JUNE 14, 1863
Colonel BRADFORD* or
Captain [J. C.] BIERBOWER,**
Maysville, Ky.:
A force of the enemy is reported near Mount Sterling, and may attempt an attack on Maysville. Let Captain Bierbower's men be on the alert. Telegraph me all you may learn of their movements.
A. E. BURNSIDE,
Major-General.
* Colonel Dr. Joshua Taylor Bradford
** James C. Bierbower, Lt. Co. H, 10th KY Cav.
JUNE 14, 1863
Commanding Officer, Louisa, Ky., via Catlettsburg:
It is reported that a considerable force of the enemy is now near Mount Sterling, and may attempt to go out by way of Grayson. Be on the alert, and do not allow any of your forces to be surprised.
A. E. BURNSIDE,
Major-General.
Burnside also sent the following telegram to Brigadier General Samuel D. Sturgis, his chief of cavalry, in Lexington.
JUNE 14, 1863.
Brigadier-General STURGIS, Lexington, Ky.:
Send word to Colonel [S. R.] Mott and Colonel Pierce to notify their railroad guards, &c., to be constantly on the alert, and watch against any surprise. The movement of General White from Louisa, which I spoke to you of, will render it impossible to send cavalry from there to intercept the enemy. Colonel De Courcy must manage them himself.
A. E. BURNSIDE,
Major-General.
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| Colonel John Fitzroy DeCourcy Image from Emerging Civil War |
Colonel John F. DeCourcy did not have to be asked twice. At first it was feared that Everett would attack Mt. Sterling. As the threat did not materialize, the next course of action was to find and capture him and his men, if possible. In his usual energetic fashion, Colonel DeCourcy went to work immediately in securing reinforcements. By eleven o'clock p.m. on June 13, 1863, the first troops were on their way. The 8th and 9th Michigan Cavalry broke camp at Hickman Bridge and took up their line of march for Mt. Sterling, "marching night and day, and only halting to rest and feed our animals.." They were accompanied by two six-pounders from Battery "L" 1st Michigan Light Artillery (aka 11th Battery, Michigan Artillery), Captain Charles J. Thompson, commanding. A second section of artillery was mobilized at Camp Nelson and ordered to Mt. Sterling. It consisted of two mountain howitzers from the 1st Independent East Tennessee Battery (aka 1st Battalion Tennessee Light Artillery, Battery B) under the command of Captain Robert Clay Crawford. The following day, June 14, 1863, two battalions of the 10th Kentucky Cavalry left Richmond, Kentucky, and embarked on their ride to Mt. Sterling.
While preparations were underway at Mt. Sterling, Everett allowed his men some desperately needed rest after his tour de force of over sixty miles during the previous day. As June 14th dawned, his force prepared for their next strike ... Maysville.
Handsome, delightful, attractive - that's how Maysville was described in Lippincott's Pronouncing Gazetteer of 1859. The town was an important place of business in north-east Kentucky. It boasted 2 steam-cotton factories, 2 iron foundries, 5 rope-walks, 12 manufactories of ploughs, and 5 manufactories of coaches and wagons. The elegant brick buildings that lined the river front and the well paved streets reflected the wealth of the town and its 7000 citizens. Maysville also had 2 banks, 2 large seminaries besides the public schools, and printing-offices that published 4 newspapers. In regard to business and population, Maysville ranked fourth in Kentucky. A raid on the town promised a large return.
Although Flemingsburg and Maysville are less than 20 miles apart, Everett's force did not make an appearance until the evening of June 14, 1863. On their way to Maysville, Everett's men were "stealing all the horses they could find on the way and everything else that could be of any service to them."
Despite proper advance warning, Union authorities were inexplicably ill prepared when Everett's men dashed into town at sundown. "At about seven o'clock they rode boldly and yelling into Maysville, occupying the city so suddenly that it was some time before the people knew who they were. If they had dropped from the clouds, the great mass of the citizens could not have been more completely surprised, as the most of them would have sworn that there was not an armed party of rebels within a hundred miles, and they were entirely unprepared to receive such unwelcome guests," noted one of the citizens. Another eye witness stated that, "They came in on a full charge, weapons drawn and shouting loudly. They reported that they did this, expecting a fight, having understood, they said, that the town was fortified and garrisoned by a strong force." However, Everett "found only a garrison of 50 men defending the place. - These were soon disposed of."
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| River Front and Steamboat Landing at Maysville Floodwall Mural |
Everett's forces immediately took possession of all the streets and picketed the roads leading out of town to prevent anyone from leaving the city to give the alarm. A guard was placed around both banks - Bank of Kentucky and Farmer's Bank - "by order of Robert J. Breckenridge."
