Full justice has never been done to Col. George Wynkoop, one of the bravest officers in the service. At the Galatin affair in Kentucky, when Gen. Johnson surrendered to Col. Morgan, Col. Wynkoop acted with the greatest gallantry and finally cut his way through the enemy, rather than surrender his command. It was a painful duty for him to perform, for in doing it he left his son Nicholas, a brave young man, dead on the field. In his report of the affair, Gen. Johnson casts unwarranted imputation upon Col. Wynkoop, which the Col. answered in a spirited manner, satisfying all that he had acted alone for the good of the service. In our opinion it would be better for the service if there were more officers like Col. Wynkoop, to cut their way out of tight places, and thus avoid ignominious surrenders.
    The following Card which we extract from the Harrisburg Telegraph, contains facts in relation to this affair, which will be interesting to the many friends of the Colonel:

                                                CAMP CURTIS, Oct. 4, 1862
    MR. EDITOR.--We were filled with surprise and indignation on seeing a report of the battle near Galatin, Ky., when Gen. Johnson surrendered to Col. John Morgan on the 21st of August, 1862, which falsely charges the Pennsylvanians with cowardice, and Col. Wynkoop with being a poltroon. We have at last learned the facts relating to this fight from paroled prisoners and other sources, which are these: Three days after we left our regiment to report at Harrisburg, General Johnson was sent from McMinville on the early morning of the 15th ult., with a force of cavalry, artillery and infantry, in pursuit of the enemy. For reasons best known to himself, the General left his artillery and infantry at liberty, and pursued, with less than half the reported strength of Morgan's force, and came upon him in his chosen position, where, instead of attacking vigorously and driving the enemy, formed a line of battle in an open field, suffering severely from his terrible cross fire; and when Col. Wynkoop, Capt. May, and Lieuts. Taylor and Greene were anxious to charge upon the enemy and 'drive him from his hiding place,' they were ordered to retreat, which they did about four miles, where another stand was made, and fine execution doing, when the white flag was raised and we were ordered to cease firing. Col. Wynkoop rode up to Gen. Johnson and asked: "Have you surrendered?" Johnson replied "I have." The Col. turned to his command, saying, "We are not doing that kind of business. Boys, fall in!" And made good his escape: taking with him many good and true officers, and full six hundred of our best men, horses and equipments. And for this noble act of bravery is he to be published as an arrant coward? No, verily, this is a ring of the right mettle, and these the kind of officers that we, the soldiers and "common people," delight to honor. And especially should such men be appreciated in these trying times, when officers of high rank with so little resistance surrender large armies; and that is when retreat is practicable. Mr. Editor, we had the honor to be on duty with the Seventh Penn'a. Cavalry almost daily since its organization; we have seen the Colonel's fortitude in great hardships, and we have fought by his side under the intrepid Dumont, when steel met steel, and the slash of arms in hand to hand conflicts was the music of the hour; and when the enemy fled in utter rout and dismay, before our rapidly advancing column; and we believe we express the opinion of every man in his command, when we say, a braver man never drew the sword than Col. Geo. C. Wynkoop.
                                 RECRUITING OFFICER FOR THE 7TH PA. CAV.

Source:

Unknown, The Miners' Journal and Pottsville General Advertiser, Pottsville, Pa., Saturday, 18 October 1862, page 2, col. 4.