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.

I surprised and attacked the enemy under Colonels Morgan and Wood this morning at 4 o'clock at this place, and after a hard-fought battle of one and a half hours and a running fight of 15 miles in pursuit achieved a complete and substantial victory. My force was about 600, composed of detachments from Colonels Wynkoop, G. Clay Smith, and Wolford; that of the enemy, as stated by himself, upward of 800, besides which the disloyal inhabitants not in the army opened a murderous fire on our soldiers from their houses and kept it up until all the organized forces of the enemy had fled or been slain or captured. The loyal inhabitants — not a few, but having no arms-could render us no assistance. Forces on either side'were exclusively mounted troops. I captured, say, 150 prisoners, among whom is one Colonel Wood, 3 captains, and 4 lieutenants; upward of 150 horses and upward of 100 stand of arms, I would think. Our killed will not exceed, as now advised, 6, and our wounded 25. Among the latter is Col. G. Clay Smith, Fourth Kentucky Cavalry, seriously, in the leg; Colonel Wolford, First Kentucky Cavalry, in the abdomen, dangerously. I am not as yet advised that we lost any prisoners except Major Given, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, who fell into the hands of the enemy during the street fight by mistaking the enemy for our own troops.

I will make a detailed report as soon as 1 can get returns which will enable me to make it strictly accurate; they are not yet in. The detailed report can make little change or in any way affect the substantial value of the victory; that was and is complete and overwhelming.

Never did men behave better. It will be my duty in my detailed report to mention meritorious conduct, a duty which justice to the meritorious requires and which I shall execute with exceeding delight, for in this little affair intrepidity, personal daring, and heroic courage were conspicuous from the firing of the first to the last gun. Battles of more import, measured by the number of troops engaged or results, might afford less to commend than does the battle of Lebanon of May 5.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,