HDQRS, CHIEF OF CAVALRY, DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,
August 1, 1864.
General J. KILPATRICK, Cartersville, Ga.:
Protect with your division to Chattahoochee River, taking the Sand town road. Should you find any stragglers from First Division, bring them up with you. We hear the division inflicted considerable damage on the enemy, but was afterward overpowered by cavalry and infantry. Please answer.
W. L. ELLIOTT,
Brigadier-General and Chief of Cavalry.
MARIETTA, GA., August 1, 1864.
General W. D. WHIPPLE, Assistant Adjutant-General:
Colonel James P. Brownlow has just come in here with a very few straggling cavalry, entirely demoralized. Brownlow is barefooted. he reports that our cavalry destroyed the West Point and Macon Railroad to such an extent that it will require fifteen days to repair it; that they burn 500 wagons, including Hood’s and Hardee’s, and nearly all other headquarters train; that after doing this damage they went to Newnan, Ga., where General McCook’s division was attacked by Kelly’s and Humes’ division of cavalry and a division of infantry, and that McCook and his command were nearly all captured. Harrison killed. I start immediately for camp, and will bring Brownlow with me.
J. G. PARKHURST,
Colonel and Provost-Marshal-General.186
SHERMAN’S HEADQUARTERS,
August 1, 1864 (Received 10.50 a. m.)
General SCHOFIELD:
I guess we will trust to the railroad being enough broken, but I want some noise on that flank, as fear that the enemy’s cavalry may all turn on McCook. We hear from down the river that he broke twelve miles of the Macon road, and burned 300 wagon loads of clothing.
W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General.