The Bohemian Brigade History

Tom's Battle Reports

Richmond Examiner News

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, TUESDAY MORNING, JUN. 1, 2004. PRICE TWO CENTS.
Here you will find the good stuff, THE STORIES. All written by Tom R. Grandy, Correspondent Daily Richmond Examiner. The historic stories are taken from various historic sites, namely "Civil War Time Line" and were used as a foundation in which to build upon. Each story has been made into a "First Person" 19th Century style as it might have been reported during the war years. In the case of actual events, be it large scale reenactments or small local events that the First Texas participated in and around Denver Colorado, Tom has tried to capture the historic sense of actual history by not changing what really happened, but placing the reenactment event into the actual historic event and simply creating an atmosphere of it happened now. With local, non-historic events, Tom has tried to capture that same sense of 19th Century writing as it would have appeared in the newspapers. Please click on the small Confederate flags to read the stories. Use your browser back button to return to this page. ENJOY!
Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

OL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, TUESDAY MORNING, AUG. 12 PRICE TWO CENTS.

FROM THE DRILL FIELD TEXANS IN DISPAIR!

Our boys continue to drill on the field of their camp listening to every command of the first sergeant and the instruction he henceforth gives. Up and down the drill fields in close ranks each man lazily in prefect step with the other. This is our grand army of Texans all proud, all making ready for the fight that is sure to come. The question remains, however, when will that day come? How long would the brave men from Texas have to remain in camp with nothing more to ponder, but the next day’s drill on the field? An observer could take note to the decline in discipline of once proud regiments eager for battle with the blue clad invaders. With their hopes made distant from lack of deployment from the higher offices in Richmond, the boys from Texas have become unruly and as lazy as a mule on a hot summer day. They appear in good spirits amongst themselves, however, in spite of their apparent tedium, laughing at jokes and idle conversation. There is also the ever present lack of ranking officers anywhere in camp. This absence of rank above sergeant is a continuance of concern. The boys form up with their NCOs leading the long columns of disgruntled troops and nowhere in sight is an officer present. This concern has reached the floor of our Congress in Richmond and the question there is, as it is in camp this day, who will lead these men and when will these men be deployed? The answers come with occasional statements from members of the War Department that these men will be lead by a capable officer and sent when they are ready and where they are most in need. The possibility exists that Tennessee or Kentucky will be the destined march of the Texas men, but constant bickering from Generals with dispatches wired from the field keep these men in camp losing the fire they once had. The lack of officers to lead these men is of continued concern that has reached the office of President Davis. The President has refused comment of this issue and the top men in the War Department continue to insist that the situation is not to be taken as crises. The First Sergeant of a Company of Texans commented that he had not seen his Captain in some while, but is assured the Captain will be forthcoming. The First Sergeant, though popular with his boys, can’t keep the battle eager Texans sharp as they drag through each drill unable or unwilling to comply fully with his commands. They carry a look of despair about their hopeless faces fearful of being past over for glory. Formations once solid and proud, now undisciplined, flow as a stream that has had no rain to feed it. Slowly forming dry flats with trickles of water filing past in lazy small veins. Out of step and out of hope dragging their feet in small lazy formations. To the observer these men must be deployed forthright or their usefulness be spent.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner
VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, MONDAY MORNING, NOV. 3, 1863. PRICE TWO CENTS.

GENERAL LEE ENTRENCHES AT RAPPAHANNOCK STATION.
Longstreet in Tennessee
General Lee and the Army Of Northern Virginia have set up a line of defenses along the Rappahannock and Culpeper. The defense is on the North Bank of the Rappahannock at Rappahannock Station near a burned railroad bridge. Entrenched with earthworks piled high our gallant men wait for Federal forces under General Mead to make a crossing of the river. General Lee made inspections of the entrenchments and concluded these defenses to be sound. Robert E. Lee's commitment to aggressively defend Northern Virginia was evident in his decision to hold the bridgehead at Rappahannock Station as a “tête-de-pont”. Although the railroad bridge has been destroyed, a pontoon bridge is laid across the river at this point, protected by our entrenchments on the northern side of the river. According to General Jubal Early, who is charged with the defense, "The works...are, in my judgment, very inadequate, and not judiciously laid out or constructed." Despite Early's doubts, Lee remains confident that his men, protected by earthworks, will hold off a concerted Union attack. It is Lee's hope that his position at Rappahannock Station will force General Meade to divide his forces, if and when he advances across the river. Inside the trenches the men are in good sprits. In the past two months they’ve received fresh uniforms and supplies of food, so with bellies full they continue work on their defensive positions. When the Union forces attempt a crossing, Lee’s plan will be to wreak Mead in earnest, “ With a large Union force tied down at Rappahannock Station, I am prepared to launch a blow at the vulnerable Federal columns camped near Kelly's Ford”. General Lee is so confident of Meads next move that he has issued orders to all his commanders regarding the execution of his plans.

General Longstreet and General Hood’s Division will not be present on the banks of the Rappahannock. General Lee temporarily detached Longstreet and Hood sending both to Tennessee along with Hood’s Division for assistance to General Bragg last September. General Longstreet is currently headquartered at Russellville, East Tennessee. There he continues to stir up controversy in the Army of Tennessee by requesting that General Robertson be relieved of command as a result of his behavior at Wauhatchie Station. Longstreet commented that, "This officer has been complained of so frequently for want of conduct in time of battle that I apprehend that the abandonment by his brigade of its position of the night of the 28th,(October), may have been due to his want of hearty co-operation," and "He seemed to exercise an injurious influence over the troops. . . ." The action against Robertson, who commands a brigade in John Bell Hood's old division, rocks the unit, which is already suffering due to the intense rivalry between Generals Micah Jenkins and Evander Law. General Longstreet sent the following request to Col. Brent regaurding this issue, “Col. GEORGE WILLIAM BRENT, Assistant Adjutant-General: - COLONEL: I have the honor to ask that Brig. Gen. J. B. Robertson be relieved from the command of his brigade pending the proceedings of the board now examining his case. This officer has been complained of so frequently for want of conduct in time of battle that I apprehend that the abandonment by his brigade of its position of the night of the 28th may have been due to his want of hearty co-operation. I remain, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, JAMES LONGSTREET, Lieutenant-General”. General Bragg answered Longstreets request sending the following, "At the request of Lieutenant-General Longstreet, Brigadier-General Robertson will be relieved from duty while the proceedings and actions of the examining board in his case are pending. By command of General Bragg." As a result of the continuing strife in Bragg's army, President Davis again sends his aide Colonel Chestnut, “ to confer with General Bragg, and for inquiry, observation, and report.” President Davis is concerned at the never-ending conflicts that surround General Bragg. President Davis is hopeful that the unsatisfactory situations surrounding General Bragg can and will be resolved without removal of General Bragg or other ranking officers currently assigned to the Army Of Tennessee.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, FRIDAY MORNING, DEC. 5, 1863. PRICE TWO CENTS.

GENERAL LEE GOES INTO WINTER QUARTERS ALONG THE RAPIDAN

With winter showing her bliss the Army Of Northern Virginia takes to winter quarters on the Rapidan. The battle that began at Rappahannock Station in November concluded in early December with a stand off along Mine Run. Federal forces were halted along Mine Run and withdrew during the night in the early December chill. General Lee concluded that inspight of the Federal withdrawal; the battle was ineffective and costly. The Federal army remains intact and in Virginia. Payne's Farm and New Hope Church were the first and heaviest clashes of the Mine Run Campaign. In late November, Meade attempted to steal a march through the Wilderness and strike the right flank of our army south of the Rapidan River. Maj. Gen. Early in command of Ewell's Corps marched east on the Orange Turnpike to meet the Federal advance of William French's III Corps near Payne's Farm. Carr's Federal division attacked our boys twice. Our forces under General Johnson, counterattacked but were scattered by heavy Federal fire and broken terrain. After dark, General Lee withdrew along Mine Run and prepared field fortifications. The next day found the Federal army closing on the positions Lee had prepared. Skirmishing was heavy, but a major attack did not materialize as was expected. General Lee concluded that Meade could not break his line, which was strong and unrelenting. With our lines too strong to attack, General Mead’s Federal Army Of The Potomac retired during the night of December 1-2, thus ending the winter campaign in Northern Virginia. General Lee inflicted many more casualties on Mead than Lee himself had suffered. Mead’s losses are estimated at close to 2000 while our army suffered fewer than 650 killed, wounded and missing. General Lee retired into winter quarters there after along the Rapidan where he will begin to prepare for a renewed Federal advance in Virginia.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, SUNDAY MORNING, JAN. 18, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

Longstreet Wins Small Victory In Tennessee

The New Year of 1864 has begun with a small victory for General James Longstreet near New Market East Tennessee. On January 14, Union forces under Maj. Gen. John G. Parke advanced on Dandridge, Tennessee, near the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad, forcing General Longstreet's boys to fall back. Longstreet moved additional troops into the area on the following day, January 15, to meet the enemy on his own terms and threaten the Union base at New Market. General Longstreet deployed some of his men forward, about four miles from Kimbrough’s Crossroads. On January 16, Longstreet’s men that were deployed forward caught sight of Yankee Cavalry riding towards them. Our boy’s began to scrap with the Federals, identified as Army of the Ohio with Brig. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis commanding the Corps of Cavalry, intending on riding forward to occupy Kimbrough's Crossroads. Longstreet’s men fell back in good order towards the crossroads under fire by the Federals. As the Union cavalry neared the crossroads, they were confronted by another of Longstreet’s infantry divisions with artillery that had arrived, as ordered, today but one on January 15. Our soldiers attacked the Federal horsemen as they approached the crossroads with General Longstreet leading one of General Martin's brigades in the attack presently. The Union cavalry could not dislodge our Confederate forces, which put up a determined fight so fierce that it compelled the Yankee’s to turn and run to Dandridge. At about noon the next day, January 17, Longstreet resolved to attack the Yankee’s where they stood. The Federals had been alerted that our forces were preparing for an attack thereby were formed up into line of battle when General Longstreet advanced upon the Union line. It was late afternoon when General Longstreet finally advanced whereby the fighting quickly rose to a fury. With Longstreet’s attack mounted so late this January afternoon, the battle would continue until after dark with the Federals undaunted and unbroken occupying the very same battle line as when the fighting started. Under the cover of night, the Yankee’s finally broke and fell back to New Market and Strawberry Plains. Longstreet was unable to press the fleeing Federals, due to lack of cannons, ammunition, and shoes for his soldiers. For the moment, the Union forces have left the area of Dandridge. General Longstreet could claim a victory, but had failed to destroy the Federal force or capture a single Federal soldier, as he would have liked, but was satisfied with the effort his boy’s had displayed. The late afternoon’s fight was of little effect militarily, but the effect upon the Confederate troops engaged was unsurpassed. They had whipped the Yankee and he retreated from Dandridge at a cost to the Federal force of 150 killed.
Closer to home here in Virginia, our boy’s of Texas in winter camp earlier this month, were upon the drill fields in grand style. With new recruits just arrived, the veterans displayed their marching skill as the new soldiers practiced the manual of arms and how to fire a musket. First Sergeant Joel Kelley drilled the veterans in formations. The Texans were a grand sight with spirits high in the bright sunshine and warm air of that early January day as they marched in close order. Such drilling is a daily routine when fighting is at a lull to keep the men sharp and ready for the spring when the fighting will commence again. Corporal Stephen Gibbons drilled the new soldiers on another section of the field. The new soldiers, green and with wonder about their faces, loaded, fired their muskets, reloaded and fired again as Corporal Gibbons gave his lessons to the new boy’s. “Load in nine times”, Gibbons shouted as his boy’s loaded and fired. Some of the lovely ladies of Virginia’s higher class were present waiving their handkerchiefs and lifting spirits. It was indeed a grand day. The soldiers of our grand Army Of Northern Virginia will be ready for spring’s return of battle. General Braxton Bragg has been seen in Richmond accompanied by his close friend President Jefferson Davis. General Bragg arrived in Richmond after being relieved from command of the Army Of Tennessee at year’s end last, being replaced by General Joseph Johnston. General Bragg is said to be the Presidents next Military Advisor. When this new assignment is to be is a matter for Mr. Davis to decide. It is with joy that General Bragg be relived from command of armies and placed in administrative quarters where he can be controlled. Chickamauga is a disgrace that any other man might find complete dismissal from military duties for his part. Braxton Bragg is not any other man, but friend of the Chief Executive thereby being placed in such quarters as to receive warm comforts and soft beds. Is it not for such defeatists as General Bragg has hereby proven to be dismissed from service instead of being placed in higher circles where more of his unscrupulous ill founded advice can prosper? He has no loyal soldier willing to listen save for the President. The man solely responsible for the unfounded defeat that is Chickamauga now presumed advisor in military matters shall surely find himself or the destruction of our nation may rest upon his blooded hands.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, FRIDAY MORNING, APR. 9, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

Union GEN. GRANT Takes Command Of Union Army!

