October 6, 1863
One October 6, 1863 Confederate Col. John M. Hughes, commanding 129 men of the 25th Tennessee Infantry, attacked Fort Wiliams. The 37th Kentucky Mounted Infantry, some 420 men under the command of Maj. Samuel Martin, garrisoned the fort. At the time of the attack 50 men were camped in the court house square and 30 men were out on patrol. At dawn Col. Hughes attacked the men on the square. He then moved onto the fort. He later reported, "We killed 9, wounded 26 and captured 226, together with quartermaster's stores in the amount of $250,000.00. My loss was 1 killed and 4 wounded." The Union prisoners were marched to the Tennessee line where they were paroled.
Maj. Martin's report was somewhat different. He stated that the Confederates had captured 142 men, confiscated 200 horses, 100 carbines, saddles and clothing and had robbed the local bank of $9,000. He reported 13 Confederates wounded, 4 of whom later died. More Union troops arrived in Glasgow the day following the attack and Fort Williams remained in Union control for the rest of the war.
Just four days before the attack on the fort Maj. Martin reported to Gen. Jeremiah T. Boyle "I can keep all of the Rebels now at the Cumberland River out of this place and can whip them anywhere I find them." Perhaps Martin's over confidence, coupled with new recruits and a lack of discipline, allowed a much smaller Confederate force to rout the Union defenders.
This is just one of the many sites along the John Hunt Morgan Trail. Brochures highlighting the entire trail are available at visitor information centers along the route.