McNairy moved his
battalion from Camp Schuyler, about thirty miles north, to Huntsville, the
county seat of Scott County. This was the day of the noted “Big August"
freshet. It rained so much that our wagon train did not get to Huntsville until
next day. We took shelter in the court-house.
Companies A and D
were detached on the 25th und sent back to Camp Schuyler.
SOURCE: Richard R.
Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee
Confederate Cavalry, p. 37
The writer and a few others were sent to a gap in the mountain, about twelve miles north of Huntsville and within three miles of the Kentucky line, to watch for a Federal paymaster whom Madame Rumor had said would pass through that section. We had only been stationed a few hours, however, when Colonel McNairy, having received orders to move to Jamestown the next day, sent for us to return to camp immediately, though, on account of rain and high water, we remained at Huntsville three days longer.
Scott was rather a
poor county, and as the people were mostly “Union,” they were not willing to
divide rations with “Rebs”; therefore we suffered more for want of rations
while at Huntsville than anywhere else during the war, while in camp.
Companies B, C and E very gladly bid Huntsville adieu, and, moving westward, bivouacked on the Jamestown road.
