The significant activities of the Lightning Brigade during the Atlanta Campaign and for the remainder of the war are listed below in chronological order:
- May 18, 1864: Skirmish near Woodland
May 24, 1864: Skirmish near Dallas
May 24-25, 1864: Performed a very successful 24 mile round trip scouting mission to Powder Springs and back
May 28, 1864: The Lightning Brigade takes its position behind temporary earthworks, anchoring the extreme right of McPherson's line.Repulsed the attack of Jackson's cavalry after the general repulse of Hardee's Corps all along the front. Lightning Brigade ordered to scout the Rebel front lines. Wilder, ill once again, is replaced for the duration of the war by Col. Miller.
June 9, 1864: Skirmish with entrenched Rebels at Noonday Creek. Sherman orders Garrard to cross the creek tomorrow.
June 20, 1864: Garrard's Division is engaged by Wheeler's men at Noonday Creek during a severe thunderstorm. Garrard forces the crossing due in no small part to the heroic efforts of the Lightning Brigade.
July 9, 1864: The Lightning Brigade and Minty's Brigade cross the Chattahoochie River near Rossville.
July 19, 1864: Capture Stone Mountain Station and burn the supply depot there
July 21-24, 1864: Raid to Covington and back. The raid is very successful and much property is destroyed.
July 27, 1864: Sherman merges the Lightning Brigade and Minty's Brigades with Stoneman's Division (the resultant force under the command of Stoneman) for a raid on the Macon Railroad below Atlanta.
July 28, 1864: Stoneman disobeys his orders and detaches Garrard's Division at Flat Shoals to act as a decoy for Wheeler's cavalry. By morning of the 28th, Garrard is completely surrounded by three divisions of Wheeler's cavalry. Wheeler asks Garrard to surrender and he refuses. Shortly before noon, Garrard forms up the Lightning Brigade to spearhead a.breakout attempt. The attack is successful and Garrard's Division escapes.
Sept. 4, 1864: Act as rear guard for Sherman's Army as he withdraws from Lovejoy's Station to Atlanta
Oct. 7, 1864: Garrard's Division catches up with Hood's rearguard, composed of Armstrong's cavalry. An assault by the Lightning Brigade drives the Rebel defenders Iron, their hasty works.
Oct. 12, 1864: Skirmish with Jackson's cavalry near Rome. An assault by the Lightning Brigade drives the Rebels from behind their hasty works.
Oct. 13, 1864: Skirmish with Jackson's cavalry
Oct. 20, 1864: Skirmish with veteran's of Hardee's Corps at Gaylesville
Nov. 1, 1864: Due to shortage of horses, Sherman orders the Lightning Brigade to turn their horses over to Kilpatrick's Cavalry Division.
Nov. 15, 1864: The Lightning Brigade travels by train to Louisville, arriving there on this date.
Nov. 18, 1864: Begin receiving new shipments of supplies and horses in preparation for the start of a new campaign.
Dec. 1864: The Lightning Brigade and Minty's. Brigade are placed in the 2nd Cavalry Division of Gen. James H. Wilson's Cavalry Corps. Garrard is replaced by Gen. Eli Long.The 2nd Cavalry Division departs Louisville on Dec. 28, headed for Gravelly Springs, Alabama.
March 22, 1865: Arrived at Gravelly Springs. Remained here until March 13, then went to Chiçkasaw Landing.
April 1, 1865: Gen. Wilson and the cavalry divisions of McCook, Long and Upton depart from Chickasaw Landing arid head for Selma, Alabama on a cavalry raid. Gen. Wilsons' scouts capture two couriers carrying dispatches from the headquarters of Gen. Forrest. These detailed Forrest's plans to Wilson. He sent the divisions of Long and Upton toward Plantersville and at about noon they met up with Forrest's 2,000 man force at Ebenezer Church. The Rebels withdrew after Forrest was wounded during a reckless mounted saber charge by Captain, Taylor, Co. G, 17th Indiana, and 16 of his men. Taylor was killed in the melee and all cal his accompanying men were casualties. Forrest's entire force joined the 2,500 militia under Gen. Daniel Adams in the fortifications at Selma, Alabama, and Wilson's men camped at Plantersville. Wilson ordered the 2nd and 4th Cavalry Divisions to advance on Selma, the principal objective of the campaign.
April 2, 1865: Attack on Forrest's positions at Selma, led by the assault of the Lightning Brigade, which carried the works and sent the Confederates reeling back in confusion. Forrest and most of his troopers escaped, but the attack netted 2,700 prisoners, 31 field guns, and a 30 pound Parrot rifle. This proved to be Forrest's first and only decisive defeat of the war. The Lightning Brigade lost 207. of its men in the assault, which lasted less than half an hour.
April 9, 1865: Lee surrenders to Grant
May 23, 1865: The regiments of the Lightning Brigade head northward for their homes.
The story of the Lightning Brigade is indeed a remarkable one. The unit was to never experience defeat in its entire existence. Indeed, it appears that they never even turned their backs to the enemy. The unit set an example for Sheridan, Custer and a host of other Union generals to emulate for many years to come. Based on their battle record, there is little doubt that one could easily call them the best brigade to see action during the war. They were incredibly brave men and they proved this time and time again during the course of the war. The Lightning Brigade was a significant contributing factor to the Union's victorious cause. One has to only think back to a couple of days in September of 1863, when the courageous efforts of the unit saved an entire Federal army from destruction, to begin to realize just how important they were.
Sources
Wilder's Lightning Brigade by Glenn Sunderland
Gen. John T. Wilder by Samuel C. Williams
Chickamauga by Glenn Tucker
The Fight for Chattanooga by Jerry Korn
The official Records of the War of the Rebellion
More Lightning Brigade
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