Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-11-01

Recapturc OF Lexington.
Rescue of Colonies WHis and Grover
from ire Re5els- Capture Of Thirty
Prisonsrs-F'M Particulars.
rFrom the 81. Louis Democratl
The following private letter has boon
placed IN our hands, which gives in detail
the recaplure of Lexington aud the rescue
of Colopels White and Grover from the
hands Of the rebels; m ie.rr
LEXINGTON, Oct. IL, 1891.
DEAR SIR: As / suppose you will be |
glad TO hear some of tho particulars con-
cerning the rescue of Col. White, Col. !
Grover, and others Of our gallant wounded
at Lexington, take spare moment TO
send you a line by my Adjutant who ac-
companies Col. White.
A short time since Gen. Fremont placed
10 my hands a picked body of men, the
finest in his cavalry command, and dispatch.
ed mo to scout over those parts Of the
country most infested by rebels. arrived
at Georgetown a short time since, and
waited for supplies until the 18th inst. As
was on the point of leaving for the Usage,
messenger from Colonel White, lying
wounded at Lexington, was met by Col
Hovey, Twenty fourth Indiana, who com
manded at Georgetown; the messenger
saying that the rebels were killing our
wounded and committing the most fearful
depredaIions Col. White wrote that if
he was not rescued from their hands within
twenty -four hours, that he and the other
officers would be assassinated. ...
Col. Hoyey came 10 mo and asked wheth-
or i would join command of four hun
dred men and cut our way through to Lex
iugton. Ny men unanimously volunteered,
but Just as VIC were starting dispatch came
from Gen. Hunter, ordering Col. Hovey,
with his whole command, to march to Tip
ton. ] was thus left alone, having but one
hundred and sixty cavalry with me. But
my men were determined to go through,
and at this moment Col. Eads, who had n
few men under his command, nobly came
forward and offered the services of himself
and eighty Of his men. In an hour our pre-
parations were complete, and late at night,
in the midst of a terrible rain, we started
My force consisted of Company c. Capt. P.
Kehoe; Company f, Capt. Charles Fair
banks; the Irish Dragons, Capt. p. Nsugh-
ton, and eighty men under Lieut.. Pcasc.--
Col. Eads accompanied us. Our total was
not moro than two hundred and twenty
We made forced march, and passed thro'
a country filed with guerrilla bands, sue
cessfully reaching the rebel pickets around
Lexington early the following morning.
Our advance guard, under Capt. Kehoe,
charged gallantly on the pickets and drove
them into Lexington. He captured more
than twenty Secessionists in his march, and
so complete was our surprise, that the reb-
els in Lexington fled in every direction
We took possession of the town, and camp
ed on the site of Prices headquarters, on
the Fair grounds.
When Mrs. White and Mrs. Grover met
us at the door of the house where their
husbands lay nearly dying, the scene was
most affecting. shall remember it to my
dying day. The few Union men left by
persecution in Lexington trooped around
US. We seized the ferryboats, and this
morning seized the steamboat "Florence."
Colonels White and Grover were placed
on board, and in few moments will start
for home and safety.
Lexington, for the last few days, has
been in a terrible condition. Shelby and
Martin, two cut throats, have had their
troops in town till their ignominious fight
at our approach. A Mr.. White, wound
ed prisoner, was taken by Martin from bis
bed, shot in cold blood, and his body left
on the road until eaten by the hogs His
wife rescued his remains. A scene of ter
ror reigned; and but for our arrival, Colon
els White and Grover would have met
with like fate.
Thank God, the American flag is again
6oting over Lexington.
We made thirty prisoners, recovered
some of Marsball's horses and equipments,
and captured fifteen to twenty guns
We are now nearly surrounded by the
rebels, who are beginning to rally. We
leave for Warrensburg this afternoon, and
hope to make our way through.