, 1862-02-07
HIGHLY INTERESTING pun-
EAST TRNNR8NEK. a@
Rebel s xs5stcns Of xolHconsr,s Defeat
aSsonoen aSWnMsn Resrons1blo for f6e
A@s1aSSs-8o0theFn Loss ffoae i .f1110
g e1sSVO-FarEon BroWnioW TnT
From the Louisville Dcmocrat Feb a.

lfiom Tue Louisville Democrat, Feb.3,1
o,t.l t1n1ouen gentleman who arrived in tic
IiEy Hst evening, direct from Nashville. NJ.
tealaeu some very interesting facts. This
gentleman M y T. well known to the proprietors Of
~ ~ Unned states Hotel, where be is isstoppi11o.
full one. 10 S'"-~ nAe11 - = tiotn-
ne le1t ! Knoxville, East Tennessee, in which
M4clhlty nc lives, two weeks ago to-dnY for
MasnSl!e, intending to work lis wuy into
hentueky' as he has business Of greatfm import
ss ahce IN Washington. He was in Nashville on
fouehf I bnt Gaftie 9ef o. Logans Ga Fields vas
tnaro,ay tnat ,elty: Taking boat at that point, be
Travelled up the Cumberland to Gainesboro,
ano thence worked his way into our lines via
bnIkssn!e; 11 @ In passing from Gainesboro, he
iiel, III, " olnercnt times, large number OF SOL
aIels Lying to their homes. They were in
squads q two and three, sometimes i've or
81, and their story vas almost word for word
Goodal1.
lhey reported to him that Crittenden Or
defed an advance, relying on the Information
us scouts had brought him, that there were
only two regiments Of Federal troops to be
met. Zolilcoffer endeayercd to persuade him
70 recall MS order; but he refused, saying be
never recalled an order. Zo1licof1er then re-
Piled that he might as well take the men out
and shoot or hang them, but, rs he was or
oe4 ~ - liz Moulu 10 SO, anu Tile tears
stood IN his eyes as he spoke. The attack
Was made, and the two regiments they had
been expecting to meet fell back about half a
mile. Thcy, thinking the victory theirs, pur-
sued and only learned their mistake when
they were attacked from both flanks, as well
as in front.
When Zo11icof1er fell, Crittcnden not being
seen On the ground, 4 couple Of Colonel3
Whom he did not know took command until
Col cummings ordered retreat. Some one
crleo that the day Was lost, aeycry man for
himself" Then they threw down everything
that could impede thei. flight, and rushed for
Tue lntrench1ncnts, and then for the river,
The rush for the boats was so great that hun
drcts were crowded into the river and drown
cd-the cavalry pushed into the swollen
stream pei:mc1, and many cf:them were also
Crowned. The lowest%ss!saatc any Of them
put on the rebel loss was 1,000-soinc saying
fully 1,500-but they stated that the minority
Of them were drowned.
When asked what the Federal force was by
which they were hemmed in, they rcplle,l
that it could not have been less than thirty or
forty thousand! They lad no idea where Gen.
Grltfenden vas, and their estimate Of tue
Federal forces was the strongest evidence Of
TIC panic under which they fled.
BY TINS gentleman we learn that Parson
BroTnlows health is very poor. His son sta
ted that ne doubted # his father would live to
reach the Federal lines :and if his health would
permit, he did not believe the rebel guard
would let him go. It is to be hoped, however,
that tue defeat Of Clitteaden's army, the death
OF Aollleot1er, and the panic which evidently
now prevails all through East Tennessee, TO-
gether with Gen. Thonlas's advance, will open
the way for the safe arrival Of tie Parson in 4
land OF freedom,
This gentleman is Oh his way to sec Andy
Jobnson, and reports that the rebels have
seized Johnson's house, turning it iuto q hos
pital, and contscating all his propcrty-th.t
IN order to save his mother from the most
hc1dlsh persecution, one of Johnson's sons
Las taken the oath to support the rebel cause,
or at least not to furnish aid and comfort to
the hills, and has bccu since last DecembeS,
looking with eager, longing eyes for the ap.
proach Of the Federal forces, and the relief
from l. life Of wretchcGpcss.