Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 7.
Frank Moore, Ed.

On the evening of the thirtieth of last month, I was ordered by Brigadier-General J. T. Boyle to send scouts into the border counties of Kentucky, on the Kentucky and Tennessee State line, to learn if the enemy was there, and what he was doing, etc., etc.

Previous to the reception of this order from General Boyle, I had ordered a scout of ninety men to go to the border, for the purpose which he desired, and on the morning of the ninth instant, I started the ninety men for that purpose. Lieutenant J. Kerigan was ordered to Cumberland county, Kentucky, with thirty men, with orders to go to Marrowbone Store, then to Centre Point and Tompkins', and from there to return to this place. Captain J. W. Roark, with thirty men, was ordered to Tompkinsville, with instructions to meet Captain Stone, at Gamalia, in Monroe county, Kentucky, which is near the State line. Captain G. B. Stone was ordered, with thirty men, to Jamestown, Monroe county, Kentucky, then to join Captain Roark at Gamalia; there Captain Roark was to take command of both companies, and proceed to Lafayette, Tennessee, and to return from there to this place — each company reporting to me as it returned. Lieutenant Kerigan was the first to return and report, which was done on the evening of the third instant. Captain Roark returned and reported on the evening of the fifth instant, reporting no rebels in the country; and that Captain Stone was in the country a short distance from town, and would be in that evening or early next morning. From these reports I telegraphed to General Boyle that my scouts had just returned and reported no rebels in the country. I should have said that Captain Stone returned on the evening of the fifth instant, but failed to report to me, and I was not apprised of his return until the sixth instant, when I saw him at Fort Hobson, near Glasgow, about twelve o'clock in the day. The town was attacked on the morning of the fifth instant, about daylight. I was in bed and heard the rebels passing through town, and in the direction of the fort, where my men were camped — I supposing as they passed through town that they were Captain Stone's men returning. I lay still until my father looked out the window, and said they were rebels, and while he was telling it to me firing commenced in the square. I had Captain J. O. Nelson's company as provostguards in the court-house yard. They numbered about fifty men present. As soon as the firing commenced in the square, I sprang from my bed, loaded my Henry rifle, dressed myself, went to the window, and saw fifteen or twenty rebels ordering Captain Nelson's men into line, under guard. I asked them whose command they belonged to. Receiving no reply, myself and Lieutenant Chenoweth fired on them, both about the same time; they returned the fire, some of their balls passing through the window into our room. We fired six or eight times at them from the windows, wounding three or four rebels on the square. Here I will mention one of my orderlies, (Frank Clairborne.) We had shot a rebel off of his horse. I ordered Clairborne to go down and get on the horse and try to get to the fort and rally my men, then myself supposing that the rebels had not reached there. As quick as the order was given it was obeyed, and I saw him gallop off from the rebels in the square toward the fort, and I learn since that he was captured by them. Our fire from the windows was too severe, and the rebels left the square; then myself, Lieutenant Chenoweth, and William Griffith, (an orderly,) went down stairs to go to the stable to get our horses. When we got down stairs I saw Captain Nelson in the court-house yard by himself, and I told him to follow me to get a horse, which he did not do. When we turned the corner of the square to go to the stable where our horses were, we saw that it was surrounded by rebels catching them. We fired several times, and they left the stable, leaving in it four horses and saddles. We soon mounted three of them, and rode back through town and started toward the fort. at that time I heard firing and a hallooing at the fort. We went within two hundred yards of the fort, where we could see it well, and there I sat on my horse and saw the rebels sacking my camp and driving my men into line. I again lowered my gun to fire on them, but was prevailed on by Lieutenant Chenoweth not to do so. We were there helpless, only three of us with arms, and I considered the greater portion of my command captured. We sat here about two minutes, when we were discovered by the rebels, and about thirty of them started after us, but we kept out of their way and succeeded in collecting a few of my pickets who were yet at their posts. I stopped on the pike near town, and heard the rebels marching back to town, with a shout that told well that my men were captured. I then retreated five miles on the pike, and sent Lieutenant Chenoweth to Cave City to despatch to General Boyle, and return to where I was, which he did in a surprisingly short time. We left our post about eleven o'clock A. M., and started back for Glasgow, having twenty men at this time. We reached Glasgow about twelve o'clock that day, and found the ebels all gone. [552] Here I remained gathering up my men and the guns which had been scattered. I shipped a wagon-load of guns to Cave City that evening, and was reenforced about four o'clock. P. M., by Captain Beck, from Munfordville, with twentyfive men, mounted, he having come by Cave City. After giving time to feed his men and rest, we started with sixty men in pursuit of the enemy. Moving out on the Columbia road one mile, we crossed to the Burksville road. This is the road on which the enemy retreated. We struck this road about two miles from Glasgow. It was then dark and raining, but we pressed on, hoping to overtake and surprise them before day. They left the Burksville road seven miles from Glasgow, and took the Tompkinsville road. We reached Tompkinsville one hour before day, dismounted the men, and hitched our horses in a dense thicket near town; then marched the men into an open field, and when we came to count our men, we found, to our great surprise and mortification, only thirty men to answer to their names, the balance having fallen out of ranks and got lost on the road. But we were determined to make the attack if the enemy was there. We formed our men in line to command the public square. There we waited until near daylight, when we learned that the rebels had not stopped in Tompkinsville, but had passed through there about dark the evening before. Here we gave up the chase, and remained in Tompkinsville until sun up, then started to return to Glasgow. About this time we were informed that two wagons had been left near Tompkinsville. We returned and found them as stated, with two mules, seventy guns, and various other articles, which were captured by the rebels of my command at Glasgow; the mules were tied near the wagons. This gave indication that the rebels intended returning for them. We set to work and soon had the two wagons wheeled about and off for Glasgow. But while we were hitching our teams I had pickets placed on the road the rebels had travelled, and twelve rebels came upon them; but the pickets drove them back by firing on them.* We supposed the rebels were not far off, and had we had more men and fresh horses we would have followed after them, but our horses were rode down--Captain Beck having rode all the way from Munfordville via Cave City that day with his men, and my horses had been in constant use ever since daylight the morning before; so we turned our course for Glasgow, reaching there on the morning of the eighth instant, with our recaptured prize.

