704

OPERATIONS IN NORTH ALABAMA.

uneasiness and caused considerable harass-ment by operating on the railroads, and fir-ing into guards and trains. It was a foretasteof what was to be experienced on a muchlarger scale and to a much wider extent,when the army entered North Alabama toadvance into East Tennessee in July.

On the 7th of May Mitchel was authorizedto employ the whole of the available forcein Middle Tennessee, amounting to about16,000 men, including what he had before.There was a considerable display of activity.A movement of two columns under GeneralJames S. Negley and Colonel William H.Lytle , about the 14tli of May, interruptedthe crossing of a body of Confederate cav-alry, 1750 strong, under Colonel Wirt Adamsfrom the south to the north side of the Ten-nessee at Lamb’s ferry below Decatur. TheFederals had one man killed in these opera-tions. Adams, with 850 men, moved north ofHuntsville to the Nashville and Chattanoogarailroad in the vicinity of Manchester. To-ward the last of May quite a large expedi-tion was organized, to which the dispatchesascribe different objects at different times.Sometimes it is to repel a heavy force that is supposed to be invading MiddleTennessee from Chattanooga. Sometimes it is to attack Chattanooga , whichit is at last reported as having attacked. It embraced, according to Mitchel’sreport, at least 6000 men, under the command of General Negley. A portionof it under Negley surprised Adams’s cavalry at Sweeden’s Cove near therailroad, compelling it to make a precipitate retreat, and capturing somecamp-equipage and supplies. Negley had two men killed and seven woundedin this affair. He then advanced to the river opposite Chattanooga . A sharpfire with field-artillery was opened upon the trenches and the town, and theenemy was reported as driven out. Negley had been authorized “ to take thetown in case he deemed it prudent,” but he had no means of crossing theriver, and for the want of supplies could not have remained forty-eight hoursif he had crossed, or even have held his position on the north side. His sup-plies were already virtually exhausted, and he was ordered back by Mitchel,June 9th, ostensibly on the ground that an imaginary force was threatening-Nashville in his rear. A better reason was that he was there without anyulterior purpose, and without adequate means for advancing or remaining.

General Mitchel deprecated this withdrawal because, as he says: “ If we fallback we open the door to pour in troops at the exact point they (the enemy)are already determined to use, and if we once commence to fall back it is

MAJOR-GENERAL OlUISBY M. MITCHEL.FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.