Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-06-22
From the CINCINNATI Commercial. June /.
FIGHT AT KELLER'S BRIDGE
Conduct of the I7Ist o. N. G.

Conduct Of the I71st o. N. &.
In our accounts published thus far, we
have given the main points in the history
of the affair at Keller's Bridge, and of the
disaster to the railroad and trains at that
point. But the nature of the fight, as
displaying great bravery and endurance
on the part the National Guard engaged
and the heavy loss, comparatively speak
ing, that attended the fight, call for a
more particular account of the same
Keller's Bridge, the scene of the engage
ment, is just sixty-five miles south of this
city, and one mile this side of Cynthiana-
1t was destroyed by the rebels on Thurs
day last, in order to prevent the sending of
troops along the railroad. At five o'clock
Saturday morning last, the l7lst was dis
embarked at this point, together with a
handful of men who were to act as cav
airy The trains which had conveyed
them Immediately backed down the road
two miles, where they were thrown from
the track and burned. Upon being dis
embarked, the men of the l7lst were
supplied with ammunition and proceeded
to eat their breakfast. Suddenly their
quiet was disturbed by the rattle of mus
kerry at Cynthiana, telling that hot work
was going on there between the lG8th
and. the rebel forces. And in few mo-
ments, to their great surprise, they ascer-
tanned that the fields around themselves
were alive with rebel forces. volley of
musketry was poured in upon them by a
squad of the enemy masked behind the
fence of clover field. From the first it
was evident TO General Hobson and Col. !
Asper that their little band was complete |
ly surrounded. And, from the disposi-
ton made of the rebel troops, it was evi- |
IDENTIFY their design to conduct the fight
in bushwhacking style from the brush, |
should our forces resist which they prob |
ably did not believe would be the case, as
they were evidently two to our one in the
first of the fight.
Under these circumstances the reSi- |
ment was divided into several squads and
sent to both east and west of the railroad,
occupying such positions as they might |
secure. The rebels then appeared on ey-
cry hand, displaying great activity in
firing and considerable skill in keeping
themselves under cover from the fire of
our troops. Throughout, the affair was
as between sharp-shooters, each man
firing as he could obtain sight of one of
the enemy. This continued about five
hours, the loss on both sides being extra
ordinarily heavy. That of the rebels was
much greater than nv own-as much so,
perhaps, proportionately, as their force
was superior in number, we having 700
men, and they, with their rreinforcements,
1000. Against these great odds; the re
slstance made was desperate and deter
mined. General Morgan, who, when the
fight here commenced was at Cynthiana
lthe rebel force being in command of
General Getty had supposed that the
Union force would have surrendered i'm
mediately. He considered his great odds,
the greenness of our forces and wondered,
in impatience, how il occurred that the
fighting continued. He had expected an
surrender, and sincerely de-
sired it, as he did not wish to lose any of
his men, even though the loss entailed
upon our forces should be twice as heavy
He certainly had not expected this des-
perate resistance. He was surprised
He was sstounded, when, at 9 o'clock A
NJ, courier dashed up to him in haste
at Cynthiana and gave General Getty's
message of "reinforcements, or giveit up"
Several hundred troops were Immediate
ly sent down the pike, Morgan at their
head, and with those the lines was drawn
still closer around the little band, until
General HobSon was forced to receive the
flag of truce, and accept Morgan's condi-
tions of surrender-that the private prop
erty of the troops should be expected,
and that the officers should retain their
side-arms. General Hobson, so all ac-
counts agree in saying, had done all that
could be done, displaying himself the
greatest personal courage, and in thus
he decided for the best.
Such of the 17lst as remained were
then drawn up along the Pike; their arms
were stacked and burned by the rebels
and they were marched through Cynthi-
ana, mile south, to a grove, when they
were allowed forest and where they found
the l68th regiment, or rather five compa-
nies of it-all that had been in the fight
at Cynthiana-prisoners like themselves.
In an hour or two, however, the prisoners
were marched three miles north, on the
Pike, where they passed Satur-
day night. Early on Sunday morning
he came to attack upon the main force of
the rebels from General Burbridge, who
had arrived from Paris with strong
force, and two pieces of artillery, with
which Morgan was unproVided.
With the first announcement of the ap-
proach of Burbridge came an order from
Morgan to the guard over the GOO pris-
oners to start them north, which was ,
done, and that, too, on the double quick
Morgan's main force, pursued by Bur
bridge, following at a distance of few
miles. This forced march brought them
to Claysville, eighteen miles northeast of
Cynthiana, where they were halted. drawn
up in line and paroled, and allowed to
depart. In thus disposing of them, Nor
gan informed them that he had enough .
to attend to, to get out of the State, but
that he should succeed in doing so. The ,
rebel forces then struck due east with the
evident intention of reaching Virginia as
soon as possible. The paroled prisoners
continued on their way to Augusta, which
they reached Sunday night, coming to
this point by steamer Yesterday morning I