I know you have heard many wonderful stories about our burning private property on that raid. If any other than this house was burnt, I am not aware of it. All other property that I saw burning was U. S. Government property, and that we considered our sacred duty to destroy whenever and wherever we found it, especially if we did not have transportation for it.
When almost in sight of town we turned off of the main approach upon a side road, leading to the right and the rear of the town, with the intention of flanking and getting in the enemy’s rear, while the brigade assaulted in front.
We had not proceeded more than one-half mile when we noticed three women standing in a yard in front of a house, crying bitterly and wringing their hands as though their hearts would break. The column passed silently and respectfully, but the silence lasted only until they had passed the house, then you might have heard them saying to each other, “Look out, boys, the Yankees are near,” and soon all were closely inspecting their arms, capping their Enfields, and arranging navies so as to be speedily handled. Those women, by their tears, informed us in a simple, but reliable, way that the enemy was close by. Soldiers do not know a truer sign. Anticipation of a battle and the anxiety concerning the safety of some loved one caused those tears to flow. This we well knew by actual experience and observation.
So it happened. We had gone scarce two hundred yards before our line received a terrific and well directed volley from nearly three hundred stands of arms, wounding and killing twelve of our column.
In an instant the line was dismounted, and forwarding quickly into a line of battle charged them with a yell and with great determination, driving them with no little loss from their ambuscade, with little loss to ourselves.
While pursuing them hotly, to within a short distance of the road in the rear of the town, our foe unexpectedly ran into the Third Kentucky, who had flanked the town on the left, and to them they surrendered without conditions. But until the white flag was hoisted we never ceased firing, neither could the Third resist the temptation of giving a broadside to bring them to a stand. The prisoners were taken into town by the Third.