The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-12-05
Rmbmnnl Hlspatrt.
THURSDAY MORNING. DEC. 6.
A Disastr trous Understanding of
the Federal Troops.

A Disastrous Defeat-sufisrings of
the Federal Troops.
From the Correspondents OF tha Cincinnati
Com mercial
. LONDON, KY, Nov. IA, 1861.
There is current rumor in cnmp that aps
peals of prominent Tennesseeans for an i'm
mediate movement into East Tennessee is
about to be granted by the War department
Hon. Andy johnson and Hon. Horace May
nard have been urgiL this movement vehe-
as essen tial 10 the salvation of the
Union men Of East Tennessee. Readers are
supposed to be familiar with their argu-
ments. I will not therefore, recapituiate
But the ramor of movements caused much
en- th usiasm among the TenIesseeans, whose
anxiety to return to their homes is intense ---
Their desire is paramount. Every other feel.
ing is merged in it..
placed no confidence in the report, be-
cause we cannot move. This celumn Is nos
strong enough to invade TsGaessee. To be
sure there is Eo enemy at the Gap, excepting
u small garrison, and If we should move for
ward it is not likely there would be much
fighting at that point. Our latest informa-
ton from the Gap-beiiayed by the General
to be perfectly reiiabie--is that the rebels
have obstructed the Gap with large masses
of rock and fallen timber, TO al extent which
makes 1t i'm pas sable, either by us Of by them
selves. Advices are Hlso received that they
have obstructed Big Crack Gap, below Viii
hamsDur., in q similar manner, and that the
main POI ton of Zoliicoffer's forces have
moved TO some other point not known.
CHANGE OF DESTINATION.
An order has Just been issued ordering eve
ry regiment IN This brigade to move at eight
O'Clock this evening. 1ne object OF it is moi
generally understood. Those to whom it hi S
peen explained are surprised and chagriaed.
The column is ordered to move be Ck as ra pid-
ly as posi- bic to Grab Orchard, and to trans
n ha
order was predicated upon an order from
Gen. Thomas, who forwarded it oy ex press
relays from Crab Orchard. II is reported
that u heavy column, diYested from Buckner's S
command, is running rapidly forward upon
Somerset to cut us off. Thus You percelye
that big scare Is at TIL bottom of the retro
grade operation. 1t is not necessary to specu-
late on the subject. / suspect, however, that
terminauon Of the great Cumberland Gap
expedition. 1t may nave been devised, also,
as a decent apology for recalling the Tennes-
see regiments.
AFTER THE MARCH
CRAB ORCHARD, November 15.-After O
march Of almost unparalleled severity, con-
sidering there was no apparent necessity Tor
it, part OF the Wildcat Brigade arrived this
evening at point within TWO miles OF Grab
Orchard, and went into camp. Many Of our
poor fellows are still struggling and strag-
Cling along the road, painfully striving TO
reach a harbcr OF rest. This march was az
disastrous as hattie and defeat. 1 have no
time now, even if / were not severely fa-
tigued, to depict the Wretched picture. will
do it hereafter
The l4,h, 18th, AMI 2Sth Ohio will encamp
here. The Tennesseeans and Sd Kentucky
regiments were ordered back to London, at
ter the advance Of the former had reached a
point three miles beyond Mount Vernon
Many of the Iennesseeans went back before
orders were issued TO that effect, proclaiming
their intentions to return home. Our march
tas. n h aA
and large numbers will be in hospital in 4
day or two. so ends the ''great Cumberland
Gap expedition.
Last night, the Thirty eighth Ohio en-
camped five miles south of London. During
the night decayed tree was blown down in
camp and several men dangerously wounded
One said to be fatally.
The same correspondent gives a lengthy
statement Of the incidents of the march.