Banks Repelled In Louisiana

Union General US Grant has been appointed General-in-Chief of all the Union armies. Grant the victor of Fort Donelson, Vicksburg; where he laid siege to that once beautiful city on the Mississippi forcing the city to surrender last July; and at Chattanooga last fall; forcing Gen. Bragg to withdrawal and most of Tennessee to be lost; is in Washington city where he has accepted the post of General-in-Chief of the Union army. Grant, now Lieutenant General, a rank held only by Virginia’s George Washington in the army of the United States, will command from the field joining Gen. Meade and the Army Of The Potomac. Grant's successes in the West have boasted his reputation, leading ultimately to his appointment as General-in-Chief of the Union armies. Lincoln appointed him General-in-Chief in March. Grant has begun his work directing Gen. Sherman in the west to march his armies through the southwest of our country and into the heartland ultimately with intention to drive on into Georgia, Louisiana and Alabama while Grant, joining Gen. Mead with the Army of the Potomac, plan on attacking Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia with Richmond as the primary objective. Gen. Lee is determined to keep Grant out of Richmond and has resolved to send Grant tumbling back across the Potomac as he has done with great success to all others commanding the armies of the United States in Virginia since taking command two years ago. Gen. Lee has said that if Grant is aloud to get to the James River, he will lay siege to Richmond and then it will be just a matter of time before Richmond goes the way of Vicksburg. It is critical in this regard that Gen. Lee destroy Grant and Mead before they reach the James. President Davis and all Virginia have great hope and confidence in Gen. Lee to push the Union army and General Grant out of Virginia when Grant finally decides to move on Richmond, which is expected to be soon.
General Sherman, who has taken over all command of the Federal forces in the west, has begun his fight through the Confederate heartland. The Yankees launched a campaign into Gen. Kirby Smith’s Trans-Mississippi Department, headquartered in Shreveport, Louisiana. Federal Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks, who as most will remember was routed in the Shenandoah by Gen. Jackson two years ago during Gen. Jackson’s victorious valley campaign, and Rear Adm. David D. Porter jointly commanded the combined force. Porter’s fleet and Brig. Gen. A.J. Smith's 16th and 17th Corps detachments of the Federal Army set out last month along the Red River with possible intention to march into Arkansas or Texas. Banks with two other Federal Corps advanced by way of Berwick Bay and Bayou Teche to Fort DeRussy. Union Brig. Gen. A.J. Smith’s command had embarked on transports at Vicksburg and then disembarked at Simsport, on March 12th, about thirty miles from Fort DeRussy. Federal Forces Under Gen. Smith took the fort and our garrison of 300 brave men after a savage fight by our soldiers in attempt to hold the fort and send the Yankees tumbling back on March 13th. The loss of Fort DeRussy opened the Red River to Alexandria to the Federal force and Porters gunboats. After the surrender of Fort DeRussy, Banks had advanced about 150 miles up the Red River. Confederate Maj. Gen. Richard Taylor, without Gen. Kirby Smith’s orders, resolved to stop the Federal drive up the Red River. He established a defensive position just below Mansfield town, near Sabine Cross-Roads. On April 8, Banks’ men appeared in a host of force and began to move forward and having some success driving off our Confederate cavalry placed in positions before them. For the rest of the morning, the Federals were seen to be examining our lines with intention to attack positions of weakness of which there were none. In late afternoon, Gen. Taylor convinced no Yankee attack would come to him decided to take the fight to the Yankees and ordered attack. His men, though outnumbered, made a determined and deadly assault on both Federal flanks, rolling up one and then another of Banks’ divisions. Finally, as night began to fall, the Federals got reinforced; in the very area about three miles from the initial contact; by a third Yankee division. This new division of reinforcements met Gen. Taylor’s attack and halted it after more than an hour of savage fighting. As night fell upon the field of battle, the fight ended. Gen. Taylor was unsuccessful in his attempt to turn the Federal right flank after it being reinforced, but the damage to Gen. Banks was enough to force Banks to withdraw. Gen. Taylor plans to push the Yankees out of Mansfield and force Banks to retreat when Taylor resumes the fight come the marrow.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, THURSDAY MORNING, JUN. 17, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

LEE and GRANT Deadlocked

Fighting Continues

J.E.B Stuart KILLED!

Slaughter at Cold Harbor

Gen Lee and his army continue to be pushed by Grant and the Union army towards the James. After the battle in the Wilderness, Grant and Meade's advance on Richmond was stalled at Spotsylvania Court House on May 8. Gen. Lee, having gotten there before Grant was able to set up defensive positions forcing the Federals to attack, which they would do at great cost. The two week battle that ensued was a series of desperate and bloody fights along the Spotsylvania front. No ground was gained by Grant, who suffered heavy losses and for Gen. Lee, who was able to hold Grant long enough to know Grants next move, held his ground until it became clear that Grant would move his army away from Spotsylvania and make another attempt to get around Gen. Lee and threaten Richmond. The fighting was heavy and costly. The hardest would be the Union attack against our works along an angled set of entrenchments know as the “Bloody Angle” by those who witnessed the savage fight that early dawn of May 12 and 13, which resulted in capture of nearly a division of Gen. Lee's army and came near to cutting Gen. Lee’s army in half. Confederate counterattacks plugged the gaps, and fighting continued unabated for nearly 20 hours in what may well have been the most ferociously sustained combat witnessed in this war. As the battle between Grant and Lee raged at Spotsylvania Court House, the Union cavalry corps under Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan embarked on a cavalry raid against Richmond. After disrupting Lee's road and rail communications, Sheridan's cavalry expedition would find battle with Gen. Stuart at Yellow Tavern on May 11. Our outnumbered Confederate Cavalry was defeated, and Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart mortally wounded. When Gen. Lee received the report, he said he could scarcely think of Gen. Stuart without weeping. Sheridan would be seen to continue south to threaten the Richmond defenses before joining Federal Gen. Butler's command at Bermuda Hundred. After a halt and apparent rest for his Yankee troopers, Sheridan rejoined Grant and the Army of the Potomac on May 25 for the march to the southeast and the crossing of the Pamunkey. All the while the Federal Cavalry was on the move, Gen. Lee made attempt to turn the Union right flank and launched an attack at Harris Farm on May 19, but was beaten back with severe casualties. Union casualties were as well costly with generals Sedgwick and Rice killed in the fury. Confederate generals Johnson and Steuart were captured, Daniel and Perrin mortally wounded. On May 21, the fight was over and Grant disengaged. With a heavy cost for both armies, and our own Gen. Stuart killed, Grant continued his advance on Richmond and would meet Gen Lee again at Cold Harbor where Gen. Lee was in wait. On May 31, Sheridan's cavalry seized the vital crossroads of Old Cold Harbor. Early on June 1, in shallow entrenchments, Sheridan's troopers threw back an attack by Confederate infantry. Confederate reinforcements had arrived from Richmond and from the Totopotomoy Creek lines and Gen. Lee ordered the boys to dig in for the attack he knew was to come. Gen. Lee was correct in predicting an attack. It would come late on June 1, the Union VI and XVIII Corps reached Cold Harbor and assaulted the still being constructed works Gen. Lee had ordered earlier with some success. By June 2, both armies were on the field, forming on a seven-mile front that extended from Bethesda Church to the Chickahominy River. At 4:30 on the dawn of June 3, near Cold Harbor, 50,000 soldiers from three Union corps climbed out of their trenches and advanced in a two mile long line through the early morning mist toward our entrenchments, now quite formidable, ahead of them. Our works bristled with rifles held by our determined soldiers, bayonets fixed on every musket and cannon loaded with gunners at the ready for the approach of the blue clad soldiers coming towards them. Our confident soldiers, as they watched the Federals slowly coming through the mist that hung low, could scarcely believe the folly of the Union commanders in sending their men to such obvious slaughter. In lines they came toward our works as if with one motion. Our boys held their fire until the Yankees were within lethal range and then with a mighty roar of fire, shot down the Federal front ranks with volleys of rifle and canister fire. Entire Yankee brigades disappeared. On that June dawn, the identified Federal II and XVIII Corps, followed later by the IX Corps, assaulted along the Bethesda Church and Cold Harbor line and were destroyed at all points. It was a glorious day for Gen. Lee, but a painful day as well as our boys, some lifting their hats in salute to their fallen foe, some too shocked to speak as they looked out above their works at this days business. For those Union dead in front of our works were either very brave or very foolish. Never has such slaughter been seen in such a short time. The Union assault lasted a scant twenty to thirty minutes and when it ended, thousands of blue clad attackers lay dead and dieing on the field within yards of our works, massacred with for no reason other than they were ordered into death. What man is this Grant that would extinguish whole armies of his own with no purpose or gain? One of our officers was heard to say as he witnessed the carnage, “This is not war, but murder”. The armies confronted each other on these lines until the night of June 12, when Grant again, began to move his army out of their works and continue the advance by his flanking maneuver around Gen. Lee, marching to the James River. On June 14, the Federal II Corps was ferried across the river at Wilcox's Landing by transports. On June 15, the rest of the army began crossing on a long pontoon bridge laid at Weyanoke. Grant appears to be abandoning the well defended approaches to Richmond, and to be shifting his army south of the James River to threaten possibly Petersburg. Gen. Lee has begun to move his army in that general direction post haste in order to get in Grants front if Petersburg is to be Grants next point of battle.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, TUESDAY MORNING, SEP.7, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

HOOD ABANDONS ATLANTA!
SHERMAN
MARCHES IN!

