To Princeton sixteen miles. Very hot and dusty. Enemy left
yesterday evening except a small camp guard. Camps and baggage of officers all
left; apparently deceived by our manoeuvres or [they] trusted too much to the
blockade. General Crook's strategy has succeeded perfectly in deceiving the
Rebels. Main force [under] Colonel McCausland, said to have gone to meet us
towards Lewisburg. Rebels had begun pretty extensive and well-constructed
works. We burn their camps. Foolish business to entrench this point at this
stage of the game. In green sods on the parapet was the name "Fort
Breckinridge." Our boys changed it to "Fort Crook."
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of
Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 456
