Wheeler and Roddey Raid, October 1863

The Wheeler and Roddey Raid began October 2, 1863, during the siege of Chattanooga. The Union had a long wagon train of supplies coming down Walden's Ridge in the Sequatchie Valley (Tennessee) when it was attacked by Confederates at Anderson's Crossroads. There is some evidence that the Confederates had not been watching and waiting for the supply line, but had come across it by accident while on another reconnaissance mission.

Confederate orders were to take no provisions (they couldn't carry them). However, the rebels were in almost the same starved condition as the besieged at Chattanooga. Also, cavalry is notoriously disorganized and rowdy. The men plundered the wagons, including the whiskey wagon, before burning the supply train. They killed thousands of mules and took a few of the best ones. They also took prisoners, mostly wagon masters.

As often happens, the Union officers underestimated their losses, while the Confederate officers may have overestimated their gains, so it's difficult to say exactly how many mules were killed and how many captured. The Federal cavalry (including the Second Michigan Cavalry) chased Wheeler from the Sequatchie Valley, down to Alabama, and back up through Tennessee toward the Knoxville area, finally catching him and recapturing the mules.

Various reports (via Google Books at Archive.org)

UNION REPORTS:

October 1863 Report by Robert Mitchell, Chief of Cavalry
including the Wheeler and Roddey Raid

Official Records, Volume 30, Part 2 (Reports), page 663
https://archive.org/stream/warrebellionaco45offigoog#page/n812/mode/2up/search/crook

The above page begins the Wheeler and Roddey Raid section, with a summary and the first of thirty reports on the raid, including:

No. 3.
Report of Brig. Gen. Robert B. Mitchell, U. S. Army, Chief of Cavalry.
Headquarters Chief of Cavalry, Department of the Cumberland,
Decherd, Tenn., October 20, 1863.
ROBERT B. MITCHELL REPORT, PAGE 669 https://archive.org/stream/warrebellionaco45offigoog#page/n818/mode/2up/search/crook

No. 4.
Report of Col. Edward M. McCook, Second Indiana Cavalry, commanding First Cavalry Division.
Hdqrs. First Cav. Div., Dept. of the Cumberland,
Winchester, Tenn., October 23, 1863.
E.M. McCOOK REPORT, PAGE 675 https://archive.org/stream/warrebellionaco45offigoog#page/n824/mode/2up

Note: McCook's report places the 2nd Michigan (part of the First Brigade) at Eyler's and Rankin's Ferries. The rest of the First Brigade was at Caperton's Ferry. The Second East Tennessee (part of the Second Brigade) was guarding fords and ferries around Jasper. He mentions placement of other units in these brigades as well.

No. 5.
Report of Col. Archibald P. Campbell, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, commanding First Brigade.
Hdqrs. First Brigade, First Cav. Div., Winchester, Tenn., November 1, 1863.
ARCHIBALD P. CAMPBELL REPORT, PAGE 677 

https://archive.org/stream/warrebellionaco45offigoog#page/n826/mode/2up

CONFEDERATE REPORTS:

No. 28
Report of Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler, C. S. Army, commanding Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee.
Headquarters Cavalry Corps, October 30, 1863.
JOS. WHEELER REPORT, PAGE 722https://archive.org/stream/warrebellionaco45offigoog#page/n872/mode/2up

Does Roddey's report for October even mention the raid? I found nothing useful in it.

No. 30.
Report of Brig. Gen. Philip D. Roddey, C. S. Army, commanding Cavalry Brigade.
Headquarters, Rogersville, Ala., October 21, 1868.
PHILIP RODDEY REPORT, PAGE 728https://archive.org/stream/warrebellionaco45offigoog#page/n878/mode/2up

OTHER SOURCES/SITES:

Tennessee Sourcebook (with references to O.R.)
http://www.artcirclelibrary.info/Reference/civilwar/1863-10.pdf
including page 13, Ed McCook's rebuttal to Confederate accusations, in which he states that Confederates plundered the train of whiskey and robbed Federals and civilians whom they had taken as prisoners.


