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Numbers 224. Report of Colonel George E. Spencer, First Alabama Cavalry, commanding Third Brigade, of operations January 28-March 24.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE, CAVALRY COMMAND

MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,Faison's Depot, N. C. March 30, 1865.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to orders received from your headquarters, on the 28th, of January last, this command, consisting of the First Alabama Cavalry, Major Cramer commanding; Fifth Kentucky Cavalry, Major C. T. Cheek commanding; and the Fifth Ohio Cavalry, Major Rader commanding and Lieutenant Stetson commanding section of the Tenth Wisconsin Battery, broke camp on the Little Ogeechee River, Ga., ten miles from Savannah, and marched to Sister's Ferry, Ga., arriving there on the following evening. We remained at Sister's Ferry, waiting for the completion of the pontoon bridge over the Savannah River and the causeway on the opposite side until the afternoon of the 2nd [3rd] of February, when we again resumed our line of march.

Nothing of interest occurred until the morning of the 6th of February, when we left Allendale and marched on the left flank of the division to Barnwell Court-House. This day we skirmished considerably with Crews' brigade, of Wheeler's command, and drove them to our left.

We captured during the day five prisoners without loss ourselves. On the morning of the 8th we broke camp at Blackville four hours in advance of the balance of the division and marched to Williston, the First Alabama having the advance. After marching about five miles we struck a force of the enemy and our advance engaged them and had no difficulty in driving them in and through the town of Williston. Being ordered to go into camp there I commenced putting the command into camp, when the picket-post on the Aiken road was attacked. I immediately re-enforced the post with two squadrons of the First Alabama Cavalry, under Captain Latty, with orders to feel of the enemy and endeavor to ascertain what force was in the vicinity, and I ceased further preparations for going into camp for the present. The firing in the advance becoming quite heavy, I ordered Major Cramer to take the balance of Major Tramel's battalion of the First Alabama and go to the support of Captain Latty, with instructions to crowd the enemy (the other battalion of the First Alabama Cavalry then being with General Slocum on the road from Sister's Ferry.) I then ordered Major Cheek, with the Fifth Kentucky Cavalry, and Lieutenant Stetson with his section of battery, without the caissons to move out to the support of Major Cramer. I then directed Major Rader to leave one battalion of his regiment with the transportation of the brigade and caissons and in charge of the town, and to take the two other battalions of his regiment and move slowly out on the Aiken road in support of the force already sent. By this time Major Cramer had driven the enemy about one mile and a half into a strong line of battle, in a strong position in timber, with one flank resting on a large pond and a large open field in their front. I ordered Major Cramer to deploy his men in a skirmish line and the Fifth Kentucky in line of battle and to charge, which was one by both commands in the most gallant manner, the enemy stopping to fire but one volley. Then commenced one of the most thorough and complete routs I ever witnessed. The ground was completely strewn with guns, haversacks, &c. Five battle-flags were captured, including the brigade and four regimental flags, and a large number of horses and over thirty prisoners. After a charge of about seven miles from this point the enemy dispersed and went in every direction through the woods and swamps. I then ordered the chase to be discontinued and brought the command back to camp at Williston. The force we had the encounter with proved to be the Alabama brigade, of Allen's division, Wheeler's cavalry corps, commanded by Colonel Hagan, and consisting of the First, Third, Fifth, Ninth, Twelfth, and Fifty-first Regiments Alabama Cavalry.

The next morning we again resumed our line of march and proceeded to Windsor, the next station toward Augusta, were we remained till the next morning, when we again moved still farther on the Augusta road to Johnson's Station without incident, where we went into camp and remained till the next morning, when the Second Brigade, General Atkins commanding, moved in the direction of Aiken. Soon hearing heavy firing in the direction of the Second Brigade, I put my command in line of battle behind rail barricades and awaited further developments. After a time the Second Brigade returned, followed closely by the enemy. The enemy then made a few slight demonstrations along my line, but made no attack. We remained in this position the remainder of the day and till the second afternoon, when I moved north to Pine Log Bridge on the South Edisto River, which I found burned, and impossible to build without a delay of at least three days. The next morning I moved down the river to Guignard's Bridge, twelve miles, and crossed at that point, General Jeff. c. Davis kindly giving me permission to cross in advance of his corps, when I moved eight miles in a northwest direction and went into camp for the night. Nothing of interest occurred for several days, and not till after we had crossed the Saluda, Broad, and Wateree Rivers, when we reached the town of Lancaster, S. C., and went into camp two miles and a half north of the town on Camp Creek and found a heavy force of the enemy immediately in my front with their pickets on the opposite side of the creek from mine. I then received an order from your headquarters to ascertain, if possible, whether a communication could be forwarded through the enemy's pickets to General Wade Hampton. I then sent Captain Offutt, of my staff, and Major Fitzgibbon, of the Fourteenth Michigan, with a flag of truce, with the following written communication, viz:

