act, as an
Article of War, prohibiting the employment of any of the United
States forces "for the purpose of returning fugitives from service
or labor who may have escaped, and any officer found guilty, by a
court-martial, of violating this article to be dismissed from the
service."( 7) The order, and my execution of it, were alike in
violation of the law, for the issuing and execution of which both
Buell and I could have been dismissed from the service. Just after
the capture of Fort Donelson Grant issued an order prohibiting the
return of the fugitive slaves with his army and of all slaves at
Fort Donelson at the time of its capture.( 8)

Both Stevenson and Decatur, to the east and west of Huntsville,
were, by the use of captured locomotives and cars, seized by Mitchel
on the 12th of April, and his command was soon so extended as to
hold the one hundred miles of railroad between Stevenson and
Tuscumbia. The last of the same month, however, the troops were
withdrawn from Tuscumbia and south of the Tennessee. The 3d and
10th Ohio being in occupancy of Decatur, evacuated it under orders,
and, on the night of April 27th, burned the railroad bridge (one
half mile in length) over the Tennessee River.

An expedition started the same day for Bridgeport, where the railroad
again crosses the Tennessee, and where General Danville Leadbetter
had command of a small force on the west side of the river, somewhat
intrenched. The expedition consisted of two companies of cavalry,
two pieces of artillery, and six regiments of infantry, Mitchel
commanding. Owing to the destruction by the Confederates of a
bridge over Widow's Creek, it was impossible to transport by rail
the artillery with caissons and horses nearer than four miles of
Bridgeport. By the use of cotton bales the two guns were floated
over the deep stream, and the artillery horses and caissons with
extra ammunition were left behind. The guns were dragged by two
companies of the 3d Ohio, and the whole expedition pushed on to a
ridge within about five hundred yards of Leadbetter's redoubts near
the north end of the bridge. The enemy was surprised or demoralized,
and Leadbetter did not decide either to retreat or fight until a
shot or two from our cannon emptied his redoubts and intrenched
position near the end of the bridge.

Precipitately his guns were loaded on a platform-car, and a hasty
retreat was made across the Tennessee by the railroad bridge; but
before