CHAPTER IX
SCOUTING SERVICE
WE attained the east bank of Salter's Creek early in the afternoon, still riding in advance of the main body, but encountering no force of the enemy sufficient to dispute our progress. Here we were intercepted by a courier, who had crossed the river near that point, bringing information that the contemplated attack on our right flank had been abandoned, the Confederate forces being withdrawn into the hills. Evidently some form of warning had been conveyed to Johnston, but too late to permit of his advancing in strong force against our front. Despatching the fellow hurriedly to the rear, we waited for Wilson's cavalry to come up, and then crossed the stream after a fierce but brief skirmish. We had hardly attained to a strong position on the opposite bank when orders reached us to halt, but the cavalrymen thoroughly cleared the enemy out of the woods in their front, finally posting advance pickets nearly two miles to eastward of the creek. Two of the leading infantry brigades crossed that stream and went into camp, while Rosecrans established headquarters at the Denslow plantation. I reported to him there just before dark, but my only orders were to send out several men during the night to ascertain all they could of the present Confederate position.
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