HEADQUARTERS PICKE-LINE, U. S. FORCES,Near Lancaster, S. C., February 26, 1865

TO THE OFFICER IN CHARGE CONFEDERATE PICKET-LINE:

SIR: I am directed by the Major-general commanding to communicate with you and ascertain, if possible, whether a written communication can be forwarded through you to Lieutenant General Wade Hampton.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

GEO. E. SPENCER,

Colonel, Commanding

After a short time Major Fitzgibbon and Captain Offutt returned, bringing the following answer, viz:

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS,February 26, 1865.

Colonel GEORGE E. SPENCER,

Commanding U. S. Picket-line:

SIR: In answer to your communication of this date, I beg leave to say that any communication you may have for Lieutenant-General Hampton will be received by my officer in charge of my picket-post on the Charlotte road, in your front, either this evening or on to-morrow morning at 7 o'clock.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. WHEELER,

Major-General, Commanding.

I immediately forwarded General Wheeler's answer to you, and at 6. 30 the next morning Captain Brink came to my camp with a communication from Major-General Sherman to Wade Hampton. I furnished an escort and a white flag to Captain Brink and sent Major Fitzgibbon with him to the enemy's picket-post of the evening before. At precisely 7 o'clock they reached the appointed place, but did not find the enemy, when they proceeded up the Charlotte road about one mile with the flag, when the enemy's vedettes fired upon it, severely wounding Major Fitzgibbon in the left leg. Captain Brink still proceeded and delivered the communication and also informed the enemy of the wounding of Major Fitzgibbon. Captain Brink brought me back word that General Wheeler strongly condemned the action of his vidette in firing upon the flag, and would make any reparation in his power, and had severely punished the guilty parties. Upon consultation with your headquarters, I then demanded of General Wheeler that they should receive Major Fitzgibbon and send him by railroad in charge of a surgeon to our lines at City Point Va., which arrangement General Wheeler readily consented to, and he was forwarded on the morning of the 28th of February. On the same morning we again resumed our line of march in an easterly direction, my brigade marching fifteen miles upon the left flank of the division; raining very hard and the roads being almost impassable. The next day we again marched upon the left flank, but did not, on account of the horrible state of the roads, make more than eight miles. The following day we again marched upon the left of the division, and camped near the North Carolina line, three miles north of Blakeney's, in Chesterfield District, S. C.

On the morning of the 3rd of March we resumed our line of march on the left through a clay country with horrible roads and traveled a distance of ten miles, when we went into camp in Anson County, N. C., about three miles from the State line. We had hardly placed our pickets out when they were driven in by General Hampton's cavalry. The command was quickly thrown into position and we awaited an attack. A small force of the enemy attempted to charge the extreme right of our lihells from Lieutenant Stetson's section quickly scattered them. We remained in position, expecting an attack, till next morning, when we again resumed our line of march without further incident till after we had crossed the Great Pedee River at Sneedsborough and passed Rockingham, N. C., On the 9th of March we moved in advance of the division from the headquarters of Lumber River, in Moore County, N. C., to Solemn Grove, reaching there about 2 p. m., some five hours in advance of the other two brigades. We there ascertained that General Hardee had passed that point the day before with his corps of infantry, and was marching as speedily as possible to Fayetteville. We also learned from our scouts and foragers that the enemy's cavalry was several miles upon our left flank, also moving toward the same point. We remained in position at Solemn Grove till 5 p. m. waiting for the balance of the command to join us, when we received orders to move with the Major-general commanding toward Fayetteville to Monroe's Cross-Roads, a distance of twelve miles. Before leaving Solemn Grove we were joined by Lieutenant-Colonel Way, commanding the dismounted men, and having in charge about 150 prisoners and the headquarters wagons of the division and ordnance train. In obedience to orders we move to Monroe's Cross-Roads, it raining terribly during the entire march, and went into camp there at 9 p. m. In obedience to instructions we picketed carefully the country in the direction of Fayetteville, leaving Lieutenant-Colonel Way, whose command was immediately in the rear of my brigade, to picket the rear. Simultaneously on the morning of the 10th of March with our reveille the camp of the dismounted men and our camp was charged by three divisions of the enemy's cavalry, viz, Butler's Hume's and Allen's General Hampton personally leading the charge of Butler's division and General Wheeler leading the charge on the right with Hume's division. The camp of the dismounted men was instantly captured; also the headquarters of the division and brigade, and with the wagons and Artillery. In the cavalry camp the firing became very severe, and for a time the enemy gained and held nearly two-thirds of their camp, when, by desperate fighting behind trees, the men succeeded in driving the enemy entirely out of camp and partially away from the headquarters. About this time Lieutenant Stetson succeeded in creeping stealthily to his section of Artillery and unlimbered one of his guns and fired upon the enemy. This was a rallying signal for the entire command, and immediately a sufficient force was placed in support of the battery and a withering and deadly fire of grape and canister was opened upon the enemy. Three successive charges were made by the enemy to recapture our Artillery, but each charge was unsuccessful and cost them dearly.

