The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-08-20
Letter from the 9th Michigan Cavalry.
C-,vvopD XIV AuOusf 9Th. 1858.


FRIEND CAMPBELL - Dear SIR =
Thinking you might wish to know
where the 9th Michigan Cavalry was,
/ thought / would writo few lines to
you and tell you where we are and
what we have been about since we
came down South. / think that we
have done more marching and other
duty than any other Regiment that has
ever left the State, in the same length
of time after they left the State. We
left the State the 18th of May and
came to Covington, KY, and stayed
there until the first Of June, then took
up our line of march South. We came
to Hickman Bridge, there we stopped
for two weeks, and were kept shouting
through the country after guerrillas,
then we came to this place and camped
one week. On the fourth of July We
were ordered to Lebanen, where We
expected to meet Morgan. We started
in the evening and marched all night !;
reached Lebanon about three o'clock
and they had been fighting all the FORE
noon. 1t was the goth Regiment that
was there and they had surrendered
about two hhurs before we came up,
and when we came in sight of the town
the rebels commenced leaving Oh
double quick. We were halted when
we came in sight of the town and were
compelled to stay there two hours and
see the rebels leaving, not over one
mile from US In plain sight by our Cav
airy. Colonel J. l. David, was at length
prevailed upon by Capt. Miller, to
let his, company l, charge into town
and they went in with rush /; killed
one man and took nine prisoners, then
We were ordered to retreat back to
Danville, by the Colonel, instead OF fol-
lowing the rebels on to Springfield.
We arrived at Danville that night.
Colonel Saunders took command of
the Brigade instead of Colonel
David. The Brigade consisted of a
part of the 9Th and 9th Michigan Cav
airy, about 1900 men from Danville.
We went to. Westport on the Ohio
oh II
there We came to Cincinnati on trans.
ports. There we landed and joined
Gen. Hebron's Division of Cavalry,
that was after Morgan. We followed
him both night and day about twelve
hours behind him until we came up to
him Sunday morning at daylight at
Burlington Island in Meggs Go. Ohio,
there Co. L, OF Captain George Millsr's
Co. was in advance again, Gas they al
ways are when there is any fighting to
do.) We were ordered TO dismount
and 60 to the front as skirmishers. We
charged up hill and then deployed
and commenced firing into them as we
ran, but as they were on horses they
could cut run us, 80 we took a higher
road to cut them off and we drove them
down bluff from 20 to 80 feet high,
and nearly straight up and down, Sc
steep that l could hardly get up OIL
down it on foot, and they rode over on
the gallop, they run their artillery over
. their guns and horses were allin a pile
J at the bottom, the men ran eff and left
] them for us, we took about 1000 pris
, oners that day, Sunday. Monday and
Tuesday we took about $500 prisoners
Morgan and about 1900 got away from
us there only to be caught at another
: place the next Sunday afternoon.
From Burlington Island we cam,
back to Cincinnati, we got back to Gin
> cinnati the S1st of July, just two month";
: from the day we left there. There W.
were paid off and sent South again, W.
came on here. We was gone from
here Eve weeks and we marched owe
. 1000 miles while we was gone, We coult
! not get brigadsd before we went afte
Morgan but it was easy enough afte
we came back. We were brigade'
last night with the I'd and 7th Obi
! Cavalry, the I'd Tennessee mounted In
II fantry and commanded by Col. j.
$ David of the 9th Michigan Cavalry.
This is about the last that you Wi
e hear of this Army in Kentucky, for
s while. / think it will not be but shor
IL time before you will hear of the %
II army corps laundering away in easter
9 Tenn, at Knoxville, for we have moth
. ing to do here.
l can say one thing Of the 9th Cav
J. airy, that it has got as good reputs
e ton for fighting as any regiment i
d this department., as far as the officer
10 cd man oonaarpaI x,,tb Lr< n ',