Georgetown

Georgetown was usually a quiet place, but as Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan and about 500 raiders approached shortly before 4 am on July 25, 1863, it was alive with activity,, Morgan's advance brought out a body of more than 1,000 Harrison County militiamen from nearby Cadiz. Led by Judge S. W. Bostwick, the militia was well positioned on a hill southwest of the village. Morgan had to decide whether to fight or ride on. Judge Bostwick sent a scout to Brigadier General James Shackelford, at the head of about 1,200 mounted Union soldiers in nearby New Athens, to advise him that Morgan was approaching Georgetown., Aware that Shackelford's troops were very close, Morgan decided to bypass the militia position and directed his men to the crest of the Harrisville Ridge along a then-existing road. On reaching the top of the ridge, the Confederates were in full view of Shackelford's troops, then at Hammond Crossroads., Shackelford knew his men were exhausted and that they could not reach Morgan in time. He therefore directed his artillery to fire on the Confederates. Although two raiders were wounded and some trees were felled in the barrage, Morgan and his men rode on and again escaped., Picture Caption: , With Morgan's Raiders in sight but too far away to reach in time, Union Brigadier General Shackleford directed his artillery to fire on the Confederates.