Heard rumors from Fayetteville of a great battle and victory
at Bowling Green. Three thousand of our men killed and wounded. Enemy driven
into the river — camp taken. One adds thirteen thousand taken prisoners. Floyd
captured, says another. Fort Sumter retaken, says a third, and so on. Rode to
Raleigh [slip of the pen for Fayetteville] with Avery, — very muddy —
twenty-five miles in five to six hours. Rumors of the battle varied and
conflicting. We ask all pickets and all we meet. As we approach Fayetteville
the rumor loses strength. At Fayetteville, “Nothing of it, Colonel,” says a
soldier. So we go.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 183
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