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Regiment: 4th Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned: Chickamauga, Georgia
Historical Figures: George Thomas, Gordon Granger, Horatio P. Van Cleve, James B. Steedman, James Longstreet, John M. Palmer, John Pegram, Nathan B. Forrest, Robert H. Minty, Simon B. Buckner, Thomas J. Wood, Thomas L. Crittenden
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
26th December 1863
Major Sinclair
A.A. Genl
Sir:
I [ ? ] to hand you the fol-
lowing report of the operations of the 1
st Brigade
2
nd Cavalry Division from the 13
th to the 24
th Sept.
and including the Battle of Chicamauga.
13th Sept., with the 4th U.S. Cav. 4th Mich.
Cav. 7
th Pa. Cav. and one Section Chicago Board
of Trade Battery. I marched from Chattanooga
to Gordons Mills and reported to Maj Genl.
Crittenden Comg. 21
st A. C.
14th Under orders from Maj. Genl. Crittenden. I
crossed Missionary Ridge into Lookout Valley.
15th Marched back to Gordons Mills, when Genl.
Crittenden ordered me to proceed to Pea Vine Val-
ley and encamp at or near Letts cross roads. I
crossed the Chicamauga at Reed’s Bridge and shortly
before dark encamped on Pea Vine Creek near Peeler’s
Factory, and sent out scouts towards Grayville
Ringold, Leets & Rock Springs. Same night I
reported to Major Genl. Crittenden the information
brought in by these parties, and in answer received
a letter from Captain Oldershaw, A. A. G. 21
st A.C.
of which the following is an extract –
“The Major Genl. Comdg. directs me to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your letter of this date informing
him that Forrest is at Ringold. Longstreet at
Dalton. Pegram at Leets, and Buckner at Rock
Spring. All this would indicate infantry which
the Maj. Genl. cannot believe.”
16th Strong scouting parties advanced towards
me from Ringold and Leets. They were promptly
met, driven, and followed; at the same time my
pickets on the Lafayette & Harrison road, which
lies between Pea Vine Ridge and Chicamauga
Creek were attacked from towards Lafayette
thus threatening my communications via Reed’s
Bridge I immediately fell back to that road, thus securing the bridge but at the same time. I kept posses-
sion of the roads in Pea Vine Valley by pick-
eting strongly. My scout towards Leets ran into
the rebel infantry and lost one man shot
through the head. This was promptly reported
to Major Genl. Crittenden whose answer was
same as yesterday, “Nothing but dismounted cavalry.”
17th Slight skirmishing between my scouts
and those of the enemy. The scout from Grays-
ville reported that Genl. Steadman’s Brigade
of the Reserve Corps had passed through that
place on a reconnoisance toward Ringold. On the
return of my courier from Gordon’s Mills
the reported that Col. Wilder’s Brigade of
Mounted Infantry was encamped on the west
side of Chicamauga Creek at Alexander’s Bridge
about two miles above me.
18
th At 6 A.M. I sent 100 men from 4
th U.S.
cavalry towards Leets and 100 from 4
th Mich
and 7
th Pa. towards Ringold. At about 7 A.M.
couriers arrived from both scouts with the in-
formation that the enemy was advancing in force.
I immediately strengthened my pickets
on the Lafayette road and moved forward
with the 4
th Mich and one battalion of the 4
th
Regulars and the section of artillery and took
up a position on the eastern slope of Pea Vine
Ridge and despatched couriers to Maj. Genl
Granger at Rossville. Col. Wilder at Alexander’s
Bridge. Genl. Wood at Gordon’s Mills and Genl.
Crittenden at Crawfish Springs.
The enemie’s infantry in strong force
with about 200 cavalry advanced steadily
driving my skirmish line back to my position
on the side of the ridge. The head of a
column getting into good range. I opened
on them with the artillery when they im-
mediately deployed and advanced a strong
skirmish line. At this moment, I observed
a strong column of dust moving from the
direction of Grayville towards Dyer’s ford.
I sent a courier to Col. Wilder asking
him to send a force to hold the ford and
cover my left and my train across the creek.
As the force from Graysville advanced.
I fell back until I arrived on the ground
which I had occupied in the morning.
Here Col. Miller with two regiments and
two Mountain howitzers from Col. Wilder’s
Brigade reported to me. I directed Col.
Miller to take possession of the ford, and
again advanced and drove the rebel skirmish
line over the ridge and back on their line
of battle in the valley when a force was in
position which I estimated at 7000 men.
thirteen sets of regimental colors were visible.
