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How strikingly the course of nature tells,But, as I get so far, I suddenly find I have company, and am joined by one of my comrades, who, having heard my involuntary soliloquy, accuses me of getting sentimental, and shaking off the spell that seemed to enthrall me, I return to camp, and throwing myself on the ground, I sleep soundly until morning breaks, and the bugle calls us once more to mount. Here we are informed that Morgan left Elizabethtown on his right, and struck for Brandenburgh, commencing to cross the Ohio River on the Alice Dean and the J. T. McCoombs. On the morning of the ninth, we again started in pursuit, feeling a little elated to find that we have gained something on him in the journey. We captured three prisoners shortly after leaving Laurenceville, who told us that at the fight at Green River they lost one hundred and ten men in killed and wounded, including Colonel Chenault, one major and four captains. As we drew near to Brandenburgh we saw a thick smoke rising up from the river, and quickened our speed in hopes of arriving in time to prevent the destruction of property which we presumed was going on, but as we arrived in the town we could see down in the river the Alice Dean burning rapidly away on the other side of the stream, while far back on the opposite shore of the river, could be seen the rear-guard of Morgan's force rapidly disappearing in the distance. The complaints of the inhabitants were longer, and deeper, and louder than at any other point on our route. The accustomed chivalry of Morgan's men, which is a matter of so much pride and exultation among the secesh of Kentucky, is, it seems, excelled by their cupidity, and they could not withstand the temptation offered by the well-filled stores of Brandenburgh. Plundering all indiscriminately, there was hardly a house in the place which had not suffered more or less from their visit. One firm, that of Weatherspool and Joekel, they robbed of goods to the amount of three thousand five hundred dollars, and when they expostulated with them for taking such goods as could not possibly be of service to them, such as silks and muslins, they replied that they wanted them to present to their Yankee cousins in Indiana. In the fight that took place at Brandenburgh, at the time of the crossing, between the Leavenworth home guards and Morgan's men, they killed two of the Indianians and took forty-five of them prisoners, capturing their twelve pounder gun, which they threw into the river after spiking it. In the onward march of the rebels they burnt Peter Locke's mill, which lies about three miles from the river. This was the first work of destruction they performed after they commenced to invade the free States. Our forces commenced to cross the river at noon of the ninth of July, and went into camp on the hill opposite Brandenburgh until the whole force was across, in order to give our horses rest, that they might be fresh when they resumed the pursuit. At three o'clock on the morning of the tenth, all our forces were across, and breaking up our camp, we at once resumed the pursuit. About five miles on the road we captured Lieutenant Arnold, of Gano's regiment, who was thrown from his horse and sprained his ankle, thus being rendered unfit for duty. Arriving at Corydon at ten o'clock we found that the home guards had made a stand there under Colonel Timberley, and had fought them for four hours, killing two of Morgan's men, and wounding seven, while they themselves lost fifteen in killed and wounded. It was at this place that Mr. Glenn was shot down, and his house burnt for having fired on the rebels as they passed by his house. As we rode by the place, the dead body of Robinson, the rebel he had killed, was still laid out in the open air, waiting for its burial to take place. In Corydon we found that here, as everywhere else, they had cleaned out all the stores, and had plundered all they could lay their hands on. Three mills which are situated in this place they threatened to burn, unless they raised one thousand dollars each in fifteen minutes. The money was raised and the mills were saved. They captured two hundred home guards and paroled them, and when they left, they took with them all the horses they could find, Dick Morgan's regiment taking the advance. Up to this time they had stolen altogether about two hundred and fifty horses and had torn up and destroyed all the American flags they could find. Encamping that night about two and a half miles from Salem, we broke camp at five o'clock on the eleventh, and arrived there quite early in the morning. We met with quite a grand reception there, the inhabitants supplying us with all the eatables we required, and doing for us all they had in their power. Morgan had burnt the railroad bridge across the Blue River at this point, and had also levied his usual tax of one thousand dollars each on the three mills of the place; and finished up by robbing all the houses in the place. At one or two houses, the inhabitants had locked up and fled at their approach, but they broke in the doors and helped themselves to all they could find. On Saturday, July eleventh, we encamped at Vienna, where the rebels had burnt the bridge, and we found that Morgan had struck for Lexington and thence north; so leaving camp again at five o'clock on the morning of the twelfth, we followed on to Paris, where the rebels had made but a short stay, being apprehensive that we were too close in their rear for their own comfort. At Vernon, Morgan sent in to Colonel Lowe, who commanded the one thousand two hundred militia who had assembled at that point, demanding a surrender. Colonel Lowe replied: “Come and take it.” Morgan then notified him to remove all the women and children, which was done. He then surrounded the town, burnt the bridges, and did all the damage that lay in his power, and then went on to Dupont without troubling himself
By its light heed of human suffering,
That it was fashioned for a happier world.
