According to orders
previously mentioned, McNairy, having set out from Camp Hall with his battalion
early in the morning, got to the river opposite Rowena in advance of the
detachment from Beech Grove, and ordered Sergeant McLin to cross the river with
Company E and enter the town of Rowena, if he did not meet a superior force.
McLin crossed and boldly entered the town with about thirty men dismounted; but
he found no organized force of Federals there, and if any home guards were
there they did not make any show of resistance. About this time our cavalry
from Beech Grove came dashing into Rowena from an opposite direction, and a
warm collision was now about to ensue, but both parties happily discovered
their mistake just in time to prevent any damage.
After McLin's squad
had recrossed the river McNairy destroyed the ferry-boats and canoes which the
enemy had collected at that place.
Our Colonel
complimented McLin and his followers for having so boldly entered the enemy's
town, unsupported, and without knowing any thing about what force they might
have met.
I suppose that it
was only "home guards" that had been annoying our scouts at Rowena,
and that they fled on hearing of the approach of our men.
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