I hope to add more sources and links.

Gen. Robert Mitchell, Chief of Cavalry, Asks to be Relieved, Oct. 1863

General Robert Mitchell, Chief of Cavalry in place of David S. Stanley (on sick leave), also becomes ill and asks to be Relieved of Command

Army of the Cumberland

General David S. Stanley, Chief of Cavalry, grew ill and asked to be relieved of duty in September 1863. He then went into hospital at Stevenson, Alabama. General Robert B. Mitchell then took command of cavalry in September 1863.

General Robert B. Mitchell is in ill health; wants to be relieved of command of Chief of Cavalry (October 18, 1863).

Mitchell to Rosecrans, Request to be Relieved of Command 
(Official Records, via Google Books)

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 30, Part 4, page 462:

[QUOTE]:
Headquarters Chief of Cavalry,
Decherd, October 18, 1863.

Maj. Gen. W. S. Rosecrans,
  Commanding Department of the Cumberland:

  General: I have received no dispatch from you since I arrived here, although I have sent you several. Have you not received them? I am doing all in my power to put the command again in good condtion, and am getting rations, clothing, horseshoes, &c., as fast as possible; but it is positively necessary that we get a great many new horses before the command can be of much service--the stock was so badly used up in the pursuit of Wheeler and Roddey. As soon as possible I wish to be relieved from duty in the cavalry command, as I cannot, if I have any regard for my health, continue longer in it. The severe service devolving on me since having been on duty in this arm of the service has rendered the state of my health much worse than formerly, and the chances of my ultimate recovery more remote, and I feel that in justice to myself I should not expose myself any longer as I have been obliged to do for the last four months. When I last saw General R. S. Granger he expressed a desire and seemed very anxious to be assigned to the cavalry command. I should like to see him assigned to that duty. I will not leave anything undone till I get the command in condition.
  I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Robt. B. Mitchell,
     Brigadier-General and Chief of Cavalry
[END QUOTE]
[page 462]

Official Records, Series 1, Volume 30, Part 4, page 462
Short URL: http://bit.ly/OR-s1-vol30-pt4-p462-Mitchell-to-Rosecrans 
PAGE 462 VIA GOOGLE BOOKS
_________________________________________

David Sloane Stanley

According to a historic source, as presented on the 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry website (under David Sloane Stanley: Commanding Officer 22nd Infantry, 1866-1884), Stanley was on sick leave from September to October 1863, and then returned to his command. He was appointed Major of the 5th Cavalry on December 1, 1863. Source (see doc. image of Cullum's Register, entry on David S. Stanley):

David Sloane Stanley (web page).
http://1-22infantry.org/commanders/stanleypers.htm

The doc. image shows the military history of David Sloane Stanley (in Cullum's Registers, 1868-1901). This looks like page or section 1544 from the historic source.

General Stanley was at Cleveland, Tennessee, not long before the troops were to march from Cleveland with the goal of advancing on Atlanta. Here are two sources that put him at Cleveland, Tennessee, around the beginning of April 1864:

The first one is from page 93 of Tennessee Civil War Sourcebook by the Tennessee Historical Commission (edited by James B. Jones, Jr.), for the month of April 1864 (published on Art Circle Library website, a service of Art Circle Public Library, Cumberland County, Tennessee):

"LOUDON, April 2, 1864.
Maj.-Gen. SCHOFIELD:
Gen. Stanley reports that a large force rebel cavalry was seen 8 miles east of
Cleveland this morning at sunrise moving in the direction of Charleston. The
commanding officer at that post is on the alert.
G. GRANGER, Maj.-Gen."

