Companies C and I, of the Third Kentucky, and
Company A, of the Second Kentucky, under command of Major Theophilus
Steele--styled the Second Battalion. The two mountain howitzers ("Bull
Pups") were also attached to his command, under charge of Lieutenant
C.C. Corbett. This force was ably officered, every company having
excellent commanders. Colonel Cluke was supplied also with an efficient
staff, Captains C.C. and C.H. Morgan (of the General's own staff)
accompanied him. Lieutenant Moreland (a staff officer of the first
brigade) attended him as aide, and was eminently fitted (on account of
his earnest and serious turn of mind) to act as adviser in an expedition
wherein so many delicate and difficult questions might arise for
solution, although his extreme gravity of temper and taciturn manner
made the younger and more mercurial officers of the staff somewhat
impatient of his society.

Colonel Cluke had no officer regularly detailed as A.A.A. General.
Sergeant Lawrence Dickerson, clerk of the Adjutant's office of the first
brigade, and thoroughly competent, performed all the duties of one.

The advance guard was commanded by Lieutenant Shuck of the Eighth
Kentucky, and the scouts were commanded by Lieutenant Hopkins, of the
Second, and Lieutenant S.P. Cunningham, of the Eighth. One hundred
rounds of ammunition and six days' rations were issued to the men upon
the morning that the command marched. The weather was inclement and
intensely cold, when this expedition was commenced. A march through
sleet, rain, and snow, and over terrible roads, brought Colonel Cluke to
the Cumberland river on the evening of the 18th. Lieut.-Colonel Stoner
and Lieutenant Hopkins crossed the river, with a few men, in a canoe,
surprised and captured the Federal pickets posted to guard the ferry, at
which Colonel Cluke wished to cross, and brought over flatboats and a
coal barge, by means of which the entire command was crossed, the horses
being made to swim. So bitter was the cold that eight horses chilled to
death immediately upon emerging from the stream.

On the 19th the column reached Somerset. A strong force of the enemy had
been stationed there, but fell back to Danville on learning of Colonel
Cluke's approach. The greater part of the stores collected there fell
into Cluke's hands. Pressing on, Cluke compelled the surrender of a
detachment of Federal troops at Mt. Vernon, and did not halt until
within fifteen miles of Richmond. Wretched