Stoneman's Raid in Wilkinson
County, Ga.
August 9, 1864
Southern Recorder
The Raid on the Central Railroad.
From a reliable source we gather
some facts concerning the late raid on the Central railroad. The raiding
party consisting of thirteen regiments of Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois
cavalry, and numbered between six and seven thousand men. They were divided
into two brigades, the whole under command of Major General Stoneman,
a
Yankee who figured somewhat conspicuously in Virginia for his repeated
failures on expeditions of a similar nature to the one he now commands.
The raiders left Sherman's army on the 26th of last month and marched rapidly
through the counties of Newton, Jasper, and Jones. In their march they
destroyed no property, although they robbed the people of their horses
and jewelry, and supplied themselves with everything necessary for the
expedition.
On arriving about ten miles from
Gordon, they halted and detached one hundred men, belonging to an Illinois
regiment, and placing them under the command of one Major Davidson,
ordered them to destroy all the stations and water tanks from Gordon to
the Oconee river, and on their arrival there to burn the bridge. On arriving
in sight of Gordon, they discovered a train full of militia was on the
way to Milledgeville, followed by a passenger train, and deeming it imprudent
to attempt their capture, the raiders concealed themselves on the left
of the railroad and allowed both trains to pass unmolested. As soon as
they were out of sight they dashed into the town and proceeded in their
work of destruction. The warehouse at Gordon was filled with bacon, meal
and flour, as also a large amount of furniture, belonging to refugees from
Charleston, Savannah, and other points. It was, however, promptly set on
fire, by order of Major Davidson, and the whole consumed.
There was at Gordon from one hundred
and fifty to two hundred cars and engines. These were set on fire by the
vandals, as well as the car shed and several buildings belonging to and
contiguous with the railroad. One train of cars contained a large and valuable
lot of machinery. the property of the Western and Atlantic railroad; and
another train was laden with a considerable amount of furniture and other
household goods belonging to refugees. The raiders then left, supposing
their work to be complete and a squad proceeded in the direction of Griswoldville,
tearing up the track occasionally as they went, while the main body went
on to the Oconee river.- They took along with them, as a guide, Mr.
Walker, the postmaster at Gordon, after robbing him of eleven thousand
dollars in Confederate money and his gold watch. His going with them was
a compulsory act, the Yankees having threatened him with death if he refused
to accompany them and guide the body to Griswoldville. He was afterwards
released and returned to Gordon.
As soon as the raiders had left the
town the citizens turned out en masse - both women and men - and set energetically
to work to put out the fire. They succeeded admirably. Of the large number
of cars at that point only forty were destroyed, while but three engines
have been seriously injured; four have been slightly damaged and the remainder
untouched. The car shed was saved as well as the buildings set on fire,
and the valuable machinery belonging to the Western and Atlantic Railroad
was saved to the State. Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon the citizens
of Gordon, for the prompt and patriotic manner in which they exerted themselves
to put out the fire, and the success which resulted from their united efforts
deserves and secures commendation. We regret they were not armed, as our
informant says that if they had been, the Yankees raider could never have
succeed in doing even the small damage they did.
On leaving Gordon the squad that
marched in the direction of Griswoldville, on arriving in front of that
place discovered our skirmisher and promptly attacked them, but finding
we had a strong force posted at that point they withdrew and marched round
the road, striking it about one and a half miles the other side. When the
firing commenced a train of twenty seven cars was very imprudent backed
out of Griswoldville and was standing on the track when the squad of men
struck the road. This trains was of course captured. The engine was unhitched
and the cars set on fire. The men then pushed off in the direction of Griswoldville,
and the track being what is termed a "down grade" it entered the town and
was entirely consumed, but, fortunately, the fire did not ignite the other
cars at the station. We forgot to mention that the Yankees permitted the
negroes and railroad employees on the cars to remove all their private
property before they set them on fire.
As soon as the cars were disposed
of, the raiders took out nearly all the water from the boiler of the engine
and filling the furnace with pie wood, soon get up a small supply of steam.
They then compelled a boy to get upon the engine and open the throttle-valve
and set it going. The boy did so, jumping off immediately after, and the
engine started at full speed for Griswoldville. It entered there under
a full headway of steam and struck the rear car of a passenger train, splitting
it in two and throwing the two portions on both sides of the track. Continuing
the engine threw off two more cars from the train. These two last were
filled with women and children, but none were injured. By this time all
the steam was exhausted, and the engine ceased moving. The only damage
it is reported to have received, is the burning out of the flues. Their
work having been completed, the squad started to rejoin their companions.
