Skirmish at Snow's Pond

Report of Brig. General Quincy A. Gillmore, US Army to Brig. General A. J. Smith, Commanding US Forces near Covington, Kentucky.

Headquarters of United States Forces, Snow's Pond, Lexington Pike, Ky., September 25, 1862.

Sir: Your two letters of today are received.

I have to report an attack on my lines this morning at 11 o'clock by over 500 rebel cavalry, with one field piece.  They made a sudden dash on the pickets from the direction of California [an older name for Nicholson], capturing several small posts.  Fifty men are missing, but I am in hopes that some of them will make their appearance.  They disappeared (as suddenly as they came up) toward Crittenden.  I learned their number from parties who met them on the Crittenden road.  It is doubtless the identical party that I have heard of before, numbering 508.

I am gratified that more cavalry are coming, and I wish they were here now.  It is next to impossible to resist these sudden dashes with infantry, and my pickets will be in constant danger of being driven unless I have enough mounted force to scour the country for miles around.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Q. A. Gillmore

Brigadier General, Commanding

Taken from War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies.  Series 1, Volume 16, Part 1, p. 1011.