Blundering through Georgia: The 4th Indiana Cavalry and McCook’s Raid

To Lieutenant William H.H. Isgrigg of the 4th Indiana Cavalry, the blunders of McCook's cavalry raid in July 1864 occurred after the cavalrymen had completed a round of destruction, then waited around for hours before moving on to their next mission. The excessive delays gave the Confederate forces time to gather their troops and eventually corner the Federal horsemen. By July 30th, they were well and truly trapped. 

    "We attempted to go around them but were only led into a trap where some of the hardest cavalry fighting of the war took place," he wrote. "Up to this time, I had not lost a man but here I lost eight men captured on the first charge. In a few minutes afterwards, they charged our pack train and I lost four more men. In this charge, they cut off our brigade entirely from our force. We made several charges to gain the command, but finding it useless, we had to give up that part of the work and look for some way to get out of the country and to keep from being captured. This we did by pressing a Negro as a guide to take us to the Chattahoochee River where we finally arrived without losing another man. We arrived at the river at 10 p.m. but found nothing but three small canoes to cross in. We first sent over our saddles in the small boats and then drove our horses into the stream so they could swim out on the other side."  

    Lieutenant Isgrigg with the survivors of his company made it into Federal lines; he had started the raid with 25 men. He ended it with 11. His description of McCook’s Raid first saw publication in the August 18,1864, edition of the Aurora Journal.

The Model 1860 light cavalry saber was the preferred weapon for short range combat. 

Vining’sStation, Georgia

August 2,1864

          I will write a few lines this morningfor the benefit of those who have friends in Co. B. Ere this you have heard ofMcCook’s cavalry raid through the rear of Atlanta. This raid started on the 27thultimo from near this place and crossed the [Chattahoochee] river at 3 p.m. onthe 28th, meeting but a few ford guards who fell back on ourapproach.

          Just at sundown of this day, we made acharge and succeeded in taking Palmetto Station on the Montgomery & WestPoint Railroad. We destroyed the railroad track for three miles, burnt a trainof cars, and destroyed several thousand dollars’ worth of government stores. Atthis place, our blunders began. After we had done all the damage we could, westopped for two hours instead of starting off as soon as we got through. Thecause of this delay will develop in due time.

          By 10 p.m. we were on the road to Fayetteville.It was raining as hard as I ever had the pleasure of seeing rain fall. At 11:30,we came upon a train of wagons belonging to General [Clement H.] Stevens’headquarters at White River. This we destroyed and killed some 500 mules. Wefound wagons camped all the way from here to Fayetteville, two or three in aplace, all of which we destroyed before arriving at Fayetteville at daylight onJuly 29. Here again we found government stores which were soon in a very warmcondition. Here again we stopped for four hours when all we had done wasaccomplished in half an hour.

          At 8:30 a.m., we are again drivingthrough the country, taking wagon after wagon until we have destroyed somethingnear 500 wagons, all heavily loaded with fine clothing belonging to differentheadquarters. We also killed 600 horses and miles, captured 288 prisonersincluding five colonels, four majors, seven captains, and eight lieutenants.Now we are at the Atlanta & Macon Railroad, turning it upside down, burningthe ties and heating the rails so that they are of no use. Six miles of theroad was destroyed by the time the work was stopped and our men called tohorse. 

        Here again as soon as our work was done, we remained for two hours andas soon as we started, our rear was attacked by 1,000 infantry that had beensent down to within a mile of us. This detained us some four hours longer,giving the Rebels plenty of time to concentrate a sufficient force on the WestPoint & Macon Railroad to hold us until their cavalry could come on ourflanks. In this skirmish, we had one man in Co. L killed and Major John Austin wasslightly wounded in his right arm. This was all the regiment lost but someother regiments lost very heavy.

Private Taylor Langford, Co. F, 4th Indiana Cavalry joined the regiment in March 1864. 

          By dark, we were again on the run fornow it was to see which force could go to the other railroad first. We arrived thereare 9:30 a.m. on the 30th but finding the Rebels there in too stronga force for us, we attempted to go around them but were only led into a trapwhere some of the hardest cavalry fighting of the war took place. Up to thistime, I had not lost a man but here I lost eight men captured on the firstcharge. In a few minutes afterwards, they charged our pack train and I lostfour more men.

          In this charge, they cut off ourbrigade entirely from our force. We made several charges to gain the command,but finding it useless, we had to give up that part of the work and look forsome way to get out of the country and to keep from being captured. This we didby pressing a Negro as a guide to take us to the Chattahoochee River where wefinally arrived without losing another man. We arrived at the river at 10 p.m.but found nothing but three small canoes to cross in. We first sent over oursaddles in the small boats and then drove our horses into the stream so theycould swim out on the other side.

By daylight on the 31st, we had crossed over 281men and horses, equipment, and arms without the loss of a man and only onehorse that was too tired to swim over. Up to this time, I had lost 12 men.After we got over the river, we heard of a small body of our men that had cutout with Colonel Brownlow; Major George Purdy called on me for two good men and horsesto ride to Brownlow and halt him, or at least to keep him from burning thebridges in his rear. These two men were captured, making my loss 14. What therewas left of us arrived at Marietta yesterday and here today. Our loss inofficers is very heavy.

While we were gone, our whole command was five days andnights without anything to eat but apples, green corn (not cooked),watermelons, and green peaches, and in this time we did not sleep any except tocat-nap in our saddles. With all this, I did not hear a word of complaint fromany of the men; they were all life and felt sure of success. The total loss inour regiment is 79 officers and men, leaving us with 155 all told, about 100fighting men. My company now numbers 11 and before the raid, I had 25. This issad news for some, but we must hope for the best and thank God that none werekilled.

I hope before your next issue to be able to report the returnof more of the boys. I will keep you posted if any should return. The last Isaw of Curt K. Emrie he had left his horse and started through the woods onfoot; after this, my orderly sergeant wanted him to take another horse but hewould not do it. He was not seen afterwards.

Source:

Letter fromFirst Lieutenant William Henry Harrison Isgrigg, Co. B, 4th IndianaVolunteer Cavalry, Aurora Journal (Indiana), August 18, 1864, pg. 1