Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-04-07

zhs situsrio. IN Eastsrn Keatueky---Bar-
barinm Of ehe Rebels.
Dr. J. ". Harmon, Of ChagFin Falls, now
surgeon of tie s2d Ohio regiment, passed
through the city on Saturday, on bis way
home for g brief fnrlough. From him We
gather some interesting facts regarding the
condition ofthe country in Eastern Kentucky,
where Gen. Gar6sld's brigade has been In
operation for the last two months.
This brigade has heen upon the Big Sandy
river, which terms the boundary line between
Kentucky and Virginia. The head quarters
have been lately at PiketOn, seyenty-dve
miles from the Ohio. Pound Gap, the scene
Of the late TOut Of the enemy by Gen. Gar
6eld, is thirty- -fve miles from Piketon and
seventy Eve from Cumberland Gap. The
history Of this affair has already been given
in our celpmns in letters from Capt Plumb.
AG stated In those letters, Gen. Garfield,
with the A2d and other regiments from his
brigade, LEFT the Sandy for Louisville last
Wesk snd arrived ct that ci y on Tuesday
evening last On Wednesday morning he
received orders to report Immediately at
Nashville, and left for that city the same
day. BE will probably be assigned to some
important command under Gen. Buell.. he
has proved himself a thorough soldier, un-
dsrs:anding the complete manual Of military
operations as thoroughly as he has made
himself master Of any station he has underta-
ken in civil life. BE Is almost idolized by the
men of his command, as be well deserves to
be.
Dr.. Harmon tells some frightful stories of
the inhuman barbarism Of the rebels in East
eFn Kentucky. TIE face Of the country is so
rough and chaotic that the people OF that SEQ
ton have the following legend regarding its
creation: When the Creator was forming
the earth, be let out the job Of Western Viz
ginia and Eastern Kentucky to contractors.
They, TO make a good thing ont Of II, got
together lot Of refuse " shOddyp materials,
with which they we're going to make up q
country, bat the Master happening along
and seeing the pile of worthless material
they had, with one sweep Of his hand scat
tered the Ingredients heltsr- skelter, as they
have lain ever since. Not very orthodox
history, but il illustrates the condition of the
country no less than the ignorance of the in
hsbitants. On these hills, valleys, cliffs and
gorges, the natives have settled down. They
have no schools, no churches, no society. As
unEestEGiasd q. The sasFFsaEss they are hardly
more civilized, and when, as is now the case.
they have become imbued with the devil Of
rebellion, their barbarity is not awhit in ad-
vance of the painted Indians of the western
forests. Having no organised military force,
they form themselves into guerilla bands,
and prey upon all who come within their
reach. No civilization, no mercy tsmpers
their acts; they steal and kill as cOOlly IS
they eat and sleep.
onlya week before Dr.. Harmon left Pike
ton, party under ManRiEee-who attempted
to raise regiment for the rebel army, but
falling in tnat took to bushwhacking-call.
ed at the house Of Mr.. Gibson, only seven
miles from PiketOn, about daylight one
morning, and shot him down as be opened
the door. They then took his son, carried
him to the bank Of q stream near BY, and
tying thick rope which they had brought
with them, about his neck, threw the enc
over the limb of q tree and strung him up
without trial or even accusation. News o
this was sent to Gen. Garfield, who immsdi,
ately ordered out a party of one hundred in
fantEy and fifty cavalry, who reached the
place about 4 P. II. of the same day. The
young man was still hanging to the tree
and DR.. q. helped to cut him down, after
which he extracted the ball from the hip ei
the father. These Gibsons were peaceabls
men, whose only crime Wss that Of express
ing love for the Union.
A day or two before this, only q few
miles from the Union camp, three rebels
caught Union man, took him to the woods
and two held him by main force to the
ground, while the third deliberately cut his
threat
Just before leaving the Sandy river
DR.. Harmon became acquainted with Dr..
Morris, of the eth Virginia regiment, who
had been in prison at Richmond ever since
November, having been taken BY Jenkins
cavalry, ct the burning Of Guyandotte. The
regiment had been recruiting at Guyandotte,
where 1t was surprised by these rebels
Thirty-tWo civilians and ifty or sixty sol
diers were taken prisoners. These were
marched fOFH-Siz ssiIes on foot before the
nsxt night By their captors, with scarcely
3 mouthful to eat and were marched on
foot two hundred and twenty miles before
they found as much rest as humane man
would give his horse. At Richmond they
were thrust into tobacco factories, where it
was at the hazard Of their lives that they ap-
pesred ct the windows. DR.. Norris has but
juat returned to his family. His being a
surgeon had no mitigating effect upon the