▁to ▁join ▁him . ▁The ▁advance ▁guard , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁caval ry ▁regiment , ▁proceeded ▁down ▁the ▁mountain ▁toward ▁the ▁re bel ▁cam ps . ▁ ▁Ra id ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁Union ▁caval ry ' s ▁advance ▁guard ▁rounded ▁a ▁sharp ▁turn , ▁it ▁encountered ▁four ▁re bel ▁sc outs , ▁and ▁captured ▁two ▁of ▁them . ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁two ▁prisoners , ▁Major ▁Pow ell ' s ▁group ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁learn ▁the ▁location ▁and ▁strength ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁re bel ▁cam ps . ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁escaped ▁reb els ▁were ▁not ▁strongly ▁purs ued , ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁see ▁the ▁entire ▁advance ▁guard . ▁ ▁They ▁assumed ▁they ▁had ▁encountered ▁a ▁small ▁group ▁of ▁Union ▁home ▁guard , ▁and ▁had ▁no ▁concerns ▁as ▁they ▁returned ▁to ▁a ▁very ▁quiet ▁camp ▁of ▁about ▁ 5 0 0 ▁men . ▁ ▁Ob ser ving ▁that ▁the ▁two ▁reb els ▁returning ▁to ▁camp ▁were ▁not ▁challeng ed ▁by ▁gu ards , ▁Pow ell ▁and ▁his ▁ 2 1 ▁men ▁decided ▁to ▁capture ▁the ▁entire ▁camp — des p ite ▁the ▁remaining ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁regiment ▁being ▁too ▁far ▁away ▁to ▁offer ▁immediate ▁support . ▁ ▁Each ▁man ▁in ▁Pow ell ' s ▁group ▁was ▁armed ▁with ▁a ▁sab er ▁and ▁two ▁ 5 4 – cal iber ▁Navy ▁Col t ▁revol vers — mean ing ▁the ▁group ▁had ▁over ▁ 2 0 0 ▁sh ots ▁before ▁need ing ▁to ▁reload . ▁A ▁decision ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁avoid ▁shooting ▁if ▁possible