yed comparative rest and comfort. The men recovered from the
effects of previous hardships, and the effective strength of the command
was more than doubled by men who escaped from prison, or who, having
been absent upon various pretexts, hurried back as soon as they learned
of General Morgan's return.

Leaving Decatur in April, the battalion marched leisurely through
Georgia and South and North Carolina--receiving everywhere the greatest
kindness at the hands of the citizens--and reported, in early May, to
General Morgan at Saltville in Western Virginia. Almost immediately
after its arrival, it was called upon to again confront the enemy.

Upon the 8th or 9th of May, the intelligence was received of the advance
of strong columns of the enemy; the department was threatened,
simultaneously, by a raid upon the salt works, and the approach of a
heavy force of infantry and cavalry to Dublin depot, not far from New
river bridge. The cavalry column advancing upon Saltville was commanded
by General Averill, and the other by General Crook. It was of the utmost
importance to repulse both. The former, if successful, would capture the
salt works, and the lead mines near Wytheville, and the loss of either
would have been a great and irreparable disaster; the latter, if
established at New river, or that vicinity, would entirely cut off
communication with Richmond, prevent the transmission of supplies, from
all the region westward, to General Lee's army and might do incalculable
damages besides. It was necessary then that battle should be given to
both, and that they should be crippled to some extent, if too strong to
be defeated.

The dismounted cavalry of the department--most of which were men of
Morgan's old division--about four hundred strong, were sent to reinforce
the troops under General Jenkins. The latter had fallen back before
Crook to Dublin depot. General Morgan prepared with Giltner's brigade,
and the mounted men of his old command, now formed into two battalions
commanded by Captains Kirkpatrick and Cassell, and about six hundred
strong in all, to fight Averill. The two battalions of Kirkpatrick and
Cassell, or the "Morgan brigade," as the organization was then called,
were placed under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Alston.

On the 9th, General Morgan became convinced, from reports of his scouts,
that Averill did not intend to attack Saltville but that he was about to
march on Wytheville. Leaving Saltville on the