After months of siege, the army of Sherman marched into the abandoned works in and around the city of Atlanta. For a month General William Tecumseh Sherman had tried to capture Atlanta using cavalry and artillery to no avail. General Hood's army had clung to its lifeline, the Macon and Western Railroad, using it to resupply his troops in the City. In late August, Sherman determined to cut Hood's supply lines, the Macon & Western and the Atlanta & West Point Railroads. If this vital supply line were cut, Gen. Hood would have to evacuate Atlanta. Sherman did in fact, move six of his seven infantry corps against Gen. Hood’s supply lines. The Federal army began pulling out of its positions on August 25 to hit the Macon & Western Railroad between Rough and Ready and Jonesborough. From our position, we could see the Yankees begin movements of troops to the west, then south. Six Federal divisions estimates of 60,000 or more men were on the move making a semi-circle around the city towards small Jonesborough. It was clear that the Yankees intended to get between General Hood and his supplies by cutting the railroad that Hood depended upon. The Yankees hoped to force our well-entrenched boys to retreat. To counter the move, Hood sent Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee with two corps to halt and possibly rout the Yankee troops. General Hood sent the two corps against what he believed to be a small Federal diversionary force, but almost all of Sherman's entire army was there in force. Just west of Jonesboro the Flint River afforded the Macon and Western Railroad some semblance of protection. Federals advanced to the Flint River, crossed the river after a brief struggle with Confederate cavalry and gained the high ground east of the river. The Federals having gained more ground than thought possible, the Yankees entrenched and regrouped. Hood was informed shortly after that a significant amount of the Union army was within a couple of miles of the Macon and Western Railroad. By nightfall on August 30 Hardee’s troops began to take positions west of Jonesboro, preparing to attack. With some of our forces delayed by supporting Federals, it would not be until the mid afternoon of August 31 that Hardee and Lee were in place and ready to attack. As General Patrick Cleburne advanced and engaged the Yankees from the north, General S. D. Lee ordered his corps to advance from the west. Disheartened from bloody attempts to take Union entrenchments at Utoy Creek, East Atlanta and Peach Tree Creek, these brave veterans stopped when they came under heavy Federal fire. Hardee had attacked two Federal corps west of Jonesborough but was easily repulsed suffering heavy casualties. When reports began to come into Hoods headquarters, General Hood, silent and with his head down, was in deep thought of what next to do. The fact was, Gen. Sherman had brought a mighty force around General Hood and was causing Gen. Hood confusion and panic. Cleburne's attack was more successful than Lee's. In command of Hardee's Corps, the Arkansas Irishman advanced, broke through the outer Union lines and crossed the Flint River, capturing two pieces of artillery. Lee's unsuccessful assault spelled the end to Cleburne's advance, as he had to withdraw to reinforce Lee. After the attack of Lee's and Hardee's Corps on the Yankee entrenchments west of Jonesboro during the afternoon of the 31st, General Hood sent orders for Hardee to return Lee's Corps to Atlanta. Hood knew that the Federal trenches were now only lightly defended by a single Federal Corps, and additionally, both the commander of the remaining Confederate cavalry and General Hardee himself had informed Hood that significant amounts of Union forces were threatening his rear. With General Joseph Wheeler and his cavalry off disrupting the rear echelons, Hood refused to believe the only reliable reports of troop strength and location that he had and arrogantly reinforced himself fearing an attack on Atlanta. Gen. Hood withdrew one corps from Hardee's force that night leaving Gen. Hardee to continue his fight with one less corps. Hardee faced a logistical nightmare. Sixty thousand Federals were concentrating south of Atlanta, with some of the best forces marching on his position. Ordinance and subsistence trains, hastily sent south for protection from the Atlanta attack envisioned by Gen. Hood, Gen.Hardee now had additional problems, since the trains could not travel unescorted because of Yankee cavalry. The next day, a Federal corps broke through Hardee's depleted troops, which retreated to Lovejoy Station. General Sherman commanded the Federal attack personally and this had the greatest effect upon the Yankee attackers. Gen. Hardee reported that Jonesboro offered no natural defense perimeter and he did not have the time to construct additional defenses. With the rail lines cut, Hardee was forced to move to Lovejoy Station on the Macon and Western Railroad south of Jonesboro. With the actions of August 30 and 31, Hardee driven back, and the supply lines readily cut, Gen. Hood issued his marching orders. On the night of September 1, Gen. Hood was left with no choice, but to evacuate Atlanta and the city was open to Sherman’s army. Sherman did cut Hood's supply line but failed to destroy Hardee's command. After three and a half months of incessant maneuvering and much hard fighting, Gen. Sherman has forced Gen. Hood to abandon Atlanta, the munitions center of the Confederacy.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, TUESDAY MORNING, NOV. 9, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

GEN. HOOD
Strikes out toward
Middle Tennessee!

Skirmish with Federal Garrison
At Decatur Alabama

General John Bell Hood and the Army Of Tennessee have begun movements toward middle Tennessee in attempt to keep Gen. Sherman in the chase and away from Atlanta. Gen. Hood has been wreaking Sherman’s supply lines wherever possible in Georgia and northern Alabama. Sherman appeared to be doing just what Gen. Hood desired, but Hood's erratic movements hampered the receipt of badly needed supplies for his own hungry army that have been living on practically nothing for weeks. Additionally, the army is suffering from low morale, and it's officers express a general consensus that it was in no condition to turn and give battle to Sherman. Gen. Hood, knowing that this army was in a bad way, held council of war with his Generals deciding on a bold plan. Gen. Hood became increasingly convinced that a move into middle Tennessee would afford him several opportunities. He will strike at the Federal rail-line west of Chattanooga, drawing Sherman further north, and reclaim the capitol of Tennessee, Nashville. To achieve his goal, his army will have to gather enough provisions, cross the Tennessee River, and move quickly before Sherman could send reinforcements to that region. October 25th, Hood's headquarters is located at the town of Somerville, thirteen miles southeast of Decatur, Alabama. It is strategically located on the terminus of the Nashville and Decatur Railroad, where the Memphis and Charleston Railroad cross. It is rumored that Decatur also holds a large quantity of badly needed rations and other supplies for Gen. Hoods starving foot sore legions. No doubt, the Federal pontoon bridge that spans the Tennessee River here make it an ideal place in which to serve as Hood's base for the upcoming campaign he has in mind. Next day, October 26th, the army began moving up and around the town, surrounding the Federal garrison there. The air is cool and a touch of fall seems about as the soldiers, cold and hungry, move into their positions. That night a torrential downpour soaked our hungry soldiers as they found themselves bogged down in knee-deep mud. It was a most miserable night and little sleep was found in the cold rain and bogs of mud that our boys had to contend. When morning came, the rain stopped and our sleep deprived ragged army began taking up positions around the Yankee garrison. As they moved into their positions around the town on the morning of the 27th, they did so in a dense fog. As the fog lifted, a defensive mammoth consisting of two forts, 1600 yards of rifle pits and parapets could be seen. Notwithstanding the imposing defenses, Hood's soldiers went to work on building earthworks and emplacing artillery along the river and above the town. All of this work is "done on empty stomachs," complained one soldier, for Hood's supply system had all but broken down completely. The majority of the men had had nothing to eat in several days and what they had was not enough nor fit to feed a hog. Desperately those poor boys wanted the Federal supplies that were stockpiled in the town. The hope in the ranks of a fine meal or two courtesy of the Union army made each man do his part in the building of fortifications. Even Gen. Hood was looking forward to the feast of fine Federal hardtack and meat. Hood spent most of the 27th getting his troops into position, and skirmishing broke out between the Federals and Confederates. The newly appointed theatre commander, General P.G. T. Beauregard, arrived and met with Hood at his headquarters while Hoods men continued to dig earthworks and skirmish with the Yankees, who now were quite aware that Gen. Hood had come in force. During the early evening hours, as Gen. Beauregard and Gen. Hood continued to converse at Gen. Hoods headquarters, Confederate skirmishers were pushed forward to a ravine about 500 yards from the Federal line. Our boys had another cold night, but now they were close to the Yankees, but this would not hold when the morning came. On the morning of the 28th, despite another dense fog enveloping the entrenchments, Federal skirmishers moved forward, under cover of the fort, and drove our skirmishers back. In this action, it was reported that the Federals captured 120 of our soldiers, mostly of Cheatham's Division, along with 40 killed and wounded. Also reported was the capture of 5 officers. It was believed that these reports were true and though Gen. Hood's entire army of 23,000 were now encircling a garrison of an estimated 2,000 Yankees, Gen. Beauregard argued that to continue an attack on fortifications would be too costly in the loss of life. Federal gunboats had now arrived to patrol the river and this was proving to be a major problem. The presence of the Yankee gunboats prevented Gen. Hood's army from crossing the Tennessee River. Gen. Hood, weighing these considerations, his boys being low on ammunition, and needing to get provisions, Gen.Hood elected to attempt a crossing at Bainbridge, some forty-miles west of Decatur. Arguably, Hood's decision to abandon Decatur would appear foolish, but even the common soldier recognized the wisdom in the decision. The Yankees sent another force out of the fort on the evening of the 28th wreaking a couple of our guns, and taking more prisoners. In this latest skirmish the Federal lost an estimated 40 killed and wounded. Our loss altogether up to this time amounts to 500 killed and wounded along with 4 loaded caissons and 2 pieces of artillery. As the dawn was beginning to break on the morning of October 29th, Gen. Hoods force began to redeploy in the direction of Courtland. The Yankees continued to skirmish at different points all this day, until late afternoon. It was becoming dark when the Federals carried our last line of rifle-pits. Gen. Hood now faced with possible disaster and not knowing the true nature of the Federal force and with those “damned Yankee gunboats”, as he called them, now on the river, was left with no choice, but to abandon this venture and withdraw. Under cover of darkness, the Army of Tennessee moved out of Decatur on October the 29th, marching westward in the direction of Bainbridge. Gen. Hood would ultimately make his crossing of the Tennessee River west of Bainbridge, at Florence, Alabama. Gen. Hood and his army are a hard day’s march of the Tennessee boarder.
Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

Santa Fe New Mexican
APRIL 1,1862

Confederate Texans Repulsed At Glorieta Pass

A battle has been fought between the armies of the United States and the Confederate States near Santa Fe at Glorieta Pass. The Correspondent who witnessed this clash of arms is no stranger to the troubles of these two nations of Americans. Tom R. Grandy of the Daily Richmond Examiner sent from Richmond at the request of this newspaper with gratitude to Edward Albert Pollard; Managing Editor and founder of Examiner; to report on this fantastic war that has raised it’s ugly head in New Mexico Territory and here in Santa Fe. Mr. Grandy, a Virginian who follows the Virginia army against the army of the United States since the beginnings of the great conflict now raging in east United States was removed from his grand life in Virginia to New Mexico and Santa Fe to give a first rate account of this war that has seen fit to come to our homes and burn our lands in New Mexico. Mr. Edward Albert Pollard of the Virginia newspaper commissioned Grandy to tell a tale from his prospective. It is therefore fitting that the story of war in our home; be told by Mr. Grandy, as he be witness to the moment.

