Pickett's Mill Cavalry

[C. Cash]

My research of the Cavalry fight on the direct right of Granbury.

https://www.westerntheatercivilwar.c...pickett-s-mill

and

https://dan-masters-civil-war.blogsp...ry-on.html?m=1

also

https://www.westerntheatercivilwar.com/post/processing-war-pickett-s-mill-diary-entries-of-t-h-williams-1st-tennessee-cavalry-wheeler-s?fbclid=IwAR1vmM73F_pP9TsA4Y9qbCnqm6d_BA4JBERHKAMUh4uDW-_Gh8KCFpuLt4g

[C. Cash]

BIERCE'S Map as reproduced in Hazen's memoirs. Though not without it's faults, it clearly delineates the Federal and Southern lines. The lines shown at the top left(Southern) end of cornfield are Lowrey with the Cav. all the way back road junction. I tried to reflect this on my map in the initial article posted at top.

[C. Cash]

Sam Watkins Company Aytch entry describing Pickett's Mill. The May 27 wounding of Watkins Uncle Asa G. Freeman is corroborated in several sources listed above, including the same day diary of T. H. Williams of the 1st Tenn. Cav(Wheeler's)

"We were on a forced march along a dusty road. I never in my whole life saw more dust. The dust fairly popped under our feet, like tramping in a snow-drift, and our eyes, and noses, and mouths were filled with the dust that arose from our footsteps. and to make matters worse, the boys all tried to kick up a " bigger dust." Cavalry and artillery could not be seen at ten paces, being perfectly enveloped in dust. It was a perfect fog of dust. We were marching along, it then being nearly dark, when we heard the hoarse boom of a cannon in our rear. It sounded as if it had a bad attack of croup. It went, "Croup, croup, croup." The order was given to "about face, double quick, march." We double quicked back to the old church on the road side, when Captain Free man's company of about fifteen men of the First Tennessee Cavalry, [commanded by Colonel Lewis, and the Ninth Battalion, commanded by Major James H. Akin,] passed us, and charged the advance of the Federal forces. We were supporting the cavalry. We heard them open. Deadly missiles were flying in every direc tion. The peculiar thud of spent balls and balls with shucks tied to their tails were passing over our heads. We were expecting that the cavalry would soon break, and that we would be ordered into action. But the news came from the front, that the cavalry were not only holding their position, but were driving the enemy. [The earth jarred and trembled; the fire fiend seemed unchained;] Wounded men were coming from the front. I asked the litter corps, "Who have you there?" And one answered, "Captain Asa G. Freeman." I asked if he was dangerously wounded, and he simply said, “Shot through both thighs," and passed on. About this time we heard the whoops and cheers of the cavalry, and knew that the Yankees were whipped and falling back. We marched forward and occupied the place held by the cavalry. The trees looked as if they had been cut down for new ground, being mutilated and shivered by musket and cannon balls. Horses were writhing in their death agony, and the sickening odor of battle filled the air. This is the only battle of the war in which cavalry was conspicuous and elicited the praise of the infantry, who until then had never seen "dead men with spurs on" and never entertained a very elevated opinion of the sticking qualities of this branch of the service. Well, well, those who go to battle may expect to die. An halo ever surrounds the soldier's life, because he is ever willing to die for his country. "
Watkins, Sam, Company Aytch, Maury Grays, First Tennessee Regiment or A Side Show of the Big Show. Turner Publishing, Nashville, TN Edited by Ruth Hill Fulton McAllister pgs. 198-199

[C. Cash]

W. E. Sloan Diary Co. D 5th Tenn. Cavalry(McKenzie's) pg 1

[C. Cash]

Pg. 2 W. E. SLOANE Diary

[C. Cash]

Pg. 3 W. E. Sloan Diary

[C. Cash]

Not suprised there is little interest but am satisfied that at some point down the road someone who is trying to sort out Pickett's Mill will have this Cavalry info available. About 1/3 of this battle (perhaps the most critical third), is left out of modern depictions of the battle proper. About 1000 cavalrymen who stopped Granbury's Right from getting rolled up like a carpet, forgotten. May they all be remembered...the men who fought and sacrificed on both sides.

[floridawar]

Not suprised there is little interest but am satisfied that at some point down the road someone who is trying to sort out Pickett's Mill will have this Cavalry info available. About 1/3 of this battle (perhaps the most critical third), is left out of modern depictions of the battle proper. About 1000 cavalrymen who stopped Granbury's Right from getting rolled up like a carpet, forgotten. May they all be remembered...the men who fought and sacrificed on both sides.

When I visited the battlefield, about 20 years ago, I recall a good deal of discussion about Cleburne's division. The information on Ashby's brigade's defense is very interesting, especially after reading Bierce's account recently.

Excellent examples of CS cavalry tactics. the manuals note them forming skirmish lines, etc. Even the cavalry in Virginia fought dismounted a good deal of the time, but that is frequently not appreciated.

[C. Cash]

Thank you. It has been fascinating study in so may ways. Cleburne was a favorite of the GA press(rightly so) while Wheeler was a favorite whipping boy for all that had gone wrong on the Atlanta Campaign(unjustly so). So the press ignored Wheeler unless it was to criticize. And then Wheeler sort of stabbed Cleburne in the back with the latter's early 1864 proposal to arm and free the slaves so this trickled down into the reporting from the Infantry on this battle.

One of the main reasons that a single line of dismounted Cav. was able to hold the multiple lines of Hazen/part of Scribner/Gibson's survivors(for about 1 hour) was the Cav were on a high ridge, were able to throw up hasty cover and were heavily concealed by the trees and Chinquapin. But the Cav. got blown off the ridge twice from heavy fire from their front and to their left from the Granbury/Gibson fight, with a portion of Hazen's right wing shooting into their left as well. But Ashby's/JT Wheeler re charged every time to retake the position and charged the Federals into the north cornfield. They stood tall that day though and outlasted the Infantry to their front. Hazen's Infantry no less. It's amazing that historians never realized that Sam Watkins was writing about Pickett's Mill.

[C. Cash]

Another little known aspect of this battle is the Gallantry of Gibson's Federals, who suffered the heaviest casualties on 27 May. The ones who had survived the massive carnage in the ravine in front of Granbury did not fade off to the rear. They found their way left to fight alongside Hazen and Knefler, by the hundreds. That's astounding considering what had just experienced and witnessed. Scenes that made hardened Infantrymen sick to their stomach. The stuff of Infantry Legend right there.

[C. Cash]

Colonel James Thaddeus Wheeler of the 1st Tenn. Cav(Wheeler's) had served under Forrest previous to the Atlanta Campaign. For Pickett's Mill he took over the Brigade as Colonel Ashby was getting some surgery to repair a painful wound to his heel. He would have 3 horses shot out from under him as he advanced toward the ridge overlooking the Cornfields and ravine which runs through the center. Well over 161 casualties in this roughly 700 man "Brigade." When Pickett's Mill started, they were detached from Humes Div. and at New Hope Church along with Gen. WW Allen's 250 man Brigade of Kelly's Div. Both were quickly rushed toward the sound of the fight.