Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Wood's Division
On the 9th, Wood's division is proceeding to Woodville, AL as previously ordered:
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DECATUR, July 9, 1862
Col. J. B. FRY:
Despatches per special messenger received this morning. Ordered headquarters and two battalions cavalry to march as soon as practicable to Woodville. No other practicable route than by Huntsville. Left orders to report their departure immediately to you. Have a regiment of infantry on the other side. It marched down the railway. Battery is coming down by wagon roads. I have given Captain Wade such instructions as will in my opinion, if vigorously carried out, repulse a light attack or enable him to pass to the north side of the river readily if attacked in force.
TH. J. WOOD,
Brigadier-General.
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The next day, Wood is writing to headquarters regarding food supplies for the division:
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HDQRS. SIXTH DIVISION, ARMY OF THE OHIO,
Mooresville, Ala., July 10, 1862
Col. J. B. FRY:
Assistant Adjutant-General, Chief of Staff:
SIR: I telegraphed you to-day to have a train sent down to move some of the corn which my command has collected here. It is with extreme difficulty I can get enough subsistence from Athens to meet the current wants of my division. In fact it is impossible to get a full supply of the constituent parts of the rations. In the essential article of salt the supply has been altogether below the allowance for more than a month. As a consequence ti has been impracticable to issue as much fresh beef to the troops as would have been judicious. My commissary has no salt on hand and has not been able to draw any for several days. I beg the commanding general will have these matters corrected.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
TH. J. WOOD,
Brigadier-General Volunteers, Commanding.
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Wood is moving his command from Mooresville, AL (southwest of Huntsville), to Woodville, AL, (southeast of Huntsville), On the 12th two of his three brigades were ordered further on to Stevenson, AL, northeast of Woodville and about 30 miles from Chattanooga which is still the destination of the army.
Below is a map of the area with Stevenson, AL, noted.
More Information:
- Link: War Operations, see Volume XVI, Chapter XXVIII, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 110-133.
- The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 75-76.
- Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 558-561.
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