Col. Rains had
learned that Col. Brown, who was in command of the Home Guards that had fled to
Wildcat the evening before, lived some two or three miles beyond London, and,
thinking that perhaps Brown might have some supplies for his men stored away at
his home, he (Rains) ordered Col. McNairy to take his battalion, go to Brown's
and search for the supposed supplies. Swinging ourselves into the saddle,
before I o'clock A. M., we went by the way of London, and searched Brown's
dwelling and premises, but found only a box of shoes.1 As soon as he
was satisfied that there was nothing more to be found in the way of army
supplies, our Col. called out, “Mount your horses!” and we were soon on our
way back to London. Arriving at that place about daylight, we halted until
McNairy treated the whole battalion on brandy, after which we returned to camp
and took another breakfast.
Besides the three
prisoners and the shoes (twenty-five pairs) already mentioned, Col. Rains
captured 8,000 cartridges, 25,000 caps, three kegs of powder, several guns, six
barrels of salt, two wagons and teams, loaded with the last of their camp
equipage, and three other horses.
Soon after
breakfast, our picket came dashing into camp and reported that they had
been fired on just beyond London. Major Malcomb was immediately sent out in the
direction of London with two companies of McNairy's Battalion to meet the enemy
and bring on the engagement, while Col. Rains deployed his men into battle line
ready to receive the enemy should Malcomb be forced back. The Major returned,
however, and reported no enemy found, so we concluded that it was only a scout,
or “bush-whackers,” that had fired on our picket.
1 It would seem that the panic struck Col.
Brown's family just as they were ready to take supper last eve, for we found
their supper still on the table when we entered the house this morning before
day, but I did not say that it was on the table when we left.
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