Captain McKnight, I,
and ten others, went out to Burnsville on a scout. We met, about two and a half
miles from Burnsville, two of Beauregard's scouts. They told Captain McKnight
that they had seen, early that morning, about five hundred Federal cavalry
eight miles beyond Burnsville. After starting a dispatch back to Colonel
McNairy, we went on to Burnsville. We had been there only a short time when the
enemy came in sight. Their advance guard, about fifty, made a dash at us as
though they were bent on our capture. They followed us about two and a half
miles almost at full speed. As we were well mounted we all made our escape.
They fired a few shots at us, but we escaped without injury. I do not now
remember of being in another such race during the war. About two miles further
we found our battalion in ambush. In a short time McCulloch's Battalion, with one
six-pounder, came up. Expecting the Federals were advancing, and finding a
favorable position within about three miles of Burnsville, McCulloch's
Battalion and a part of ours were deployed in battle line, while the other
portion of our battalion (with McKnight's Company in front) moved on to meet
the enemy. Going about one mile further, we halted and formed in ambush, while
a small squad went on in search of the enemy. Going on to Burnsville, and
finding the enemy had fallen back, we all returned to Jacinto a little before
dark.
SOURCE: Richard R.
Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History
of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 170-1
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