The National tribune., 1900-06-07
was across the river, mile or more away
guarding the Leesburg road.
FROM A UNION STANDPOINT.

The foregoing describes the situation of
Morgan's Cavalry Division at Cynthiana
on the night of June II, after winning two
victories in one day, this being the day
before we arrived.
We made night march from Lexington,
and arrived within about five miles of
Cynthiana before daylight of June IL.
We had met Morgan's cavalry upon prcyi-
GUS occasions, and knew their habit of
stationing their pickets far out. The
order was that if we struck Morgan's
picket the whole command should go into
his camp with the pickets. The reason
for this was that Morgan should have no
time to retreat, and would be forced to
fight.
At the first streak of dawn on the morn
ing of Sunday, June II, our advance
guard struck the Confederate outpost,
located fully four miles from Morgan's
sleeping troopers. The pickets started
on gallop to alarm the camp. and our
whole force went with them to confirm the
report that the yankees were coming"
Owing to the position of our brigade in the
column of march, when We came on the
field of operations, we found our line Of
tStftDllSiltu, iilC I-tli oiIiD NCi'' oii
the left of the turnpike.
AS we halted in column of companies
Gen. Burbridge rode up with his staff,
requesting that one of our regiments be
sent to strengthen his right, at tE1 same
| time giving Col Garrard command OF all
the field of action on the left of the turn
pike. The 9th Mich Cav. was sent to
reinforce the right of Burbridgc's line.
On receiving orders to take command of
the left, Col. Garrard rode forward with
the battalion of Kentucky cavalry, and
placed them on the left of the 18th Ohio.
| Clay's Confederate cavalry were streaming
around TO our left, apparently inviting an
attack. The writer hereof was the Adiu-
| tant Of the brigade, and was sent at I. full
gallop by Col. Garrard to order the 9TH
Ohio to accept the challenge of Clay
troopers and charge the Confcderatcs on
our left.
From their position, while waiting orders,
the 9TH Ohio was in full view of the field of
operations, and | may here say that we
never before found so ideal a battlefield for
cavalry as here on this day. The country
was undulating or rolling, and nearly all
the fields in grass, and the woods pastures
here and there dotting the landscape
were all open, free from underbrush, and
eXcellcntly well suited for cavalry move
ments. The whole field Of operations Of
| the left wing was in full view OF every one.
Proceeding at a gallOp to order the 18th
Ohio into action, all the members Of the
regiment could see me coming long before
reached them. and the "fhink;ng sabers
|
Like grayhounds in the SLIPS, straininG
upon the start" the whole regiment fwithout
orders) advanced TO meet me. Tie orders
were to "go in" on the loft, and before the
words were full utteredsthc whole regiment
went ill.," and | went with them.
80. who that shared them evcr shall forget
The emotions Of the sprit-rousing time
as field on field we Won"
WITH GARRARD's COMMAND.
The writer is not able to state what part
Gen. Burbridge took in the subsequent
proceedings, but speaks only of Garrard's
command. So far as Iknow, Col. Garrard
gave only three orders in this engage
ment, and these were all that were needed.
The first order was that o,Ir brigade should
attack the right Of MorEn's line, the 9TH
Ohio to take the extreme left. The second
order was 10 "go right at it, After this it
was battle of the Captains, as each COM
pany commander put his troop right at
the enemy.
The Confcderates in front Of the 9TH Ohio
held the lire Of stone wall in an open
woods'pasture. They held to this position
tenaciously, and gave lis hot fire under
which we had some losses. Lieut.. Nc
Knight, commanding Co. X, a very gallant
and capable officer, was killed by this fire.
We had others killed here, including John
Campbell, of Co. A, and John Cncapher,
Of Co. G. AS an example of the marks
manship of the enemy, | may say that as
many as 11:bullets were put into one OF our
horses by the force behind this stone wall.
Capt Hall, of Co. II, and Capt. Rankin, Of
Co. f, grasped the situation at the same
time, and started with their companies to
flank the enemy at the stone wall. This
movement, though hastily made, with our
troopers at full gallop, was as quickly
noted by the Confederatcs, who didn't
propose TO stay too long and be captured
behind their stonc-wall citadel. They
quickly gave up, and started in retreat.
Our brigade, all mounted, then advanced
in the form of a crescent. AT this instant
Col. Garrard gave his third order, and the
bugles sounded charge all along the
| line.
Capt. Hall, with Co. II, was the first to
overtake the enemy, piece of good fortune
enabling him to capture one whole COM
pany. The Captain of this Confederate
company led his men off the field in good
form, but, pursued by Capt. Hall, had
passed down a lane which led him and his
company into little pasture built for in
closing a stallion. This pasture Of maybe
half an acre was surrounded by fence
which was horse high, bull strong, and pig
tight"
Before the rebel Captain could extricate
his company from this pen Capt. Hall was
calling upon him to surrender, and Co. II
was backing up the demand. The rebel
officer quickly took in the situation. and
very promptly surrendered his company,
rather than have his men slaughtered in
the horse pen; but you never heard an
officer swear the multi-c9lorcd oaths, rang
ing from light-blue 10 deep purple, as that
rebel officer swore that day over his bad
luck in running his company into a horse
pen. sriCJll
While this dramaiwas proceeding, with
| IInn tln.a. e