In the meantime the other portion
under Major Davidson proceeded to McIntyre-Station No. 16, where they tore
up a small portion of the track and marched on to Emmet Station No. 15
- where they repeated their work. While at E., twelve of their number were
sent to burn the bridge across the Oconee river. This small squad did their
work effectually and inflicted the most serious damage done to the road.
Why this bridge was left unguarded we cannot conceive. We learn that as
late as last Wednesday there was a force of one hundred and fifty men stationed
there, and on that evening they were removed and the bridge left unprotected.
The inconvenience its destruction will cause can only be a temporary one,
as another bridge we learn already prepared, will be promptly substituted
in is stead, but for a squad of twelve men to destroy so important a structure
is extremely humiliating. We trust that for the future a greater amount
of caution will be exhibited.
After destroying the bridge and tearing
up a small portion of the track, the Yankees started back for the main
body of the raiders, under Stoneman, who had marched in the direction of
Macon. An account of their proceedings around the city will be found in
another article. [Macon Telegraph,
August 9, 1864
Southern Recorder
~excerpt~
From G. I started for Milledgeville,
thre' byways and plantations, where I arrived at 1 o'clock, P.M. On my
way I met Mr. Choate, who piloted the Yanks to Gordon. He is a gentleman
of wealth and intelligence. Here is his story: At 7 o'clock PM. the enemy
arrived at his house at the junction of the Gordon wagon road with the
Macon. They numbered 225, and having force him and a Mr. Wood to
mount their horses to act as pilots, started for Gordon, having deprived
Choate of all his horses and mules. Wood made his escape, followed by 9
pistol balls, but Choate they closely guarded. The moved rapidly but cautiously;
not a word spoken nor an accouterment rattled. They arrived at an old field
close to Gordon as General Wayne's train of soldiers passed in. There they
remained still as death, until General Wayne passed on to Milledgeville,
and the passenger train to Macon, when they dashed in, setting fire to
fire to the depot, shed and trains....
Mr. Choate was taken towards the
Oconee but was released at No. 16.
July 30 1864, Wilkinson
County
"I also give you the following report of Major Davidson, of the Fourteenth
Illinois Cavalry, who was detached near Clinton, on the 30 ultimo (now
missing). Striking the Georgia Central Railroad at Gordon, the junction
of the Eatonton and Georgia Central Railroads, he burned a large brick
depot filled with army supplies, destroying 11 locomotives, and burned
11 trains of cars consisting of 40 passenger-cars, 80 box-cars filled with
commissary and quartermaster stores, and 20 open cars loaded with machinery,
also burned a large building with tools and machinery belonging to the
railroad company, and 1 cotton factory; destroyed the telegraph office,
with several instruments,
capturing the operator, and tore up half
a mile of railroad track; following the Georgia Central Railroad east of
Gordon to Emmett Station, sixteen miles, burning all the cattle
guards on the road. At Emmett burned a large depot filled with supplies,
and tore up a quarter of a mile of track, moved eight miles farther to
Toomsborough,
burning along the road the cattle guards, half a mile of trestle work,
and 4 creek bridges. At Toomsborough burned a large brick depot filled
with supplies, a flouring mill and saw-mill, also burned a railroad bridge
across the creek, at the edge of town, some 300 feet in length. Bearing
off the left, to avoid a swamp along the railroad, he struck the railroad
again four miles farther down. Here he burned several thousand cords of
wood, destroyed cattle guards, and burned one mile and half of trestle-work.
He also burned the railroad bridge across the Oconee River,
said
to be 700 yards in length. After accomplishing his work he commenced a
retreat, leaving the railroad to his left. Passing to the right of Milledgeville,
he joined my command on the 1st instant.
Too much praise
cannot be given to the officers of my brigade for their good conduct. The
disaster which finally occurred was not attributable to any inefficiency
on their part, but was altogether unavoidable.
I would here mention the
valuable assistance which Captain Lord, of the Fourteenth Illinois, and
assistant commissary of musters on General Stoneman's staff, rendered me,
not only in the engagement of the 31st ultimo, where he exhibited great
gallantry and bravery in leading a portion of my command several times
in the charges made on the enemy, but also on my retreat in obtaining information
in regard to the best route to be taken, and in constantly leading the
advance of my command
I am, very respectfully, your
obedient servant,
Horace Capron
Colonel Fourteenth Illinois Vol. Cavalry,
Comdg. Brig.
Major-General Schofield
Comdg. Department of the Ohio, near Atlanta,
Ga.
page 929, 930
Official Records of the War of The Rebellion
page 925
14th Illinois Cavalry - Stoneman's Raid-
Casualties
Killed - 2 men
Wounded - 2 officers, 8 men
Missing - 19 officers, 315 men
copyright Eileen B. McAdams 2004
