"What will those Yankees do with the thousand men I have?" A
number of Morgan's men started to carry out their chief's
command, but the militia made good their escape. Soon after, word
came that Shackelford's men were near, and Morgan left so
hurriedly that he neglected to take the quilts and blankets his
men had selected.

In the village all was consternation. Many of the women and
children gathered at the Maxwell Tavern. Their terror upon
hearing that Morgan was "just down at Hanna's" cannot be
described. Word had been sent to Steubenville, and Colonel James
Collier marched out with a force of about eight hundred militia,
sending a squad under command of Captain Prentiss to reconnoiter.
They galloped through the village, and as Morgan's advance came
in sight began firing. The fire was returned, and a private named
Parks, from Steubenville, was wounded. Morgan's men charged the
scouting party, sending them through the village back to the main
body in a very demoralized condition. The frightened women, and
still worse frightened children, no sooner saw the "dust-brown
ranks" of the head of Morgan's column than they beat a hasty
retreat down the alley to the house of Dr. Markle, the village
physician. This change of base was made under fire, as Morgan's
men were shooting at the retreating militia, and also at a house
owned by William Fisher, in which they had heard there were a
number of militiamen. At the doctor's house all crowded into one
room, and were led in prayer by the minister's wife. The retreat
of the scouting party did not have a very cheering effect upon
the advancing militia. As they passed a field of broom-corn
several men suddenly disappeared, their swift course through the
cane being easily followed by the swaying of the tassels. The