| Headquarters Third Division |
| Huntsville, Ala. April 11, 1862 |
| |
| Capt. J. B. Fry |
| Assistant Adjutant-General |
| |
| Sir, |
| After a forced march of incredible
difficulty, leaving Fayetteville yesterday at 12 m., my advanced
guard, consisting of Turchin's brigade, Kennett's cavalry, and
Simonson's battery, entered Huntsville this morning at 7 o'clock. |
| The city was taken completely by
surprise, no one having considered the march practicable in the
time. We have captured about 200 prisoners, 15 locomotives, a
large amount of passenger, box, and platform cars, the telegraphic
apparatus and offices, and two Southern mails. We have at length
succeeded in cutting the great artery of railway
intercommunication between the Southern States. |
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant |
| O. M. Mitchel |
| Brigadier-General, Commanding |
| OR, Series 1, Vol. 10, Part 1, Page 641 |
|
| Headquarters Third Division |
| Huntsville, April 11, 1862 |
| |
| General Buell |
| |
| The work so happily commenced on
yesterday has been completed today upon a train of cars captured
from the enemy at Huntsville. A heavy force of the Ninth Brigade,
under command of Sill, was ordered to drive the enemy from
Stevenson in the east, while an equal force from the Eighth
Brigade, upon captured cars, was directed so seize Decatur upon
the west. Both expeditions proved eminently successful. I
accompanied the most difficult one to Stevenson in person, from
which place 2,000 of the enemy fled as usual at our approach
without firing a gun, leaving behind five locomotives and a large
amount of rolling stock. |
| To prevent the enemy from penetrating
toward Nashville, I ordered the destruction of a small bridge
between Stevenson and Bridgeport, which we can replace, if
necessary, in a single day. The expedition from the Eighth
Brigade, under the immediate command of Colonel Turchin, proved
eminently successful. To arrest his advance the enemy fired a
bridge on the farther side of the Tennessee River, but our troops
reached it in time to extinguish the flames. A small force of the
enemy fled from the town, leaving their tents standing and their
camp equipage behind them. |
| Thus in a single day we have taken and
now hold a hundred miles of the great railway line of the rebel
Confederacy. We have nothing more to do in this region, having
fully accomplished all that was ordered. We have saved the great
bridge across the Tennessee, and are ready to strike the enemy, if
so directed, upon his right flank and rear at Corinth. |
| Respectfully, |
| O. M. Mitchel |
| Brigadier-General |
| OR, Series 1, Vol. 10, Part 1, Page 641 |
|
| Military Supt's Office |
| M. & C. R. R. |
| Huntsville Ala. April 18, 1862 |
| |
| General, {not
identified in the document, but almost certainly General Mitchel} |
| The following
list exhibits the number of engines now on hand and their capacity |
| Name |
|
No. loaded cars |
| Donegan |
Decatur |
18 |
| Wallace |
here |
18 |
| Cruse |
Decatur |
10 |
| Conner |
|
18 |
| Tuscumbia |
|
16 |
| Mills |
|
12 |
| Sherode |
here |
15 |
| Schnigs |
here |
16 |
| Garth |
here |
5 |
|
| Of these the
Wallace, Sherrode, Schigs & Garth are now here. |
| The following
will be ready in 8 or 10 days |
|
Name |
|
Capacity |
| Huntsville |
|
16 cars loaded |
| North Alabama |
|
14
"
" |
| Ayers |
|
8
"
" |
| Hunt |
|
18
"
" |
| Tate |
|
10
"
" |
| Dixon |
|
18
"
" |
| L. Prior |
|
12
"
" |
|
| All of which is
respectfully submitted |
| Capt John B. Yates |
| Mil. Supt. |
| NA, Record Group 94, Entry
159, General's Papers & Books, O. M. Mitchel files |
|
| Huntsville Ala |
| June 17, 62 |
| |
| Brig Gen O. M. Mitchel |
| Comdg 3 Div. |
| Camp Taylor |
| |
| General, |
| The following is the report of the sure
capacity of the Engines. |
| Engine |
Cruse |
6 |
cars |
loaded |
| " |
Tate |
6 |
" |
" |
| " |
Antelope |
5 |
" |
" |
| " |
Dickson |
7 |
" |
" |
| " |
Tuscumbia |
5 |
" |
" |
| " |
Scruggs |
6 |
" |
" |
| " |
Mitchel |
7 |
" |
" |
| " |
Mills |
6 |
" |
" |
| " |
Ayers |
3 |
" |
" Express Eng |
| " |
Tishamingo |
3 |
" |
" |
|
| There will be two Engines ready in two
weeks able to draw 15 cars. These Engines were badly run down
before they came into our possession and have been so busy we
could not repair them. |
| Do you wish all the cars collected at
this place from Athens & Bellefonte? |
| Very Respectfully |
| Your obt svt |
| John B Yates |
| Capt & Mil Supt |
| NA, Record Group 94, Entry
159, General's Papers & Books, O. M. Mitchel files |
|