The Washington herald., 1915-01-24
BRIG. GEN. LYON RESTING
AFTER DEFEAT.
January Is.

after a defeat near Red Hill, three days
before
Lyon and his men were on their return
journey south after a dashnG raid
through kentucky and Tennessee. in
which the Federals had been outwitted
and Outdistanced. and in which a con-
siderable amount "f valuable property
and military stores had been captured.
TIL raid had been undertaken as a
cooperative movement to the invasion
Of Tennessee by 4 Confederate army
under Gen. John Is. Hood. The latter
had moved north against Nashville on
November - after giving orders to Gen.
Lyon to swing around upon the railroads
and posts in the rear CnorthD of the city,
TO interrupt Federal communication with
the North, and to put mills in rum
ming order throughout that section for the
use OF the Confederate government. Gen.
Hood believed that he would soon occupy
all of Kentucky and would have need of
subsistence for his army in that quarter.
Gen. Lyons force at that time consist
eel Of about NJ" men, undisciplined and
poorly organized. Tho majority Of them
had been in Tn" service but few days.
being largely cousrripts from the western
townships of 7. .unCsscc. Bringing this
force together at Paris. Tenn. Gen. Lyon
organized his two bricadcs the first under
col. J. !. Turner and the second under
col. j. .. Chcnowcth.
Horsemen Take Steamers.
With two pieces Of artillery. this com
mdnd moved to the Tennessee River at
DauVillc, crossed there on December s,
and thu fulluwiu- day took possession or
Cumberland CiIy. ON the Cumberland
River. twenty miles below Clarkesville,
and tho same distance above Fort DOnCl-
son. Here the Confederates ca aptured a
large steamer loaded with forage and pro
visions. ON this tn" river was crossed.
During tn" evening of December 9 two
other steamers and four barges were cap
tured and consigned to the flames. The
total property destroyed was estimateo
at Sl.NO0.0OO value.
ClarkeSvillc. being strongly fortified.
the COnfedrates moved upon Hopkinsville
Ky. twenty-five miles north Of the latter
place. and finding it evacuated by its
Federal garrison. rode in. seized large
quantity Of clothing and shoes. of which
The command was badly in need. and
burned down tn courthouse
Leaving ChenOweth's brigade with one
gun as a garrison. Gen. Lyon mOved
Ncst upon Princeton Eddyvillc and CadiZ
all Of which were found abandoned by
their negro Earrisons. Tho courthOuses at
I.ddyvll- and CadIz were burned. the
stores pullaEed. and then the command
turned back toward Hopknsvillo.
In the meantime. Brig. Gen. Edward
NJ MCCOOk's division OF Federal cav
airy, which had been hurried north from
Nashville ON pcccmb Il. came down up
F-gT T..v-.. 80
under Col Ch'uuwcth from the place.
and captured 4 number Of his mon and
HlS Sru-Ic pi. ,,. OF artillery. Gen. Lyon
now Joined forces with ChonOWeth and
started ON a w idc circuit to the north.
with Col Oscar II. la Oranges Federal
brigade m pursuit.
Passing through C"a-IoStowu ana
NadisOnvilIc. burning tho courthouse at
The lattcr place. the Cuufederates crossed
CircCu River at .Nshby shurC. Hartford
ucAt Wa visited by the Confcderates.
There q Garrison Of forty-cight officers
aud men Was captured and the court
hous,. burned. Thence the COnfederates
moved through Litchhcld to Elizabeth
Tow % and Noliu station. only forty miles
from Louisville. on the Louisville and
Na~hvil. Railroad. where. after doing
some dama-e To railroad and government
I.oprrty II made for HOdE"nsville. On
IN, WAY bridges were burned over every
important stream. The Federals, being
thus forced to make dctours to get across.
lost much time and did not succeed III
doing much damage To the raiders.
Lyon Captured, Escapes.
Iu the first days Of the raid between
@,O and inO consCripts had been forced
into service by Gen Lyon, but in the
rapid movement made necessary by the
proximity of the Federal cavalry under
col. La Grange. most of these made
their escape Furthermore, at NOlin
Station. first news was received of Gen.
IIo"ds bloody defeat at Nashville on
december IL. This had such a dcmoraliz-
In= effect upon the command that sew
,raI hundred men deserted and returned
l." their homes ia the next two days.
From HodC nsvjIc whore the Federals
under La Grange ended pursuit, Gen.
Lyon rod" south to Campbcllsville. where
t.r COURTEOUS MAS burned. thence to
Columbia and Burkcsvillc where the COM
mand CROSSED tic Cumberland River.
Passing through Livingston. Sparta, Nc
Niunvill" and Winchester. Tenn, the
raiders crossed the Tennessee River near
Guntcrville. Ala.
in the few days before crossing the
command had been in constant touch
with tn" Fedcrals. lighting several Skin
mishCs and losing number of men. On
t." south bank. however. they felt some
" hat secure. and the night of January u
camped near Red Hill. eight miles south
Of GuntersviIlc
But Col. William J. Palmer. who only
d. fnw days before had returned to De
,atur Nla.. after a successful raid upon
Gen. Hoods wagon and pontoon trains.
WAS sent with $50 men of the Fifteenth
PENNSYLVANIA Cavalry to find and attack
Gen. Lyon. After an all-night march
he swung i'm upon the Confederate en-
campment near Red Hill about o'clock
in the morning of January Is. He had
made a circuit to the south in order to
cut of the retreat, and then dashed in
upon the tired and traveI-worn Confeder-
ates.
Lyons command was readily put to
rout and the general himself captured
at the door Of Tom Mobiles house as he
was about to effect his escape garbed |
solely in his conspicuous white night
shirt. The general surrendered to Sergt.
Arthur p. Lyon. Of the Fifteenth Penn
sylvRnia, and requested permission to put
on his clothing before going out with |
him.
AS the Federal advance guard had
then moved a short distance away in
pursuit Of Gen Lyons escort the ser
geant gave the general permission to 1
dress and went into the room with him |
until he should be ready. An outburst
OF firing prompted the sergeant TO urge
his prisoner TO hurry. Come, general, I |
can't allow you much more time" he |
said.
Cen voD tber, sud6eDl, segza5 , pis.ol /