June 16, 1863, Weekly Columbus Enquirer (Georgia)
The Federal cavalry, under Col. Cornyn, entered Florence on last Thursday. The force was about 1,000 strong. The stores, &c., were broken open and robbed. Martin, Weakly & Co’s three large cotton factories were burnt. They worked up about 4,000 bales of cotton per annum, and the loss is a heavy one to the owners and the country. There was a skirmish in or near the town, one man was killed and a few wounded on our side. An old man named Bob White was killed at the factories. The enemy soon retired. Five prisoners, left drunk in the town, were brought up here on Monday.
We learn, that the Federals, in large force, advanced up to Bear Creek, on the Tuscumbia side–Roddy’s forces opposed them there. In the meanwhile they sent a portion of their cavalry over to the Florence side to burn the Factories, while nearly all our forces were confronting them at Bear Creek. In this way, they seem to have deceived our officers and accomplished their design to a partial extent–that of burning and destroying our factories, machinery, &c.
A deserter from the Yankees at Florence states their force to have been 2,000, with 8 mounted howitzers. That they crossed the river near Pittsburg Landing on gunboats, &c. There were five regiments, the 7th Kansas, 10th Missouri, 9th Illinois, &c.–Huntsville Adv., 3d.