Several citizens were arrested and put under guard for a short time but released without further infliction. It was noted that, "Their officers made special inquiries after Mr. Wadsworth and other citizens, whom they had intended to carry off with them as hostages for certain gentlemen who had incurred rebel ill will, but luckily the most of them had made a timely disappearance. They succeeded in capturing Captain Clarke, our efficient Provost Marshal, whom they insisted upon paroling; but upon his positively refusing to make any pledges, at the solicitation of citizens of secession proclivities they released him unconditionally. We are indebted for their clemency in this respect to the fact that the secession residents impressed upon them the idea that twelve of themselves would be held as hostages for every Union man whom they forced from their homes."
Under the impression that the upper wharf boat and a small propeller lying alongside (having been used in carrying and storing government supplies) were public property, the rebels immediately, "made a break for the wharf-boat and propeller belonging to James Love with the intention of burning both of them, but they were persuaded to desist by some of the secession citizens whose remonstrances kept them from many deeds of violence, the prevailing argument always being that such acts would render uncomfortable the position of their own friends who had heretofore been treated with forebearance." James Love, who was a Government Agent, made a very narrow escape by throwing two rifles into the river and jumping down into the hold of his screw-propeller.
Despite the presence of rebels in their midst, "the citizens went about the city as usual until 11 o'clock, after which hour no one was permitted to appear on the streets." Everett's men "camped in the streets, sleeping on the pavements, their bridle reins on their arms, and feeding their horses on curbstones." Everett determined to remain overnight, "where himself and command were received with many manifestations of hospitality - more especially by the ladies."
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| Mechanics' Row, Maysville Located near the First Presbyterian Church and City Hall |
Locals noted how "They appeared to have a surprising knowledge of men, places and antecedent local facts, which is to be accounted for by the fact, that quite a number of them had been born and raised here." Late in the night Everett's men began robbing some of the stores, "which were pointed out to them by John Sparks, a young man who was raised in the place, and who has been acting the sneak and spy for some time past." They entered several stores "to get shoes, clothing, arms, &c., to which they helped themselves to a considerable extent, paying for some in greenbacks, for some in confederate paper, and taking off a good deal without paying any thing."
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| Ad for Blum & Heckinger, June 1863 |
Joseph B. Dessar, clothing store, clothes and hats valued at $2000-$4000; they also broke into his private room and stole his gold spectacles and shirt buttons
Blum & Heckinger, clothing store, shoes and boots valued at $1,200-$2,500
Anderson & Andrews, hardware store, articles valued at $400-$$500
Burgess & Son, dry goods store, merchandise valued at $500-$600
Milton Culbertson's livery stable, completely stripping the stable plus taking the horses, valued at $2,500
Jackson & Wilson, livery stable, two horses valued at $200
Mr. White, shoe store, articles valued at $60
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| Ad for M. R. Burgess & Son, June 1863 |
Burgess of a horse, valued at $250
Dr. McGranaghan of a horse, valued at $250
Dick Dawson of one horse
Hamilton Gray's, of articles to the value of $700
Thomas K. Ball faired better than others. He owned and operated a livery stable on Third Street, between Plum and Limestone. Ball managed to remove nine horses to prevent their loss at the hands of Everett's men. They were taken across the Ohio River to near Aberdeen, in Adams County, Ohio, in care of Benjamin F. Wiles.
It was estimated that the rebels seized some twenty horses, in addition to some thirty Government horses from a company that was being raised in town, making in all more than fifty horses.
The rebels also confiscated valuable fire arms from private citizens, including all the fine Colt rifles they could find which were highly sought after. One citizen reported that, "One chivalrous young gentleman, Joseph Frank by name, (a graduate of Bethany College, and a son of a citizen of substance, also a secessionist, who keeps and owns a stove and tin store,) visited the house of Mr. Harvey Franklin, a Union man, in his absence, and placing a pistol at the head of Mrs. Franklin, demanded her husband's revolving rifle. She delivered it up to the noble youth, who handed it over to the enemies of his country." Her husband escaped capture by swimming the river a little below the town.
They demanded of the Postmaster the money in his hands due the United States, for which he was receipted. John M. Stockton, postmaster of Maysville from 1861-1883, was a brother-in-law of General William "Bull" Nelson (wife Matilda S. Nelson). "A young ruffian rejoicing in the name of Joseph Clay Styles Blackburn, an aid to General Preston, robbed the Postmaster of $70 in money, and also of the fine revolver presented to General Nelson by Colonel Colt. He also cursed and otherwise abused Mr. Stockton while that gentleman was in the custody of his men."
