The National tribune., 1903-10-29

the bridges on the Kentucky Central Rail
road, between Lexington and Paris.
A good many recruits had been obtained
at various points in the State, and at
Georgetown d full company was raised,
W. G. P. Breckenridge, a brilliant young
lawyer Of Lexington, being the Captain.
CAPTURE OF CYNTHIANA.
For the story giving the subsequent
operations of the raiders on the Kentucky
expedition, l am indebted to Gen. Duke,
his narrative being, substantially, as fol-
lows:
Col. Morgan finding how strongly Lex
ington was garrisOned, gave up all thought
of attacking it, but it was high time that
he made his arrangements to return to
Dixie. He determined to make a dash at
Cynthiana, on the Kentucky Central Rail
road 81 miles from Lexington. and about
% miles, by turnpike, from Georgetown.
By moving upon Cynthiana Morgan hoped
to induce the impression that he was aim
ing at Cincinnati, and at the same time
thoroughly bewider the officer in command
at Lexington regarding his real inten-
tons. When he reached Cynthiana he
would be master of three or four routes
by either of which he could leave Ken
lucky, completely eluding his purSuers
and he did not doubt that he could defeat
whatever force might be collected there
Having first dispatched parts of two
companies to drive all scouts and detach-
ments of the enemy into Lexington, Nor
gan left Georgetown on the morning of
July IS, moving rapidly, the detachments
protecting his march from observation Of
the enemy.
"Cynthana was occupied by 300 or 400
men Of Metcalf's cavalry regiment, and
about the same number of home guards,
all under command of Lieut.-Col. Ian
drum, Of Metcalf's regiment. There was
but one piece of artillery in the town,
brass twelve-pOund howitZer. This was in
charge Of a company Of Cincinnati fire.
men, commanded by Capt. Billy Glass,
of the Fourth Ward and. when the fight
opened, those 'firemen artillerists' went to
work as if they were putting out fire.
I'VE struck the pickets a mile or two
from the town, the advancing guard cap
turing three or four of them. Knowing
the country well, Col. Morgan had pre-
viously determined upon his dispositions
for attack. Between us and the town
was the Licking River, crossed at the
Georgetown pike, which We were travel
ing, by narrow covered bridge. Just
by the side of the bridge there was a ford
about waist-dcep. Nowhere else, in the
then stage of water, was the river ford
able in that immediate vicinity; but above
and below about mile, respectively, were
fords, and to these were sent Gano above
and the GeOrgians below, with instructions
to cross and attack the enemy wherever
found. The I'd Ky. was ordered to attack
in front.
1.-The enemy held all the houses upon
the opposite bank Of the river, which
runs close to the town, and opened spirit
ed fire upon the regiment as it advanced.
Companies A and Il were deployed upon
the right Of the road, f. and + upon the
left, and G was held in reserve, mounted
The advance guard had been sent with
Gano. The howitzsrs were planted near
the road, about $50 yards from the bridge,
and Immediately began a bombardment
OF the houses, occupied by the enemy.
Capt. Billy Glass and his 'fremen'
swept the bridge with their
redoubtable 'one-gun battery of Cincinnati
and incidentally sent their com
pliments' in the direction of the Morgan
howitZers. Cos. Il and i advanced to the
margin of the river and compelled the Fed
erals who were exposed to their fire on the
further side of the narrow stream to throw
down their guns and surrender. These
troops were even made to swim the river
and obligingly join their captors. In the
meantime, Co. A, after having been re
pulsed two or three times in attempting
to rush across the bridge, plunged into the
river and, holding their guns and ammuni-
ton above their heads, crossed over and
effected lOdgment on the other side. For
awhile those first over were compelled 10
take shelter behind a long warehouse near
the bridge, and even when the entire COM
pany had gotten over, and assistance had
been sent to it, it seemed that the enemy,
who had concentrated to oppose us at that
point, would drive the whole party back
across the river, if indeed they did not
force them to surrender. The adjacent
houses and yards were filled with sharp
shooters, who made the position of the
Morgan men exceedingly uncomfortable,
The lines at this point were not more than
40 yards apart, and the greater part of
our loss was sustained here, and by Co. A.
The howitzers were advanced, but the
hot fire Of the sharpshooters drove the
gunners away from them. One gunner,
Talbot by name, loaded and fred his
piece two or three times, by himself, while
the sharpshooters' missile were actually
striking it. The team of one of the pieces
smarting with wounds, ran away with the