Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Chapter XXII: Operations in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Mississippi, North Alabama, and Southwest Virginia. March 4-June 10, 1862.
Lieut. Col. Robert N. Scott, Ed.

About 2.30 p. m. I went out to the field where Major Crockett was drilling the Seventy-second Regiment. Just as I reached the field quite a brisk firing commenced on the left of our pickets. I directed Major Crockett to march the regiment around that way to camp, and I rode ahead to ascertain what the firing meant. I found that Lieut. W. H. Herbert, of the Seventieth Ohio Volunteers, and 6 guards under him had been taken prisoners. I sent Lieutenant Geer to inform Colonel Cockerill, and request the colonel to report the fact to General Sherman. Major Crockett had directed Company B, Seventy-second Regiment, to bear off to the right of our picket line as skirmishers. After reaching the house where the guard was I directed the major to take Company H and meet Company B, leaving the balance of the regiment at the house. Lieutenant Geer returned and informed me that General Sherman would send out 100 cavalry. I returned to camp, supposing that Major Crockett would soon follow me with the regiment. After [91] remaining some time I concluded to ride back. When I reached the house Major Crockett had not returned, but constant firing was heard in the direction he had taken. I took about 100 men of Companies A, D, and I, and marched in the direction of the firing, supposing it not to be far off, and that Major Crockett and his men were surrounded by rebel cavalry. We had proceeded some distance when we met some men of Company H, who informed me that Major Crockett was probably taken prisoner, and that Companies B and H were separated. The firing continued, not rapid but pretty regular, which led me to the conclusion that Company B was surrounded and were defending themselves against cavalry. We pushed on at double-quick notwithstanding the severe storm. I rode some distance ahead of the men, and discovered the enemy, as I supposed, about to make a charge. They charged, and Company B returned the charge, as Captain Raymond has since informed me. My men came up most gallantly and opened a destructive fire upon the enemy, who soon retired to an open space and commenced forming. I had changed the front of my line to correspond, when our cavalry came up and the enemy fled. The cavalry pursued, and we followed until it was ascertained that the enemy were in force a short distance ahead, when we returned, in company with the cavalry.

Captain Raymond, Company B, informs me that they had been surrounded by the enemy more than an hour, first by about 100 or 150, and that just before I came up they were re-enforced to about 400, and were all ready to charge when my men commenced firing upon them. Captain Raymond's men fired about 15 rounds. He had with him Adjutant Rawson, Sergeant-Major Engle, Lieutenants Buckland and Fisher, of Company B, and Lieutenant Crary, of the Forty-sixth Ohio Volunteers, who went along from the drill ground, and 41 noncommissioned officers and men. All behaved with great coolness and bravery.

Company H also had a severe fight with rebel cavalry. They were attacked after they had commenced retreating. Major Crockett became separated from the company, and is undoubtedly taken prisoner; also Lieutenant Geer, of the Forty-eighth, who, it seems, joined Crockett after I left for camp. It is not known that any of our men were killed, but Sergts. Andrew Unkle and Philip Fertiz are missing, supposed to be prisoners. I annex a list of wounded and missing.¹ A considerable number of the enemy were killed both by Company B and the men under my charge. Quite a number of dead bodies were seen as we passed over the ground. The men under my charge took 8 prisoners and Captain Raymond brought 2 wounded rebels from the field and left them at a house near our line of pickets. They are probably mortally wounded. I annex a list of wounded and missing.²

List of wounded and missing in Seventy-second Regiment Ohio Volanteers:

[92]

Lieutenant Geer of the Forty-eighth, acting aide, is missing. I have not received the names of the missing men of the Seventieth Ohio Volunteers.

Your obedient servant,