Lexington, Sept. 13th 1861
Mrs Hockaday, Fulton Mo,
Dear Mother
On Wednesday evening about sundown Col Marshalls Regiment & Col. Peabody’s Regiment of Infantry retreated back to this place from Warrensburg where they had gone to seize the funds in the Bank at that place. They had hardly gotten to town before the advance picket guard of Jackson's men I suppose under Rains drove in the Federal Pickets they unhorsed one of them & missed & tore through our yard & Barn lot in the hunt of him; from that time until yesterday morning there was a continual fire among the Pickets on both sides in the wood running by my house - about sun-up I went over to Mr. Bolly to see him about moving our families out of the way & whilst at his [written vertically on the page]: house the Federals from town came out & cut me off from home leaving no one with May & the children. They got into a hot skirmish in my corn & hemp fields which lasted until ten o'clock in the day about which time I got one of the Federal soldiers to take me home, & found all well but considerably alarmed - The Federal troops passed in 20 steps from my front window - They burned the covered bridge between my house & Mr Timricks after which it was quiet on my Road. In the evening they had a heavy skirmish near Mr. Vaughn’s house I suppose 1000 guns were fired & about sundown a tremendous volley of musketry & cannonading near the college & back of Col Woods old place "all" stricken. The result of the several engagements I am unable to state. I suppose several killed on both sides. I was not 100 yards from home after I once got back during the day I would rejoice if you had May & the children with you all. I don't see how we are to getaway. The amount of Troops on either side I am unable to say, The Jackson men are reported 18000 strong I would to God Jackson had been at something else.
This material is protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). It may not be cited without acknowledgment to The State Historical Society of Missouri and the Western Historical Manuscript Collection, a Joint Collection of the University of Missouri and the State Historical Society of Missouri.
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