BATTLE OF MORRISTOWN, TENNESSEE.
November 13, 1864.
While the armies of Generals Thomas and Hood were engaged in their campaign before Nashville, a large force of rebels under General Breckinridge, entered East Tennessee. On the 12th of November he attacked General Gillem’s command, which was entrenched near Morristown, and drove them from their defences. General Gillem retreated with his forces toward Morristown, where he was overtaken the next day by Breckinridge, and again defeated with the loss of his artillery and several hundred prisoners. He also suffered severely in killed and wounded. General Gillem gradually fell back with the balance of his command towards Knoxville, and was pursued by his inexorable opponent as far as Strawberry Plains; here, anticipating trouble from the proximity of heavy Union forces, General Breckinridge deemed it prudent to withdraw.
Foreseeing Hood’s intention of surging round before Knoxville, and of rebuilding the Virginia railroad from Greenville to Strawberry Plains, under the directions of General Thomas, General Stoneman concentrated the commands of Generals Burbridge and Gillem near Beans’ Station, to operate against Breckinridge, and destroy or drive him into Virginia—destroy the salt-works at Saltville, and the railroad in Virginia as far as he could go without endangering his command.