Editorial by Collins; Managing Editor Santa Fe New Mexican

Virginia has found her sacred soil invaded by the armies of Mr. Lincoln and war between the Confederate States Of America and The United States has broken out in every corner of our lands. With the Confederate determination to be independent from the United States it is at times nessesary to protect that independence by commandeering areas of territory that the United States has claim, but not ownership; as she would otherwise lay claim to have. The territories of the Rio Grande region in the west of the Confederate state of Texas is such a place that United States claims to be her land, yet no state boundary of said claim exists and therefore no nation be in control of such territories that the people of that region have nay by vote through general election; request statehood to any given nation, United States or Confederate States. With this being clear, Confederate forces from Texas began an expedition into New Mexico Territory last January with intent to claim the areas of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado Territories for the Confederacy. Last February a force of some 3,000 men from Texas commanded by Brig. Gen. Henry H. Sibley crossed the Rio Grande River and would move to occupy the city of Santa Fe. With this impending expedition in progress, I would leave Virginia and after many miles by train through our heartlands and dusty trail rides on horseback or coach I reached Santa Fe in late March. I was straight away taken to a place Southeast of Santa Fe called Glorieta Pass, where we were upon the eve of most important events. It must be said that we had here, at this point of our Confederacy, and without the life of civilization left behind to the east, two armies within a few miles of each other, surrounded by an boundless expanse of mountain, desert and plain, presenting, perhaps, the most remarkable spectacle of the present war. An anomaly in all chronicles of this modern warfare showing, in a most favorable light, the great strength of our new Confederacy. I arrived at the encampment of the 4th Texas Mounted Volunteers, and the absence of mounts becomes a noticeable site. Informed that the horses had been lost at all points before, from savages, Mexican horse thieves, battle with Federals at Val Verde, and general breakdowns that the 4th Texas would be dismounted Cavalry. It is also instantly perceived that our Confederate soldiers look very much Federal in blue coats, trousers and leather belts and packs. Closer observation showed the US of the Federal belt buckle turned down to display SN for Southern Nation. Our soldiers acquired their new blue uniforms from capture of Union Stores at Val Verde weeks before. This has not been unseen prior to this, however, when at Manassas many Confederate boys were in blue and Federals in gray, but here in New Mexico, unlike those east, there was a strangeness about these men. The composition of both armies is most peculiar, and all the circumstances which surround them extraordinary, while the end which will be achieved beyond the shadow of a doubt, will redound to the glory of Confederate arms, as much as any campaign in Virginia that has been or may be instituted. There in this vast expanse of country, where human presence is but a spec of dust upon the table, these men shall have to again contend against a force superior in numbers; officered by men of military education, and long experience in military affairs, equipped with the most improved arms, and supplied with all the materials of war, and all the convenience and necessities required by the soldier in camp or in field, the men from Texas shall have to contend against an army acting on the defensive, in a country abounding in natural strongholds. The Texas Army is well officered, but was badly clothed when sent out from San Antonio; hence the Federal uniforms, but remained badly fed, and badly armed. Most of the soldiers carry outdated infantry weapons or personal side arms and shotguns. It is composed entirely of cavalry, and the men and horses; those animals still with their human companions; are fatigued with after tedious marching of 700 miles, yet one and all undaunted, and as sanguine of success as ever were an army of veterans. The Federal Army does not present scarcely a single particular, present the stamp of American nationality. The major part of the army is composed of native New Mexican volunteers, who do not differ, in any essential degree, from the people of Old Mexico, and thereby nicknamed; “Greazers” by the Texans; who neither know nor care anything about the principal involved, and are, with a facility proverbial with the Mexican race, ready to espouse the side of successful. If that success be it Confederate, then such men would gladly come to join our Confederacy with hope of citizenship in the new nation. The regular Federal troops are composed of the old U.S. Regular Army, who were of everything but Americans, much like those presently in Virginia as Gen. McClellan’s Army Of The Potomac, an incongruous string of nationalities in which the German and Irish predominate. They differ from those east in that they enlist not for Union, but for their pay and food, and have no warmer or higher sympathy in the present war. The Confederate called, "Army of New Mexico", is composed of what is probably the best material for an army that the world affords. Much like their fellows in the east, each man of them possesses that distinct type of manhood. The men of Texas are the very image of southwestern frontiersman, inured to all hardships, of indomitable energy, familiar with the use of firearms, at home on horseback, and fired with the love of country and for the redress of wrongs. Like those of Virginia; there is no conflict, which they would undertake, and none can occur on these lines in which they will not be perfectly successful.
The area of Glorieta Pass was a strategic location, situated at the southern tip of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The Texans under the command of Major Joel Nicholas encamped at Johnson's Ranch, at one end of the pass. The Federal army encamped very near by. Arriving the men of the 4th Texas Mounted Volunteers, were in role call presided by Sgt. Bates of Georgia preparing for morning drill. The day was brilliant sunshine and the early morning chill was soon to be replenished with the warmth of the New Mexican sun. Major Joel Nicholas of the 4th Texas Mounted Volunteers Co. C reviewed his troops as the colors were raised. The colors of Texas were placed upon the staff. The Company looked grand as any army has looked. With morning drill in full commencement a most strange site appeared from a nearby road. Two Federal Cavalry troopers appeared riding towards the Confederate camp. Major Nicholas at once ordered soldiers to stop and take prisoner of these two Federals. They were from the Federal position beyond a small hill and out of site. After much request for information and general conversation, which became as friendly as between old friends, they were paroled. A short while later a Confederate picket; Pvt. Phil Holmes of Capt. Robert Smith’s Co. D; appeared with yet another prisoner, a Federal Major. The major was captured outside of his headquarters; by a patrol sent out by Capt. Smith; while doing his paperwork, by Holmes and brought before Major Nicholas. Adjutant, Lt Whitten, affectionately known by the men as “Pappy” proceeded to question the Federal and made out his parole for his release. The Federal Major was Major Michael Garrett of the 1st New Mexico Volunteers and commander of the Federal forces opposite the Confederates. A young and dapper looking fellow with a clean new uniform, presumably for review of his troops before he was captured, was a very pleasant fellow though seemed quite embarrassed at his carelessness at being so easily taken by a single Confederate picket. Later the federals sent out probes all along the Confederate lines searching for weakness and causing more of a fuss than general alarm. Major Nicholas sent a company to scare off these Federal probing exhibits and not a shot had thus been fired. After parole, Maj. Garrett, back with his troops, led more than 400 soldiers to the Pass and moved out to attack. After noon, Garrett’s men captured some Texas Pickets, later paroled, and then found the main force behind them. Garrett advanced on them, but fire from Texas Capt. Robert Smiths Co. D threw him back. Garrett regrouped, split his force to the two sides of the pass, caught the Texans in crossfire, and soon forced them to retire. The Texas men retired about a mile and a half to a narrow section of the pass and formed a defensive line before Garrett’s men appeared. It must be said that 4th Texas Co. C Adjutant, Lt. “Pappy” Whitten, on the field and making attempt to keep civilian onlookers away from the engaging armies and out of harms way had; for reasons unknown; refused through all this fuss, to allow this Virginia War Correspondent, veteran of some of Virginias worst and bloodiest fights, access to the fight now in progress. After much thought, I found a vantage point with clear view of the ongoing battle. The Yankees flanked the Texas men again and punished them with enfilade fire. The Confederates fled again and the Union cavalry charged, capturing the rearguard. Confederate Cavalry counter attacked causing Garrett to retire and into camp at Kozlowski's Ranch. No fighting occurred after, as reinforcements arrived for both sides. Confederate troops swelled about 1,100 while Union about 900 men, which came from Fort Union. As the field became quiet, I found Major Garrett alone walking over the field. He told me he was pleased with the resulting battle of this day claiming a Union victory, though he was forced to retire in the push of Confederate Cavalry and artillery brought up in support. I received an invitation from Major Garrett to talk with his men later that evening, which I accepted thus discovering the disposition of the Federal troops. In the meantime, both sides decided to attack and would set out early on the marrow to do so. As night fell of this first day, the soldiers of the 4th Texas were busy cleaning muskets for inspection by Sgt. Joel Kelley and cooking their evening meals. In honor of my presence, I was invited to attend a dinner with the other officers. A splendid feast, indeed, of roasted beef fresh from the ranch the Texans were encamped, beans, rice and lemonade with chocolate cake and cookies for desert. All was first rate. Later that evening some minstrels came from nearby Santa Fe to entertain. It was a splendid evening not to be forgotten. As the full moon of this night rose, the men bedded down and all became quiet, save from the sounds of the wild. The night was cold and the ground hard for those who slept upon it. The men slept huddled together in lines under blankets, which made the appearance of a multi headed beast with a hundred legs. Most rose in the early hours and morning chill to be by the fireside to warm themselves and boil coffee. An early morning southwestern breakfast was prepared with food from Johnson’s Ranch commandeered for the Texans, which was heartily gobbled up by the starving Texans who hadn’t had such a fine meal in months. With fresh warm food in their bellies and muskets polished, these men of Texas were at the ready for the coming contest. They filed into position and marched off to the battle that was awaiting them. As the Texas boys advanced down the canyon, they saw the Union forces approaching, and established a battle line, including the dismounted cavalry of the 4th Volunteers. The Federals hit them before 11:00 am. The Confederates held their ground and then attacked and counterattacked throughout the afternoon. Back and forth the lines rolled up and back with no one side gaining much ground. The fighting then ended as the Federals suddenly retired first to Pigeon's Ranch and then to Kozlowski's Ranch as in the first day’s fight. The Texans soon left the field also, thinking they had won the day. Federal troops, however, had destroyed all of the Confederate supplies and animals at Johnson's Ranch, while the fight was going on, thus forcing the Texans to retreat to Santa Fe. The Federals had thereby won and, thereby, stopped Confederate advancement further into the Southwest. Glorieta Pass was a battle fought with little or no advantage for the Confederate men. In Santa Fe the soldiers who survived the battle went into quarters not knowing what the morrow would bring in the vast New Mexico Territory. I bid them well and they asked of me not to forget them nor those who fell at Glorieta Pass. They will be remembered as brave soldiers who did their duty for their country and the Confederacy is forever grateful for their sacrifices. They shall receive the undying gratitude of the entire South.
Tom R. Grandy
Santa Fe New Mexican and Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, TUESDAY MORNING PRICE TWO CENTS.

Recruitment Down and desertions rise in the ranks.

Our army is in a bad way. Desertions are up and recruits are not to be found. This trouble has been of a scourge for our boys and especially the boys of the Texas Brigade. The authorities in Richmond count depletion of the ranks at ten to twenty percent weekly. Soldiers that joined the army just a year ago are not present with each roll call and finding replacements for these deserters is even harder a task as hunting down the cowards that ran home leaving their brave comrades to face the enemy alone. There is no reason for this rate of desertion, say the officers, but for lack of honor and courage. Some in camp call these runaway soldiers traitors and as traitors should be hunted down arrested and hanged as so. It is a cold and gray day with a light mist in the air. The boys huddled around fires drinking coffee and wondering when the ranks will begin to fill up as they once did. Recruitment in all our Southern ranks is down. The cause that was is no more and with the lists of casualties getting larger with each passing battle the lines at recruitment offices get shorter. The boys drill in the cold mist today and with pride they hold their heads up and step lightly with every command. Proud and honorable they are indeed ready to face what danger may await them. They remain loyal to our cause and true to our flag of the Confederate States. They do not run away for warm bread and mothers touch. They stay and do their duty for their country and each other. When such a site is seen of our boys proud and the honor that fills the cold chill in the air one must wonder why would one want to run from such pride and duty. Why would one not want to join such an army with eagerness and haste? The question is an empty one.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

DAILY RICHMOND EXAMINER.

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, SUNDAY MORNING, NOV. 16, 1863. PRICE TWO CENTS.

Richmond Dedicates Monument
To Fallen Soldiers

The day was clear and warm bathed in brilliant sunshine for the dedication of a special memorial service for our fallen dead at Hollywood Cemetery. A monument was dedicated on Saturday November 15 to honor those brave soldiers who gave their lives in this struggle we now are embroiled in. President Davis was present and would say a few words. This monument is for those brave boys who have fallen. It is to remember those who would be known only by their families and fellow comrades who gave the supreme sacrifice fighting for our independence that otherwise would be faceless nameless souls. This monument is to honor those who wore no stars of a general, no gold upon their coat sleeves, but of the humble ranks of private, corporal and sergeant. Those brave men who carry the fight to the enemy in the large ranks of the many bloody battles that have been fought and will be fought. The ceremony began in the late morning of that lovely day. Boys from Texas and Louisiana formed ranks for inspection as their officers, some mounted, looked on with pride. Every musket seemed to shine bright as the brilliance of this sunny day sent rays of sun shinning down upon the ranks. By later morning the boys began to march in splendid style lead by a chorus of bagpipes giving the mood a deep hallowed feel. The soldiers marched with mounted officers behind to the banks of the James River where the monument rests and memorial ceremony took place. Women in black dresses sat to one side, widows and mothers of fallen sons honored here this day. The soldiers halted at the monument, which remained covered by a green felt cloth, in file and then form ranks in lines. It was but a beautiful site. A row of Confederate flags on either side of the speakers stand began to flutter gently in the warm breeze that came from the river. Army Chaplin Paul Puebla began with a prayer to our fallen hero’s. With heads bowed and hats removed the soldiers in their ranks and those present all join in prayer to our heavenly Father asking for peace for those brave dead and peace to the living and an end to this war. Ordinance Sergeant Robert Milner of the First Louisiana presented the eulogy. The names of some of the honored dead were read allowed as our flags fluttered as if with each name read the banners themselves stood at attention. Steamboats lumbering along the James River blew their whistles as they passed. President Davis in attendance spoke briefly reminded all present why such sacrifices were nessesary and why this war must be won. “These honored dead must not be forgotten, but revered as hero’s of our great cause”, the President said. A special flagpole has been erected at the site of this monument where First Sergeant Kelley of the First Texas Co. M raised a flag of The Confederate States as a band played Dixie. The flag will remain for all time fluttering over the monument to those who gave their lives for the country that flag represents. A volley was fired in honor of fallen comrades from those in ranks. Indeed a sobering day and reminder of what this ceremony truly was about. This war has taken so many of our young men and so many a wife; a sister; a mother dressed in black have only this small monument of memory of their loss. When the green cloth was removed the monument was revealed. It is a small carved stone with words honoring those who it represents, but forsaken not that those who gave of themselves will forever be remembered in our hearts. It is encouraged that those who have not yet seen this monument should do so. It is located at the southwest end of the Hollywood Cemetery along the river and railroad.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 434. RICHMOND, TUESDAY MORNING, DEC. 16, 1863. PRICE TWO CENTS.

