Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 8.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[72] hand. I ventured to ask him for a drink of water. He turned around, saying, “Yes, God damn you, I will give you a drink of water,” and shot at my head three different times, covering my face up with dust, and then turned from me, no doubt thinking he had killed me, remarking, “God damn you, it's too late to pray now,” then went on with his pilfering. I lay there until dark, feigning death, when a rebel officer came along, drawing his sabre, and ordered me to get up, threatening to run his sabre into me if I did not, saying I had to march ten miles that night. I succeeded in getting up, and got among a small squad he had already gathered up, but stole away from them during the night, and got among the dead, feigning death for fear of being murdered. The next morning the gunboat came up and commenced shelling them out, when I crawled out from among the dead, and with a piece of paper motioned to the boat; she came up, and I crawled on board.

	his
William F.	+	Mays.
	mark.

Sworn and subscribed to before me this twenty-seventh day of April, 1864.

A true copy.

On the twenty-third of March it was generally understood at the said post that at least a portion of the rebel General Forrest's command were advancing on us. At about eight o'clock P. M. of that day the advance of the enemy were seen and fired upon, near Jacksonville, six miles from Union City, by a small scouting-party sent in that direction from our post. This party reported the facts immediately to Colonel Hawkins, of the Seventh Tennessee cavalry, who was commander of the post.

The picket-guard was then doubled, and two or three companies were ordered to keep their horses saddled during the night.

I was notified at half-past 4 A. M. of the twenty-fourth of March to order my horses saddled. About five o'clock firing commenced all around the line of pickets. The main part of company B, Captain Martin, were abreast, and a part of company I, also, I think. The remaining force, about five hundred strong, were distributed around at the breastworks. The pickets were driven in, with a loss of two killed and several wounded. About half-past 5 A. M. a cavalry charge was made from the south side. It was repulsed with but little difficulty. The same were immediately dismounted and charged again, this time coming within twenty or thirty yards of the breastworks. They were repulsed again, and with considerable loss this time. Immediately following this, another charge was made in front, from the north-west, and again repulsed. Immediately following this, the fourth charge, and last, was made from the north-east, which charge confronted my company, and were repulsed again with loss. This charge was made at about eight A. M. About this time the Colonel came to this part of the works; I remarked to him that it was my opinion the rebels were defeated in their first programme; that they would either leave the field or assemble and make a consolidated charge. Our troops were in fine spirits. Sharp-shooting lasted till half-past 9 A. M., when an escort, with a flag of truce, approached my position. I sent notification to Colonel Hawkins of the approaching truce flag, and then advanced in person and halted the truce escort two hundred yards from the defences. Then Colonel Hawkins came; a document was handed him, the contents of which I know not. At this time the rebel troops were in full view, in the logs and stumps. The truce escort retired, and in twenty minutes after again came. I again halted them on the same ground as before, and remained with them during this interview. This time an order was handed to Colonel Hawkins, which I read. As near as I can remember, it read as follows:

headquarters confederate States forces, in the field, March 24, 1864.
Commanding Officer United States Forces, at Union City, Tennessee:

Sir: I have your garrison completely surrounded, and demand an unconditional surrender of your forces. If you comply with the demand, you are promised the treatment due to prisoners of war, according to usages in civilized warfare. If you persist in a defence, you must take the consequences.

By order of

N. B. Forrest, Major-General.

Then followed a council of our officers, in which a large majority violently opposed any capitulation whatever with the enemy. Notwithstanding this, the Colonel made a surrender at eleven A. M., which, to the best of my knowledge and belief, was unconditional. No artillery was seen or used. The surrendered troops were very indignant on hearing of the surrender. Only one man had been killed and two or three wounded inside of the works. It was generally believed to be a rebel defeat. Our troops, after grounding arms, were marched away on foot. The rebel troops were commanded by Colonel Duckworth, and as nearly as I could estimate them, there were eight hundred.

A list of prisoners was made on the twenty-sixth, at Trenton, which numbered four hundred and eighty-one, including ten of Hardy's men and a few of the Twenty-fourth Missouri infantry, who were doing provost duty.