We extract the following from the diary OF
the writer:
LoEDos, ky, ,November-33.-Long before {
O'Clock, z. NJ, most of the troops of the Wild
cat Brigade, with three days rations in their
were prepared to march. The
sick who could he removed and there We're
many too feeble to walk, yet able to ride
were transferred to those wretched ins,ru.
ments OF torture to the i'll or the healthy
two wheeled amoulances and to common
army wagons, some of which were uncover
But many poor bed ridden fellows who were
necessarily left, remained confined to the hos.
pitals, a prey to narrowing apprehensions OF
captivity. Of course surgeons and guards
were detailed to minister to their wants and
protect them until they should be removed
But how many men were closely packed in
ambulances and wagons, 1 could not learn
Colonel Steedman would not leave any, and
he had over one hundred stored away as com
Portable as possible. The Surgeon of the
7, ;rfv Indiana 0p1 fho
protested vehemently, but he was informed
deeisively, the orders from headquarters is
that all the sick must be removed, and orders
must be Obeyed.
He still protested that removal would re.
suit in the death Of some of his pa tienIs. and
he was told to quarter them with private fam
lilies at London. But the 33d Indiana broueh.
away one hundred and eighty mine sick.
did not inquire how many were removed by
other regiments, but the number was large.
Besides, many feeble fellows inst discharged
from the hospitals, but unfit tor DUTY shoul.
defed their muskets and donned their heavy
knapsaeks, preferring the crueities Of a forced
march to the hazards of captivity.
The l4th Ohio had the right OF the column
Shortly before O'Clock it marched solenniy
by the camp OF the II tn Ohio, its band mourn
fully playing the dead march--thns express.
ing the emotions of the troops 1t was fol-
lowed by Standards and Kenney's batteries
with the baggage trains of each of the fore
going corps. The 18th Ohio fell in their
rear, and its sarcastic lads, keenly appre-
ciating the occasion, burst into satirieaI
paraphrase of their fsvorite regim en- tai
ditty, one strain OF which runs somewhat
thus:
cod Zoliicofer cant take us,
Can't take us, can't take us,
On long summers day
It was i'm promptu at the Wildcat fight. 50
Was the song as they retreated.
'Old Zolicoffar can't catch ne
Can't catch Us, can't catch us,
'Causs we're running away"
More forcible than elegant, and more ex
pressive than poetieai.
And so each regiment, followed by its bag
gage train and sad procession of inyalids
moyed up the road, melancholy and mad. -
Most of the Tennesseeans had fallen ia behind
the l4th Ohio, and moved on suIlen and sor.
rowfal, bitterly expressing their disappoint-
ment, and dsnouncing the frauds with which
they had been deluded. Some were inbued
with the idea that they were to march up
the Somerset road-about three miles above
London-to meet the enemy, and agreed to
go that far, but net bey ond. Upon reaehipg
that point the head of the column failed TO
halt. A few Tennesseeans madly broke from
the ranks and moved back towards camp
Several threw themselves sulleulv on the
ground and refused to march.
As We Moved forward, they continued to
leave the ranks In pairs and squads. Then
squads multiplied into sections, sections into
platoons. and platoons almost into whole
front and appealed to an officer to stop the
deserters. He SAID the regiment was disor-
ganized-the men Wero going back to Ten
nessee their officers could do nothing with
them. The poor fellows, with despairing ex.
cepttons, continued to proclaim their loyalty,
but could not stand the ediaappointm Oc-
casionally a stout-hearted fellow would pro.
claim his determination to follow the f1a&
wherever orders carried him--s.but it il hard
on Tsnnesseean, boys,'' he would say to the
Buckeyes. In q march Of four miles We
must have passed two hundred straggiers.-
Some were lying prone ON the ground, sob
bing; some stood by the highway, swearing
def1antly; others leaned against the feuce,
su1lenIy, undetermined whether to move one
way or another. ss 81
Here was the adjutant of the regiment ad-
dressing squad, !" For Gods sake. boys
move on. Look at the Ohioans. Don't lei