Doc. 128.-fight at Bradyville, Tenn.
Cincinnati Gazette account.
It was well known to our leading officers that a body of rebel cavalry were infesting the country around that town, foraging, plundering, and conscripting. As Bradyville is only a little more than a dozen miles from Murfreesboro, this insolence could not be patiently borne; and accordingly, Generals Stanley and Negley formed a plan for beating up their quarters.
General Stanley took command of the expedition, which consisted of about one thousand six hundred picked men from all the brigades of General Negley's division; a portion of the First Tennessee cavalry, under command of Major Murphy; and parts of each of the Third and Fourth Ohio cavalry, under command of Colonel J. W. Paramore, of the Third, who commands the cavalry brigade to which these two regiments belong. The detachment of the Third Ohio was immediately commanded by Capt. W. M. Flanagan, and that of the Fourth by Col. Eli Long. The whole cavalry force was perhaps seven hundred strong, although the detachments of the Third and Fourth Ohio, which mainly engaged the enemy in the ensuing fight, numbered no more than two hundred and fifty men.
The whole force marched toward Bradyville on the morning of the first inst., the cavalry in advance, the infantry within supporting distance. About two miles this side of the town the enemy was encountered. His force consisted of “Colonel” Duke's famous regiment, the Second Kentucky, now under command of “Lieutenant-Colonel” J. W. Bowles; and the Fourteenth Alabama, belonging to Wharton's brigade, and commanded by a “Major” Malone. They could not have been less than eight hundred strong.
Major Murphy, with the First Tennessee, immediately attacked and drove in the rebel pickets, pursuing them until he came near the village. Here he found their whole force strongly posted behind houses and upon a rising ground in front of the town. A skirmish ensued, and the rebels were driven in confusion through the town.
A quarter of a mile beyond the village, the rebels took up a new position, dismounted a part of their force, and sheltered themselves behind trees and a long ledge of rocks.
When Col. Paramore had examined the nature of the ground, he sent a squadron of the Fourth Ohio, under command of Major Matthews, around <*>o the extreme left of the rebel line, and a squadron of the Third to their right.
Stationing the First Tennessee in reserve, he advanced with the remainder of the Third and Fourth Ohio to attack the rebels in front.
For fifteen or twenty minutes they made a stubborn resistance, until our flanking detachments arrived in position, and opened an enfilading fire upon both flanks of the rebel line. They immediately gave way in confusion, when our boys charged gallantly, right in among them, with sabres and pistols, cut down a number as they ran, and drove them in utter rout a distance of more than three miles.
Five dead rebels were found upon the field; from twenty to thirty were wounded, and nearly a hundred prisoners were left in our hands. Amongst the latter were eight commissioned officers, including the Adjutant of the Second Kentucky, with all the books, papers, and reports of that regiment.
A hundred horses, with all their equipments, and a large quantity of quartermaster's and commissary stores, remained with the victors.
The brave boys engaged in the affair certainly exhibit no inordinate vanity in regarding it as one of the most brilliant little achievements of the war.
Every officer of the Third and Fourth Ohio present at the affair, is said to have behaved ably and well.
Third Ohio volunteer cavalry--Captains W. M. Flanagan, Minor, Luckey; Lieutenants Hains, Brewster, Likins, Brainard, Hall.
Fourth Ohio volunteer cavalry--Colonel Eli Long; Major Matthews; Captains Boss, Rogers, [433] Rifenberick, Adae; Lieutenants Wood and McGrew.
Our casualties were as follows:
Third Ohio--Wounded, Lieut. Hall, company K, slightly; D. J. Ashley, severely; Thomas Thorpe, mortally.
Fourth Ohio--Killed, George Saums. Wounded, Capt. Rifenberick, company I, severely; Corporal B. Winans, severely; Jacob Carolus, severely.
Some of the routed rebels, attempting to get round to the rear, were captured by our infantry.
The troops encamped upon the ground for the night, and returned next day to Murfreesboro.
