Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-23


70 prevent the entraHeeei spies or the passage Ct
improper persons either ways has never beeen
absent from his pcst day since he came to the
Gap.
Much credit is due him for his care and diligence
| In attending to the interests Of his command and
country. Scouts are frequently thrown out to
seOur the country, search for concealed guns; cap
ture "contrabands," ETC.. and they seldom return
empty -handed. Last Wednesday, Cl3th inst,) dis
patch from Colonel BEAzsLToN, commanding the ad-
yanced battalion of cavalry, reported the firing on
his pickets by concealed foe, near Cumberland
Ford, the weunding Of Lieut.. LINER and several
horses. An order from the Colonel soon collected
loo Of his ownmen, selected from the various com
panies Of the regiment, under command of Captains
DIcvs and MARTIN, fifty each. One hundred from
COL RAINs' regiment, picked men, commanded by
Rev. Capt. GREEN.
Col. RAINS was placed in command of the entire
detachment. which marched at s o'clock p H.
Proceeded five niles to Camp AeNaiTY, and spent
| the night, Started Thursday morning at sunrise
and marched eight miles, when the infantry was
Joined by 100 cavalry under command Of Maj BRAD-
FORD of BRAzELToNis battalion. The boys parsook
Of hesrty repast from their havsrsacks. Primed
where the "BushSWhaekers" were concealed and
fred the day before-but none were discovered
The detachment moved on to the ford, where they
discovered the enemy skulkng from cliff to cliff
and running rapidly up the mountain, conesaliDg
themselves behind rocks, logs and trees. The ad-
vanced guard fred upon them as they ran.
All seemed eager to engage in the conflict, but
few enjoyed tho privilege. The command was given
for the cavalry to cross, and the infantry rapidly
rushed into the cold current of the Cumberland and
in few moments the entire command had crossed
and were ready for the enemy to attack them, but
they would not even engage our skirmishers. The
detachment moved on down the river for near
three miles, when from the mountain sides the enc
my fired upon us ball glanced the leg of one of
the cavalry, and entered his horse. The skirmish-
ers fred upon the refreshing foe and after pursuing
them for mile the advanced cavalry succeeded in
lodging buellshot in the head of one and capturing
another. The two had three loaded muskets. We
marched on thus without interruption till night,
camped at the residence Of Ksntuckian, now in
the LINCOLN army His family treated us kindly.
The commodi6us brick building sheltered over one
hundred soldiers for the night and some of US en-
joyed the luxury OF feather bed, while hogs, tlr-
keys chickens, &c,, entered the Southern service.
Our boys have studied the science Of pressing prop
e1ty into service.
Next morning Col. RAINS and part Of the detach-
ment advanced as far as Flat Lick, Kentucky where
he succeeded in accomplishing one of the
principal objects of the expedition /. E., learns
ing the position of the enemy's principal
force in Eastern Kentucky, their probable nnm~
ber movements and other valuable information
The enemy are not nearer US than Loudon, in any
considerable force which is sixty or seventy miles
distant We saw men directly from Wild Cat from
whom we learn that the man OF NEwNAS's regiment
who had his leg amputsted by the enemy, was
still alive and doing well. Gould not learn his
name.
Having accomplished our design, and finding out
the interruption to our pickets was not the enemys
pickets, but simply Bushwhackers'' natives of the
mountains, getting the names of many (Rev JOHN
AMOS, among others,) we returned to camps,
bringing three prisoners, one fine ICON
traband," two horses and four muskets. All
were delighted with the excursion. Colonel RAINS
impressed Us by his cool, skillful department, and
many of us would delight to follow the gallant
youthful, ight>hsired Colonel to mortal combat
with the foe. The officers filed properly their
stations, gave satisfaction to the commander and
soldiers. The chaplain of CHURCHw Ellis Regiment
acknowledges to firing twice upon the enemy
across the river, and though not an advocate of
close communion yet would have willingly met his
brother Amos, (whO is lover of water) at the
waters edge. We are waiting to give the enemy
a warm reception should they come this way.
Ro.xr-,-r, D