Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-11-28
TALE OF GEN. PEGRAM'S RAID
Interesting Story of How Eighty Pick
ed Men Charged Through Camp
Of Enemy In Kentucky.

Early in the month of March, 1858
between the 1st and 10TH, General
Pegram made raid into Kentucky
with a force of $500 cavalry and three
pieces OF artillery. At the time the
LIST Kentucky cavalry was guarding
the south bank of the Cumberland
river in the vicinity Of Somerset. On
Pegram's approach We were ordered
by General Gilmore, whose headQuar-
tiers were al Lexington, to fall back
to DanviIle.
After reachl- & DanviIIe General Car
ter. who was killed at the siege of
Knoxville, made dispositions TO dis
pute Pegram's further advance, but
after a light skirmish at Danville
General Carter was ordered to fall
back and take position some ten miles
northeast from that point, at Camp
Dick Robinson.
Lieut.-CoI. SiIas Adams, Of the Ist
Kentucky cavalry, was captured and
made a prisoner of war in the Skin
mish at Danville, but afterwards es-
capped from the enemy at Monticello,
Ky. When General Carter reached
Camp Dick" as it was called, he was
again ordered to fall back to the
north bank of the Kentucky river
Before the retreat from Danville
General Carter ordered me to proceed
to Lancaster, Ky, with so picked men
from the 1st Kentucky cavalry to
watch the movements of the enemy in
that direction and to remain there un-
til ordered away. writes S. N. Boone
of the Ohio National Military Home in
the National Tribune. No such order
ever came from the general, as the
couriers sent or attempted TO be sent
me were all captured,
At this juncture and somewhere
near midnight Col Ben P. Runlle,
commanding the 44th and 45th Ohio
infantry, came into Lancaster from
Richmond, KY, I tank. and ordered
me to sadie up and proceed to Camp
Dick Robinson.
I told him I could not leave the
post. as General Carter had command
ed me to remain until ne ordered me
away.
Colonel RunkIe replied: Our forces
have been driven back from Danyille,
and we must form a junction with
them as quick as may be at Camp
Dick Robinson. I rank you, and you
must obey my orders.
We were soon in the saddle and
given the advance, being we'll ac-
quainted with the country. The night
was dark and a drilling rain was
falling. Near the old brick church
my little squad of so men ran upon
the pickets, not of our own forces, as
we expected but of those of the
/ enemy.
They were all asleep, and they were
made prisoners before they knew it.
/ The question then presented itself:
What shall I do?" I made up my
mind in fash and said: Boys, we
/ will go through or die. They are all
/ asleep, and we have their pickets. F"
Gabe Greenleaf was by my side, and
! I dispatched Joe Blackeby to inform
/ Colonel Runkle that instead Of meet
/ ing our own We were upon the enemy,
and I was going to charge through
their camp.
Whether Colonel Runkle ever re-
/ ceived the message I may never know;
/ but this much I do know, he came
laundering down the pike right be,
hind me with the brave and gallant
44th and 45th Ohio.
After I had passed the barn that
stood in the forks Of the two pixies
Colonel RunkIe ordered Lieutenant
Lennon to take the advance, but the
| gantlet had then been run, and we
/ got somewhat mixed up in the dark
ness, and so, capturing the pickets at
BryantsviIle, we crossed the Kentucky
! river about daylight.
No shot was fired, and the charge
was a success. The boys used to call
it "Boone's dumb charge" and I shall
/ always believe that had we halted and
/ not gone through we would have all
/ been captured the next morning.
In two days after crossing the Ken
| lucky river we were ordered to ad
vance upon the enemy, with whom we
skirmished from Crab Orchard to Dut
tons Hill, where Pegram made a
stand in a strong position in order to
move the stock he had captured safe
/ ly over the Cumberland river.
The battle was a sharp cavalry en-,
/ gagement and Pegram was routed, but
succeeded in crossing the Cumberland
with what men he had left and max
ing his escape to Virginia or Tennes
see.
The only troops I remember figuring
in this engagement we're the LIST Ken.
lucky cavalry, 44th and 45th Ohio in,
fantry-as brave and gallant men as
/ ever formed in battle Ifne-oDe bat,
talon of the It'll Ohio cavalry, dash.
ing fine fellows, and a battery OF