to Augusta were strongly picketed, and strong detachments from the 2nd brigade were sent toward Grand Glaize and Denmark to develop the Confederate strength to the northward, with orders to return no later than 10 a., m. next day.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 66.


AUGUSTA, KENTUCKY, September 27, 1862. Kentucky Home Guards and Militia. A Confederate force of 400 to 500 of Morgan's raiders, under command of Colonel Duke, started to make a demonstration against Cincinnati, Ohio. About 100 men under Colonel Bradford were stationed at Augusta and the gunboat Belfast, Captain Sedam, was an auxiliary to the Federal forces. Before the attack the gunboats Allen Collyer and Florence Miller anchored in front of the town. Bradford requested the help of the vessels in case of an attack and then posted his men in the houses along Front street and up Pine street to Second. By the time he had done this the Confederate cavalry, with 2 small cannon, took position on a hill overlooking the town. They were greeted by a shell from the Belfast that killed 2 or 3 and caused them to move their canon. They then opened fire, doing little damage, and the Belfast fired twice effectively. Then the 3 gunboats hurried from the town, 2 of them not having fired a shot. Emboldened by this withdrawal of the vessels, the Confederates rushed down into the town, though many of them fell before the determined defense from the houses. They planted their guns in the street and regardless of women and children bombarded the houses, setting fire to several of them. The beleaguered and desperate Unionists fought for some time after they knew that their valor could avail nothing, when Bradford surrendered and the town was looted, much of it having already been destroyed. The Confederates took horses, buggies, wagons and other available means of carrying off their wounded, leaving some of their dead to be buried by the people of the town. Some of their prisoners were marched from the town; others were paroled. The Federal loss in killed was 12 or 15; Confederate 75 to 100, including Captain Samuel D. Morgan, a cousin of Colonel John H. Morgan, and William Courtland Prentice, son of George D. Prentice, editor of the Louisville Courier. The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 66.


AULICK, JOHN H., naval officer, born in Winchester, Virginia, in 1789; died at Washington, D.C., 27 April, 1873. He entered the U. S. Navy  as midshipman in 1809, and in 1812 served on the “Enterprise” in all the engagements of that vessel, carrying into port the British ship. “Boxer” and the privateers “Fly” and “Mars,” which the “Enterprise.” captured. He afterward served on the “Saranac,” “Ontario,” “Constitution,” and “Brandywine,” and was in command of the Washington U. S. Navy -yard from 1843 to 1846. He commanded the “Vincennes” in 1847, and the East India Squadron, making his last cruise in 1853. In 1861 he retired with the rank of captain, and in July, 1862, was made a commodore on the retired list. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p. 119.


AUSTIN, ARKANSAS, August 31, 1863. Davidson's Cavalry Division, Department of the Missouri. Austin, Mississippi, August 2, 1862. 8th Indiana Infantry. Austin, Mississippi, May 24, 1863. Mississippi Marine Brigade. On the evening of the 23d, as Brigadier-General Ellet, with his command, the marine brigade, was being taken down the Mississippi from Memphis, his commissary and quartermaster boat was fired upon about 6 miles above Austin, from the Mississippi side of the river, by Confederates with 2 pieces of artillery. Next morning he returned to Austin and landed his force. The enemy a few hours before had captured and burned a small trading steamer, appropriating its freight and taking its crew prisoners. Ellet's cavalry, 200 strong, under command of Major Hubbard, when 8 miles from Austin overtook 1,000 mounted Confederates under command of Colonel Slemons, and a 2 hours' engagement ensued. From the shelter of a bottom Hubbard repulsed the enemy. Federal loss, 2 killed, 19 wounded; Confederate, 5 killed, several wounded. Hubbard took 22 stands of arms and at Augusta destroyed hidden arms by burning the town.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 67.


AUSTIN, MISSISSIPPI, May 28, 1863.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 67.


AUSTIN, NEVADA, May 29, 1865. 1st Nevada Infantry. Lieutenant Tolles, with a detachment of about 20 men, pursued and fired at a small party of Indians, who were making away with some stolen cattle. No casualties reported. Auxvasse Creek, Missouri, October 16, 1862. 10th Missouri Militia Cavalry. Major Woodson with a portion of this regiment attacked 150 bushwhackers camping on this creek, killed 1, wounded 2 and took 3 prisoners. His loss was 2 men wounded.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 67.


