his squadron around Lexington to burn the railroad bridges on the
Kentucky Central Railroad, in order to prevent troops being sent
there from Cincinnati. Another detachment was sent to destroy
the bridge on the Louisville and Lexington Railroad, cutting off
reinforcements from Louisville. Morgan's design was to make it
appear that he intended to attack Frankfort, then turn suddenly to
the right and attempt the capture of Lexington. He had given out
everywhere in Kentucky that he was marching on the State Capital
with a force five thousand strong, and had succeeded in spreading
the utmost alarm. On the 15th Morgan reached Midway, captured
the telegraph operator and installed his own operator at the same
instrument, sent despatches in the name of Federal Generals, and
changed the orders for the movement of troops. He telegraphed in all
directions, without the slightest regard for truth, and succeeded
in creating the utmost confusion and alarm at Cincinnati, Louisville,
Lexington, and Frankfort. The command left Midway late in the
afternoon and started for Georgetown, which place they reached
at sundown, where they met a small force of Home Guards, who were
driven out of town. From here Morgan sent a force to burn the
bridges on the Kentucky Railroad between Lexington and Paris. Then
learning how strongly Lexington was garrisoned, he gave up all
thought of attacking it, and finding that the Federal forces were
closing in on him commenced his return south. On the 18th, Morgan
attacked Cynthiana, which was garrisoned by some five hundred men,
under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel John J. Landrum, of the
Eighteenth Kentucky. The fighting continued for two hours, when
the Federal force was driven from the town and nearly all captured.
Landrum and a few of his command escaped. The Federals lost
16 killed and 40 wounded, and 14 of the enemy were killed and 42
wounded. The rebels claimed to have captured 420 prisoners, who