Tennessee Civil War Sourcebook, April 1864 (PDF, 128 pages, one chapter of "book")
http://www.artcirclelibrary.info/Reference/civilwar/1864-04.pdf

The second one is Lt. Louis A. Simmons, author of The History of the 84th Reg't. Ill. Vols., who says that General Stanley, in person, made a very detailed inspection of troops in April 1864 at Cleveland, Tennessee (161-162). I am a bit puzzled here. I know that the new cavalry chief, James H. Wilson, made a close inspection of cavalry troops at Nashville and other places; but maybe he sent down orders to have other cavalry commanders do the same and report back to him.

History of the 84th Reg't. Ill. Vols.
https://archive.org/stream/historyof84threg00simmo#page/160/mode/2up

Related Posts (this blog):
Robert B. Mitchell, David S. Stanley, Army of the Cumberland, Organization of Army

Muse's link to Tennessee Civil War Sourcebook (and biblio info)
http://musescivilwar.blogspot.com/2016/09/tennessee-civil-war-sourcebook-links.html

Crawfish Spring Quote (to hold at all hazards); and Union Hospital (Gordon Lee House)

J.A. Garfield (Rosecrans's Chief of Staff) relays orders to General Robert B. Mitchell (Chief of Cavalry) to "defend the hospitals at all hazards." The hospital is known to have been located at Gordon Lee House near Crawfish Spring.

Order:

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
                                         September 20, 1863.

Brig. Gen. R. B. MITCHELL,
    Commanding Cavalry:
GENERAL: With your entire cavalry force adhere close to General McCook's right, sending patrols with all the wagon trains to the rear. You will defend the hospitals at all hazards. Cover also the closing up of Post's brigade, now on its march to join the main army. The general is dissatisfied that you do not report oftener.
       Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. A. GARFIELD,
Brigadier-General, Chief of Staff.

Citation:
Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 30, Pt. 1 [Reports], Chp. 42 ["The Chickamauga Campaign"], 137 [Garfield to Mitchell].
_____________________________


Report of General Mitchell (Rept. no. 214), in which he says that he was ordered to hold Crawfish Spring (during the Battle of Chickamauga). October 3, 1863.

Report No. 214.

Report of Brig. Gen. Robert B. Mitchell, U. S. Army, Chief of Cavalry.

Headquarters, Chief of Cavalry,
Island Ferry, October 3, 1863.

[Quoted segment, relevant to Crawfish Spring]:
About 3 p. m. I received verbal orders from an orderly from General McCook to fall back, as our right had been turned. Not deeming an order of so important a nature as that, coming in such a manner, valid, I did not move, as I had been ordered in the morning to hold Crawfish Spring at all hazards, but sent staff officers to ascertain the position of affairs, and, if possible, communicate with either General McCook or Rosecrans. From them I learned that our right had been driven round and that everything on the right was moving toward Chattanooga up Chattanooga Valley."
[End of quoted segment]:

Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 30, Pt. 1 [Reports], Chp. [42], 893 [Report No. 214, Gen. Robt. B. Mitchell, 890-894]

Portal to Texas History: Link to Digitized Images of Source
OFFICIAL RECORDS, SERIES I, VOLUME XXX, PART I - REPORTS.
Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 30, Pt. 1 [Reports].
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152978/

_______________________________________

FULL-TEXT VERSION, TEXT FILE ONLY, AUTO-GENERATED, WITH ERRORS
Here is a link to a full-text version, via Cornell University. This version was automatically generated and is full of errors!
http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/m/moawar/text/waro0050.txt

Cornell's Citation:
TITLE: The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. / Series 1 - Volume 30 (Part I)
AUTHOR: United States. War Dept., John Sheldon Moody, Calvin Duvall Cowles, Frederick Caryton Ainsworth, Robert N. Scott, Henry Martyn Lazelle, George Breckenridge Davis, Leslie J. Perry, Joseph William Kirkley
PUBLISHER: Govt. Print. Off., Washington, 1890

Battle of Chickamauga dates: Sept. 19, 1863 and Sept. 20, 1863 (main battle).

More citation info, Official Records series

Related, this blog: Chickamauga