AUTHORITY, (Civil.) Any commissioned officer or soldier accused of a capital crime, or of having used violence, or committed any offence, against the person or property of any citizen of any of the United States, such as is punishable by the known laws of the land, must be delivered over upon application of the civil authority; and all officers and soldiers are required to use their utmost endeavors to deliver over such accused persons, and likewise to be aiding and assisting the officers of justice in apprehending and securing the persons so accused in order to bring them to trial. Any commanding officer or officers, wilfully neglecting or refusing upon application to deliver over such accused persons, or to be aiding and assisting the officers of justice in apprehending such persons, shall be cashiered; ART. 33. (See COMMAND; EXECUTION OF LAWS.) (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 77).


AUXILIARY. Forces to aid. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 77).


AVERASBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, March 16, 1865. 14th and 20th Army Corps and Kilpatrick's Cavalry. General Sherman left Fayetteville on March 14. Generals Schofield and Terry with their columns were to join him at Goldsboro, where he had planned to end his immediate campaign in order to the establishment of his position with New Berne for a base. Johnston had disposed his troops along the Raleigh roads and Sherman understood that the Confederate general would try to turn the Federal left flank in the march to Goldsboro. To meet this movement he threw out General Slocum's left wing, without trains and in light marching order, to cover the advance of the main army and its wagons. A light column embracing General Kilpatrick's cavalry in strong force, the divisions of Generals Ward and Jackson of the 20th corps, and the divisions of Generals Carlin and Morgan of the 14th corps, was sent up the Raleigh road in a direct demonstration against Raleigh. The right wing moved on the direct road to Goldsboro. Between it and the right column was the remainder of Slocum's wing. On the evening of the 15th the Federal cavalry advance encountered that of the enemy 5 miles from Fayetteville and forced it to fall back to Kyle's landing, midway between Fayetteville and Averasboro. Reinforced by an infantry brigade, Kilpatrick camped during the night within easy range of the Confederate pickets and at daylight on the 16th he moved out in line of battle, the infantry haying the center. The enemy's pickets were driven in and his skirmish line forced back to his main line of battle. Doubting the prudence of an attack, Kilpatrick sent back for infantry reinforcements and the entire 14th and 20th corps were hurried forward. In the meantime the enemy moved out of his works and furiously attacked Colonel Jones' cavalry on the right. Jones gallantly held his position until reinforced by the brigades of Jordan and Atkins, when he repulsed three determined attacks, then charged in turn and drove the Confederates back behind their works. The 14th and 20th corps Page 68 having gone into position, Kilpatrick's cavalry operated on the right throughout the day, and mounted or dismounted fought side by side with the infantry. General Howard was ordered to send his trains, under good escort, well to the right, toward Fairon's depot and Goldsboro and to hold 4 divisions in light marching order to go to the aid of the left wing if that should be attacked while in motion. The weather was bad and the roads were a mere quagmire, passable for wheels only after being corduroyed. Sherman accompanied Slocum, who went up the river road on the 15th, following Kilpatrick to Kyle's landing, Kilpatrick skirmishing heavily with the enemy's rear-guard at Taylor's Hole creek, 3 miles beyond. On the morning of the 16th, the column advanced in the same order and developed the enemy with artillery, cavalry and infantry intrenched a mile and a half in front of Moore's cross-roads, the junction of the Smithfield and Raleigh road with the one toward Goldsboro through Bentonville. Hardee, in retreating from Fayetteville, had halted in the narrow swampy neck between Cape Fear and South rivers, hoping to impede Sherman's advance and enable Johnston to concentrate his forces at Raleigh, Smithfield or Goldsboro in Hardee's rear. To keep the Goldsboro road clear and to prolong the feint on Raleigh, Sherman had to dislodge Hardee. Slocum was ordered to press forward and carry the position, a difficult undertaking, because horses sank in the swampy ground and men could scarcely walk on it. Hawley's brigade began skirmishing early in the morning. It was 10 o'clock" before other troops could reach the field. The 20th corps under General Williams had the lead and Ward's division the advance. This division was deployed to the left of the road, its right connecting with Hawley's left, and developed Rhett's brigade of heavy artillery armed as infantry, posted across the road behind a light parapet, with a battery enfilading the approach across a cleared field. Williams sent Case's brigade by a circuitous advance to turn this line. Case charged on and broke Rhett's brigade, which retreated to a second line of barricades, better built and more strongly held. The advantage was promptly followed up by a destructive fire from three batteries, under Major Reynolds, chief of artillery of the 20th corps. Ward's division advanced and developed a third and still stronger line. Jackson's division was deployed forward on the right of Ward and two divisions of the 14th corps under Davis on the left, well toward the Cape Fear river. Kilpatrick, acting in concert with Williams, now massed his cavalry on the extreme right and with Jackson felt forward for the Goldsboro road. He reached that road with one brigade, which was driven back by McLaws' division to the flank of the infantry. Late in the afternoon the whole Federal line drove the enemy well within his intrenchments, pressing him so hard that in the stormy night which followed he retreated over almost impassable roads, leaving his dead and wounded. Ward's division followed him to and through Averasboro, developing the fact that Hardee had retreated, not on the Raleigh but on the Smithfield road. The Federal loss in killed, wounded and missing was 682. The enemy's loss may be inferred from his dead, 108 of whom were buried on the field by Federals.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 67-68.


AVERASBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, March 17, 1865. Portion of the 20th Army Corps. The battle of Averasboro had been fought the day before and Wheeler, with his cavalry, covered Hardee's retreat. At daylight the Federals advanced and pushed Wheeler through Averasboro, after which they turned toward Goldsboro. No report of casualties.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 68.


AVERELL, WILLIAM WOODS, soldier, born in Cameron, Steuben County, New York, 5 November, 1832. His grandfather, Ebenezer Averell, was a captain in the U.S. army under Sullivan. Young Averell was graduated at the U. S. Military Academy in June, 1855, and assigned to the mounted riflemen. He served in garrison and at the school for practice at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, until 1857, when he was ordered to frontier duty, and saw a great deal of Indian fighting, mainly against the Kiowas and Navajos. He was severely wounded in a night attack by the Navajos in 1859, and was on sick-leave until the outbreak of the civil War in 1861. He was promoted to be first lieutenant of the mounted riflemen 14 May, 1861, and was on staff duty in the neighborhood of Washington, participating in the battle of Bull Run and other engagements until 23 August, 1861, when he was appointed colonel of the 3d Pennsylvania Cavalry, and commanded the cavalry defences in front of Washington. He was engaged with the army of the Potomac in its most important campaigns. In March, 1863, he began the series of cavalry raids in western Virginia that made his name famous. The first notable one was on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of March, and included the battle of Kelly's Ford, on the upper Rappahannock. In August he drove a Confederate force over the Warm Spring mountains, passed through several southern counties, and near White Sulphur Springs attacked a force posted in Rocky Gap, for the possession of which a fight ensued, lasting two days (26 and 27 August). Averell was repulsed with heavy loss, but made his way back to the union lines with 150 prisoners. n 5 November he started with a force of 5,000 men and drove the Confederates out of Greenbrier County, capturing three guns and about 100 prisoners. In December he was again in motion, advancing with a strong force into southwestern Virginia. On 16 December he struck the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad at Salem, General Longstreet's base of supplies. He destroyed the railroad, severing an important line of communication between the Confederate generals Lee and Bragg, and burned a large quantity of provisions, clothing, and military equipments. When he began his retreat the alarm had been given, and all the mountain passes were held by the Confederates. He captured a bearer of despatches, learned the enemy's plans, and forced the position defended by General W, S. Jackson (" Mudwall," as he was called, to distinguish him from his more famous name-sake). A second line concentrated to cut off his retreat, but he led his command over a road supposed to be impassable, and reached the federal lines with 200 prisoners and 150 horses, having lost 11 men killed or drowned and 90 missing. "My command," he said in his report (21 Dec, 1863), "has marched, climbed, slid, and swum three hundred and forty miles since the 8th inst," After the exposure and hardships of this raid he was obliged to ask for sick-leave, extending to February. On his return to duty he was placed in command of the 2d Cavalry Division, and from that time until September, 1864, the fighting was almost continuous. He was wounded in a skirmish near Wytheville, but was in the saddle and under tire again two days afterward, destroying a section of the Tennessee Railroad. In June he crossed the Alleghany Mountains, in July he was fighting in the Shenandoah Valley and at Winchester. In August he was in fights at Moorfield, Bunker Hill, Martinsburg, and elsewhere, and ended the campaign with the battles of Opequan (19 September), Fisher's Hill (22 September), and Mount Jackson (23 Sept). In the meantime he had been brevetted through the different grades of his regular army rank until he was brevet major-general. On 18 May, 1865, he resigned. He was consul-general of the United States in the British provinces of North America from 1866 till 1869, when he became president of a large manufacturing company. He discovered a process for the manufacture of cast-steel directly from the ore in one operation (1869-'70), invented the American asphalt pavement (January, 1879), and the Averell insulating conduits for wires and conductors (1884-'5), and also a machine for laying electric conductors underground (1885). Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p. 121-123.


