Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 22:22:54 EST From: DHS1861@aol.com To: tom_mcknight@bigfoot.com Subject: 16th Confederate Cavalry Greetings Mr. McKnight: My name is David Slay and I live in Rome, Georgia. I have been researching the Rome Races for several years now. That is the battle that Armistead's brigade participated in during October 1864. I may have talked to you before by email. I have been so busy with my school this last year that I have not had much time to follow up on the emails I have received. During October 1864 as Hood was leaving the Atlanta area and attempting to raid Sherman's supply lines he had to spread his cavalry corps quite thin. That necessitated him gathering cavalry from other departments to screen his line of march from his Federal pursuers. One of the units scavenged from Alabama was Armistead's brigade. Armistead's brigade along with Thomas Harrison's brigade of Texas and Arkansas cavalry were thrown together to form a make shift cavalry division with Thomas Harrison being in command. Freeman's battery of Tennessee artillery was attached to the division to give it artillery support. On Oct 12th (I haven't got my notes next to me so I may be wrong by one day.) Harrison was assigned the task of making a demonstration against Rome in order to keep any Federals from hitting Hood's flank after he crossed the Coosa River 10 miles west of Rome, Georgia. At about the same time as Harrison's men arrived at Rome Federal General Kenner Garrard's cavalry division (which had arrived at Rome the night before) was leaving town on a patrol. They ran right into the Confederate battle line, which consisted of about 1500 men. After skirmishing for a short while the Federals drove the Confederates from their position about a mile west of Rome on the Coosaville Road (present day Shorter Avenue) (The site of this action is near the main entrance to Shorter College) The Confederates hastily retired to another position about one and half miles from where the fighting started and took up position behind a rail fence on a hill. (Near present day Blockbuster Video) The Federal forces were too disorganized to do anything for the remainder of the day so they went into camp for the evening. The next morning the Federal cavalrymen began skirmishing with the Confederates again. This time the Confederates chose to fight a delaying action. They forced the Federal troopers to fight on foot through dense woods until they found a suitable defensive position about 5 miles from downtown Rome at Beech Creek. The Confederates took up position on a ridge overlooking Beech creek. The Federal troopers were dismounted and formed up for a charge. One Federal brigade (mounted) was held in reserve. While the Confederates were focusing on the dismounted men arrayed before them this mounted brigade charged out of nowhere and routed the Confederates. The Confederates ran in every direction and lost both pieces of their artillery as well as approximately 100 men killed, wounded, and captured. The Federal cavalry pursued the Confederates to the Narrows, a gap in the hills about 11 miles west of Rome. The Confederate cavalry division ceased to exist as an organized military unit for a number of days. Order of battle Confederate: Armistead's Brigade 8th Alabama Cavalry 16th Confederate Cavalry Lewis's Battalion Harrison's Brigade 3rd Arkansas Cavalry 8th Texas Cavalry (Terry's Texas Rangers) 11th Texas Cavarly Artillery Freeman's Tennessee Battey Federal Order of Battle Wilder's Brigade 17th Indiana Mounted Infantry 72nd Indiana Mounted Infantry 98th Illinois Mounted Infantry 123rd Illinois Mounted Infantry Long's Brigade 1st Ohio Cavalry 2nd Ohio Cavalry 3rd Ohio Cavalry Minty's Brigade 4th United States Cavalry 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry No artillery If you ever make it to Rome I would be happy to give you a tour. I recently gave a tour of the battle for the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry Descendants Association. Regards, David Slay