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Brig. Gen. Philip D. Roddey, much to his chagrin, received
the following communication.
Headquarters, Cavalry in Mississippi,
Twelve Miles West of Tuscumbia
October 21, 1863--5 o'clock.
Brigadier-General Roddey:
GENERAL: Maj. Gen. S.D. Lee directs me to say that he has
information that you are ordered to report to him, and he
presumes you have already received the order from General
Bragg.
He directs that you cross the river with your command
immediately, and communicate with him as soon as you have
crossed. The Yankees are in force at Cane Creek, advancing
toward Tuscumbia, and he is retarding their progress.
Very respectfully,
W.D. Pickett,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
On October 22, 1863, Brig. Gen. Roddey wrote to Gen. Bragg:
Rodgersville, Ala., October 22, 1863.
General Bragg:
GENERAL: Enclosed find orders sent me. I will of course obey
them immediately, and report to General Lee.
I regret exceedingly having to make the crossing, as my
arrangements are already made for a Tennessee raid. Reliable
information indicates the enemy 700 strong at Columbia, 300
at Franklin, one regiment at Shelbyville, three at
Murfreesborough, none at Pulaski, Fayetteville, or Athens.
There is a force variously estimated on the Memphis and
Charleston Railroad above Huntsville, but there is nothing to
prevent my making a successful expedition into Tennessee.
I, however, have full confidence in the detachments sent out
doing great damage to the road. If you will send me
torpedoes, I will put them under the track to a certainty.
Yours respectfully,
P.D. RODDEY
Brigadier-General, &c.
Brig. Gen. Roddey crossed over to the south side of the
Tennessee River on October 24, 1863, and visited with Maj.
Gen. S.D. Lee, near Caney Creek. Upon returning to
Tuscumbia, he wrote to Maj. Gen. Wheeler, that he was
amazed the enemy continued to rebuild the Memphis and
Charleston Railroad in sight of the Confederate troops
destroying the road. He expressed the belief that if the
enemy was serious in rebuilding the railroad, they would
drive off the Confederate force.
On October 26, 1863, Maj. Gen. Wheeler received orders from
General Bragg to bring Brigadier-General Roddey with him to
the right of the army (Army of Tennessee in Northwest
Georgia), leaving General Lee to watch the enemy in North
Alabama. On the 28th, Maj. Gen. Wheeler received a
communication (addressed to him, en route from Guntersville)
advising him to watch his left flank for Yankees moving
south from Bridgeport, Ala.
On October 29, 1863, General Johnston advises Maj. Gen. Lee
he approves his calling Roddey back across the river. You
would wonder how Brig. Gen. Roddey handled receiving orders
from two full Generals, Bragg and Johnston. It appears he
responded to the last order received from either.
On October 31, 1863, General Bragg writes Maj. Gen. S.D. Lee
that he has ordered Brig. Gen. Roddey to remain with General
Lee. A second communication to General Lee that day, directs
General Lee to move into Middle Tennessee, leaving behind a
force to guard North Alabama, carrying with him Roddey's
command, if conditions warrant, with the intention of
breaking up the Nashville and Decatur and the Nashville and
Chattanooga Railroads.
The returns of October 31, 1863, of troops in the Army of
Tennessee, General Bragg, commanding, list the following:
Roddey's Brigade, Brig. Gen. Philip D. Roddey.
4th Alabama, Col. William A. Johnson.
5th Alabama, Col. Josiah Patterson.
53rd Alabama, Col. M.W. Hannon.
Moreland's (Alabama) Battalion, Lt. Col. M.D. Moreland.
Georgia Battery, Captain C.B. Ferrell.
On November 8, 1863, Brig. Gen. Jno. D. Stevenson (Union)
reports from Corinth, Mississippi, Ferguson's Brigade is at
Russellville, (Ala.) with scouting parties at Bay Springs
and this side far as Danville. Roddey is on east side of
Bear Creek, extending to Leighton, at which place there is a
large rebel train of supplies. Moreland's battalion is
dispersed in companies between this post and Eastport. He
had not heard of Lee's location.
On November 8, 1863, Maj. Gen. Lee from Courtland, Alabama,
advises General Bragg that Maj. Gen. T. Sherman (Union) has
passed Florence and Gen. Sherman's rear was opposite this
place last night. Lee also reports that General Roddey's
scouts on the other side of the river had captured a train
and destroyed ten or twelve wagons and had brought the mules
back. He states, Roddey's horses are in dire need of shoes,
and he is shoeing his animals.
On November 13, 1863, Lt. Col. W.L. Lowery, commanding, 2nd
Mississippi Regiment of State Cavalry, writes that a scout
heard heavy cannonading on the 11th, that he believed to be
Gen. Roddey contesting the enemy crossing the river near
Shiloh at Savannah.
On November 14, 1863, Brig. Gen. Stevenson (Union) reports:
Ferguson in Bear Creek Valley and Roddey at Leighton.
On November 17, 1863, from Pulaski, Tennessee, Brig. Gen.
G.M. Dodge writes:
Lee has gone to North Mississippi via Okolona, leaving
Roddey at Decatur and Courtland. He took Forrest's and
Johnson's regiments, of Roddey's brigade, besides his on
force.
