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miles in advance, on the
Columbia road, south side of the river.
I did not at any time occupy the stockade, which was far in my rear, but gave battle on the narrows entering the bend.
I engaged the enemy's force this morning at half-past 3 o'clock; early in the engagement he opened on our breastworks with a battery, and after firing a shot, disabling two of my men, lie sent a flag of truce with the following despatch:
headquarters
Morgan's division, in field in front
Green River Stocoadr, July 4, 1808.
To the
Officer Commanding the
Federal Forces at Stockade near Green River Bridge, Ky.:
sir: In the name of the
confederate States government, I demand an immediate and unconditional surrender of the entire force under your command, together with the stockade.
I am, very respectfully, sir,
I sent a reply to
General John Morgan that the Fourth day of July was no day for me to entertain such a proposition.
After receiving the reply, he opened fire with his artillery and musketry.
My force, which occupied the open field, were withdrawn to the woods where they engaged the enemy with a determination not to be defeated.
The battle raged for three and a half (3 1/2) hours, when the enemy retreated with a loss of over fifty (50) killed and two hundred (200) wounded.
Among the killed were
Colonel Chenault,
Major Brent, another major, and five (5) captains, and six (6) lieutenants, as near as can be estimated.
The conflict was fierce and bloody.
At times the enemy occupied one side of the fallen timber, while my men held the other, in almost a hand-to-hand fight.
The enemy's force consisted of the greater part of
Morgan's division.
My force was a fraction of my regiment, consisting of two hundred (200) men, who fought gallantly.
I cannot say too much in their praise.
Our loss was six (6) killed and twenty-three (23) wounded.
After the battle, I received, under a flag of truce, a despatch asking permission to bury their (lead, which request I granted, proposing to deliver them in front of our lines.
The detachment of forty men, under command of
Lieutenant M. A. Hogan, Eighth Michigan infantry, held the river at the ford, near the bridge, and repulsed a cavalry charge made by the enemy in a very creditable and gallant manner.
The gallantry of my officers and men in the action was such that I cannot individualize; they all did their duty nobly, and the wounded were treated with the greatest care and attention by
Assistant Surgeon J. N. Greggs, of my regiment, whose tine abilities as a surgeon are highly appreciated.
I am,
Colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
headquarters twenty-Third army corps,
Lexington, July 17, 1863.
.
The General commanding the corps hereby extends his thanks to the two hundred officers and soldiers of the Twenty-fifth Michigan regiment, under
Colonel O. H. Moore, who so successfully resisted, by their gallant and heroic bravery, the attack of a vastly superior force of the enemy, under the rebel General,
John Morgan, at Tebb's Bend, on
Green River, on the fourth of July, 1863, in which they killed one fourth as many of the enemy as their own little band amounted to, and wounded a number equal to their own.
. . . . . . . .
By command of
Major-Gen. Hartsuff.
. Company F, killed,
, private.
