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No. 55.
Reports of Colonel William J. Palmer, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY,
Trotter's Bridge, December 11, 1863.
GENERAL: I have the honor to report that on yesterday morning a little after daybreak I reached Gatlinburg, 15 miles from
Sevierville, on the Smoky Mountain road, with 150 men, having approached from a point on the same road 3 miles in the rear
of Gatlinburg, which point I reached by a circuitous and almost impassable trail from Wear's Cove.
AT the same time Lieutenant Colonel C. B. Lamborn, with about 50 men, reached Gatlinburg from the north by the Sevierville
road, which he intersected at Trotter's Bridge, 7 miles north of Gatlinburg, by a road leading from Wear's Cove, where our
forces divided.
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Captain H. McAllester, with the remainder of our force, consisting chiefly of men whose horses were unshod or unfit to
travel over the rough mountain trails, had been sent the previous afternoon to Sevierville from Chandler's, 18 miles from
Knoxville, where I turned off to go to Wear's Cove. His instructions were to pickets the roads out of Sevierville, preventing
any one from leaving the place, in order that information of our movements might not reach the enemy.
Lieutenant-Colonel Lamborn and myself reached Gatlinburg from opposite directions at about the same moment, both finding
pickets posted, who immediately fired, thereby alarming the enemy's camp, which we found situated on a steep wooded ridge,
commanding both roads and intercepting communication between us.
It being impossible to make a dash upon them, we were obliged to dismount our men and deploy them skirmishers. We drove
them from their position, which was a strong one, in about an hour, but, unfortunately, the steep wooded ridge on which they
had their camp jutted on to the mountain on the east, and it was impracticable to prevent the rebels on retreating from taking
up this mountain where we could not reach them, and where they continued firing from behind the thick cover for several hours.
They finally retreated, scattering over the ridges to the Great Smoky Mountain[s].
From all the information I could get, I estimate their force at about 200, of which 150 were Indians and the remainder white men, the whole under the command of Colonel Thomas, an old Indian agent.
We captured their camp with 1 prisoner, 16 horses, 18 muskets, 2 boxes of ammunition, several bushels of salt, meal, dried
fruit, &c., and a large quantity of blankets, old clothing, &c. A number of squaws had reached them the previous evening,
and they had evidently intended remaining at Gatlinburg for the winter, as their declarations to the citizens in the vicinity
proved.
We destroyed the log huts and frame buildings composing their camp, and have returned most of the horses to their loyal
owners. Colonel Thomas was evidently taken by surprise, as he had not time to get his hat from his quarters at the foot of
the ridge, which one of our men captured.
I regret to report that two of my officers and a sergeant were wounded in the skirmish, Captain Clark seriously in the
knee. Captain Betts received a painful flesh wound in the arm. The sergeant's wound was trivial. The loss of the enemy is
not known. If any were killed they carried them off when they retreated.
Colonel Thomas has most probably taken his men back to Quallatown, in North Carolina, but I have sent a scouting party
out this morning to ascertain.
I very much regret that we were not more successful. We rode all night over a foot path that many of the citizens considered
impracticable; and while I cannot see that we could have done better under the circumstances than we did, yet I can now see
from my knowledge of the ground (which was entirely unknown to us before) how I might have captured most of the party by making
certain dispositions before reaching Gatlinburg.
I start this morning for Evan's Ford, on French Broad, 9 miles from Sevierville, and between that place and Dandridge,
where I learn 100 rebel cavalry crossed last night.
I am, general, yours, respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER,
Colonel.
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HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY,
Dandridge, December 13, 1863-6 p.m.
GENERAL: I have just received the order to move with my command to Morristown to protect a telegraph party sent out from
Strawberry Plains.
My pickets were attacked at 10 o'clock this morning by a small scouting party of the enemy sent out (as prisoners assert)
from Bull's Gap. I happened to be near the picket post at the time and immediately pursued them with the reserve, on the Bull's
Gap road, and succeeded in capturing 6 of them belonging to the---Arkansas cavalry, after a chase of 6 miles. We got their
horses, arms, and saddles. I send the 6 prisoners to you herewith, together with 1 other belonging to Wheeler's cavalry, whom
we captured in a recent skirmish with a battalion of Indians, under Colonel Thomas, at Gatlinburg. Also a rebel soldier named
Hightower, belonging to Buckner's command, reported to me since writing the last sentence.
I have sent three companies under Lieutenant Mather at once to Mossy Creek, which they will reach before midnight, and
will start with the balance of my command at about daybreak on the direct road to Morristown. I hope, however, it will not
be necessary to remain very long at Morristown as I am better able to watch operations of the enemy by being farther to the
east. I have sent scouting parties out to Newport and the mouth of Chucky, who will report by morning.
I am, general, very respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER,
Colonel.
Brigadier-General SPEARS,
Commanding U. S. Forces at Strawberry Plains.
HEADQUARTERS ANDERSON CAVALRY,
Dandridge, December 13, 1863-8 p.m. (Received 15th.)
GENERAL: From interrogation of the prisoners I send you, who left their camp at about 4 p.m. yesterday, 12th instant, at
5 miles this side of Bull's Gap, I feel satisfied that Armstrong's division of rebel cavalry is encamped at that point (5
miles this side of Bull's Gap), and that the other division, formerly Martin's, now Morgan's, of Alabama, was encamped not
far from Armstrong's, toward Rogersville.
The prisoners belong to a party who were sent out on a scout. They say their instructions were to find out whether or not
there were any Federals in this direction, and that they think the expectation of their cavalry was to come down this way
and attempt to join Bragg either this side or the other of Great Smoky Mountain.
Martin now commands all their cavalry, which they say consists only of Armstrong's and Morgan's divisions, and of Jones'
command from Virginia.
The point referred to is 23 miles from here.
I am, general, yours, respectfully,
WM. J. PALMER,
Colonel, Commanding.
Brigadier-General SPEARS,
Commanding U. S. Forces, Strawberry Plains.
