By this victory the scouts had the good fortune to secure fine horses, pistols, blankets, oil and rubber coats, and blankets, and many small necessaries such as Uncle Sam’s shoulder-straps carry. And, added to these things, there was a variety of sutler’s stores.
We got back to our encampment about midnight, cold, hungry, sleepy, and very much fatigued. The next morning we were ordered to headquarters to guard and protect the captured spoils. The prisoners, after being relieved of the overcoats and surplus baggage, were turned over to General Bragg to be disposed of. It was currently reported afterward that Morgan drew them all up in line and gave this command, “One Hundred and Fourth Illinois, came out of them overcoats!” and then followed a similar command concerning pocketbooks, and knives, and so on, to each regiment. It is true the overcoats were retained, but nothing else was. The overcoats were dyed black and worn by our men afterward.
It was at this time that President Davis and Gen. Joseph E. Johnston arrived in Murfreesboro, and were present to witness General Morgan’s marriage ceremony, which took place very soon after. Until his marriage our leader was but a colonel, commanding a brigade, and he received his lady—Miss Mattie Ready, of Murfreesboro—and his promotion at the same time, and received them both from the hands of the “wise and good, gentlemanly and Christian” President, who gave the bride away to “Gen. John H. Morgan,” upon whom he bestowed many compliments for efficient and gallant service, as well as upon the command.
The Yankees, though they had fought desperately for an hour and ten minutes, were sadly abused by the populace on their arrival in Nashville after their exchange. Nightgowns, and even night-caps, were offered them, for the people said their conduct was disgraceful. But let us give honor to whom honor is due. They fought as well as any troops could while they were engaged.
Immediately after the Hartsville engagement preparations were commenced for the “Christmas Raid” through Kentucky. The division marched to Alexandria, where the forces soon arrived, and organized into two brigades, the first under the command of Col. Basil W. Duke, of the Second Regiment, and the second under Colonel William C. Breckinridge, of the Ninth Regiment.
This last appointment caused the resignation of Col. G. St. Leger Grenville, General Morgan’s adjutant-general. The adjutant-general opposed the appointment of Colonel Breckinridge for several just reasons. It is true, Breckinridge was not the senior colonel, and the appointment was made over the head of the senior officer. After Colonel Grenville’s resignation had been accepted, General Bragg made him his inspector-general of cavalry. He was afterward captured in Chicago while attempting to effect the release of prisoners from Camp Douglas. For this “crime” he was sentenced to death by a court martial held in Cincinnati, but his sentence was afterward commuted by “our kind President” to hard labor at Dry Tortugas for life. I feel very sorry for the Colonel. He is as brave and gallant as the best.
The command left Alexandria on the morning of the 22nd of December, 1862, with the scouts in advance, a post of honor we retained during the entire trip. I met at this town both Columbus and Carolus, to whom the General had entrusted some special duty. We passed through New Middleton, approaching the Cumberland opposite Carthage, and crossing Kaney Fork in sight of Carthage, and the Cumberland at Hardee’s Ford, about five miles above, a ford named in honor of a general by that name. General Bragg’s army had used the same ford some time before, when en route to Kentucky.
We went into camp on the north side of the river, the scouts doing outpost duty all night, and the next evening we went into camp at Tomkinsonville, Kentucky. The next evening at 9 o’clock the scouts entered Glasgow. At the General’s request we halted a few miles from town to feed, preparatory to a night’s march, when another detachment took the advance, reaching Glasgow a little after dark.
It so happened that a Michigan cavalry regiment was marching through town at the time our party entered, and a collision was the results, then a skirmish, then—a stampede of all parties! Couriers flew to the General, and from each one he received a different account as to the numbers of the enemy; from one he learned that there was a brigade; from another, a division. But by the courier who claimed to be “the most reliable,” he learned that the town was full of troops!
The action of this detachment, on this occasion, did not please the General, neither did it add any laurels to the troops engaged, nor did the scouts regret it as they ought to have done, simply because, when the detachment passed us, they laughed at the boys, and called out that they “had played out.” But they did not know for what purpose they had been halted by the General, else they would not have rejoiced. Yet, when they returned so quickly, and almost hors-de-combat, the scouts could not help reminding them of their boastful remarks.