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was here told that the force had left for Kentucky.
I determined to return to Liberty, thence to Cooksville, and await their return.
On my arrival at Cooksville, I received reliable information to the effect that the enemy was encamped in or near Hartsville, and I took up the march for that place, but, on reaching it, found that he had left the evening before, going in the direction of Gallatin.
I took possession of his old camp, captured several prisoners, a number of wagons, mules, horses, etc., which had been taken from Colonel Boone's command.
At this place I heard of the approach of Forrest in my rear, and decided upon uniting my force to the one in Gallatin, for the purpose of resisting an attack from the combined forces of Forrest and Morgan, but, on my approach to Gallatin, I found that it was in possession of Morgan's forces, which I was satisfied did not exceed eight hundred men.
I immediately ordered an attack.
Lieut.-Col. Stewart and Major Winfrey, gallantly leading the charge of their respective regiments, threw their whole strength against the enemy with terrible effect.
Col. Wynkoop and Captain Chillson also brought their commands handsomely into action, and for some time the conflict seemed to progress finely for us.
Soon some horses were wounded, riders killed, and confusion began to appear.
Regimental and company organizations were lost, and, without any apparent cause, at least half of my command precipitately fled, throwing away their arms, etc. Many of the men, after getting a thousand yards from the enemy, wildly discharged their revolvers in the air. I sent back a staff-officer to rally them, but they could not be induced to reappear on the field.
Seeing my advance wavering, I ordered a retreat and tried to rally them behind a hedge and fence, but as soon as the firing became general the whole line gave way. I tried to get them to stand at several different points, with the same result.
Finally, seeing that I could get them to fight no longer, I ordered a retreat, and marched to the rear about three miles, and undertook to re-form them.
While re-forming, seeing that I was not pursued, I sent in a flag of truce and asked that I might be allowed to bury the dead, but was informed that the dead were being buried, and I was requested to surrender, men and officers being promised their paroles.
This request I declined.
Being well satisfied that my men would stand no longer, I took up the line of march for Cairo, on the Cumberland, hoping to be able to take a strong position on the river and hold it; but, my rear being hotly pressed, I formed line of battle with the Second Indiana and Fifth Kentucky, and made my arrangements to fight on foot.
Soon the firing became brisk, and my line of battle broke and the men fled in every direction, leaving only about seventy-five on the ground.
Seeing Lieut.-Col. Stewart and Major Winfrey, I asked them if they thought it possible for them to rally their men, and they replied that they could not, and that a surrender of the few left was all that could be done.
Lieut.-Colonel Stewart made his escape.
With the few left I remained and held the enemy in check long enough to enable the greater portion of my command to ford the river, but finally, being completely surrounded by overwhelming numbers, I was compelled to surrender.
I regret to report that the conduct of the officers and men, as a general thing, was shameful in the lowest degree, and the greater portion of those who escaped will remember that they did so by shamefully abandoning their General on the battle-field, while, if they had remained like true and brave men, the result of this conflict would have been quite different.
I turn from the mortifying recollection of their action to mention the names of those whose conduct was meritorious in the highest degree.
My Assistant Adjutant-General, Captain W. C. Turner, exhibited the same cool courage which characterized his conduct on the field of Shiloh.
Lieut. Hill, Second Indiana cavalry, and acting aid-de-camp, was of great service to me, and proved himself a man of courage.
Adjt. Wynkoop, when his regiment became disorganized, joined me, and his gallantry and courage were conspicuous.
He was killed at my side, assisting me to rally the troops.
Lieut.-Col. Stewart, commanding the Second Indiana, was foremost in the charge, and exhibited great coolness and courage.
Captain Leabo, Second Indiana, had command of four companies of his regiment and handled them well, but was taken prisoner early in the action.
Capt. Starr, with his company, (C,) did good execution.
Major Winfrey, Captain Duncan and his company, Lieuts. Campbell and Cheeck, Capt. Carter and his company, all of the Fifth Kentucky, behaved well and managed their troops with skill, and proved themselves gallant men.
My loss was thirty killed, fifty wounded, and seventy-five taken prisoners.
About two hundred horses were killed or disabled in this action.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. W. Johnson, Brigadier-General.
Major Winfrey's report.
Louisville, Ky., September 8, 1862.
Messrs. Editors: Not having an opportunity of reporting to General Johnson, in writing, the part the regiment I had the honor to command took in the battle at Gallatin, Tenn., between the forces of Col. Morgan and Gen. Johnson, before his official report, I desire, through your columns, to make a plain statement of the fight and the conduct of each regiment, so far as necessary to explain that of my regiment.
On the morning of the twenty-first of August, we ascertained that Colonel Morgan, with his brigade, was stationed in or near Gallatin, numbering between one thousand one hundred and one thousand five hundred men, and having, as I understood, been ordered by General Nelson to attack wherever we found him, regardless of numbers, and believing the advantage 