I will now give the particulars of the fight: On the morning of the sixth instant, when the town was attacked, the Provost-guards were all asleep, except those on duty at the guard-house, and the patrols about town. Captain George S. Nun was in command of the camp at the fort, and only a few of the men there were up. Some were on guard in the fort when the rebels got in sight of it. They charged right into camp and up to the fort. The men inside the fort discharged their guns promptly at the rebels, and one rebel fell mortally wounded. But the dash into camp was so sudden that the men were thrown into confusion; in fact, were panic-stricken, they being new recruits. The officers, so far as I can learn, did their duty as well as they could. Colonel Hughse asked who was in command of the camp, and Captain Nun told him that he was. Hughse then ordered him to surrender the whole command to him. Captain Nun told him that he would have to get the men like he (Hughse) got him; that was, by fighting. The men were then running in. every direction, many without their arms or clothes. One of my men was shot three times. He had no arms, and was standing in the fort. Another one of my men was shot in the court-house yard. He was unarmed, and was not trying to get away. The rebels paroled one hundred and forty-two of my men and officers. They captured over two hundred horses and horse equipments, carried off all the clothing I had on hands unissued, and loaded two of my wagons with goods. They destroyed a great many of my commissary stores, and burnt a large building at the fort, which was built for government use. They carried off about one hundred guns, mostly carbines. They had thirteen wounded; four of them have since died. My wounded were three; one of them has since died; the other two are getting well. They also robbed the bank of about nine thousand dollars; most of the money had been deposited there by citizens for safety. They robbed one store of about four hundred dollars' worth of goods, and took horses and buggies from citizens to carry off their wounded in. They crossed Cumberland River into Turkey Neck Bend, and, hearing that I was pursuing them, they passed on to Kittle Creek, where they stopped and paroled the men. As soon as they crossed Cumberland River, they commenced scattering. My officers state that the rebel officers told them that they had over two hundred men with them when they attacked Glasgow, yet other reports say that there were not exceeding one hundred rebel soldiers in Glasgow.

I am, General, your obedient servant,