761 Series I Volume XVI-I Serial 22 - Morgan's First Kentucky Raid, Perryville Campaign Part I
Page 761 | Chapter XXVIII. MORGAN'S FIRST KENTUCKY RAID. |
storm came up, which lasted the great portion of the night. Many of the Home Guards left for their homes,and thereby reduced my cavalry force.
Early in the morning I moved for Winchester, leaving Colonel Metcalfe and his command in Paris. Captain Wadsworth, with his Home Guards, accompanied me. When I reached Winchester I ordered Colonel Mahan to remain with his regiment and Colonel Guthrie and Captain Dudley and the three large pieces of artillery to return to Lexington as soon as possible. At Richmond I was joined by Colonel Cochran with five companies of Colonel Williams' (Ninth Pennsylvania) cavalry, some of Colonel Metcalfe's, under Colonel Halisy, and a company of Home Guards, under Colonel Worthington. I left Colonel Maxwell with the remainder of infantry at this point and pushed on in pursuit.
From the time I left Paris until I drew near to Somerset I halted only long enough to feed, as best we could, once a day; traveled day and night, yet was unable to overhaul the running enemy. When crossing Paint Lick, between Garrard and Madison, I learned Morgan had burned the bridge over Dick's River, on the Crab Orchard road, hence I took the Lancaster and Stanford route, with the hope of overtaking him somewhere in Pulaski, but when within 12 or 13 miles of Somerset I learned reliably that he had passed out of Kentucky into Tennessee and was moving on from the line. I halted and turned my course to Stanford.
On the entire trip I am forced to say that I never received a word of intelligence as to the movement or whereabouts of the enemy save through the scouts I sent out from my command and from intelligence received at and near Paris. It was my conviction that Morgan intended to attack Lexington, believing the troops had all been withdrawn and in pursuit of him. I was therefore anxious and particular to protect the city and the Government stores deposited there; hence I kept the woods watched until I ascertained the line of Morgan's retreat was through Richmond. I could receive no communication from a force anywhere in front of me until after I left Richmond and almost reached Lancaster, then I ascertained that Colonel Wolford, with 300 or 400 Home Guards, was somewhere in Pulaski. I immediately dispatched him to fall in front of Morgan and impede him as much as possible. I do not know that the ;messenger reached him; but after I got into Pulaski I sent another messenger to him and learned for the first time his troops had ;been disbanded, with no prospect of using them under three or four days; hence I abandoned the pursuit and returned under orders to this point, which I reached Friday evening.
The endurance with which the men under my command submitted to the deprivation and hardship of that expedition deserves the gratitude of the country and entitles them to my thanks and confidence. Officers and all obeyed my orders promptly.
From the best information received by me the result of the fighting at Paris and on expedition was, rebels:
Killed.............................................. 29
Wounded............................................. 30
Prisoners........................................... 18
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Total............................................... 77
Loss on Federal side none.
I will remark that it was the general impression of all with whom I
Page 761 | Chapter XXVIII. MORGAN'S FIRST KENTUCKY RAID. |