Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

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Included in the above are of the Second Kentucky regiment, Chas. H. Thomas, First Lieutenant, and John W. Rogers, Second Lieutenant, Company C, killed; T. M. Horne, First Lieutenant, Company A, mortally wounded; Second Lieutenant A. J. Pryor, Company D, Lieutenant Harding, Company K, wounded. Of Ninth Kentucky, Second Lieutenant Dandridge Crockett, killed, First Lieutenant J. W. Cleveland, wounded.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Sir: I have the honor to report that, in pursuance of your orders, I formed my regiment on the left of the Ninth Kentucky, opposite the enemy's camp near Hartsville, a portion of General Morgan's cavalry being at the same time on my left. When the orders came for me to advance, I ordered my regiment forward, and after passing the fence the nature of the ground was such that I deemed it advisable to deploy my regiment, and therefore gave the order to deploy. In this way we drove the enemy from their first camp and continued to drive them until they surrendered. The officers, without an exception, behaved in the most gallant style. They were continually in advance of their men, urging them forward; and where all behaved so well, it would be impossible to particularize. Each seemed to vie with the other in deeds of gallantry. The whole command, I am pleased to say, behaved in a most unexceptionable manner. I cannot conclude my report without reference to Color-Sergeant John Oldham, whose conduct and courage during the whole engagement elicited the encomiums of both officers and men. Appended is a list of the killed, wounded, and missing, all of which I respectfully submit.

Your obedient servant,

Sir: At twelve o'clock, on Saturday the sixth instant, I, as senior captain, was placed, by your orders, in command of the Ninth Kentucky regiment, which had, the day before, moved to Baird's Mills, eighteen miles from Murfreesboro, and was at that time about to march against the enemy, reported to be at Hartsville, Tennessee.

The weather was excessively cold, the snow having fallen the day before to some depth, and the road was very rough; notwithstanding, the men marched steadily during the day and all night, and reached the immediate neighborhood of the enemy, near Hartsville, at sunrise. The enemy occupied a strong position in front of his encampment, his line of battle stretching along the crest of a hill, which was separated from our forces by an intervening hollow or ravine. Our line of battle was formed with Cobb's battery on the right, supported by the Ninth Kentucky regiment directly in its rear. On our immediate left was the Second Kentucky regiment, and still further to the left a portion of two regiments of dismounted cavalry, under Colonel Duke. The enemy occupied with his sharpshooters the woods and ravines in front of the left wing of our line, and opened a brisk fire on us. Against them the dismounted cavalry deployed as skirmishers, and soon succeeded in dislodging and driving them back upon the main body of the enemy. The Second Kentucky regiment was ordered forward, and the Ninth left in support of the battery. In a few minutes after I was ordered to advance, and moved the regiment, in double-quick, in the direction of the main body of the enemy, going over, in our route, very rough ground, and through a deep ravine. Ascending the hill the regiment advanced to the right of the Second Kentucky, halted, and immediately became engaged, at less than fifty paces, with the enemy. After fighting for a short time, I ordered a charge, which was made with such gallantry by the regiment, that the left wing of the enemy's line gave way and commenced retreating in confusion. Pressed closely by the Ninth Kentucky, they passed through their camps and took refuge under the brow of a hill on the bank of the river, and in rear of their artillery. The regiment continued to move rapidly on and captured the two pieces of artillery and a stand of colors, charged the line of the enemy and drove them to the brink of the river, compelling their immediate surrender. Here we captured Colonel Moore, commanding Brigade, who, in reply to a question from Captain Crouch, answered that he surrendered himself and all the men around him, meaning the whole force. The battle was now fairly won, the firing had ceased, save a few scattering shots here and there. I immediately formed the regiment again in line of battle, had order restored, stragglers collected, and the men kept in their places. I sent details from all the companies to look after the dead and wounded, and detailed Company “H,” Captain Bosche, to guard the One hundred and sixth Ohio regiment captured by us. The prisoners being collected, I was ordered to detail Companies “A and C,” to guard them, and afterwards Company “G.” The regiment recrossed the river and began its march towards Lebanon, Tennessee. Too much praise