und that it was
garrisoned by a Federal force of about four hundred, under the command of
Colonel Boone. The discipline was lax. In the daytime no pickets were out,
and Calhoun found no difficulty in entering the place. He made himself
known to a few of the citizens, and they gave him all the information
possible. To them the coming of Morgan meant deliverance from a hateful
foe.

It did not take Calhoun long to find out the station of every picket at
night. The camp of the Federals was on the fair-ground, half a mile from
the city. Colonel Boone was accustomed to sleep at a hotel in the city; in
fact, his wife was sick at the hotel. Colonel Boone knew that Morgan was
near, and was fearful of an attack. He telegraphed both to Nashville and
to General Buell at MacMinnville for reinforcements, but no attention was
paid to his demand. Instead, he was ordered to send nearly half of his
force away to intercept a drove of beef cattle which it was reported the
Confederates were driving down from Kentucky.

That the citizens might not know that his numbers were depleted, Colonel
Boone did not send this force away until midnight, thinking no one would
see them depart. But sharp eyes were watching. Nothing was going on in
Gallatin without Calhoun's knowledge. He lost no time in reporting to
Morgan, and the attack came swiftly.

Knowing the location of every picket post, Calhoun was able to effect
their capture without the firing of a gun, and Morgan rode into Gallatin
without the knowledge of the Federal force, which was only half a mile
away. Colonel Boone was captured at the hotel. The first intimation he had
that Morgan was in the city was when he was commanded by Calhoun to
surrender. A demand was now made on the camp that it should surrender,
which it did. Thus without firing a gun Gallatin, with the entire Federal
garrison and all the military stores which it contained, was captured.

Losing no time, Morgan ordered the companies of Captain Mathews and
Captain Conway, together with Calhoun's scouts, to take the stockade which
guarded the tunnel six miles north of town. The attack was successful, the
stockade surrendering after a slight resistance. The tunnel was now in the
possession of the Confederates.

A long train of cars which had been captured was piled with wood, rails,
and other combustibles, set on fire, and run into the tunnel. The sides
and roof of the tunnel were supported by heavy woodwork, and the whole
tu