▁Confeder ates , ▁who ▁were ▁the ▁reb els ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁had ▁an ▁army ▁camp ▁near ▁the ▁foot ▁of ▁a ▁mountain ▁in ▁S inking ▁Creek ▁Valley . ▁ ▁Their ▁camp ▁contained ▁about ▁ 5 0 0 ▁soldiers , ▁who ▁were ▁surprised ▁by ▁the ▁small ▁group ▁of ▁Union ▁caval ry ▁men . ▁ ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁reb els ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁their ▁weapons ▁loaded . ▁ ▁The ▁Union ▁caval ry ▁rac ed ▁into ▁the ▁camp ▁with ▁sab ers ▁drawn , ▁and ▁quickly ▁convinced ▁the ▁reb els ▁to ▁surrender ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁their ▁lives . ▁ ▁Over ▁ 1 0 0 ▁re bel ▁soldiers ▁were ▁taken ▁prisoner . ▁ ▁More ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁horses ▁and ▁about ▁ 2 0 0 ▁rif les ▁were ▁also ▁captured , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁supplies ▁and ▁t ents . ▁ ▁The ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁ra id , ▁Major ▁William ▁H . ▁Pow ell ▁and ▁ 2 nd ▁Lieutenant ▁Jer em iah ▁David son , ▁both ▁received ▁prom ot ions ▁shortly ▁afterwards . ▁ ▁Pow ell ▁was ▁later ▁awarded ▁the ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁for ▁this ▁action . ▁ ▁General ▁George ▁R . ▁Cro ok ▁said ▁the ▁S inking ▁Creek ▁Ra id ▁was ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁d aring , ▁brilliant ▁and ▁successful ▁of ▁the ▁whole ▁war ". ▁ ▁Pow ell ▁would ▁eventually ▁become ▁a ▁general . ▁ ▁David son ▁would ▁rise ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁captain ▁in ▁the ▁caval ry , ▁and ▁major ▁in ▁the ▁inf antry . ▁ ▁Background ▁During ▁September ▁ 1 8