about midnight
During the Winter this man crossed the Little Combination River near Painter 's Rock , and made a raid on Gen. Chas . Ward 's corrals . Ward had been notified of the intention of John Cotton by a Union man named Harris , who resided near Huntersville . Gen. Ward had a company of infantry under cover near the corral , and about midnight Cotton made his appearance . The men who were watching for him remained quiet until he was near the corral , and then fired a volley into his raiders , killing three and wounding ten . They then rushed at Cotton , and he , with nine of his men , were taken prisoners . The wounded were cared for and the dead buried .