Alan J. Pitts
Re: Roddey's command
Fri May 18 10:20:26 2001


Even if your ancestor didn't accompany the regiment or the brigade on each expedition, location notes such as these are highly useful. I'm interested in swapping notes with you. What about their November 1863 activities? On the first day of that month, we're certain Roddey was near Cherokee Station while the Federal XV Army Corps crossed the Tennessee River at Eastport MS. Are you placing Brown's Ferry in Lawrence County or near Chattanooga?

When Hannon's men left Roddey's command in April 1864, the ratio of conscripts and recruits to veterans in his units became unfavorable and performance suffered as a result. Discipline in regiments like Moreland's Cavalry seems to have not met General Forrest's expectations. In 1864 Forrest reported that while riding through Lawrence County he had startled many of Moreland's men, who had been "lounging about" in when Forrest made his unexpected appearance. The stir he created left Forrest with the idea that Moreland's men feared him far more than the enemy. Later, when Forrest met with General Wilson to discuss a prisoner-of-war exchange, Forrest told Wilson's staff that he did not want Roddey's men released, as they were of little use to him.

Neither of these accounts are of any length, and I'd be happy to post these and their source references if anyone's interested. There's also a much longer story from "Confederate Veteran" Magazine about Roddey's part in the disaster that befell Hood's wagon train in Franklin County following the Nashville Campaign.

Numerous accounts like this and the "Mr. Roddy's shebang" story date from the late war period, after Hannon's departure. The general superiority (numbers, arms, equipment, experience, morale, leadership &c.) of Northern mounted forces at this time had a strong impact on Roddey's performance. A ordnance report for the 10th Alabama Cavalry from the summer of 1864 makes it clear that few had any sidearms or carbines, most carring only the standard Enfields issued to foot soldiers. For that matter well-fed and equipped Northern commands which included large numbers of new recruits behaved badly in the Petersburg Campaign. It's a basic rule of war that well-trained and equipped veterans, particularly when they outnumber their adversaries, usually defeat poorly-armed, ill-disciplined conscripts.

On the other hand, the mere presence of Roddey's men in the Tennessee Valley tied down inordinately large numbers of Federal troops that might have been employed elsewhere. You are certainly aware of the size of Dodge's command in the Corinth-Pulaski-Florence-Huntsville area during November 1863. I haven't studied it, but I'm aware of at least one division from Sherman's army that remained behind to guard the Tennessee Valley during the Atlanta Campaign. If nothing else, that alone makes their contribution to the Southern cause worthy.

To be continued....