LONGSTREET SAVES OFF DISASTER IN TENNESSEE
Last November and December have not been as promising as Richmond had hoped here in Virginia or out west in Tennessee. As the year that began with much promise closes with much disappointment as our country finds Federals holding much of East Tennessee with the loss suffered at Chattanooga and at Knoxville. Union General Grant who moved to reinforce Chattanooga last fall replacing General Rosencrans with Maj. Gen. George Thomas, a native Virginian who to the disappointment of his family and his native state chose to remain loyal to the “old Union”. With a new supply line soon established, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman arriving with his four divisions in mid-November, and the Federals beginning offensive operations, the ingredients were being mixed for a Yankee feast. On November 23-24, Union forces struck out and captured Orchard Knob and Lookout Mountain. On November 25, Union soldiers assaulted and carried the seemingly impregnable Confederate position on Missionary Ridge and one of the Confederacy's two major armies was routed. The result of this November disaster for General Bragg is the Federals now hold Chattanooga.
At Knoxville the situation was not as bitter as at Chattanooga, but equally as disappointing in Richmond. With the Federal army in possession of the east Tennessee city General Longstreet attempted to retake the city and drive the invaders from it, but with little success. In attempting to take Knoxville, General Longstreet decided that Fort Sanders was the only vulnerable place where he could penetrate Union Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside's fortifications, which enclosed the city, and successfully conclude the siege, already a week along at the time. The fort surmounted an eminence just northwest of Knoxville. Northwest of the fort, the land dropped off abruptly. General Longstreet believed he could assemble a storming party; undetected at night, below the fortifications and, before dawn, overwhelm Fort Sanders by a “coup de main”. Following a brief artillery barrage directed at the fort's interior, three of our brigades charged. Union wire entanglements and telegraph wire stretched from one tree stump to another to another, which delayed the attack, but the fort's outer ditch halted our advance complete. The ditch was twelve feet wide and from four to ten feet deep with vertical sides. The fort's exterior slope was almost vertical, as well. Crossing the ditch was nearly impossible, especially under withering Federal defensive fire from musketry and canister fired with tremendous fury upon our boys. Brave Confederate officers did lead their men into the ditch, but, without providing scaling ladders to scale the walls from the ditch to the fort, few of our boys emerged on the scarp side and a small number entered the fort to be wounded, killed, or captured. Our losses were light, for few were able to crest the fort walls. The attack lasted a short twenty minutes. Longstreet undertook this Knoxville expedition to divert Union troops from Chattanooga and to get away from Gen. Braxton Bragg, with whom he is engaged in a bitter feud. His failure to take Knoxville scuttled this purpose. This has come to be the decisive battle of the Knoxville Campaign. This defeat, plus the loss of Chattanooga on November 25, has put much of East Tennessee in the Union camp.
General Longstreet had to abandoned the Siege of Knoxville, on December 4, then retreated northeast towards Rogersville, Tennessee. Union Maj. Gen. John G. Parke pursued our army, but apparently not too closely or furiously, as his presence was as such unknown. Longstreet continued to Rutledge on December 6 and on to Rogersville on the 9th. Parke sent Federal forces under Union Brig. Gen. J.M Shackelford onward with about 4,000 cavalry and infantry to attempt to search for Longstreet. On the 13th, Shackelford was near Bean's Station on the Holston River. General Longstreet resolved to go back and capture Bean's Station and push the Federals out of the area. General Longstreet sent three columns of infantry and artillery to Bean's Station to catch the Federals in a squeeze. By 2:00 am on the 14th, one column was skirmishing with Union pickets. The Federal pickets held out as best they could for sometime until withdrawing to report of our presence. The Federals deployed their force for an assault soon there after. The battle soon started and continued throughout most of the day. Confederate flanking attacks and other assaults occurred at various times and locations, but the Federals held until Longstreet sent reinforcements that tipped the scales. By nightfall, the Federals were retiring in earnest from Bean's Station on through Bean's Gap and on to Blain's Cross Roads. Longstreet set out to attack the Union forces again the next morning with ideas of their destruction, but as he approached them at Blain's Cross Roads, he found them well entrenched and concluded that to attack the Federal entrenchments, which were well fortified would meet with possible disaster for his army. General Longstreet is one of our best Generals and his opinion of a situation is more correct than not and his actions at Blain’s Cross Roads duly justified. Longstreet withdrew satisfied with the day’s action and the Federals, too, soon left the area. The Knoxville Campaign ended following the battle of Bean's Station. General Longstreet has gone into winter quarters at Russellville Tennessee. General Longstreet could claim success at Blain’s Cross Roads, but this means little to overall Confederate efforts in Tennessee except to have prevented further disaster.
Closer to home dark clouds of despair and sorrow hang over our beloved Dominion. With the year of 1863 coming to a close and another Christmas of war hangs heavy upon the city of Richmond, the citizens of Virginia look to hope of victory in the coming new year and an independence won through perseverance and dedication to this just cause. The President, who will take Christmas at his home in Richmond, desires peace with honor and recognition of the Confederate States Of America. He reminds us that there can be no peace without victory for our forces over those of the invaders. Mr. Davis has assured the people of the Confederacy that his determination to achieve a victorious end to this conflict will remain strong and unresolved in the coming new year.
Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAR. 3, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

President Davis Assignation Attempt!
Texans Hold Off Union Cavalry

Last month, February 28, Federal Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick left his encampment at Stevensburg with 4,000 men to raid Richmond with attempt to free Federal prisoners, set torch to the city and assonate President Jefferson Davis. This in accordance to documents found in possession of Col. Ulric Dahlgren, son of Rear Adm. John Dahlgren, who commanded an advance force of 500 men. While the main body under Kilpatrick rode along the Virginia Central Railroad tearing up track before making an attempt to attack our defenses around Richmond presumably to make a dash for the Statehouse and Executive Mansion, Dahlgren rode south to the James River, hoping to make a crossing thereby penetrate Richmond's defenses from the rear, and release Union prisoners at Belle Isle. Kilpatrick was spotted by advance pickets before reaching the outskirts of Richmond on March 1. Kilpatrick, getting past the pickets began skirmishing before the city's defenses, all the while awaiting Dahlgren to rejoin the main column, which was not to be. Dahlgren, was nowhere in site and Kilpatrick was forced to withdraw under heavy fire from our defenses around Richmond and with Confederate cavalry in pursuit forced Kilpatrick’s withdraw to become a rout. By the time Dahlgren finally appeared, it was to late to join his partner, Kilpatrick, who had withdrawn in haste. Dahlgren's men, as Kilpatrick’s, were also unable to penetrate Richmond's defenses, with our boys now quite informed of the Federal presence and laying down a hail of heavy fire, forced Dahlgren’s Federals to skedaddle in all directions. Dahlgren’s Yankee raiders tried to escape pursuit by riding north of the city, but scattered in the confusion that our boys inflicted causing the Federal force to become separated. On March 2 Hampton attacked Kilpatrick near Old Church, but the Federals found refuge with elements of Butler's command at New Kent Court House. Another detachment of about 200 Yankees, presumably of this same raiding force, were ambushed by a detachment of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry and Home Guards in King and Queen County near Walkerton. Yet an additional smaller detachment of Yankee Cavalry, about 40 horsemen separated still, were also ambushed in the very region by a small Company of Texans under the command of Capt. Kevin Hall. Capt. Hall was ordered to take his company forward to search for Federal Cavalry reported seen in the area of Walkerton. Capt. Hall marched his boys forward and upon hearing the sounds of horses and clinking sabers, observed Yankee horsemen forming up along a low ridge thereby forming his own Texas men up for attack. Hall ordered his men to fire a volley at the Federals, which caused the Yankee Cavalry to scatter in the confusion and whistling balls fired upon them by Hall’s Texans. Hall’s men unable to take good aim due in part to the blinding bright sunshine gleaming off newly fallen snow simply fired in the direction of the Federals with some resolve. After a few moments, which Hall’s boys remained in ranks with muskets at the ready, the Yankees reappeared only to reform in attempt to attack Hall’s position. Capt. Hall ordered another volley fired at once and still another whereby the Yankee Cavalry, formed, but unable to motion forward, suddenly turned and rode away in complete confusion leaving behind their dead and wounded that the Texans surprise attack had inflicted. Capt. Hall remained in position keeping his men ready for any possible counter attack the Federals might make, but none was to be. Only one or two lone riders were observed scouting Hall’s position before they, too were nay to be seen. Capt. Hall successfully held off the Yankee Cavalry inflicting few causalities on the Federals with none of his own, but preventing the Federals from reorganizing for possible reattempt of their murderous plan. Dahlgren, who was in command of the main body of some 200 Federal troopers ambushed by the Ninth Virginia Cavalry and Home Guards, was killed and most of his men captured. Papers found on Dahlgren's body were most alarming and unbelievable to the eyes of a reader. The papers were orders for him to burn Richmond and assassinate President Jefferson Davis and his entire cabinet. This resulting discovery has caused a political furor. The Government has accused the North of initiating "a war of extermination" and is holding the Yankee President and his Government fully responsible for this murderous attempt on our President and our people. Union Gen. Meade, Kilpatrick, and even Federal President Lincoln all have disavowed any knowledge of the Dahlgren Papers when our Government demanding explanation and apology under letter of protest sent to Abraham Lincoln for this dishonorable attempted act. This complete absence of responsibility is such a crime that the South will avenge this attempted act and the people of Richmond cry out for the Yankees to bleed as never before. General Lee, upon hearing of this unholy plan, was outraged and assured Richmond that any such further acts by the North of this kind will result in serious reprisals to the people of the North that he will not be able nor be obliged to prevent.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

OL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 8, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

Gen. Grant Engages Gen. Lee In Wilderness
Losses Heavy!
Gen. Longstreet Wounded!

The opening battle of Grant's sustained offensive, with Federal Gen. Mead’s Army Of The Potomac, against Gen. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, known as Grant’s Overland Campaign, was fought in the heavily wooded area known in Virginia as the Wilderness, on May 5-7 with heavy losses for both sides, including high ranking generals and our own Gen. Longstreet. On the morning of May 5, the Union 5th Corps attacked Gen. Ewell on the Orange Turnpike, while Gen. A.P. Hill's corps during the afternoon encountered Yankee Gen. Getty's Division of the Federal 6th Corps. Union Gen. Hancock's 2nd Corps was on the Plank Road. The fighting exploded between the two armies and was fierce, but inconclusive as both sides attempted to maneuver in the dense woods of the Wilderness very near Chancellorsville. Here Stonewall had charged and Federal General Hooker was caught by surprise just a year ago this very May, and was pushed back in full retreat. In this second Chancellorsville, there would be no great Jackson charge, but complete total confusion as both armies got battle lines mixed up and twisted and turned in circles unaware of who was to their front and rear. The soldiers of both armies simply loaded their muskets and fired in the directions of sound and flash, firing on their own at times in the confusing blindness that is the Wilderness.
Darkness came and thereby halted the fighting. Reinforcements began to arrive on both sides, and were hastily rushed to the front. At dawn on May 6, Federal Gen. Hancock launched an attacked along the Plank Road, driving Gen. Hill's Corps back in confusion. On this morning serious disaster seemed imminent. Longstreet, though ordered that prior evening by Gen. Lee to commence a night march of his Corps so as to be in position come the dawn, did not arrive in time to reinforce Gen. Lee's line of battle in the position it held at the close of the engagement of the preceding evening. Hancock's well planned and executed attack on our right forced the two Confederate divisions from their position, and it seemed at once that they would sweep the field. Gen. Lee, most remarkably, gave orders to get his wagon trains ready for a movement in retreat, and sent an aide to quicken the march of Gen. Longstreet's two divisions. Longstreet’s boys came soon enough, a little after sunrise, at double quick, in parallel columns, down the Plank road and a sigh of relief was on Gen Lee’s face. Gen. Longstreet arrived just in time to prevent the collapse of our right flank. Lee was in the midst of Hill's confused retreating troops sent running from Hancock’s attack, when, he, Gen. Robert E. Lee in the most gallant moment ever before witnessed, stood high in the stirrups of the saddle strapped to Traveler aiding in the rallying of the fleeing men, and restoring confidence and order; Longstreet's men had just come gallantly in to reform the line of battle under Lee’s eye, as Gen. Lee rode to the front of line and resolved to lead the counter attack in person. Lee's presence at the front aroused his men to great enthusiasm. He was a superb figure as he sat on his spirited gray with the light of battle about his face. His presence was an inspiration to all who saw. The retreating columns turned their face front once more and reformed into line of battle, and the fresh divisions went forward under Gen. Lee’s eye with splendid spirit. It was on this occasion that the men of Gen. Gregg’s Texas brigade; always favorites of the general; came up to plug the hole created by Hill’s retreating men. General Lee, now standing up in the stirrups, his hat removed waving it over his uncovered gray head, shouted, “Texans always move them”. A yell of cheers and hollers went up from the Texans as never before heard. Then, the boys from Texas, discovering that Gen. Lee was riding with them to the charge, shouted to him that they would not go on unless he went back. They began to shout, “Lee to the rear” and when one boy ran over to General Lee to hold Traveler back from moving forward, Lee relented and the Texans began to go forward, some with tears in their eye’s at this glorious moment. One Texan was heard to say, “I would charge hell itself for that old man”. Gen. Longstreet had, indeed, arrived just in time to prevent the impending disaster Gen. Lee feared was coming on the right. Gen. Longstreet began looking for a way to take the offensive, when he learned of an unfinished railroad cut that would provide a covered approach for attacking the Federal flank. He put his friend and adjutant, Lt. Col. G. Moxley Sorrel, a fine and polite man of great character and fondness, in command of four brigades to make this attempt. Sorrel, never before this day had commanded men in battle, attacked in the late morning and overwhelmed the Federal flank. Federal Gen. Frank's brigade, almost out of ammunition when the attack started, withdrew under heavy pressure; the left of Federal Gen. Mott's division was also forced back. Union Gen. Wadsworth was killed while trying to rally his troops and resulted in the Yankee line withdrawing to the Brock Road. A rider came up and informed Gen. Longstreet of Sorrel's success. Gen. Longstreet immediately began ordering a follow up attack calling on his remaining commanders to position their boys for the forward assault. He ordered forward the brigades of Benning, Law, and Gregg. Then Gen. Mahone's men fired by mistake on their own troops, thinking them Federal in the confusion of this dense brush and tree Wilderness, killing Micah Jenkins and seriously wounding Gen. Longstreet. This horrible accident occurred most ironically; within five miles of where Stonewall Jackson just a year ago; had been mortally wounded under similar circumstances. Gen. Longstreet from the back of an ambulance, ordered Gen. Field to assume command and press the attack. Gen. Lee, however, arrived and upon seeing his favorite General seriously wounded, ordered this advance delayed until the lines could be straightened out. By this time, the devastating Confederate flank attack in Hamilton's Thicket faded out when Gen. Longstreet was wounded. The brigades were those of Wofford, G. T. Anderson, Davis, and Mahone. The fighting died over the area for several hours when Federal Gen. Burnside’s 9th Corps moved against the Confederate center. Burnside had arrived, attacked near the Tapp House, took some ground, but was driven back by reinforcements from Gen. Heth's division and Gen. Wofford's brigade of Kershaw's division. Before Burnside and Hancock could comply with their orders to attack at early evening, Gen. Lee took the initiative. Lee’s men advanced to the abatis 100 yards from the Federals' first line of defense and brought it under heavy musket fire. The Federal line held for half an hour; then Ward's brigade and part of Mott's division broke under the relentless fire thrust upon them. Brush fires had started on portions of the captured Federal breastworks and were burning so profusely that they could not be defended. Although our boys planted their flags over the captured works, they were then driven back by Yankee brigades and a battery of artillery. Burnside attacked again but accomplished no more than keeping Gen. Heth and Wilcox from moving to Gen. Lee's support. To the north Federal Generals Sedgwick and Warren had attacked repeatedly and failed to penetrate Ewell's lines. Gen. Gordon had found the exposed Federal right flank, but Gen. Ewell had refused him permission to attack it. When Gen. Lee visited this portion of the front he ordered the attack made. Gordon's brigade, supported by part of Robert Johnston's, attacked Sedgwick's exposed right flank just before dark, while Pegram's brigade attacked frontally the results of which were not so great as hoped for, night came and put a stop to this successful rolling up of Sedgwick's line.