AVERELL'S RAID, August 5-31, 1863. 4th Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps. On August 5 the brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General W. W. Averell. left Winchester for an expedition through Bath and Highland counties, Virginia, and the counties of Pocahontas, Pendleton, Greenbrier and Hardy in West Virginia During the movement Averell met and engaged the enemy at several places.. Accounts of the principal skirmishes—Cold Spring gap, Big Sewell mountain and Rocky gap— are given under those titles, but no detailed reports were made of the minor actions at Moorefield on the 6th, Huntersville on the 22nd, and Warm Springs on the 24th. The saltpeter works near Franklin and on Jackson's river were destroyed; Camp Northwest was burned and a large amount of arms, equipments and stores there were either captured or destroyed; the court officials at Monterey were arrested and the court broken up; many arms, saddles and other stores were taken at Millboro; the enemy under Jackson was driven from Pocahontas county; and several wagons were captured near Covington. On the 31st Averell reached Beverly, bringing in over 30 prisoners, a large number of horses, cattle, etc. He reported his casualties for the entire expedition as 26 killed, 125 wounded and 67 missing. Avoyelles Prairie, Louisiana, May 15, 1864. 13th, 16th, 17th and 19th Corps. The Federal boats had passed the falls at Alexandria and the army had resumed its retreat, with General Smith's command constituting the rear of the column. On the 15th, while crossing Avoyelles Prairie. Bagby's Confederate division, part of the time reinforced by troops under Major, several times beat back the head of the column, using masked artillery at short range. Brigadier-General Steele, with Parson's brigade, attacked the Federals at Marksville, captured a wagon and about 30 prisoners. Smith's command was ordered forward late in the day, and General Dwight, Major-General Banks' chief of staff, ordered the 13th corps to press the Confederate right, Smith to attack the left and the 19th corps to pierce the center. As the several commands moved forward in line the Confederate cavalry galloped away, taking their artillery with them.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 68-69.


AVERILL, JOHN T., soldier, born in Alna, Maine, 1 March, 1825. He was educated at Maine Wesleyan University, settled in St. Paul, Minnesota, and engaged in manufacturing, but laid aside his business in August, 1862, and entered the army as lieutenant-colonel of the 6th Minnesota Infantry. The brevet of brigadier-general was conferred on him when he was mustered out of service. He was elected to Congress as a Republican in 1871, by a close vote, and reelected by a large majority. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1887, Vol. I, p.122.


A. W. BAKER (STEAMER), February 3, 1863. Queen of the West. Fifteen miles below the mouth of the Red River, the Queen of the West, commanded by Colonel Ellet, met the Confederate steamer A. W. Baker, ascending the Mississippi. Supposing the Queen to be a southern boat, the Baker's pilot whistled for her to take the starboard side. Receiving no reply and not liking the ram's looks, as she drove straight at the Baker, the pilot ran the latter ashore. Numerous Confederates escaped by leaping into the water and swimming, but several officers and civilians, among whom were several ladies, were captured. The Baker had just discharged her cargo at Port Hudson and was returning for another. Scarcely had Ellet put the Baker under guard, when the Moro, laden with 110,000 pounds of pork, nearly 500 hogs and a large quantity of salt, destined for Confederate use at Port Hudson, came down the river and was brought into captivity by a shot across her bows.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 69.


AWARD. The decision or sentence of a court-martial. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 77).


AYLETT'S, VIRGINIA, May 5, 1863. 12th Illinois and Harris Light Cavalry. A section of the 12th Ill. burned all the stores at Aylett's station on the Mattapony river. This was incidental to Kilpatrick's raid over the Chickahominy, a movement which Kilpatrick commanded in person, and within the Confederate lines at Richmond.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 69.