The National tribune., 1901-04-18

While our main column was marching
on Cynthiana small detachments were en-
gaging the enemy's attention at Lexing-
ton, Frankfort and elsewhere. Wearily,
sleepily, we marched nearly all night
Close upi Close up. was the monotOnous
command of officers who were wider
awake than many of the troopers, who,
oblivious of environment, used neither
spur nor guiding rein to keep their horses
in column or up with the procession. On
long raids, such as the one of which L
write, q cayalryman sleeps much in his
saddle, but it is a fitful, unsatisfactory
sleep. On that calm Summer night be-
came partially deliriOus, and so desperate
as to seriously think of Withdrawing from
the column to lie down and get brief
hours uninterrupted, blessed sleep by the
roadside However, l retained my senses
sufficiently to resort to expediertS which
enabled ne to resist the inclination to sue
cumb to dangerous temptation.
At early dawn, June u, we were at
the forks of the road, within two or three
miles of Cynthiana, and Gen. Morgan
promptly made dispositions to capture the
town, garrisoned, as we had been told,
by about 500 Federals, who were hourly
expecting reinfOrcements, they having re-
ceiyed intimation Of our approach. NO
longer asleep, every man was alert and
expectant, even the prisoners manifestlng
much interest in our arrangements for the
impending coup de main.
Stoically they had endured the tribula-
tons of the march, day and night, from
Mt Sterling. Their discomfort may be bet
ter imagined than described. However,
they good-humoredly and, perforce, re-
signedly, submitted to an adverse fortune
of war. By this time captor and captive
had become somewhat personally &C.
quainted-in fact, johnny" and "Yank''
had established 4 sort of friendly comrade-
ship. Good-naturedly they INDUCED in
badinage relative to coming events" and
many funny predictions were made.
Dividing his force, Gen. Morgan sent
fine Second Brigade by the right-hand road
10 gain the enemy's rear, Giltners Bri-
gade being ordered to attack in front.
ton overlooking the town and perceived
body of Federals behind a stone fence
quietly awaiting our assault. We waited
q few minutes to hear the guns of the
Second Brigade, the signal for us to
charge the town. Beyond the stone fence,
and between them and the town, was the
covered bridge across Licking River-the
identical Disputed Bridge" to which my
friend, Col. Theodore F. Allen, so graph
ically and entertainingly referred in The
Tribune some months ago. Luckily for
"we'uns" on this particular June morn
ing, the gallant and versatile Allen and
his "critterback'' company of the valiant
9Th Ohio Cav, old acquaintanees, were
not In the disputed bridge" TO terrify us
with the war cry, Remember Rogers
Tiller' However, there were others.
Flanking the stone fence and firing an
enflading volley ct the Federals, we
charged them, yelling as usual. Return
ing our fire, they Immediately retreated
toward the town, but we captured about
75 of them before they reached the bridge.
Scarcely halting, we followed the others
i 1.r1 Avzk1 W.
envy occupied the courthouse and other
buildings. making a spirited resistance,
and soon there was "a hot time In the
old town." Our superior numbers, how
ever, were irresistible, forcing them TO
surrender after a very brief engagement.
Possibly they would have fought longer
had not their commander been killed. We
now had 500 additional prisoners on our
hands. On neither side were the killed
and wounded very numerous, the fight
having been too brief for sanguinary re-
suits.
but / never learned the origin of the fire
nobody seeming TO know, The citizens
were friendly, and, notwithstanding val
uable part of their town was burning
down, many OF the people, conspicuously
the young ladies. appeared on the streets
with salyers Of cake and wine and other
acceptable refreshments. Temporarily,
We were happy band Of Confederates
somewhat hilariously singing, "The Old
Kentucky Home" Alas, the festival was
exceedingly ephemeral. II was yet early
in the morning, but there came another
wars alarm, this time from Kellar's
Bridge, a mile below town In the direc
tion Of Covington and Cincinnati.
GEN. HoBsoN CAPTURED.
The bugies sounded, and there was hur
Tying 10 and fro, as In some confusion the
various battalions formed to meet an un
expected enemy of unknown numbers
Giltner promptly marched toward Eellar'l
Bridge, while Gen. Morgan, with the Sec
ond Brigade, as usual, made a movement
TO fall on the approaching Federals' fanl
or rear.
We met Gen. Hobson's Brigade, abou
1000 men, in the open fields. The Fed
erals were coming In gallant array, line
dressed, and we could see q substantial
reserve line IN the distance.
We Immediately charged, but our as
sault did not, apparently, terrify them
Their eyolutions and steadiness indicated
that they were brave, disciplined troops
commanded by a gallant and skillful Off
rer. After some severe fighting the enem,
Iullenly and slowly retired down the slop,