On February 24, 1864, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Inspector-General, R. O. Selfridge, writes to Lieutenant-Colonel J.S. Fullerton, Assistant Adjutant-General, from Headquarters of the Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, (U.S.) at Madisonville (Tennessee) some reports on activities near Loudon (Tennessee). In that correspondence, he also mentions the deplorable condition of Col. (Archibald P.) Campbell's First Brigade Cavalry, for want of forage for their horses. The men, also, had been without clothing and supplies, but he does mention that some arrived "last night." He complains of lax discipline, as well.
"The First Brigade, Colonel Campbell, which has been on the Citico Creek, 6 miles above Motley's, marched yesterday to a point 5 miles south of this place, and is now there. This is the only part of the command that I have yet seen, and it is in sufficiently deplorable condition. The men are in good condition physically, but much in need of clothing, which I was glad to see arrive last night. But the horses are reduced to almost the last stage, and unless forage can be speedily procured, the entire command must be speedily dismounted. The horses, besides being starved, are sore-backed, sore-footed, and presently a sorry sight. Discipline is lax, and the whole command seems loose and unserviceable. It will want a terrible deal of pains to make it effective again. Of about 900 men for duty, 300 are dismounted."O.R., Vol. 32, Pt. 2 (Correspondence, Etc.), pages 457-458
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Below that, on the same page, is Major-General Gordon Granger's endorsement of Selfridge's assessment. Granger writes from Headquarters of U.S. Forces at Loudon (Tennessee), on February 25, 1864, to General Commanding Department Headquarters:
"I cannot see the possibility of longer subsisting our cavalry upon the country, as nearly every nook and corner is exhausted of forage and subsistence. The only means of keeping it alive is by bringing supplies by the cars and boat. About seven cars per day are required to maintain the cavalry along the railroad between this and Charleston [Tennessee]. Unless this is attended to at once we will be minus cavalry within three weeks."
G. GrangerO.R., Vol. 32, Pt. 2 (Correspondence, Etc.), page 458
Major-General, Commanding
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Just one day before that, General Thomas had written to General Grant of skirmishes at Tunnel Hill, near Dalton, Georgia. The correspondence is dated Chattanooga, Feb. 24, 1864, 4 a.m., and says, "Reports from the front just received." Thomas goes on to say that his skirmishers drove the enemy for four miles "through Tunnel Hill on the double-quick." He says
"Colonel Long went within 3 1/2 miles of Dalton, and drove a regiment of infantry out of winter quarters. Our main force camped within 3 miles of Tunnel Hill last night, and will be on the road to Dalton to-morrow night."At 10 a.m., General Grant responded to General Thomas
"Your dispatch received. Push the enemy as far as possible. If unable to carry Dalton, keep, at any rate, a heavy force threatening it, so as to hold all the enemy there. Sherman's safety may be dependent upon your efforts. Should you drive the enemy out of Dalton, follow him as far as possible. If you have sufficiently recovered your health, I would like to have you go out to the front in person, if only to see the situation of affairs and return."
U.S. Grant,
Major-General
At 9 p.m. on the 24th, General Thomas writes back that "we have just gained possession of Tunnel Hill pass; small loss." He then goes on to report on a dispatch from McCook concerning cavalry actions near Murphy, N.C. Further miscellaneous correspondence on page 459 and subsequent pages give a few more details about Dalton.
O.R., Vol. 32, Pt. 2 (Correspondence, Etc.), pages 458-459
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152633/m1/458/
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