The National tribune., 1901-12-12
A COMPLETE SURPRISE.
Capture OF tn, Sd Ca. Cav. by Company OF
the LIST KY. Cav. Under Capt. Adams.

of the Sd Ga. Cav. l have before me a
copy of the history of the 1st Ky. Cav,
by Serg't Easthum Tarrant, a Headquar-
te s clerk In his description of the cap
ture, page III, he says:
"It was while camped at Elizabeth
town that the 1st Ky. performed one Of
the most cool and military exploits that
happened during the war. 1t was the
surprise and capture Of the Sd Ga. Cav.
at New Haven.
1T was n most critical undertaking.
| The following was the situation of the
| forces at this time:
The rear division of Buells army had
| just arrived at Louisville. Bragg's main
| force was then at Bardstown, about ~
miles north Of New Haven, under Gen.
! Polk. Bragg having left on the 2Sth for
| Frankfort TO have a consultation with
the newly-appointed Provisional Governor
of Kentucky. The rebel Gen. Wheeler,
with Il large force of cavalry, was at
! the same time at Boston, 10 miles north
| east OF Eizabcthtown and 10 miles north
west Of New Haven, watching cur cav
| airy at EliZabethtown. and also tn" line
of the Louisville Il Nashville Railroad.
Col. Martin j. Crawford, with his rcgi-
ment. the I'd Ga. Cav, was detached as
! an OUTPOST at New Haven.
1T was Is or 20 miles from our cav
| airy camp to New Haven. Col. kennett
was informed by n loyal citizen of the
situation of the Georgia regiment, and a
! plan was formed for taking it in out of
| the weather: for it was too late in the
season for thinly-clad Southcrners to be
exposed to the chilly night air.
Capt. Silas Adams. at that time only
22 years of age. in addition to his com
manding talents, had now gained conSid-
erable reputation as Il daShing, daring Of
ficer, and always equal to any emergency
in critical situations. Col. WOlford Sc
lected him as the most suitable one to
command the picked men Of the 1st ky.
detailed to go on the expedition. The ef-
fective men and horses of the % Ind.
Cav, under Lieut. Col. Stewart, were also
to go. AS he was the ranking officer, the
whole force was under his command. The
citizen who notified our officers of the
rebel outpost accompanied them as guide.
Capt. Adams, with his men, was put
in front, with orders to charge in col
umn, and, if possible to capture the en-
emy without blOOdshed. The command
started about 8 o'clock in the silent hours
of night, so as to reach the picket-post
OF the enemy by daylight on the morning
of Sept. 30.
"Serg't James Humphrey, Co. A, with
about 20 men. lead the advance guard,
while his brother, W. r. Humphrey; John
". brONIl, JOHH l. Logan anu dHOtHtI
one mot now remembered) were in the
extreme front. with orders to capture the
videts of the enemy.
1T was in the dark of the moon, and
the night was still and clear. On account
of the long drouth the read was covered
deep in a coat of dust and the tread of
the horses feet was noiseless.
They move in a brisk walk, and the
men speak low and seldom; the citizen
OF lact than nf fbpIr
approach to the enemy's picket-post. They
silently pause and consult the time by the
light of q shaded match. 1t is too early.
They await the proper time for ac-
ton. and then move onward. short
time before sunup, cautiously looking for
ward, they come in sight of the two vi
diets.
THE four front men now put spurs to
their horses and dash forward, and come
up to the videts without being even halt
ed or challenged. They order them to
surrender. As they comply with the or
ders. they laughingly exclaim:
You are so covered with dust and
look so gray, we thought you were our
own men charging on us to frighten us
''Serg't James Humphrey, with his
squad, now coming up, they move down
the hill, where the main body Of pickets
is stationed, and capture them without
making any noise.
BY this time Capt. Adams closed up
with the regiment, and the enemys camp
was in sight The Captain now ordered
charge, and the 1st Ky. thundered
through the wooden bridge, across the
Rolling Fork, and on through and be-
yond the surprised and frightened village.
''The front companies passed by the
camp and surrounded it, while the rear
ones halted and 'fronted into line and
commenced securing the camp. demanding
the surrender of the astOnished rebels,
many of whom had not left their tents.
Their commander, Col. Martin J. Craw-
ford, was still on his couch of repOse.
when Capt. Adams opened the front of
his marquee, and ordered him to get up
and out and surrender.
"'Who in the - are you, giving me
such peremptory orders? demanded
Crawford.
81 am commanding the 1st Ky. Cav
was the reply.
But what is your rank? sternly de-
manded the 'Goober State Colonel.
II am a Captain in command of
regiment: but | have no time to bubble
about rank
"'But let me have a few minutes to
consider.
Surrender in two seconds, or 1 will
blow your - head off, was Adams's
reply.
$50 completely was the enemy sur
prised that not a gun was fired. and every
man was captured, except a small picket
post on the Bardstown road, and they
were chased short distance; but it was
not deemed prudent to push them too far
in that direction, for Il brigade of infan-
try was reported to be encamped three
miles from New Haven on that road.
About the time the surrender was
completed, Lieut.-COl. Stewart came up
in reserve with his men forward in good
order in line of battle, as a precaution
against any mishap.
"Three hundred men fell into our hands
at this capture. 1t took but a few min
utes to arrange the surrender of the force,
for the emergency of the case demanded
that Capt. Adams should waste no time
on military etiquet, even if he had been
disposed to do so.
The prisoners We're soon mounted. and
all camp and garrison equipage not easily
portable were hastily destroyed, and the
prisoners, with their escorts, were rapid
ly put in motion for Elizabethtown.
Neither in the reports of Col. John
Kennett, our division commander, nor
Col. Ed. NJ. McCook, our brigade COM
mander. is given any credit either to
Capt Adams or the 1st Ky. Cav. in the
New Haven affair. Col. Kennett claimed
the victory as achieved over the Sd Ga.
Cav by part of his command.
'COl. McCOOk reports: L have the
honor to report a detachment of my bri- |
gade, under commanding Lieut.-Col. Stew |
,.t Tod sod nd