Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Thursday, December 26, 1861

Zollicoffer had ordered a steamer to ascend the Cumberland to Celina, and if deemed safe to press on to Mill Springs with army stores for his command. In order to make a diversion in favor of this boat Colonel McNairy was ordered to go down the north side of the river in the direction of Burkesville, with his own, Branner's and McClellan's Battalions, in all about six hundred and fifty men. Setting out from Beech Grove, as above directed, with First Battalion, under Captain Allison, in front, McNairy moved at the head of the column until he neared Jamestown, the county seat of Russell County, when, on learning that he would meet the enemy at that place, he halted to hurry up Branner and McClellan, who in the meantime had dropped somewhat behind.

When the head of our battalion got within about two hundred yards of town the enemy opened on us, but without doing any damage except the killing of one man (James Tate, Company B) and one horse belonging to Adamson, who was a member of Allison's Company, and F. W. Horn's horse was wounded and fell. Allison then fell back a short distance and awaited the arrival of McNairy with the other two battalions. As soon as our Colonel came up he ordered one battalion to move round rightward and attack the north side of town, while he would move forward and attack the east side of the place with the other two battalions. A messenger from the battalion moving to the right reported to McNairy that the town could not be approached from that direction. Therefore, as it was now about nightfall, the Colonel withdrew the troops without making an attack. Falling back about two miles, we halted and fed, after which we scattered along the road about four miles further, where we remained till morning

I shall here relate the following incident: Before reaching Jamestown this afternoon, McNairy's groom, “Johnnie,” happened to be riding alone some distance in rear of our battalion, when a gentleman rode up and commenced a conversation with him. Soon learning that his companion was a Federal soldier, Johnnie¹ quickly drew his revolver, saying, “Sir, you are my prisoner.” On marching his prisoner up to the battalion, he proved to be no less than that of a Federal corporal, who had been home on a visit and was on his way back to camps, not knowing or suspecting that there were any Confederates in the neighborhood.

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¹ Johnnie was a white man, but I do not remember his surname.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 101-3