Today in History:

849 Series I Volume XVI-I Serial 22 - Morgan's First Kentucky Raid, Perryville Campaign Part I

Page 849 Chapter XXVIII. CAPTURE OF GALLATIN, TENN.

camp should fight. He asked for time to consult with his officers, which was granted. We then returned to General Morgan and surrendered the camp. General Morgan ordered the arms to be stacked, which was done, amounting to about 120 guns. The troops in camp were in line, ready to fight.

Subsequently Captain O'Neill's guard at the tunnel were captured. They were in position for action in a sort of block-house, and were ready to fight until they saw the large force opposed to them.

Morgan insisted on my surrendering the forces out, as they were not under Captain Hughes' command. I declined to do so, as I was confident they could escape. I gave a line to Captain O'Neill, saying that Morgan's forces had possession of our camp, so that he might understand the position of affairs and not rely for re-enforcements upon the camp.

My command was all paroled, except Captains Noble's and White's commands, who were not taken. Captain Benson, commanding the other company in camp, had gone to Nashville in charge of a prisoner.

Statement of Captain F. M. Hughes.

There were 120 guns stacked at the time of the surrender. I considered Colonel Boone's words to me as an order to surrender.

Colonel Boone wrote a letter to Captain O'Neill, as I understood, to surrender his command. Our pickets were surrounded. We never had pickets out during the day and no scouts. The men in camp were anxious to fight. Lieutenants Davis and Conaway usually slept about half a square out of camp, having their wives with them, in a house.

Colonel Boone was in town when the attack was first made. He was generally in the habit of visiting the pickets and camp guards.

I called several times for my officers to give me their attention, as I wished to consult with them, but could not get their attention.

Two companies had been detached the evening before. I think some of the pickets were asleep. It was usual for the pickets on the same post to take turns sleeping.

I told my first sergeant I thought we would have to fight. We had about 30 men on guard and picket duty. I think Morgan had 1,200 or 1,500 men. When I saw the two detached companies, after the surrender, they had their arms, but threw them away. I do not know who ordered them to do so.

Statement of Captain H. J. O'Neill.

I had 36 men with me at the time of the attack. Some were washing and cooking and the balance of my company were distributed about at bridges. I usually had pickets our in the immediate vicinity of my camp. We never had pickets out during the day. I often found pickets sleeping on their posts while I was in camp. We had no guard-house or systems of punishment, and what we lacked most was discipline. There was no discipline among the men. I would not have surrendered could we have made any reasonable resistance.

[Inclosure B.]

Statement of Corpl. James E. Mullin, Company B, Twenty-eighth Kentucky Volunteers.

I was on picket duty and posted about a half a mile from camp in the

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Page 849 Chapter XXVIII. CAPTURE OF GALLATIN, TENN.