Second Michigan Cavalry, Furlough of April 1864

Second Michigan Cavalry

Subject: Furlough 1864

Source Article: "The Second Cavalry" (From Detroit Advertiser of Tuesday), The Hillsdale Standard (Hillsdale, Hillsdale, Michigan) 1851-1909, Tuesday, 03 May 1864, page 1 (digital image 1), Historical American Newspapers, Chronicling America, Library of Congress.

Summary with quotes: 

About 350 troops of the 2d veteran Cavalry, arrived home (Detroit) on furlough, Sunday,  "via the Southern Railroad." Some veterans came home in May with those on reinlistment furlough, due since the previous January when they reinlisted on the 5th. (After details about events in East Tennessee): "From thence till the 1st of February, the regiment was constantly on the move back and forth, till the 4th of March, when it was ordered to Cleveland, Tenn., where it remained till the 14th of April, at which time it left for home."

[Estimated date of arrival in Detroit: April 24 or May 1, 1864, depending on what was meant by the reference date of original publication in the Detroit Advertiser of "Tuesday"]

Officers listed on this furlough: 

*Lieutenant Colonel—Benjamin Smith.

*Major—H. F. Nicholson.

*Surgeon—William Brownell

*Assistant Surgeon—J. A. Dunlap, 

*Commissary—E. W. Lawrence.

*Company A—1st Lieut. W. Whittemore.

*Company C—1st Lieut. M L. Squiers.

*Company D—1st Lieut. H B. Rothbun.

*Company E—Capt. Vance; 1st Lieut. S. F

 Dickinson.

*Company F—Capt. D. T Fargo.

*Company G—1st Lieut. Sam l Robertson

*Company I—Capt. Geoege S. Hodges.

*Company K—1st Lieut. Sanborn 

*Company L—Capt. Bezaled P. Wells.

*Company M—2d Lieut H. M. Hempstead.

Clipping: 

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033637/1864-05-03/ed-1/seq-1/

Roads, References, Civil War Era: Spring Place, Georgia, and Red Clay, Tennessee

Roads, References, Civil War Era

Spring Place, Georgia
Red Clay, Georgia (Red Clay, Tennessee)

Reference to the main Dalton Road running between Spring Place and Red Clay:

In Original Records, Congressional Serial Set, House, 51st Congress, 2nd Session, 1890-1891 (Chapter 44), page 499, that is, O.R., Series 1, Vol. 32, Part 3 (Chapter 44), page 499:

Ed M. McCook makes reference to a place between Spring Place and Red Clay, and mentions a road in that vicinity that he calls "the main Dalton Road." (Originally, I interpreted this as a road running directly between Red Clay and Spring Place, and that he is referring to it as the main Dalton road. But he actually said his scouts were scouting "between Spring Place and Red Clay, on main Dalton road" (which could mean that the road is in that area, but may not specifically connect those two places, Red Clay and Spring Place).

--O.R., Ser. 1, Vol. 32, Part 3 (Ch. 44), pg. 499

Here is the letter:

Hdqrs. First Cav. Div., Dept. of the Cumberland,
    Cleveland, April 26, 1864.
Brig. Gen. W. D. Whipple, Chief of Staff, &c.:
    General: Everything has been quiet in our front to-day. Smith and Chandler, two of my scouts, went yesterday, between Spring Place and Red Clay, on main Dalton road, within 4 1/2 or 5 miles of Dalton. The rebel cavalry pickets are on this side of the Connesauga River at Kenyon's. They have a very strong line of infantry pickets 4 miles from town. Elijah Tucker, a Union citizen, left Dalton the day before yesterday. He says that there are very few troops there, not more, he thinks, than 500. Most of their troops are between Buzzard Roost and Tunnel Hill, and their number is given by rumor at from 30,000 to 40,000. Harrison's and Dibrell's brigades, with six pieces of artillery, are at the water-tank, 1 1/2 miles below Dalton. The rest of Wheeler's cavalry is between Tunnel Hill and Kenyon's place.
    No citizens are permitted to pass the lines. There are no fortifications at Dalton, but it is reported that the enemy is fortified at Buzzard Roost.
    I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
                             EDWARD M. McCOOK,
                                 Colonel, Commanding.

--O.R., Ser. 1, Vol. 32, Part 3 (Ch. 44), pg. 499

Red Clay was on the Georgia-Tennessee state line, north of Dalton, Georgia, and south west of Cleveland, Tennessee. The map of the Chickamauga Campaign shows Red Clay (the railroad station) right on the Tennessee line, the major area of it just slightly to the south of the line.

Map of the Chickamauga Campaign, Showing Red Clay
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickamauga_campaign#/media/File:Chickamauga_Campaign_Aug-Sep.png

Current/Modern References:

Red Clay State Historic Park is in Tennessee: 1140 Red Clay Park Rd SW, Cleveland, TN 37311

The park relates to the history of the Cherokee Nation.

Relevance: References to Roads and Place Names, Civil War era