Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Tuesday, May 20, 1862

We learned after dark that the Federals were at Burnsville. So McKnight's Company was sent out to re-enforce the picket on the Burnsville road. The company lay in ambush all night a few hundred yards behind the picket.* The rest of the battalion were sent out on other roads leading out in the direction of Burnsville and Glendale. But no enemy made their appearance.

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* How vivid "to my memory still" is that night! The pickets were stationed thus: B. A. Hancock, in front; W. W. Hawkins, a few paces to the rear; while I was a few paces to the rear of Hawkins. We expected to be relieved, as the custom was, in two hours. But we were very much disappointed and somewhat chagrined at having to sit there on our horses all that long night. Do not remember of doing the like any more during the war.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 170

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Wednesday, May 21, 1862

A scout went out to Burnsville and learned that one hundred and five Federal cavalry had been there the evening before. So all except the pickets went back to camps.

Colonel McCulloch's Battalion and ours were all the troops stationed near Jacinto.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 170

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Friday, May 23, 1862

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

Diary of 2nd Sergeant Richard R. Hancock: Wednesday, May 28, 1862

About noon McCulloch's Battalion moved out toward Burnsville, and just before sundown ours followed. We found McCulloch within two miles of Burnsville. The Federals had been in town, but had fallen back. We dismounted, hitched our horses, and remained there all night.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 172