As we advanced every mile had to be strongly contested for. Militia, home guards, and regular troops were on every hill top, bushwhackers and armed citizens behind every tree, and hardly a moment elapsed but you could hear the Minie’s sharp report. Everything was in an uproar. Families deserted their dwellings to hide in the woods. Yet nothing stopped us. On we galloped, driving all obstructions from our front, entering the town of Salem some time before night, and capturing nearly five hundred regular soldiers, militia, home guards, bushwhackers, and fighting citizens. It would be difficult to say which was best represented.
When the men had been supplied with a variety of necessaries, such as boots, hats, etc., the advance left Salem, the county-seat of Washington County, and moved out on the road to Lexington, the county-seat of Scott County. We stopped at a little village, four miles from Salem, to feed and rest our wearied horses, and to get something refreshing for ourselves. The main force halted long enough in Salem to feed, and destroy all military supplies, together with the large depot buildings.
During our stay in the little burg some of the boys went into a Dutch shoe shop and purchased a number of pairs of home-made boots, paying for them in Confederate funds. While a portion were buying, others were securing suitable pairs without the Dutch woman’s knowledge, who was the acting saleswoman. She at last detected them in the act of shoplifting, and such a cry arose as never was heard before—the most distressing and heartbreaking cries that mortal ever gave vent to. Our commander, on hearing the uproar, and thinking a murder was being committed, came double-quick to the scene of action to ascertain the cause of the sudden alarm. On his learning what the difficulty was he attempted to pacify the Dutch woman by settling the amount in current funds. But with no success. She would not listen to anything; she was “forever ruined.” It was one of the most laughable scenes associated with the raid, and one the actors will long remember.
As soon as our steeds were a little refreshed we mounted and pressed on to Lexington, followed closely by the brigade. As we moved forward there was nothing but a succession of charges. It seemed the entire population was in arms, behind every bush the enemy was to be found. Shots flew thick and fast. Dogs howled, horses neighed, cattle lowed, and every living creature was sending forth some distressful and pitiful noise.
Still on we galloped, very often hotly chasing detachments of the enemy and riding them down without a sigh of regret. When within seven or eight miles of the Jeffersonville and Indianapolis Railroad we commenced descending from the hills into the valley, meeting parties of from ten to fifty citizens with axes on their way to the highlands to obstruct our line of march by blockading the road with trees. Such orders had been telegraphed to them by Governor Morton, which news “Lightning” had previously intercepted, and was one reason for our rapid marching. The poor citizens suffered that day in mind, and also, I expect, in pocket, their new axes being sadly treated, so much so that I doubt if they ever found the edge again. We got the edge off them without any difficulty.
Company B formed the head of the column on this day, and when within six miles of the railroad was detached with orders to hasten to Vienna. Putting spurs to our steeds we passed the videttes at a brisk canter. En route we met several parties of wood choppers, hurrying to the blockading-ground.
Passing Company B off as Washington County Home Guards, we urged them forward by telling them that Morgan had passed through Salem. In a very few moments we had charged into Vienna, accompanied by our operator. We found all the inhabitants in the streets at two hundred yards distance. This looked suspicious, for many of them were in Yankee uniforms, which signified to us that it was a solid line of battle. But this was no time to hesitate. Our instructions were to take the town, and into town we went, pell mell, feeling very much like a man who expected to be shot at; but we were agreeably disappointed, as it happened. There were many soldiers, but all unarmed.
The women were soon crying, begging, and imploring us to spare their children. The boys heard this with amazement, and asked the women if they thought we were barbarians that they should think we could hurt women and children. The men assured them that not a hair of their heads would be injured, nor would they wound their feelings in any way. Quieting them as best we could, we ordered all in their houses excepting the men. These a sergeant with a guard took charge of.
Another sergeant was sent after the U. S. operator, who was found at the house by the side of his Dulcinea, little dreaming that Morgan’s men had possession of his office. When Sergeant T. inquired for him he arose, saying he was the gentleman asked for. The sergeant informed him that he had business for him to attend to in his office. On their walk down to the depot he eyed the sergeant closely. The sergeant noticed this, and asked him if he did not think he knew him. He replied, “I am not sure, but I think you are one of Morgan’s men.”
He was quite certain of that fact a little later, after he had been turned over to “Rebel Lightning,” who had some trouble in getting the necessary signal known to the operators. But on seeing a navy pistol presented he was more communicative.