On the 2d of April Stanley advanced with his cavalry to Liberty, where Morgan met them with his entire command.The two forces encamped within two miles of each other.On the morning of the 3d, Stanley advanced, intending to engage Morgan's command at once, but found that he had retreated to what he regarded as a very strong position at Snow Hill.Morgan, however, had left a strong force at Liberty to watch Stanley's movements.As Stanley advanced, he struck this force and quickly drove upon it with part of his command, sending a portion around to the right, which turned the enemy's left flank.Pressing Morgan's command from both positions, it soon gave way at all points, and was in full retreat.Morgan's officers tried to rally their men, but the latter were thoroughly demoralized and had no fight in them.The teamsters became panic-stricken and added to the general rout.It was two weeks before Morgan succeeded in getting his men together again.
Early in April, Rosecrans ordered Colonel Streight to the command of a brigade he had organized for the purpose of making a raid on the lines of communication of the rebels, and to move through the country south and southeast, destroying as he went all property of use to them.Streight's command started from Nashville, partially mounted, going by way of Clarksville to Fort Henry, at which place he took steamer from Eastport, Miss.En route to Fort Henry his command secured as many animals as they could, but only four-fifths of the men were mounted, and they poorly.The animals were nearly all mules, and very few of them were fit for the service required.
It was expected that the command would capture enough good animals to carry the expedition successfully through, but this was not realized.Leaving Eastport on the 21st, he passed through Tuscumbia three days later, and reached Moulton on the 26th.From here on the 28th he pressed forward through Day's Gap on Sand Mountain, in the direction of Blountsville.In the gap their rear guard was overtaken and attacked on the 30th by the enemy's cavalry under Forrest, who had pressed forward, riding night and day.Selecting the best mounted of his men, he pushed at once to Streight's camp.
Here coming upon the rear of Streight's force as it was leaving camp, Forrest opened with artillery firing.Dismounting his men, Streight formed his command on the crest of a hill on each side of the road and awaited the enemy's attack.As Forrest advanced, Streight ordered a charge to be made which drove the enemy at all points, capturing their two pieces of artillery.Forrest lost in killed and wounded seventy-five men, a large percentage of whom were killed.Streight's loss was twenty-one killed and wounded.Agood many of horses were captured from the enemy, on which Streight mounted a number of his men.On the same afternoon the enemy attacked again, but was driven back with considerable loss, after a severe engagement lasting from three o'clock until dark.On May 1st, the Federal forces reached Blountsville at noon.Here all the wagons save one were burned, and the ammunition placed on pack mules, after distributing to the men all that they could carry.
At three o'clock Streight started again, and skirmishing commenced at once on their rear.Pressing on, the command marched until twelve o'clock that night.Resuming their march in the morning, the rear skirmished all the forenoon of the 2d with the rebels.
Arriving at Gadsden, Streight remained long enough to destroy a large quantity of provisions in store there for the enemy.It was expected at this place that a small steamer would be found, upon which a detachment of men could be sent to capture Rome.In this Streight was disappointed.From this point Streight's animals became much exhausted, and the men were falling to the rear and getting captured.To prevent this the command had to go much slower.Forrest coming up about one o'clock on the 2d, attacked the command while the horses were being fed at Blount's farm.Here Colonel Hathaway fell, shot through the breast.Again the rebels were repulsed, but they constantly pressed upon the rear of Streight's command, keeping up a brisk skirmish fire.The enemy were kept in check at Blount's farm until after dark.In the meantime the main command had crossed the Coosa.Here the river was so high that the ammunition was damaged by being wet.From this place Streight sent a detachment to burn the Round Mountain iron works, one of the principal manufactories of munitions of war in the South.It was burned to the ground and all the machinery destroyed.On arriving at the other branch of the Coosa a bridge was found, and, as soon as the command had crossed, it was destroyed.On the morning of the 3d, as the men were preparing their breakfast, the enemy again attacked.
Shortly afterward Forrest sent in a flag of truce, demanding the surrender of the entire command.This was at first refused, but on consultation with his officers, and considering the damaged condition of his ammunition and the complete exhaustion of his command, Streight, after making a personal inspection of Forrest's artillery, finally yielded, and the entire force of 1,466 officers and men was surrendered.
On April 20th, Thomas sent J.J.Reynolds with three brigades of infantry and Minty's brigades of cavalry, together with Wilder's brigade of mounted infantry, to proceed to McMinnville, capture what force was there, destroy the railroad from Manchester to McMinnville, and co-operate with a force to move from Carthage against Morgan.
Reynolds made a successful raid on the railroad and nearly destroyed it; burned all the bridges, trestle-work, cars, and locomotives on the road, also the depot in McMinnville, and several cotton mills.
A large amount of supplies was captured, some one hundred animals picked up.The command from Carthage failed to aid in the expedition, and Morgan's command in the main effected their escape.
