Piedmont

Piedmont. The Ride Gets Harder. , After leaving Old Washington, Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan and about 500 remaining cavalrymen were soon slowed down by several skirmishes, including one at Hanna's Mill., Morgan's men were by now relegated to using farm horses and such buggies and wagons as they could find along their path. It was a challenge to keep ahead of their Union pursuers. Desperation or temptation, still forced Morgan's Raiders to pause and loot several stores as they passed through Antrim., The commander directing the Union pursuit, Brigadier General James Shackelford, was having his own difficulties. His men were showing serious signs of fatigue. Shackelford pushed forward, pausing at Antrim only for food and a short rest before renewing the chase., In an effort to slow his pursuers, Morgan ordered the burning of the covered bridge over the Stillwater Creek at Collinsport (now under Piedmont Lake). Shackelford's men were so close behind Morgan that they could see the burning bridge in the distance., Picture 1 Caption: , Smoke burning from the billowing bridge over the Stillwater Creek near modern-day Piedmont alerted both residents and Union forces of the Confederates' approximate location., Picture 2 Caption: , Brigadier General James M. Shackelford, a fellow Kentuckian and former infantry leader, was the field commander of mounted Union forces pursuing Morgan after the Battle of Buffington Island. Shackelford knew Morgan's men from having been wounded by them during a cavalry skirmish in September 1862.