About 7. 30 the enemy retreated in confusion, leaving their dead and wounded in our hands. One hundred and three of the enemy's dead were left on the field, also a large number of wounded and about thirty prisoners. Our men were too much exhausted and fatigued to follow the enemy, and nearly all were out of ammunition. For two hours and a half three small regiments, numbering in the aggregate less than 800 men, had successfully resisted the oft-repeated charges of three entire divisions, numbering not less than 5,000 men. We remained on the field of battle till 3 p. m. burying the dead and taking care of the wounded, when we moved about five miles in the direction of Fayetteville and joined the other two brigades and camped for the night. Our loss at the battle of Monroe's Cross-Roads was 18 killed, 70 wounded, and 105 missing.

Among the killed and wounded were some of the best officers of the command. Adjutant Mitchell, of the Fifth Kentucky, was killed. The First Alabama Cavalry lost eight officers, including both of its field officers, Major Cramer being both wounded and a prisoner.

It is impossible for me to speak in too high terms of the conduct of the officers and men of my command in this fight, and it would be invidious to mention any, although I cannot let the gallant conduct of Lieutenant Stetson go without mention, who, unaided and alone, crept through the ranks of the enemy and unlimbered and fired one of his guns. To this fact, more than to any other, I ascribe a terrible disaster turned into a brilliant victory.

Nothing of further interest occurred until the 16th of March, when we struck Hardee's command on the Raleigh road near Averasborough, between the Cape Fear and Black Rivers. I was ordered to place my brigade on the left of the infantry and to advance upon the enemy. I placed the Fifth Ohio, Major Rader commanding, in front and in line of battle, the Fifth Kentucky and First Alabama in support, when we advanced skirmishing quite heavily up to within 200 yards of their works, when we were relieved by General Jackson's division of infantry of the twentieth Army Corps and moved to the extreme right. We lost 3 men wounded and several horses, and captured 18 prisoners.

Nothing further of interest occurred till the battle of Bentonville on the 19th, 20th, and 21st, when we were engaged guarding part of the time the left flank, which was done without loss. On the 24th instant we reached this point and went into camp after a campaign of fifty-five days, during which time I marched over 700 miles, crossing seven large rivers on pontoon bridges and an innumerable number of smaller streams and swamps that under ordinary circumstances would be considered impassable. At times I found the road in such a condition that even a mile an hour could not be averaged by the command.

My especial thanks are due and are here tendered to Captain Andrew Offutt, of my staff, who took charge of the pioneer corps of the brigade. To him we are indebted for any number of hastily constructed bridges, and also that our wagons and Artillery were not often abandoned in the almost impassable swamps of the two Carolinas.

My thanks are also tendered to my entire staff for their bravery, perseverance, and patient in executing each and every order during this long, laborious, and tedious campaign. I also tender my thanks to each of the regimental commanders for their faithful observance of each and every order, and their energy and zeal upon every occasion, and through them to their brave commands.

We subsisted almost entirely upon the country for rations for the men and entirely for forage for animals. For fifty days my bridge drew only five days' partial rations from the commissariat. I herewith forward the reports of the regimental commanders, and also Lieutenant Stetson's report. This command captured during the campaign 207 prisoners.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. E. SPENCER,

Colonel First Alabama Cavalry, Commanding Third Brigade.

Major L. G. ESTES,

Asst. Adjt. General, Third Cav. Div., Mil. Div. of the Miss.