Headquarters First Brigade, Fourth Division, C. C. M. D. M.,
Macon, Ga., April 21, 1865.
scouting, expeditionary, flanking, and Major: I have the honor to submit the
following report of operations of my command since leaving Chickasaw Landing,
Tennessee River, March 21st last. The distance marched, direct, has been four
hundred eight eight miles, while the foraging marches swell the number of miles
to an average of six hundred to each regiment. Though much of this has been over
a mountainous and partially sterile region, we have found sufficient corn, and
if it were not for the long, hard marches, often extending into the night, our
animals would now be in exceedingly good condition. Those worn out have been
abandoned or turned over to the Negroes, and their places supplied with captured
horses and mules. The general conduct of officers and men has been excellent. .
. We had slight skirmishing before entering Montevallo, March 30th, one man of
the Fourth Iowa Cavalry being slightly wounded March 31st, my brigade moved in
rear of the division, when a few miles south of Montevallo, it passed to the
front, and the Tenth Missouri Cavalry, being dismounted, the enemy, an Alabama
Brigade, was at once pushed out of position. Two men of the Tenth Missouri were
wounded. While this regiment mounted, the Third Cavalry, Colonel J.W. Noble
commanding, took the advance and one company charged the enemy on the road, at a
time when its column was in retreat. A portion of the enemy being separated from
their main force, Captain Johnson, with two companies, was sent to the right,
and, charging, captured quite a number. Several of the enemy were killed and
wounded. This officer acted with vigor and gallantry. The enemy were driven in
great confusion to Randolph, leaving many animals and a number of men along the
road and seventy-five prisoners in our hands. Colonel Noble led his
regiment, which behaved admirably, and his Adjutant lost his horse in the first
charge. Moved April 1st in rear of the division and, when at Mapleville Station,
heard firing in front; receiving soon afterwards orders to push forward rapidly,
two regiments, Third Iowa Cavalry leading, were hastened to the battle-ground of
Ebenezer Church, arriving just as the engagement was being decided. Captain
Arnim, Company 1, was thrown out on the left of the road and directed to charge
a line of the enemy formed on the bank of the creek four hundred yards from the
head of my column. This company, having to throw down a fence under a severe
fire, had one officer, Lt. J. J. Veatch, and several men, wounded, losing also
about fifteen horses. Captain Arnim and his company behaved in a gallant manner,
as did also Captain Alonzo Clark, Fourth Iowa Cavalry, A. A. Q. M., who
voluntarily aided in conducting this movement. The column moving forward, the
enemy quickly retired, and the Third Iowa Cavalry was sent in pursuit, following
the enemy to
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