this
department, he instructed me to strike a blow at the enemy in Kentucky.

"As I was on the eve of executing this order, the rapid movement of the
enemy from the Kanawha valley, in the direction of the Tennessee and
Virginia Railroad, made it necessary that I should remain to co-operate
with the other forces for the defense of this section. Since the repulse
of the enemy, I have obtained the consent of General Jones to carry out
the original plan agreed on between General Buckner and myself."

"I have just received information that General Hobson left Mt. Sterling
on the 23rd inst., with six regiments of cavalry (about three thousand
strong), for Louisa, on the Sandy. This force he has collected from all
the garrisons in Middle and Southeastern Kentucky. At Louisa there is
another force of about two thousand five hundred cavalry, under a
colonel of a Michigan regiment, recently sent to that vicinity. It is
the reported design of General Hobson to unite with this latter force,
and co-operate with Generals Averill and Crook in another movement upon
the salt works and lead mines of Southwestern Virginia." "This
information has determined me to move at once into Kentucky, and thus
distract the plans of the enemy by initiating a movement within his
lines. My force will be about two thousand two hundred men. I expect to
be pursued by the force at Louisa, which I will endeavor to avoid. There
will be nothing in the State to retard my progress but a few scattered
provost-guards."

In the latter part of May, General Morgan commenced the movement
indicated in this letter.

His division consisted of three brigades. The first under command of
Colonel Giltner, was between ten and eleven hundred strong, and was a
magnificent body of hardy, dashing young men, drawn chiefly from the
middle and eastern counties of Kentucky. The second brigade was composed
of the mounted men of the old Morgan division. It consisted of three
small battalions, commanded respectively by Lieutenant Colonel Bowles
and Majors Cassell and Kirkpatrick. It was between five and six hundred
strong and was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Alston. The third brigade
was composed of the dismounted men of both the other commands, the
greater number, however, being from the second brigade. It was organized
into two battalions, commanded respectively by Lieutenant Colonel Martin
and Major Geo. R. Diamond, a brave and exceedingly competent officer of
Giltner's briga