Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-11-27
The Terrible Rstrsst HOm Cumberland

Gap.
The graphic picture which was drawn by
the correspondents Of the Cincinnati papers,
Of the mysterious retreat Of the Cumberland
Gap expedition, are confirmed by the letters
written to eastern Journals. From letter
to the New York Times, we extract the fol- |
lowing:
"In the haste of my last letter / omitted
many incidents Of our Wild Cat retreat, that
may, if related, serve to picture its horrors
and illustrate the enornity of guilt which
rests upon its leaders.
"When the order to prepare for 8 march
came 70 the Tennessee Brigade, was in Gen.
GRrter's tent. Neither he nor any Of his
officers doubted that il was forward" Our
direction was carefully concealed as long as
possible, and Gen. Shosf ordered eur sick to
be left behind in hospitals. AS soon as it
was discovered that we were TO retreat, what
a howl went up aud nothing but the prom
Use that We would meet the enemy by march
ing backwards, ever induced any part OF
that column to oraWfish. When Andy john
son and his colleagues learned our direction,
they were dumbfounded, and quietly sat
them down in utter despair. All that they
had prayed, begged, and hoped for, was thus
ia one moment lost-not to be regained but
at the sacrifice Of life and property.
The oficers-themselves deceived-pledg-
cd their words that the enemy was to be
met and q battle to be fought; 90 on they
struggled to where the road forked, and then,
abandoning all hope, the Tennesseans began
to fall out OF line; at first q solitary soldier
would sullenly step to the woods, then they
went by tWos and threes. Presently whole
platoons and companies refused to march
Some lay upon the ground weeping like
children, others scolded like whipped school
boys, many mAdly cursed as they broke from
the lines, and few stood with folded arms
leaning upon their muskets, while the con-
tending passions Of q soldiers fidelity and
the love of home were fighting for the mas
terry in their breasts. Their officers rode
among that disorganiEed mass as they wal
lowed through the shiny, slippery mud,
begging and praying them TO follow the Ohio
troops. American soldiers are not cattle,
but thinking men; they will not follow Gen.
erals without g reasonable certainty of the
object being good one. Least of all will
they retreat from flying foe. 1t was kno1n
to every private in the brigade that Zollicof-
ter WAS running like 3 qusrter-horse, and
full fifty miles distant.
At the time we set out, the sick list could
not have been short Of GOO. The worst
csses were left behind, as an offering to any
band OF marsuding rebels that might see
proper to cut their throats, or slowed in the
ambulances, or piled up like cord. wood in
the transportation wagons Of the Govern
ment train. How many died that fearful
night God only knows; the muster rolls will
call them missing missing they will be
until /" that day" when generals, corporsls
and reporters all stand equal One of the
Fourteenth died on the roadside, others were
only kept alive by whisky and other stimu-
lsnts. As we scaled the hills of Wild Cat,
once the scene of glorious victory, but
now the silent witnesses and only monu-
ments of dying soldiers, that struggling col
umn halted along the roadside and in the
woods for rest. Some sunk down in the
mud without ambition enough to light fire
and were awakened next morning by the
big drops Of drenching storm pattering upon
their faces
1t required "a horses to pull 6-pound
cannon over thai frightful road; horses gave
out, and were abandoned. l have not the
slightest doubt that one hundred horses were
ruined that night. In fording the Rockcas-
tie, fearfully swollen and rapid, three ammu-
milton wagons, containing $4,000 rounds
belonging to the l4th and 18th Ohio, were
lost. Two baggage wagons and horses, be-
longing to the Tennessee Brigade, were lost;
one wagon, belonging to the 3sth Ohio, was
lost; how many more we cannot tell Be-
yond, the road became worse dozen teams
stuck so that it would be beyond the poTer
of Hercules to remove them. Barrels Of pro
visions and stores were thrown into the road,
even as they tighten sinking ship Such q
destruction of Government property has not
occurred since the war began. Officers gave
up their horses to the falling, and carried the
guns and knspsscks Of the stronger. Your
correspondents horse carried sick fellow
aud The accoutrenenfs OF four others. Some
times we rode double, with an unfortunate
soldier upon the crupper. Majors and Col
onels took up camp followers on their horses,
and did all they could to relieve the horrors
of the march. The three Ohio Colonels were
sick at starting and one, Col. Steedman,
kept on his horse till he became rs7ing era
zy. Col Bradley had not been out of his |
bed for fortnight. How many of these men |
will be sacrificed in life and health, who can |
tell2
Just before we reached Mount Vernon,
messengers galloped back with the tidings |
that the Tennessee and Kentucky troops /
were ordered back to Camp Calvert, but still |
no order came to halt that wearied column,
and no efforts were made to procure them
hot provisions and rest; no, they must toll
on, even to the death. But the Tennesseeans
and Kentuckisns being more eutspoken, they
were permitted to return.
At Mount Vernon, six poor fellows lit a
fire at the bottom Of tree, and sunk to
sleep. On and on they slept until the bot,
tom Of that huge tree was burned of, and it
came crushing down upon them, killing two
and wounding four.
omitted to mention in its proper place,
that large quantities of provisions, and, am
over 20 tons of ammunition were
eft behind at Camp Oalvert-a rich and
.empting prize for Zollicofer, or anybody
Use within coming distance.