The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1870-12-01
EVANS FERRY,
CAPE FEAR RIVER, N. C.l

Ieit Ohutou, VI tuo uaSuoia ioau
with view of capturing that place and
.iutercepting train, should one pass
during that night, but haviIg onl
thirty men ir the saddle, andfnding
the troops there very vigilant, fianked
ttbe place, crossing the rail road one
while and a half to the south, aud at
daylight on the morning cfthe 10th
il headed for Keenanssillc, arriving
rthcre about 81 o'clock I halted my
linen south of the town and proceeded
myself with small detachment to re-
connoitre the positi n, and finding no
troops in town / sent two men through
to the opposite side as yidets, but they
had not proceeded far before squa-
.dron of Kilpatrick's men some sixty
sttong charged and repulsed them,
halting on the square, my position being
about one hundred yards south and in
front of Major Keenan's residence.
Immediately sent q courier back with
orders to- bring up the column at a
{ gallop; nicanwbi Sscvcn men were fir
s ing upon me, Ssa the 2ficsE@1..,
s'..affangi6g to HahH and capture my
Title party: having only two men then
with me, but my men came up with
that ,promptpess, vim and aallantry
which characterized the old Brigade on
oil occasions of battle, and then the
enemy were utterly routed aad pressed
for six miles when the last horse was
captured; we killed seven men and
wounded some eighteen, and captured
three unhurt, capturing two buggles
loaded with negroes and "swect nuts,"
four good mules and twenty seven
horses and equipments complete, some
twenty-eight pistols, rifles, saores, &c.
Several horses were killed, others
severely wounded whiac number Of
,mcn escaped with their horses through
THE wood and pine6elds. We sustained
no damage, and after swearing my
prisoners never to fight again I detailed
Two men to take them and my captured
property to Clinton, from whence the
prisoncIs were to 60 to Wilmington.
Only one other skirmish took place
during the day, in which two were kill
ed and several wounded. Early on
the morning of the 1lth [ took up line
of march to Mount Olive Depot, where
I struck mounted force moving north.
ward supposed, and accordingly !
moved up the railroad on it's east, and
on the route to Dudley's Depot l had
several rencounters, killing FIVE men
and capturing several.
On arriving at Dudley's captured
the guard and burned the Depot
c,ntaining a quantity Of supplies and
iorty-one bales of cotton, and then
moved out on the road leading from
Mount Olive to Goldsboro, with the
nope of iatercepting q wagon train,
brt ali had taken the direction of
Bentonville. Accordingly | marched
40 that direction for some miles, camp.
ing some ten miles southwest of Colds
boro, and at 8 clock on the morning
of the 18th I moved toward Benton.
willie, and before sun up found myself
among the enemy and in series OF
little charges, all occurring within an
ih,ur. Fourteen Of the enemy were
killed, aud number wounded and
.capturcd-in all, some thirty. These
] swore not to fight again and started
them to the rear; ii. 10 ... ~ ..g..
Moving up some two milef rapidly
4 came upon Kilpatrick's beef cattle,
having very rich wagon with 1t,
containing silver plate, china ware,
DIVISIONS, &c. I at once disposed my
men and captured everything except
the Sergeant, he escaped to the column
ahead and there being regiment OF
infantry behind as rear guard, hasty
retreat was necessary; accordingly [ mo.
: ved westward by Mr.. Rayuor's h ouse, six
miles southwest of Bentonvillc. This
gentleman and his family having been
very kind to myselfand men previously
in passing, gave him l,500, twenty
head of cattle and horses, also the
wagon which had broken down in the
field, then changed my direction south
west; I disposed of all my prisoners,
mules, horses, &C., with twelve of my
men in the front, with orders regard
ing the direction in case of tho enemy
making appearance. Being in mo-
mentary expectation of a cavalry charge,
/ could scarcely hope to save every
thing, and vas not doomed to disar.