The enemy is at
Jamestown, 18 miles from here, some 3,000 strong. He has ascertained the
strength and position of Colonel Wolford's camp, and threatens to destroy that
before moving farther. He has 1,700 mounted men, armed mostly as infantry. With
such force Wolford would be cut off without remedy; I have ordered him under
the circumstances of necessity to move up here with his stores and troops, to
cooperate with me in an attack upon the enemy, should he move toward
Burkesville or this place. I would not be surprised if the whole of
Zollicoffer's forces were to be on us in two or three days. They must be
retiring from before Somerset, either intending to attack here or move down the
river to Burkesville, and thence to join Buckner. In either case we intend here
to meet him. Our situation is, however, somewhat critical—no artillery, and
threatened on both flanks by superior numbers, and nobody to help us.
We will, however,
strike a blow, even if left to ourselves, that shall terrify the rebel
hell-hounds wherever they hear of us. Retreat we will not, and if they come
upon us we will fight the fight of desperation to win. We have too much stores
here to leave, too many sick to move, and they must and shall be defended with
the last life we have to spare; and if we, after the frequent notifications of
our position to division and department headquarters, are cut to pieces for the
want of the necessary means of defense, the fault will not be ours.
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