The Wilderness fighting closed with the night of the 6th of May. Lee's grand tactics in these two days of battle had been a superb exhibition of military genius and skill in executing his plan of throwing his little army boldly against his opponent, where his great inferiority in numbers would place him at the least disadvantage. Where maneuvering of large armies were most difficult, and where superiority in cavalry and artillery counted almost for nothing. The losses of these two days were monumental. The Federals lost an estimated 17,666 out of 101,895 engaged; of these, 2,246 were killed and 12,073 wounded. Generals Wadsworth and Alexander Hays were killed, Getty and Carroll wounded, and Shaler and Seymour captured. Our Confederate effective strength is estimated at 61,025. Although there are no complete casualty reports, Livermore estimates that our loses total 7,750. Generals Jenkins and J. M. Jones were killed, Stafford mortally wounded, Pegram, Hunter, and Benning were wounded. And General James Longstreet, veteran commander of most every major battle of this army and in Tennessee, seriously wounded, and perhaps, out of this war for good. The battle was a tactical draw. Unlike the past, Grant is not to retreat, as the other Union generals before him, but move forward. The Federals are advancing. Gen. Lee believes toward the crossroads of Spotsylvania Courthouse where Gen. Lee hopes to engage Grant before Grant can cut Gen. Lee off from Richmond.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 8, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

Gen. Grant Engages Gen. Lee In Wilderness
Losses Heavy!
Gen. Longstreet Wounded!

The opening battle of Grant's sustained offensive, with Federal Gen. Mead’s Army Of The Potomac, against Gen. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, known as Grant’s Overland Campaign, was fought in the heavily wooded area known in Virginia as the Wilderness, on May 5-7 with heavy losses for both sides, including high ranking generals and our own Gen. Longstreet. On the morning of May 5, the Union 5th Corps attacked Gen. Ewell on the Orange Turnpike, while Gen. A.P. Hill's corps during the afternoon encountered Yankee Gen. Getty's Division of the Federal 6th Corps. Union Gen. Hancock's 2nd Corps was on the Plank Road. The fighting exploded between the two armies and was fierce, but inconclusive as both sides attempted to maneuver in the dense woods of the Wilderness very near Chancellorsville. Here Stonewall had charged and Federal General Hooker was caught by surprise just a year ago this very May, and was pushed back in full retreat. In this second Chancellorsville, there would be no great Jackson charge, but complete total confusion as both armies got battle lines mixed up and twisted and turned in circles unaware of who was to their front and rear. The soldiers of both armies simply loaded their muskets and fired in the directions of sound and flash, firing on their own at times in the confusing blindness that is the Wilderness.
Darkness came and thereby halted the fighting. Reinforcements began to arrive on both sides, and were hastily rushed to the front. At dawn on May 6, Federal Gen. Hancock launched an attacked along the Plank Road, driving Gen. Hill's Corps back in confusion. On this morning serious disaster seemed imminent. Longstreet, though ordered that prior evening by Gen. Lee to commence a night march of his Corps so as to be in position come the dawn, did not arrive in time to reinforce Gen. Lee's line of battle in the position it held at the close of the engagement of the preceding evening. Hancock's well planned and executed attack on our right forced the two Confederate divisions from their position, and it seemed at once that they would sweep the field. Gen. Lee, most remarkably, gave orders to get his wagon trains ready for a movement in retreat, and sent an aide to quicken the march of Gen. Longstreet's two divisions. Longstreet’s boys came soon enough, a little after sunrise, at double quick, in parallel columns, down the Plank road and a sigh of relief was on Gen Lee’s face. Gen. Longstreet arrived just in time to prevent the collapse of our right flank. Lee was in the midst of Hill's confused retreating troops sent running from Hancock’s attack, when, he, Gen. Robert E. Lee in the most gallant moment ever before witnessed, stood high in the stirrups of the saddle strapped to Traveler aiding in the rallying of the fleeing men, and restoring confidence and order; Longstreet's men had just come gallantly in to reform the line of battle under Lee’s eye, as Gen. Lee rode to the front of line and resolved to lead the counter attack in person. Lee's presence at the front aroused his men to great enthusiasm. He was a superb figure as he sat on his spirited gray with the light of battle about his face. His presence was an inspiration to all who saw. The retreating columns turned their face front once more and reformed into line of battle, and the fresh divisions went forward under Gen. Lee’s eye with splendid spirit. It was on this occasion that the men of Gen. Gregg’s Texas brigade; always favorites of the general; came up to plug the hole created by Hill’s retreating men. General Lee, now standing up in the stirrups, his hat removed waving it over his uncovered gray head, shouted, “Texans always move them”. A yell of cheers and hollers went up from the Texans as never before heard. Then, the boys from Texas, discovering that Gen. Lee was riding with them to the charge, shouted to him that they would not go on unless he went back. They began to shout, “Lee to the rear” and when one boy ran over to General Lee to hold Traveler back from moving forward, Lee relented and the Texans began to go forward, some with tears in their eye’s at this glorious moment. One Texan was heard to say, “I would charge hell itself for that old man”. Gen. Longstreet had, indeed, arrived just in time to prevent the impending disaster Gen. Lee feared was coming on the right. Gen. Longstreet began looking for a way to take the offensive, when he learned of an unfinished railroad cut that would provide a covered approach for attacking the Federal flank. He put his friend and adjutant, Lt. Col. G. Moxley Sorrel, a fine and polite man of great character and fondness, in command of four brigades to make this attempt. Sorrel, never before this day had commanded men in battle, attacked in the late morning and overwhelmed the Federal flank. Federal Gen. Frank's brigade, almost out of ammunition when the attack started, withdrew under heavy pressure; the left of Federal Gen. Mott's division was also forced back. Union Gen. Wadsworth was killed while trying to rally his troops and resulted in the Yankee line withdrawing to the Brock Road. A rider came up and informed Gen. Longstreet of Sorrel's success. Gen. Longstreet immediately began ordering a follow up attack calling on his remaining commanders to position their boys for the forward assault. He ordered forward the brigades of Benning, Law, and Gregg. Then Gen. Mahone's men fired by mistake on their own troops, thinking them Federal in the confusion of this dense brush and tree Wilderness, killing Micah Jenkins and seriously wounding Gen. Longstreet. This horrible accident occurred most ironically; within five miles of where Stonewall Jackson just a year ago; had been mortally wounded under similar circumstances. Gen. Longstreet from the back of an ambulance, ordered Gen. Field to assume command and press the attack. Gen. Lee, however, arrived and upon seeing his favorite General seriously wounded, ordered this advance delayed until the lines could be straightened out. By this time, the devastating Confederate flank attack in Hamilton's Thicket faded out when Gen. Longstreet was wounded. The brigades were those of Wofford, G. T. Anderson, Davis, and Mahone. The fighting died over the area for several hours when Federal Gen. Burnside’s 9th Corps moved against the Confederate center. Burnside had arrived, attacked near the Tapp House, took some ground, but was driven back by reinforcements from Gen. Heth's division and Gen. Wofford's brigade of Kershaw's division. Before Burnside and Hancock could comply with their orders to attack at early evening, Gen. Lee took the initiative. Lee’s men advanced to the abatis 100 yards from the Federals' first line of defense and brought it under heavy musket fire. The Federal line held for half an hour; then Ward's brigade and part of Mott's division broke under the relentless fire thrust upon them. Brush fires had started on portions of the captured Federal breastworks and were burning so profusely that they could not be defended. Although our boys planted their flags over the captured works, they were then driven back by Yankee brigades and a battery of artillery. Burnside attacked again but accomplished no more than keeping Gen. Heth and Wilcox from moving to Gen. Lee's support. To the north Federal Generals Sedgwick and Warren had attacked repeatedly and failed to penetrate Ewell's lines. Gen. Gordon had found the exposed Federal right flank, but Gen. Ewell had refused him permission to attack it. When Gen. Lee visited this portion of the front he ordered the attack made. Gordon's brigade, supported by part of Robert Johnston's, attacked Sedgwick's exposed right flank just before dark, while Pegram's brigade attacked frontally the results of which were not so great as hoped for, night came and put a stop to this successful rolling up of Sedgwick's line.

The Wilderness fighting closed with the night of the 6th of May. Lee's grand tactics in these two days of battle had been a superb exhibition of military genius and skill in executing his plan of throwing his little army boldly against his opponent, where his great inferiority in numbers would place him at the least disadvantage. Where maneuvering of large armies were most difficult, and where superiority in cavalry and artillery counted almost for nothing. The losses of these two days were monumental. The Federals lost an estimated 17,666 out of 101,895 engaged; of these, 2,246 were killed and 12,073 wounded. Generals Wadsworth and Alexander Hays were killed, Getty and Carroll wounded, and Shaler and Seymour captured. Our Confederate effective strength is estimated at 61,025. Although there are no complete casualty reports, Livermore estimates that our loses total 7,750. Generals Jenkins and J. M. Jones were killed, Stafford mortally wounded, Pegram, Hunter, and Benning were wounded. And General James Longstreet, veteran commander of most every major battle of this army and in Tennessee, seriously wounded, and perhaps, out of this war for good. The battle was a tactical draw. Unlike the past, Grant is not to retreat, as the other Union generals before him, but move forward. The Federals are advancing. Gen. Lee believes toward the crossroads of Spotsylvania Courthouse where Gen. Lee hopes to engage Grant before Grant can cut Gen. Lee off from Richmond.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, MONDAY MORNING, JUL. 26, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

PETERSBURG!

