Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-08
VOLUME XIII, NO. 16I.
letter from the Third TenHss-ee Resi
meuG.

letter from the Third TenHss-ee Resi-
l meuI.
From the Rockville Regisierl
1 FIRST BRIGADE, DEPABTEEET EAsT TENNEssEF q
BLAINs Cross ROADS. June q, la63 s
The first brigade, composed of the 23j Ala
5ama, sd Georgia and Sd Tennessee regiments.
under the gallant and popular Col Taylor, late
| of the lst Kentucky regiment, which done such
| hard service in Virginia, left Camp Van Dorm.
/ near your city, yesterday morning, and marched
TO this point, making twenty miles by dusk.
and rested FIVE hours en- the way. On our ar
rival here we learned that the enemy who made
a demonstration in force at Tazewell on Friday.
had retired, and they are ell now at Cumber-
land Gap, except a small force, which may bs
in POWelPs Valley.
The opinion Of your correspondent. is that no
adYazee will be made toward the faiirosd or
Knoxville, until the Federal forces attack Chat
tanOOga and take that place. I DO not think i
prudent to attack the Gap, as 1 consider that
strong place, and many lives would have 70 be
sacrificed to carry the place by assault. I think
Gen. Smith did right when the evacuation OF
the Gap was ordered, after the enemy had
crossed the mountain into the vallsy-Bhen they
first entered the valley and Gen. Stevenson a.
the Gap ordered al his forces that could
be spared to march down the valley to meet
the enemy-and, as I understand, expected
then en- route from Knoxville to the valley 70
march on and attack the enemy IN the rear, which
if it had been done 1 think the whole force
could have been bsgged or driven back across
the mountains and their whole baggage train
captured.
The general opinion is that the strength Of tbs
enemy on this side Of the mountain, and at the
Gap, IS some fourteen or fifteen regiments, and
sixteen or seventeen pieces Of artillery. SIX Of
these regiments are the East Tennessee rene
gades, commanded by COls. Bird, Carter, Houk,
Shelly, Cooper and Bob johnson.
l. is understood that Col HOuk, who com
mands the 81 regiment United States troops.
wishes TO meet on the field the Sd Tennessee
regiment Confederate troops. commanded By
Col Vaughan, and that Col H0Uk has so stated
in a letter now in your hands, d-0pDed IN the Of
ice at Knoxville Now let the good Union man
who dropped the letter convey the information to
Col HOUE that Col. Vaughan with his regiment
VIII meet him at the ford on Ciinch river, on tie
road leading from 4iaynardsville to Tazswel.
any day the colonel will set and all other trOOpz
on each side shall not come near, and there the
f. sht shall come of, though 1 have no doubt Col.
H0uk's regiment is one OF tW0 hundred stronger
than Vaughan's.
will Just say that we have forces enough in
this section 20 drive the enemy from East Ten
nessee when the proper time comes. and that
Gen Z. K. Smith is the man who viii dol All
these who are crOalLjDg about the streets of
Knoxville and other towns in East Tennessee
that Gen. Smith intends TO give up Etst Ten
nessee without a fight are sadly mistaken
There are some Tennessee regiments il East
Tennessee who never vii, leave until they are
drove out at the point of the enemy's bsyOnes.
and those men who are finding fault about East
Tennessee going to be surrendered, ought to De
forced TO pull of their kid gloves and shoulder
A. - Ill H.
invasion by q foe, who is lying waste where ever
they 60, stealing negroes, stock and nearly
everything else, even to WOmen'5 wearing sp-
parel. The man who is not willing to help drive
them back o1ght to put on a red PeticOat and
be made wear il.
You shall hear from me again.
Respectfully, EAST TENNESSEE