"Early Monday morning, they broke into the city hall where they found a six-pounder cannon (Everett claimed that it was a 12-pounder) which was spiked." Also destroyed were all the Home Guard muskets, 30 in number, which were broken up on the street in front of the building.
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| City Hall, Maysville |
It was estimated that Everett robbed the citizens of $16,000 in goods and money, and destroyed and took away Government property to the amount of $4000. The Maysville Bulletin noted, "We have heard the accounts so variously estimated, that we forbear to state them, the more especially as we learn that a Committee is investigating the matter, with the view of relieving the sufferers by the avails of a subscription which is commendably going forward for that purpose." Everett reported that he, "captured 50 United States horses, some 330 guns, and 25 pistols. Among the guns were some 150 new Enfield rifles belonging to a company in progress of formation. I also captured at Maysville one piece of artillery (a 12-pounder) belonging formerly to General Zollicoffer, which I spiked and left. The small-arms were broken up, and the Government horses supplied the place of broken-down horses in my command." According to the Richmond Enquirer, Everett, "mustered into the Confederate service, at Uncle Sam's expense, 50 horses, saddles, sabres and pistols."
As the sun was slowly rising over "La Belle Rivière" on Monday morning, June 15, 1863, a sort of desultory firing commenced from Aberdeen, across the Ohio River. Some of the musket balls struck houses, but doing no other damage. A single round from a few rebel muskets put a stop to this. After receiving news from some "trusty friends" that Burnside's "whole army" was on their tracks, Everett decided it was time to leave Maysville. Between 7 and 8 o'clock, having secured the captured horses and the rest of the booty, the rebels broke for the mountains and marched out of the city eastward, taking the Orangeburg/Mt. Carmel pike. When they had reached the upper end of East Maysville, they were fired upon from the other side of the river, to which they responded by a few shots, without halting, no damage being done on either side. Some ten rebels remained in town for several hours, and were "swaggering around the streets, defy(ing) any one to harm them, saying, if they do, they will bring in six or seven hundred of their soldiers, who are not very far out."
At 10 o'clock in the morning, the steamboat Ingomar landed at Maysville. One of the passengers noted, "We were told by parties on the bank a few miles above the town that the secesh were in Maysville. We went ahead, nevertheless ... The Union citizens are perfectly helpless, having neither arms or organization. They have news there that 700 rebels will be in town yet to-day, who are coming down the Flemingsburg Pike. We brought away the wharf-boat and landed it, for safety, a few miles below, on the Ohio side. There is much excitement in town. Large numbers of women and children were gathered on the banks when we left."
After being informed of the debacle at Maysville, Burnside believed that there may be a chance Everett would attempt to move out of Eastern Kentucky by way of Big Sandy. Accordingly, he alerted the commanding officer at Louisa.
JUNE, 15, 1863.
Commanding Officer, Louisa, Ky., via Catlettsburg:
The rebel force has moved off from Maysville, in your direction, 200 or 300 strong. Be on the alert, and attend to them, if possible.
A. E. BURNSIDE,
Major-General.
According to local reports, Everett's forces were sighted at Mt. Gilead late the same evening. He then passed the neighborhood of Mt. Carmel, "which they robbed and plundered according to their usual custom." Everett claimed that it was here that he encountered another party of Home Guards. "On returning from Maysville I dispersed an organization of Home Guards, under Col. Charles Marshall, at Mount Carmel. Said organization numbered about 170 men." No other report of this engagement seems to have survived and no further details are known.
Meanwhile at Mt. Sterling, Colonel DeCourcy's preparations were well under way. During the night of June 14, 1863, the 8th and 9th Michigan Cavalry arrived, accompanied by the two six-pounders of the 11th Michigan Battery. It is not known when the mountain howitzers of the 1st Independent East Tennessee Battery joined the troops at Mt. Sterling. The last portion of DeCourcy's reinforcements, the 10th Kentucky Cavalry, entered the town during the early morning hours of Monday, June 15, 1863. Having made a long march of sixty-four miles within 24 hours, and being without provisions for horses or men, it was necessary to spend Monday in preparations for the trip to the mountains. In the evening, DeCourcy dispatched the 10th Kentucky Cavalry in direction of Flemingsburg and Maysville, with instructions "to discover the whereabouts of the enemy, and if he had returned from Maysville to follow and endeavor to push him toward Morehead." The remainder of DeCourcy's force would soon follow.
Further Reading
From the excellent website of the 16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Homepage
Researched, transcribed and written by Marlitta H. Perkins, June 2022. Copyright © 2022, All Rights Reserved.
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