GEN. EARLY
Threatens
Washington

SHERMAN reaches ATLANTA

Gen. Grant is in position around Petersburg with intent on laying siege to the city. Marching from Cold Harbor last month, Meade's Army of the Potomac crossed the James River on transports and a 2,200-foot long pontoon bridge at Windmill Point. Gen. Ben Butler's leading Federal elements from Bermuda Hundred crossed the Appomattox River at Windmill Point and attacked the Petersburg defenses on June 15. The 5,400 defenders of Petersburg under command of Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard were driven from their first line of entrenchments back to Harrison Creek. On June 16, the Federals captured another section of the Confederate line; on the 17th, the Yankees would gain more ground at Beauregards expense driving his forces back once again. Beauregard reinforced by stripping his Howlett Line at Bermuda Hundred and sending those forces post haste to the defense of the city. General Lee, upon learning of the Federal advances on Petersburg, rushed reinforcements to Petersburg. The Federals attacked our reinforced lines on June 18 but were repulsed with heavy casualties. By now our works are heavily manned and the greatest opportunity Grant would have to capture Petersburg without a siege is lost. The siege of Petersburg looks to have begun. With Grant reinforcing himself at Petersburg, General Lee ordered General Early at Charlottesville, to march north into Maryland and threaten Washington thereby forcing Grant to withdraw troops from Petersburg to the defense of the Yankee Capital and weakening his hold on the now besieged city. At Lexington, the Federals in the valley, advanced against our rail and canal depots and the hospital complex at Lynchburg. Reaching the outskirts of town on June 17, his first tentative attacks were thwarted by the timely arrival by rail of Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early’s II Corps vanguard from Charlottesville. The Federals withdrew the next day after sporadic fighting. The Union line retreated through West Virginia and thereby took his army out of the Shenandoah opening the entire valley for Early’s advance into Maryland. Early marched north through the cleared Shenandoah Valley from Lynchburg, slipped past the Federal garrison at Harpers Ferry and crossed the Potomac River at Shepherdstown into Maryland on July 5-6. On July 9, a makeshift Union force under Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace attempted to halt Early's invading divisions along the Monocacy River, just east of Frederick. General Lee’s plan to force Grant to remove a portion of his forces at Petersburg began to take shape as Grant forced to defend Washington deployed Gen. Ricketts Division to reinforce the Federal line. Wallace now reinforced, by Ricketts's Division of the VI Corps that had been rushed from the Petersburg lines, was outflanked by General Gordon's Division and defeated after putting up a stiff resistance. With Early's success into Maryland, Grant was forced to send the rest of the VI Corps on transports at City Point, away from Petersburg, to Washington. The Federal defeat at Monocacy aloud the veteran troops from Petersburg, to arrive and bolster the defenses of Washington. General Early continued to march on Washington. Early's advance reached the outskirts of Washington on the afternoon of July 11, and the remaining divisions of the Federal VI Corps began disembarking that evening. General Early would have to confront a reinforced Federal force and the heavily fortified forts around the Union Capital. It was not General Lee’s intent to take Washington, but to divert Grant from Petersburg. Early remained within a mere few miles of Washington before ordering withdraw. A Union column, consisting of the VI Corps and elements of the XIX Corps under Maj. Gen. Horatio Wright, pursued Early's army as it withdrew from Washington. Wright's force was joined by elements of Crook's command, which had accompanied Hunter during his retreat through West Virginia. On July 17, the Union cavalry passed through Snickers Gap and attempted to force passage of the Shenandoah River at Snickers Ford. On the morning of July 18, the pursuing Union infantry moved through Snickers Gap. Federal Col. Joseph Thoburn led his division downstream to cross the river at Judge Richard Parker's Ford. Early's three nearby infantry divisions moved to defend the fords. In the afternoon, Rodes's division attacked and shattered Thoburn's right flank on the Cool Spring plantation. The Federals made stand behind a stonewall at the river's edge, and beat off three attacks until darkness enabled him to withdraw. The pursuit of General Early seems to be temporarily aborted.
General Sherman has reached Atlanta and there seems determined to stand and fight. Under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, the Army of Tennessee had retired south of Peach Tree Creek, an east to west flowing stream, about three miles north of Atlanta. Sherman split his army into three columns for the assault on Atlanta with George H. Thomas's Army of the Cumberland moving from the north. Johnston had decided to attack Thomas, but President Jefferson Davis relieved him of command and appointed General John B. Hood to take his place. General Johnston, according to the War Department, had accomplished little in resisting Sherman from now being in position around Atlanta. The President needed action and felt that the cautiousness of Johnston would do little in achieving victory in Georgia. General Lee, when asked by the President in a letter, as to Hoods qualities for command, replied that Gen. Hood is a bold fighter, but he had his doubts as to Hoods other qualities necessary for such a command. Gen. Hood, in continuance with Gen. Johnston’s original plan, attacked Thomas after his army crossed Peachtree Creek. The determined assault threatened to overrun the Union troops at various locations. Ultimately, though, the Yankees held, and Hood fell back. Following the Battle at Peachtree Creek, Hood determined to attack Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson's Army of the Tennessee. He withdrew his main army at night from Atlanta' s outer line to the inner line, enticing Sherman to follow. In the meantime, he sent General William J. Hardee with his corps on a fifteen-mile march to hit the unprotected Union left and rear, east of the city. General Wheeler's cavalry was to operate farther out on Sherman's supply line, and Gen. Frank Cheatham's corps were to attack the Union front. Hood, however, gravely miscalculated the time necessary to make the march by Hardee, and Hardee was unable to attack until afternoon. Although Hood had outmaneuvered Sherman for the time being, McPherson was concerned about his left flank and sent his Federal reserves to that location. Two of Hood's divisions ran into this reserve force and were repulsed. The Confederate attack stalled on the Union rear, but soon began to roll up the Federal left flank. At around the same time, one of our gallant soldiers took careful aim and shot and killed Gen. McPherson when he rode out to observe the fighting. Determined attacks continued, but the Federals held. In the late afternoon, Cheatham's corps broke through the Union front at the Hurt House, but Sherman had massed his artillery on a knoll near his headquarters to rain shot and shell down upon our brave boys halting their drive. The Federals regrouped and counterattacked restoring the Union line. The Union troops held their positions, and Hood has suffered high casualties for his efforts. Sherman remains at Atlanta. It is only a matter of time before Sherman throws his entire army at General Hood and the fall of Atlanta shall follow leaving Georgia open to the Yankee invader.

Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

OL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, MONDAY MORNING, OCT. 18, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

Gen. HOOD
Marches
North!
Fighting Ends
In Georgia!
Atlanta is now behind Gen. Hood’s army and in the hands of Sherman’s Yankees. With Gen. Hood’s remaining munitions railroad cars destroyed, Gen. Hood has been moving northward with hope in threatening the Western & Atlantic Railroad, Sherman's supply line. Five days earlier, Hood began his move. After wrecking havoc on railroads in the center of the state of Georgia to make it more difficult for Sherman to advance, Hood moved west. We began crossing the Chattahoochee in the area of West Point. Then the General takes his decimated army north into the rolling, forested countryside to the west of Atlanta. The army is ragged and most without shoes or full bellies. They march with heads high, though feelings of defeatism fill the air. General Hood is the topic of scorn amongst the men, inspight efforts by their officers to quiet the slanderous comments and songs now being spoken and sung by the ranks. Shameful and at times blasphemous words are thrown about the ranks with no care as to who might hear, especially Gen. Hood, who they blame for the defeat at Atlanta and the current movement of what seems retreat. The men are rapidly losing any respect and admiration for Gen. Hood that they once held or for that matter, our Southern Confederacy, which they repeatedly damn. It is only through the respect of Regimental and Battalion command that they follow. Every day the ranks grow smaller as soldiers who have had enough of this bloody business leave the bivouac fires for home fires, if they have a home left to go to. Those that remain march on through the forests and country of Georgia. It was here that Gen. Joe Johnston successfully defended Georgia soil at the battles of New Hope Church, Dallas, and Pickett's Mill. This all seems so long ago now, but just months before. Further north Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest is traipsing across Tennessee trying to distract the entire Yankee Army with limited success. There was little Hood could do in the thick underbrush of West Cobb and East Paulding County to distract any Yankees let alone Sherman. It is claimed that Virginia’s own loyal Union man, General George Thomas, moved to Chattanooga forming a northern border through which Hood should not be able to move. Further reports state Yankee Gen. John Corse is to move on Rome with a division to defend the city. It is felt that the Federals believe that the city must be Hood's objective because of his fortifications and manpower at Kennesaw Mountain. The Yankee is wrong, and caught completely off-guard. Hood attacked a number of minor garrisons and damaged track during actions of October 2-4. Gen. A. P. Stewart popped out of the forest in the vicinity of Lost Mountain, attacking and destroying the Federal garrison near the depot in Big Shanty, then moving up the Western and Atlantic to Acworth. Hood's goal is Allatoona Pass, which has been left lightly defended. It is a Federal staging area for provisions on the way to Atlanta, so the attraction is twofold. First, the pass is an easily defended strategic stronghold, and second, it can supply much-needed rations for our hungry troops. Corse moved from Rome to the pass on October 3rd. Thirty-six hours later our Confederate troops attacked the now-entrenched Corse, but failed to dislodge the Yankee General from his stronghold. After demanding surrender and receiving a negative reply, Gen. French attacked. The Union outer line, beyond conception, survived a sustained two and a half hour furious attack, but then fell back and regrouped in the earthen fort of Allatoona Pass. Our boys began to run out of ammunition, and reports of arriving Union reinforcements influenced them to move off and rejoin Hood's main force. By the end of the day, nearly out of ammunition, our army retreats, oddly enough to the north. It was high time for Sherman to move and move he did. Mobilizing a significant amount of his men and material at Kennesaw Mountain, Sherman finally begins to chase Hood, this being the overall plan. At Allatoona he is three days behind the retreating Hood. Even separated, either of Sherman's armies outnumbered the Army of Tennessee by a significant margin. Hoods only hope is to continue to force the Federals to chase him and fight at Gen. Hood’s desire. On October 10, Hood's men skirmish with the Federal rear in the vicinity of Rome. Upon finding our boys near Rome, the Union Army moves in that direction. Resaca became Hood's next destination, where he hastily demands surrender of the garrison protecting the railroad. The commander bluntly refused the offer and with the Yankees on his heels, Hood opts to move further north, to Dalton, where he successfully takes the Yankee garrison and, for a short time, controls a section of the Western and Atlantic Railroad. This small victory cannot be toasted as Hood's tactical advance ends a short time later at Buzzard's Roost, just west of Dalton. The Federals hold off a significant portion of Hoods Army with roughly 41 men on October 13. The Defenders are of the 115th Illinois Infantry, which held the blockhouse here for more than 10 hours during repeated attacks. A sharp skirmish at Ship's Gap marks the last battle of Hood's army in Georgia. Gen. Hood’s ragged, shoeless and hungry soldiers, brave boys one and all, begin marching out of Georgia to God knows where.
Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner

VOL. XIV.--NO. 324. RICHMOND, TUESDAY MORNING, DEC. 23, 1864. PRICE TWO CENTS.

HOOD Fights Decisive Engagements In Middle Tennessee!

Heavy Losses At Franklin!

Gen Hood’s Army Destroyed At Nashville!