The rebel line advanced and I was steadily
driven back across the ridge. My only means
of crossing the creek were Reed’s Bridge a
narrow frail structure which was covered
with loose boards and fence rails and a bad
ford about 300 yards higher up. I masked
my artillery behind some shrubs near this
ford leaving one battalion of the 4
th Regulars
to support it and ordering the remainder
of that regiment to cross the bridge holding
the 7
th Pa. and 4
th Mich in line to cover
the movement. Before the first squadron
had time to cross the head of a rebel column
carrying their arms at “right shoulder shift”
and moving at the double quick and as
steadily as if at drill came through the
gap not 500 yards from the Bridge. The
artillery opened on them from an unexpected
quarter, evidently took them by surprise and
immediately checked their advance causing them
to again deploy. The 4
th Mich followed the
4
th Regulars and the 7
th Pa. the 4
th Mich one
squadron of the 4
th Regulars under Lieut. Davis most
gallantly covering the crossing of the 7
th
One squadron of the 4th Mich under Lieut Simp-
son on picket on the Harrison road was cut off
by the rapid advance of the enemy. They
made a gallant resistance and eventually
swam the creek without the loss of a man.
The artillery crossed the ford in safety and
I placed them in position to dispute the crossing of
the bridge from which Lieut. Davis’ men had thrown
the greater part of the loose planking. Here I
was soon hotly engaged and was holding the
rebels in check when I received a note from
the officer in charge of my wagons trains which
I had sent back to Gordon’s Mills stating “Col.
Miller has fallen back from Alexander’s Bridge.
He is retreating towards Gordon’s Mills and
the enemy is crossing the river in force at all
points.” I sent an order to Col. Miller to join
me without delay and on his arrival I
feel back to Gordon’s Mills skirmishing with
the enemy who followed me closely. With
less than one thousand men. The old first brigade
had disputed the advance of seven thousand
from 7 o’clock in the morning until 5 o’clock
in the evening, and during that time fell
back only five miles.
On arriving at Gordon’s Mills, my men
were dismounted and with Col. Wilder’s
brigade and a brigade from Genl. Van Cleve’s
Division repulsed a heavy attack at about
8 P.M.
We lay in position all night within hearing
of the enemy; were without fires although the night
was bitterly cold. At break of day, Genl. Palmer’s
Division releived us. I then moved to the rear
and procured forage for our horses and rations
for the men who had been entirely without since
the previous morning.
19th Moved along to the rear to the left
to protect the trains moving into Chattanooga.
Camped, near Rossville.
20th Under orders from Maj. Genl. Granger.
I marched to the ford at Missionary Mills
and sent strong patrols to Chicamauga Station
and Graysville, without meeting the enemy. To-
ward the afternoon I received orders from Gen.
Granger to take possession of the position then
occupied by him on the Ringold & Rossville road.
On arriving on the ground, I found that Genl.
Granger had already marched to the assistance
of Genl. Thomas. Being anxious to know what
was in front of me. I pushed forward towards
Red House Bridge, and found Scotts Brigade
of Cavalry and Mounted Infantry about 1500
strong, moving into position on our side of
the Creek. I immediately attacked them, and
after a spirited skirmish of about an hours
duration, drove them across the creek with
considerable loss.
21st During the night, Gen. Thomas fell
back to the height of Missionary Ridge at Ross-
ville, and this morning I found myself
about two miles directly in front of his line
of battle. The rebels advanced in three
columns from the direction of Missionary Mills.
Red House Bridge and Dyer’s ford. I skir-
mished with their advance for a couple of hours
and then fell back to Rossville with a loss
of one officer and seven men killed and
one officer and thirteen men wounded. I
was then ordered to the left to watch the
movements of the enemy.
22nd Under orders from Maj. Genl. Thomas
the 4
th Regulars moved during the night to
Rossville and took possession of the gap va-
cated by our retiring infantry. At 6 A.M., I heard
firing in the direction of Rossville. Leaving
strong pickets in the passes over the ridge
I moved forward with the 7
th Pa. and 4
th
Mich. to support the 4
th Regulars but found
that Capt. McIntyre had judiciously fallen
back the enemy having turned his flank
by advancing on the road from Gordon’s Mills.
I retired to Chattanooga skirmishing sharply.
23rd With the 7th Pa. and 4th Mich.
I worked in the trenches all night and at
4 A.M. I crossed the Tennessee River
and camped on Opposum Creek, from whence
I picketed the Tenn. from Washington
to Sandy Shoals.
The loss in my Brigade from the day
on which I was detached from the Division,
until I crossed the Tennessee river on the
24
th was under 100 men of whom only fifteen
were missing and of those fifteen nine are
known to be either killed or wounded. While,
during that time in prisoners, I took from
the enemy 439.
Herewith, I enclose report of officers
and men deserving special mention.
I am respectfully
Your obedient servant
R. H. G. Minty
Col. 4th Mich. Cavalry
late Comdg. 1st Brig. 2nd Cav. Div.
[ ? ]
Robert Burns
(late) Capt & AAAG
