n age when one man could
stay the march of armies. There was some thing in his look which told
his daring nature. His aquiline features, dark glittering eye, close
cropped black hair, and head like a hawk's, erect and alert, indicated
intense energy and invincible courage. Hutchinson's death cast a deep
gloom over his regiment and (as Major Bowles, who then became Lieutenant
Colonel, was absent when it occurred) an unfortunate quarrel broke out
between two of the officers respecting seniority and the right to
command it. This quarrel was espoused by their respective friends, and
a state of feeling was induced which greatly impaired the efficiency of
the regiment, until it was settled by the appointment of Captain Webber
to the Majority. Webber had nothing to do with the dispute, but a
committee appointed by General Morgan to investigate and decide the
claims of all the Captains to seniority, pronounced him senior to both
the contestants.

On the 14th of February, Colonel Cluke was sent into Eastern and Central
Kentucky, for purposes which will be explained in the account which will
be given of his operations. He took with him his own regiment, two
companies under Major Steele--Company A, of the Second, and Companies C
and I of the Third Kentucky--and about seventy men of the Ninth Kentucky
under Lieutenant Colonel Stoner.

These detachments weakened the effective strength of the command at a
time when it was engaged in service which tasked its energies to the
utmost. That portion of "the front" which General Morgan was expected to
protect, may be described as extending from Woodbury, in Tennessee, to
Wayne county, in Kentucky, in an irregular curved line more than one
hundred and twenty miles in length. It was exceedingly important that
this entire line should be well picketed and closely watched, but it was
necessary to give especial attention to that section of it in Tennessee
(which was immediately confronted by formidable numbers of the enemy)
and here, consequently, the greater part of the division was employed.

While it was necessary to keep strict ward at Woodbury, upon the left
flank of this line, and a force adequate to the thorough picketing and
scouting of that region was always kept there--the chief interest
centered at Liberty, for here the efforts of the enemy to break the line
and drive back the forces guarding it, were most frequently and
energetically directed. This little hamlet is situated twenty-n