Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Oct. 27, 1864.—Hood’s army passed us within fifteen miles of Whitesburg, and yesterday they attacked Decatur. They fought all the afternoon, and our troops drove them off. I have no particulars, although I get dispatches from there every hour. We heard the artillery plainly here. There are 150 of the 13th there, commanded by Captain Blake. I think our losses are light, as our forces had fortifications to shelter them. I do not think they are fighting much today. The probability is that the rebel army has moved down the river on the south side towards Tuscumbia.
We just got information from a scout that our army is in hot pursuit and can not be far behind. It was said to have been at Gadsden on the Coosa river last Monday night. I have a number of first-class scouts and spies that I have kept at work on the other side of the river, mostly tracking Hood’s movements. I think I have furnished General Thomas with the earliest and most authentic information he has had of the operations of the rebel army for the past week.
General Granger was here when the attack commenced at Decatur, but left for that place immediately.[1] He has drawn away nearly all the force from here to Decatur and Whitesburg. All of these operations keep me up nights and make me lots of work. Adjutant Scott is invaluable to me in this crowd of business, and I have another good Adjutant at post headquarters, so you see I have good help.
I have had no apprehension of an immediate attack here, yet I am very thankful that you are snug in Racine instead of being here. Hood has to be settled before we shall have much quiet.
[1] They thought Hood’s army was moving on the south side of the river, ten or fifteen miles away, and I had some splendid scouts there. After the head of his column had passed south of Huntsville and kept on west, we expected that they would try to cross the river at Whitesburg; but one night at midnight a courier came in with the word that the head of the army had passed the Whiteburg road and was poined toward Decatur, less than a day’s march from where they were. I got the artillery on the cars and had everything ready, because I knew that General Granger would be attacked. I called in all the pickets that I could spare, leaving the necessary pickets around Huntsvllle, but having the rest ready to march. After dinner General Granger came into headquarters and said, “Colonel, I can not find out anything and I have come up here to find what is going on.” I said, “General, you will find out before night what is going on. Hood is advancing on Decatur and will get there before night.” He said, “I do not believe it,” but as we sat there talking we heard the distant boom of artillery and the General pricked up his ears and said, “What is that?” I said, “It is Hood at Decatur.” He said, “It is impossible!” but he realized what it meant. I told him everything was ready and could be started right away and asked him if he wanted me to go with them. By the time he got to the depot everything was ready, and he got to Decatur in an hour. They drove Hood off and he went on down the river, destroying a pontoon bridge. —W.P.L
