March 12, 1863, The New York Herald
RUTHERFORD’S CREEK, FOUR MILES NORTH OF COLUMBIA, March 11, 1863.
General Granger came up with the enemy at this place yesterday afternoon. The advance guard were skirmishing yesterday, and lost two killed and several wounded, but captured several rebels. One of them reports that Col. Coburn, with two thousand men, escaped, and were making their way to our lines.
The Position of Rutherford’s Creek.
Rutherford’s creek is one of the many small tributaries of the Duck river, which river flows westerly through the State of Tennessee and falls into the Tennessee river in Humphrey county, at a point about ten miles north of Columbia, and flows southerly until it falls into Duck river at about a mile north of the county capital. About three miles from the mouth of that creek the engagement reported in the above telegram took place.
The Importance of the Movement.
As we have had so many skirmishes during the present war, and battles even of a gigantic nature, a skirmish like the present one, with but two killed and several wounded, is now looked upon as a very trifling affair. But in this skirmish there is something more than appears at the first glance. The rebel General Van Dorn is reported to be stationed along the line of the Duck river, in Maury county, with a force reported as varying from ten to eighteen thousand men. Their object is, doubtless, to flank Rosecrans and capture Nashville. But the plan has been foreseen by the commander of the Department of the Cumberland, and he has sent General Granger with a sufficient force to counteract the movement. There is but little doubt that if the rebels will only stand to fight a serious battle may grow out of this simple skirmish. The Union troops wish to, and will dearly repay the debt they owe Van Dorn for the capture of Coburn on the 7th instant, providing he will give them a chance.
Sketch of Maury County.
Maury county will, doubtless, become the scene of an important contest between the forces of Van Dorn and Granger, and such being the case it is as well that all should be thoroughly conversant with its various important features. A sketch of it will not be inappropriate at the present time. Maury county is situated in the southwestern part of the State of Tennessee, and has an area of six hundred square miles, or three hundred and eighty-four thousand acres. Duck river divides it into nearly two equal parts, and is joined in its passage by several affluents in the shape of creeks, nearly all of which furnish fine water power, as well as being of strategical importance. The surface of the country is diversified, and the soil rich and fertile. The country is intersected by the railroad running from Nashville to Jackson, in Mississippi. Previous to the rebellion this county was third in the State with regard to population, which, according to the census of 1860, numbered 32,498 persons, of whom nearly 18,000 were free and the balance slaves. About 16,000 of these were males.
Sketch of General Granger.
Major General Gordon Granger is a native of New York, and was appointed a cadet to the Military Academy of West Point from that State in the year 1841. He graduated on the 30th of June, 1845, in the same class with Gens. Wm. F. Smith, T. J. Wood, C. P. Stone, Fitz J. Porter, J. P. Hatch, J. W. Davidson, Hy. B. Clitz, T. G. Pitcher and others in the Union army and Barnard E . Bee, Edmund K. Smith and other rebels. On the 1st of July, 1845 he was brevetted second lieutenant of the Second United States regular infantry, but was transferred to the Mounted Rifles on the 17th of June, 1846. He received his full commission of second lieutenant on the 29th of May, 1847, and was sent to Mexico. He was brevetted first Lieutenant from August 20, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battles of Contreras and Cherubusco. He was further brevetted captain from September 13, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Clepultepec, Mexico. He was promoted to a full first lieutenancy on the 24th of May, 1852. He became further distinguished in his pursuit and attack of the Indians on the Nouces river of Texas on the 13th of April, 1856. On the 5th of May, 1861, he was promoted to a full captaincy of his regiment, then called the Third United States cavalry. He served in Missouri, and during the early stages of the rebellion occupied the positions of captain and assistant adjutant general at the post of St. Louis, with quarters in the Arsenal. Here he became somewhat distinguished, and in November, 1861, was appointed colonel of the Second Michigan cavalry. He served in Missouri in this capacity, and gained such credit as to be awarded a brevet of a major in the regular cavalry, to date from April 7, 1862, for meritorious services in that State. He was next created a brigadier general of volunteers, with rank and commission dating from March 26, 1862. He served in Kentucky, and on the attempted invasion of Bragg into that State in September, 1862, he was appointed to the command of the post at Newport and Covington, where, on the 1st of October, he proclaimed martial law. He next marched into Eastern or Central Kentucky and located his headquarters at Lexington, while General Buell pursued Bragg out of the State. On the 30th of October, 1862 , he was appointed chief commander of the Army of Kentucky, which army, being subdivided into three districts on the 19th of November, 1862, he also personally directed the movement of the troops in the Central district. On the 23d of December, 1862, he was nominated by the President as a Major General, with commission and rank dating from September 17, 1862. This commission, we believe has not yet been confirmed. It was from the Central district of Kentucky that the troops were taken that carried out Gen. Carter’s splendid operation for the cutting of the Richmond and East Tennessee Railroad last January. In February last General Granger was transferred to the Department of the Cumberland, under General Rosecrans, under whose directions he is now about to operate.