History of the Surprise of Kilpatrick
By N. A. Hood, Ashville, ALA.

Confederate Veteran
Volume, Number 4, Page 176
April 1906

As a much interested reader of the VETERAN I notice that writers vary in giving accounts of happenings during the War between the States, yet notwithstanding these differences we must conclude that all are alike honest. It has been more than forty years since the war closed, and most of the writers are guided by memory alone.

In the VETERAN of February Comrade W. H. Davis, of Lebanon, Tenn., gives an account of the capture of Kilpatrick's "Spotted Horse." In some of his statements he is evidently mistaken. He says "that famous spotted horse was captured at Rock Springs. Anyhow, it was during Kilpatrick's attempt to reach Augusta, Ga., to destroy the cotton mills there." In this he is mistaken. The taking of the camp of Kilpatrick was at White Pond, near Fayetteville, N. C. We had a little skirmish at Fayetteville the afternoon before, and we marched nearly all night to reach the camp. The capture of the pickets by Capt. Shannon and the crossing of the marsh, making the attack at daylight, is correct. The cabin, or Kilpatrick's headquarters, was at an angle, as he describes it, but about three hundred yards from the marsh.

I was a member of the 51st Alabama Cavalry, and I have always believed that I was one of the first to cross the marsh safely. The camp lay to our right and but a few rods from the marsh, which only the best horses succeeded in crossing We had orders not to enter the camp until ordered to do so We passed along the edge of the camp for some two hundred yards, coming to a road leading up to the cabin, some two hundred yards to the right. The adjutant of my regiment and myself turned and galloped up to the "cabin," passing first some artillery and then two horses tied to stakes immediately in front of the cabin, one of which was the celebrated "spotted horse," the other a large black stallion. On the ground in the yard lay what I would call a flat no horn saddle, attached to which were the holsters containing the pistols. I dismounted, knife in hand, cut the holsters loose from the saddle, and threw them across my own, remounted, and. passing beyond the house, gave no further attention to the horses at the time.

I never knew who loosed the horses, but I could have taken them if I had so desired. The enemy quickly rallied and came upon us on foot, and very soon it was made so warm for us that we retreated. Orders came to cut down the artillery. I held the horse for my lieutenant while he aided in cutting it down, which was done under a heavy fire. The 4th Tennessee was formed, mounted, near the edge of the woods and near the camp, and I think the 4th did the most gallant fighting that I ever saw men do standing in line on horses. Col. Hagin, who commanded the Alabama Brigade, was wounded in the fight.

The next day I saw Gen. Wheeler riding the spotted horse and Gen. Allen, our division commander, the other, which was the black stallion. As I was only an orderly sergeant, frequently having to dismount, the holsters did not suit me, and I tried to get belt and scabbards with the purpose of giving them (the holsters) to Gen. Wheeler. Before I had succeeded Col. Ashby, of Tennessee, sent for me, and I let him have the holsters for belt and scabbard. In a day or two I saw Gen. Wheeler with the holsters.

Now I wish to say that I am sure that I was among the first "Rebs" to reach Kilpatrick's headquarters. Again, I wish to state that I do not know who loosed the horses or who gave the spotted horse to Gen. Wheeler. I would not rob any command or individual of honors justly belonging to them. I have many living witnesses to what is here written.