Federals Hold Tennessee Capitol

Gen. Hood and his Army Of Tennessee successfully diverted the Yankees at Columbia Tennessee thereby permitting a crossing of Duck River. This is part of a maneuver designed to interfere with the Union army’s line of communications with Nashville. As Gen. John Bell Hood’s army advanced northeastward from Florence, Alabama, the Federals, identified as Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield’s force, quickly withdrew from Pulaski to Columbia, arriving on November 24, just ahead of Gen. Forrest’s cavalry. The Federals built two lines of earthworks south of the town while skirmishing with Gen Forrest on November 24 and 25. Gen. Hood advanced his infantry on the following day, but did not assault. He made few demonstrations along the front while marching two corps of his army to Davis Ford, some five miles eastward on the Duck River. The Yankees correctly interpreted Hood’s moves, but the foul weather prevented him from crossing to the north bank before November 28, leaving Columbia to Gen. Hood. The next day, Gen. Hood marched north for Spring Hill, The destination was unknown to the commander of a Texas Regiment, Major Rhodes, as he stated that he received orders to be advanced guard and begin a march north to a place unknown. The Yankees followed in earnest. The March to Spring Hill was a hard march. The weather was not good and the soldiers were having a time of it. Their bare feet slipping on ice covered roads made for a tiring march. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest rode past our columns and the boys lifted their battered hats in salute with cheers filling the air from every one. Nov. 29 found Gen. Hood’s army at Spring Hill. The boys exhausted after the hard march went straight into the fight. Forrest had been skirmishing with units traveling in advance of the Yankee wagon train, and various Federal cavalry units that were reinforcing the small Federal garrison at Spring Hill, since his arrival on the outskirts at noon. Hood ordered Cheatham's lead division, Cleburne's, to attack the Union forces at Spring Hill, and gain possession of the Franklin Pike, at 4 p.m. Cleburne’s boys formed up as the Federals began to appear from behind a line of trees. Onward they seem to come in splendid form in what seemed a never ending stream. As our boys began to push the Yankees back toward the tree line and beyond, the Yankees fell back behind their works thereby making Cleburne's attack initially successful, driving a brigade of Wagner's division, Stanley's corps, back to the southern outskirts of the town, but was stalled by Union artillery that seemed to bristle and burst upon the advancing troops of Cleburne. Cleburne fell back as the Federals began forming behind their works under the cover of their artillery. While Cleburne began reforming for another attack, Cheatham ordered Cleburne to await the arrival of two more divisions. As the Confederate infantry was moving up into position on the right in magnificent style, Federal reinforcements were arriving from Columbia to secure the perimeter of Spring Hill. The Federals seem to come out of nowhere in long columns finding their place behind the cover of works, so that the whole line was a continuous great serpent of blue. By the time Cheatham's three divisions were in place, darkness had fallen and the Confederate attack was stalled. What followed, on the evening of the 29th, was a total breakdown of miscommunications among the Confederate command and disjointed efforts to gain control of the vital Franklin Pike. What’s more, some of the supply wagons carrying fresh water had broken down leaving the boys, now preparing to encamp without adequate water supply. Each man was aloud no more than half a canteen from what was available. This began a hard night for the boys who were thirsty and tired from the hard march and battle fought. This would not be worst of the night’s uneasy slumber. The Yankee managed to move his entire army from a perilous situation. As the boys slept, the Yankees marched silently by our Confederate army. One could hear the shuffling of soldiers and the clanking of equipment, but it was assumed it must be Confederate reinforcements coming so close to our encampment. Pickets that were posted rang out shots in the distance most of the night, but that seemed routine in nature. The Federals did pass our sleeping soldiers within yards and on towards Franklin. On the morning of November 30, Hood was again in pursuit of Thomas's forces. In the early morning as a light rain began to fall, the boys prepared breakfast with what little they had and drank a mouth full of water and no more as the supply was gone. Gen. Hood was marching on from Spring Hill, but had missed a golden opportunity to destroy Schofield's Federal forces. At Spring Hill, the Federals suffered 350-killed, wounded and missing, the bulk of them in Bradley's Brigade, Wagner's division. The Confederates lost 500-killed, wounded and missing, the bulk of those within Forrest's and Cleburne's commands. One such soldier left dying on the battlefield was an Englishman, Patrick Reardon, who was formally a Major in the British army before being dismissed from the Queens army for having an affair with his Colonels’ wife. He found his way to Galveston Texas and was a schoolteacher before joining the Texas ranks of the Confederacy. Here at Spring Hill, Patrick’s story ended along with many a good soldier for no apparent gains. Gen. Hood marched his army to Franklin, in hopes of a decisive victory, but this was nay to be. Upon arrival at Franklin the Federal army was observed digging works around a small farmhouse owned by the Carter family. It would be here that Gen. Hood would make his attack. It was here that disaster struck for Gen. Hood’s army. Gen Hood quickly set up headquarters in a large plantation house, which had been commandeered. By 2:00 pm Gen. Hood had made plans for a frontal assault on the Federal works around the Carter house. By 2:30 pm a conference was held at the Harrison House. Strong objections were voiced from Hood's commanders. General Cheatham said, "I don't like the looks of this fight, as the enemy has a good position and is well fortified." Generals Cleburne and Forrest knew they would be flirting with disaster and voiced their concerns, but Gen. Hood would not be dissuaded. As Gen. Cleburne mounted his horse to leave, Hood gave strict orders for the assault. Cleburne responded, "We will take the works or fall in the attempt." The Army of Tennessee knew this assault on the town of Franklin would be suicidal. They bravely advanced toward the Carter House with their heads held high taking positions for the attack. It was not soon after this that an opportunity came to light. This would be to witness the unfolding events from the Federal line. The Federals were continuing building their works around the Carter house when from a clearing in the trees a lone Yankee soldier appeared and came toward me. Upon seeing me he raised his musket and began to question my being close to his apparent destination. I informed him that I was just a Correspondent from Richmond getting facts for this story, you now are reading, when he took me prisoner and I was escorted to the Federal line. This young man in blue had apparently gone off for some quiet and had fallen asleep, so a bargain between us was reached. I would not inform his superiors of his derelict and he would escort me to some colleagues who were reporting on events for the Northern press. I was placed in the custody of such Northern newspapermen as James A. Davis of Harpers Weekly and the famous artist Alfred Waud. Fine fellows one and all. From the Yankee lines I was able to observe Gen Cleburne’s attack on the federal works. Our boys were so splendid that I couldn’t help but to yell and cheer as they approached. The Yankees began to fire with a mighty crack of muskets and booming of cannon. Our Confederate soldiers continued to come slashing toward the Yankee works. On they came with such determination and might. The Federals broke and ran as our boys overcame the Yankee works. The Yankees reformed and advanced upon Cleburne’s boys pushing them back again. The fighting soon became brutal and fiendishly savage, with men bayoneted and clubbed to death in the Carter yard. A Confederate soldier was bayoneted on the front steps of the Carter House. Men were clubbing, clawing, punching, stabbing and choking each other. The smoke from canons and muskets was so thick that you could not tell friend from foe. General Cleburne could be seen in the fierce fighting rallying his boys as they began to falter from the Federal onslaught and then the General was gone. Shot down by a Yankee ball. The fighting lasted five hours with men slashing at each other from all corners. Desperate and determined, both sides fought with ferocity and vengeance. Five hours they continued with no one brigade achieving gains until the fighting subsided and it was clear that the Yankees held the field. The cost was high for both sides, but for General Hood, the cost was total. More than 1,750 men were killed outright or died of mortal wounds, 3,800 seriously wounded and 702 captured, not including cavalry casualties. 15 out of 28 Confederate Generals were casualties. 65 field grade officers were lost. Some infantry regiments lost 64 percent of their strength at Franklin. General Patrick Cleburne was among the losses. Gone was the Irish gentleman who loved by his men, not so by the Confederate Government. General Cleburne was anti slavery and believed that slaves ought be aloud to join the ranks and he was Irish. For those who knew the General, his loss would be a cornerstone of this unholy war that has taken so many a fine officer, soldier and man from us. There was none finer than General Patrick Cleburne. It can be said that the Army of Tennessee died this day at Franklin, November 30, 1864. For me, I found myself prisoner being placed in the crowd of Confederate prisoners taken this day. I approached our boys all huddled together and tipped my hat in salute to a Federal century guarding the prisoners, when he answered with the point of his musket and instructed me to fall in with the rest of the prisoners. There I found Major Rhodes of Texas, unharmed and in apparent good sprits. It was a welcome site to find him with the living. If not for the fortitude of my colleagues of the Northern press, I might have been shuffled off with the rest of our poor, but living soldiers. For they convinced a Federal Major, Provost Marshal, that I be placed in their custody. This done, I was taken to the Federal camp and I must say, treated very well. At midnight I joined the rest of the Yankee army as they retreated to Nashville. When a halt was called, some Federal officers treated me to a tent, coffee and a fine cigar. Come sunup, Dec. 1, I dined on a fine breakfast, prepared by a Yankee sergeant, which was the first real meal I had had in many weeks. I truly thank the members of the esteemed Northern press for my good treatment. With that, I was paroled, which since the stop of prisoner exchanges, was truly an act of kindness received in these times when little is given nor received. I once again found myself with our army at Nashville. Gen. Hood had suffered terrible losses at Franklin on November 30, though he refused to believe that his army was all, but destroyed. He began a march with the survivors away from Franklin and on toward Nashville. By Dec. 1, the various elements of Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas’s army had reached Nashville as I can attest to. Gen. Hood reached the outskirts of Nashville on December 2, occupied positions on a line of hills parallel to those of the Yankees and began erecting fieldworks. Union Army Engineers, had constructed sophisticated fortifications at Nashville a couple of years past, strengthened by others, which would soon see use. From Dec. 1st to the 14th the two armies faced off without a shot. This would soon change. Before daylight on the 15th, the first of the Union troops, led by Maj. Gen. James Steedman, set out to hit our right. The attack was made and the Union forces held down one of our corps there for the rest of the day. Attack on our left did not begin until after noon when a charge commenced on Montgomery Hill. With this classic charge’s success, attacks on other parts of the left commenced, all apparently successful. From our camps where soldiers were held as reserves we could here the clatter of muskets and ringing thunder of artillery in the near distance. It was hard to conceive that Gen. Hood planed to mount a major battle with what was left of his army, but that was indeed his plan. As darkness fell the fighting stopped for the day. Although battered and with a much smaller battle line, Gen. Hood was still confident. He established a main line of resistance along the base of a ridge about two miles south of the former location, throwing up new works and fortifying Shy’s and Overton’s hills on their flanks. The Yankees could be seen to within 250 yards, in some places, of our new lines and began constructing fieldworks. During the rest of the morning, other Federal troops moved out toward the new lines and took up positions opposite it. In the morning sun the reserves marched out to join those already in position. As the boys marched down a narrow road, we passed a small cabin where three women were handing out ripe green and red apples to the boys as they passed. The soldiers gobbled those apples up as if and for some, it were their last meal. As the sound of battle began to increase, our artillery could be seen bristling on the hilltop. Surgeons were present with their blood stained aprons on from the previous days work at Franklin, and when the boys began to jeer at the surgeons for the bloody aprons, the surgeons jeered back saying, “you all will be needing us soon, don’t you worry”. The Yankee attack began against Hood’s strong right flank on Overton’s Hill. The same brigade that had taken Montgomery Hill the day before received the honors for the charge up Overton’s Hill. This charge, although gallantly conducted, failed, but other troops successfully assaulted Shy’s Hill in their fronts. Our boys were firing at great speed from their works as the entire field began to be a sea of blue. On they came in overwhelming force, undaunted by our fire from the musket soldiers or the artillery. With the Yankee success along the line, other Yankee troops appeared and charged up Overton’s Hill and with weight of numbers, the Federals took the day. Over the top they came on with that familiar deep shout of “Hurrah” of the Yankee soldier as if hell itself could not stop this army of blue. Such was the scene that Hood’s army did not wait for another Franklin, the boys simply turned and fled for their lives. In the mass confusion of this fleeting route, I would become separated from the Army Of Tennessee and once again confronted by Federal soldiers, but for my pass I received from a Federal Provost Marshal I might have been made prisoner or worse. I was released in Nashville at the behest of Gen. Thomas and would board a train home to Richmond. It has come to pass that Gen. Thomas had left one escape route open for Gen. Hoods army which, aloud the surviving battered troops to save off capture, but not safety, for the Yankee army set off in pursuit. The ringing truth is that Gen. Hood’s army is gone. In a little over three months, Gen. Hood has done what Sherman couldn’t. He has destroyed the grand Army Of Tennessee. Gen Hood got stalled at Columbia, fooled at Spring Hill, beaten at Franklin, and routed at Nashville. Was this his own ineptitude or was this his way of punishing the army for Atlanta? Gen. Hood once a fine Brigade and Division commander with fight when he rode with Stonewall and served Gen. Robert E. Lee, now has single-handedly lost an army and the western Confederacy. Gen. Hood should be forced out of this army by resigning his command at once. That is the consensus of this newspaper and the Confederate Government.
Tom R. Grandy
Daily Richmond Examiner