On November 23, 1863, Brig. Gen. Dodge (Union) again
reports:
The Tennessee is so low that Roddey fords the river; runs
over and back. He has one regiment on this side (north) at
Florence. As soon as I get my regiments mounted I will use
him up. As it is, I have to watch all points from Decatur to
Florence. It keeps my mounted men busy.
On November 27, 1863, Maj. Gen. L.H. Rousseau (Union),
reports:
I know Roddey to be near Lawrenceburg, (Tenn.).
On the 27th, Brig. Gen. G.M. Dodge (Union) from Pulaski
reports:
Roddey has crossed Tennessee near Florence, and
communications captured from Wheeler to him show that
Wheeler, with Hill, intend to unite and make a raid in our
rear. I have no mounted force of much account except that
watching Tennessee River. I do not know where Wheeler is? I
should judge he intended to cross the Tennessee near
Florence ****.
On November 28, 1863, Brig. Gen. Dodge's Adjutant-General
reports from Pulaski:
It is ascertained to a certainty that Roddey has two
regiments north of the Tennessee River between Florence and
Lawrenceburg. Wheeler is about Cleveland, east of
Chattanooga. **** Up to November 26, nothing except two
regiments of Roddey's had crossed the Tennessee River west
of Florence ****.
The Union's was tiring of chasing Roddey, on November 30,
1863, Brig. Gen. A.S. Williams (Union), from Tullahoma,
writes Col. Ross:
Can you get information about Roddey to General Crook?
Roddey ought to be caught.
Also, on November 30, 1863, Brig. Gen. W.S. Smith (Union)
forwards a report by Brig. Gen, A.S. Smith (Union),
commanding at Tullahoma, to Brig. Gen. Crook (Union). The
report reads:
Roddey, with 1,000 men, without artillery or train, is
reported at Salem last night, moving north. Being
unencumbered, it is possible he intends striking the
railroad at some unguarded point. There is no cavalry on
this line for observation. Col. Oliver, with a brigade of
mounted infantry, Fifteenth Corps, is somewhere west of
Stevenson. I believe report came originally from him, but
cannot learn his whereabouts.
On December 5, 1863, Brig. Gen. Jno. D. Stevenson (Union),
from Corinth reports:
**** Roddey has headquarters at Coutland; one regiment at
Courtland, one at Decatur, one at Leighton, two north of
Tennessee. ****
On December 11, 1863, Brig. Gen. Stevenson (Union) from
Corinth reports:
**** A part of Roddey's command crossed the Tennessee River
yesterday, above Eastport, with train, and have gone down
river to Savannah; the rest of his command remains near
Tuscumbia.
The returns, on December 10, 1863, of the troops in the Army
of Tennessee, Lieut. Gen. William J. Hardee, commanding,
listed, under cavalry in that army, the following:
Detached.
Roddey's Brigade, Brigadier-General Philip Dale Roddey.
4th Alabama (Roddey's old Regiment), Col. W.A. Johnson.
5th Alabama, Col Josiah Patterson.
53d Alabama, Col. M.W. Hannon.
Moreland's (Alabama) Battalion, Lt. Col. M.D. Moreland.
Ferrell's (Georgia Battery), Capt. C.B. Ferrell.
On December 15, 1863, Maj. Gen. S.A. Hurlbut (Union) advises
Brig. Gen. A.J. Smith at Columbus:
Roddey, with his command crossed the Tennessee River above
Eastport on the 10th and 11th December, intending to go down
river and recross to Forrest at Jackson. Notify Admiral
Porter. ****
On December 18, 1863, Brig. Gen. Jno. D. Stevenson (Union),
from Corinth, reports in part:
**** Part of Roddey's command yesterday were on the other
side of the Tennessee River driving cattle and hogs in
direction of Eastport; they were just below Savannah. The
beef and hogs were for Bragg's army. ****
During December, 1863, Brig. Gen. Roddey was posted in and
around Tuscumbia, Ala. General Nathan Bedford Forrest with
his command was in West Tennessee recruiting manpower,
animals, foraging, destroying the enemy's communications,
and gathering foodstuff. Brig. Gen. Roddey had advised him
he would come to his aid if needed. Maj. Gen. Lee advises
Gen. Forrest on December 28, 1863, that Brig. Gen. Roddey
had communicated to him he would leave on December 25, 1863,
to join Gen. Forrest.
On December 29, 1863, Brig. Gen. Dodge (Union), reported to
Maj. Gen. Grant:
My scouts captured dispatches today from Roddey to Forrest,
in which he says he has sixteen boats below Florence ready
to cross on. There is no doubt, from what I can learn, that
there is some move in contemplation by Forrest, Roddey, and
Lee.
On December 30, 1863. Brig. Gen. P.D. Roddey writes to Maj.
Gen. S.D. Lee, that he had been to Iuka and learned that
Gen. Forrest had returned from Jackson. Since the country
was barren of forage around Iuka, Mississippi, he had
returned to Tuscumbia, Alabama.
The organizational posting of Brig. Gen. Roddey's Brigade
was the same on December 31, 1863, as on December 10, 1863.
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