The National tribune., 1903-12-10

lncllnlng toward the enemy. ana Outnank-
ing them. The infantry were shortly saf,
II terward formed opposite the cnemy's CEN
i ter-5Cobbs Battery confronted the enc
my's left flank. Our entire force in the
fight. the gth Tenn. having been sent to
Hartsville to prevent the escape of the
enemy in that direction. was 1.25O men.
l have neglected to state that Stoner $
battalion had been sent, with the bull
pups down the Hartsyille and Lebanon
pike to take position opposite the enemy
encampment. Stoner wins instructed to
manuver in sight of the enemy and keep
the 'bull-pups barking animatedly. Nor
gan knew the shells from. the little pieces
could not reach the .encampment, but he
wished to have the eheny's attention at
tracted to that quarter. Stoner succeed
ed SO well that the two PARROT guns which
the enemy had were engaged with him,
sparing MS the annoyance they could have
inflicted while we were forming. As |
have said, we failed to surprise the Fed
eral force in its camp. and the only ad-
vantage which our sudden appearance
gave us was the partial decentralization
which is likely to assail all troops, when
unexpectedly and promptly attacked. The
enemy naturally thought We were IN over
whelming force. or that we would not
have incurred such risks.
THE BATTLE.
'.Cluke and Chenault having formed at
gallon, Immediately dismOunted and ad-
vanced, the enemy's line being about 40o
yards distant. A line of their skirmlsh-
ers occupied the hollow, posted behind
fence, and their fire was very annoying.
My line moved OIL steadily, and, after hav-
ing advanced about 100 yards, halted to
discharge voley. which dislodged the
skirmishers, and then, after reloading,
pressed OH Mt swift run. The enemy
| fred by rank, each volley passing over
our heads. for tile men had reached the
hollow. No time was given the enemy TO
reload. When within GO yards. OF them
upon their. front, and Chenault having
swept so far round, and then closed i'll,
| that the two regiments were firing almost
into each others faces. -
"The open cavalry formation not only
enabled us. with a smaller force, to cover
| the entire front of the enemy opposed to
us. but while exposing, us to less loss. made
our fire more deadly.1Cluke and Chenault
moved on. swinging around to the right.
until they were formed at right angles to
| the original direction of their line, and the
| force confronting them was Tapped hack
| upon the other part of the Federal line
These operators lasted about 20 minutes
BY that time Col. Hunt had formed his
infantry and attacked in echelon. the I'd
| Ky. in advance. CObb's battery joined in
and soon lost one of its caissOns, blown
| up by Il shell from one of the enemy's Par
rott guns.
1.-The infantry had marched fully 30
miles, over slippery roads. and through the
chilling cold, and l saw some Of them
stumble, when charging because. of fatigue
and numbness, but they rushed on as if
| they were going to a frO1ic The I'd Ky.
dashed over the ravine. and as they
emerged from it in some disorder. an
unfortunate order was given them to halt
and dress There was no necessity for
such an order, they being within 80 yards
of the enemy who We're being pressed
back. Several officers sprang to the front
and countermanded, the order. it being a
matter of doubt whence it'came, and Capt.
Joyes, seizing the colors. shouted 10 the
men to follow him.. The regiment rushed
on again, but in that brief halt it sns-
tanned nearly all of It's loss. Just then,l the
9th Ky. came to its suppOrt-the men yell
ing and gliding over pthe ground like
panthers. The enemy gave way, apparent
ly in confusion. and were again pressed on
their right and rear by Cluke and Che
nault, who were Mt this moment reinforced
by IS men of Gano's regiment, who had
come up from the ford.al The affair was
soon over. The enemy, crowded within
narrow space and exposed to deadly fire.
hoisted the white fag-just an hour after
the firing of the first shot.
Our loss in killed and wounded was
125, of which the Cd KY lost 60, the 9th
Ky. 18. the cavalry 32,9and Cobb's, bat
terry, 10. The infantry regiments lost some
fine officers. loss, deeply regretted by
MOrgan's entire command, was little
Craven Peyton. Morgan invariably Sc
lected as his orderlies. bright. gentlemanly
little fellows from among the many boys
Of his command. They were not required
to perform the ordinary services of an or
derly, but were treated more like. staff
officers. and were assigned such duties as
are usually required of an aid This was
an excellent method of spelling young sol
diers, but Morgan enjoyed such luxuries.
OF all this attractive band of little staff
officers Craven Peyt0n was the most pop
ular and he possessed the most remarkable
daring, intelligence and determination.
Exposing himself in this fight with his
usual recklessness. he received wound
which disabled him so much that he could
not be removed. He was made prisoner.
and in few days fretted himself to
death.
'The enemy sustained grievous loss in
killed and wounded. and we carried off
to MurfreesborO 1904 prisoners. The
tents aud everything 1iat could not be
removed, were burned A number of cap
tured wagons were loaded with arms and
portable stores, and hurried across the
river. Some of the most valuable cap
lures We're boots and shoes-just what we
needed in that December weather.
"The prisoners were gotten across the
river as rapidly as possible, and the in
fantry were taken over behind the cav
alrymen. Some of the prisoners neces-
sarily had to wade the river, as their
friends, the Federais from Castalian
Springs, began to press us so closely that
we could not stand upon the order of
transportation Clnke's regiment was
posted upon the Galatin road to hold the
enemy in check, Quirk's scouts having al
ready retarded their advance. Gano's reg
iment was sent as soon as it got up to
support Cluke.
Nothing but the rapid style in whicl,
the fight had been conducted and finished
saved us. We had no sooner marched away
from the ground than the enemy from
Castalian Springs occupied it, and our
guns which opened upon them from the
southern shore of the Cumberland were
answered by their batteries. No pursuit
was attempted, and we marched lesurely
back through Lebanon, regaining our
camps late in the night. The enemy's two
PARROTS, splendid pieces of artillery, were
among our trophies, and they subsequently
did excellent service in our hands-bnt,
alas, we lost them at Burlington Island,
when on the Ohio raid
This expedition was justly esteemed
the most brilliant thing that Morgan had
ever done, and was referred to with pride
by every man that was in it,
MORGAN MADE A,BRIGADIER-GENERAL.
The brilliant achievement Mt Hartsville
brought to Morgan his long-expected COM
mission Of Brigadier-i General He had