They are first to criticize the acts of those who are in the first ranks; and raise the question, “where are your trophies?” There is not a true soldier in our army but will bear me out in my statement.
The enemy were here scattered; some going out through Owen county, while Morgan himself took the pike toward the Ohio river through Claysville, crossing the Maysville and Lexington pike at Mayslick, and on through Mt. Sterling. Col Garrard’s brigade following in his trail picking up stragglers until we lost him in the mountains of eastern Kentucky in his retreat to Pound Gap.
Thence we returned by way of Lexington to Nicholasville where we camped for a short time recuperating our men and horses.
Moving to Camp Nelson, we were paid on the 3rd of July, to June 30th 1864.
On the following morning, July 4th, we set out on our long march to Atlanta, Ga., crossing the Tennessee river at Kingston, passing through Athens, Cleveland and all the towns between that place and Atlanta, reaching the works around that place July 24th, and reporting to Gen. Stoneman to whose command we then belonged.
We were ordered to join him on his expedition to Macon, Ga., which expedition was to move at 9 o’clock on the following morning.
Lt. Col. Minor, on his return to the regiment after dark, missed his way and did not join us until about 12 o’clock, thereby the regiment was saved the dishonor of being made prisoner before Macon, on Gen. Stoneman’s surrender. Company D, however, being his escort, was surrendered with him.
The regiment was immediately put on picket on the left flank of our army.
On the 26th, Col. Garrard’s brigade was dismounted and put in the trenches, the Seventh occupying the extreme left of our army, which position they held while the terrible engagement of that day took place.
This being the same ground that was so desperately fought over during the 22nd,—the day the gallant McPherson fell.