1864/01/21 Report of Capt. J.F.George

The expedition, consisting of details from the Third Maryland, Fifth Connecticut, and Second Massachusetts (in all about 100 men and 1 commissioned officer, Lieutenant Clary, Third Maryland), under myself, proceeded about 8 p.m. up the railroad some 6 miles, till we neared the water-tank on the Tracy City Railroad, where we found a train awaiting us. The men were immediately put upon the car, and we proceeded toward Tracy City till within about 4 miles of the town, when we slackened the speed of the train. When within three-fourths of a mile from the trestle bridge which crosses Gizzard Creek, about a mile from the town, and which is somewhat over 150 feet long, the men were disembarked and skirmishers thrown out about 60 paces in advance of the main body, and the command was cautiously advanced toward the bridge. Having learned from the inhabitants of a cottage near by that no firing had been heard and no enemy seen in that vicinity, and that our pickets were posted on the farther side of the bridge, I left a corporal and 10 men in an unoccupied stockade, near the southern end of the bridge, and proceeded across, but found no pickets on the other side. Thus we were in fear that the enemy had captured them, as well as the troops in the town. I then proceeded cautiously, keeping the skirmishers well advanced, till we reached a small trestle bridge about 300 yards from Tracy City depot, when I halted and sent 10 men across to ascertain who were in possession of the town, and by whom was the stockade then occupied. These men soon returned, reporting that the town and stockade were in our possession; and I thereupon advanced into the town and occupied the stockade, in which latter I found about 40 men and a lieutenant of the Twentieth Connecticut Infantry, it then being about 1 a.m. I found, on investigation, that about 3 p.m. a body of guerrillas, about 100 in number, had made a dash into the town, coming in from two opposite directions so suddenly as completely to surprise the pickets and outposts. The captain (Upson) of the Twentieth Connecticut commanding, who was within the depot at the time, having with him about 15 unarmed men, immediately started for the stockade (about 200 yards distance), but being cut off before reaching it was shot, after throwing down his revolver in token of surrender, and taken prisoner, together with about 15 of his men. Close to the stockade was a log building occupied as a store by a certain Benham. The rebels made a dash for this, and shot 1 of the men of the Twentieth Connecticut who was standing in the door-way, seriously wounding him. The store-keeper, who was within, immediately closed the door and fired with his revolver upon them from the window, wounding 2 of the band.

Upon this they returned toward the railroad, thus giving our men an opportunity to enter the stockade, which they then immediately occupied under the command of Lieutenant [Jepson], of the Twentieth Connecticut. The enemy then, after deploying along the edge of the woods surrounding the town, sent in under flags of truce foul' separate summons to surrender, which being refused, they proceeded to set fire to the depot, engine-house, and some buildings connected with the coal works. They paroled and set at liberty 10 of their prisoners. Of the remaining, nothing has been heard. A man named Kennedy, who owns a house in the place, and who was arrested several nights before on suspicion of being a spy, but who effected his escape, is supposed to have guided this rebel party into the town. I remained with my command in the town till 8 a.m. of the 21st, when, seeing no signs of the enemy in the vicinity, and is accordance with your orders, I embarked my command on board the cars and returned to Cowan, where I arrived at 12 m.