The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-07-02
From the Gap.
A gentleman has kindly handed us the
following letter for publication:

CUMBERLAND Gar, June 20, 'G2.
You have no doubt learned ere this
that Cumberland Cap the "Gibraltar
of America" is taken You have no
doubt had Madam Ruinor with her thou
sand tongues whispering her million of
reports Of our operations in the noun
tains and now, when the tale is told in
plain, unvarnished English, it is nothing
more nor less than this-Cumbcrland
Gap is taken without the loss of a man.
Of course the story could be spun out TO
a greater length, if the yarn would be
worth the paper. But who cares TO read
the story of our labor in clearing out the
blockade Of the rebels in Big Creek Gap
the privations of our men in the noun
tains-their subsisting on the bark of
trces-salting sasafras buds for break
fast and slippery elm bark for dinner
the firing on our fatigue parties by
the rebels, and the capture of few by
our men? Such small matters are the
mere incidents Of the advance of an ar
my; but the taking of Big Creek Gap
caused the evacuation Of Cumberland
Gap, and to Gen, SPEARS 25th Brigade
the honor is due for the extraordinary
exertion and endurance necessary to the
accomplishment of the object. OF course
you are satisfied with our efforts so far.
We hope TO satisfy you before long that
we can not only clean out rebel blockade,
but can also fight the rebels with as
good a will and as great endurance as
any troops in the field
On day before yesterday, when we
started up here at one o'clock in the
morning, il was decidedly a sober time
with us. On the evening previous (Wed-
ncsday evening" orders were issued to
advance up the valley for the purpose of
fighting the rebels, then posted at point
about eight miles above us in the valley.
Our order of march was as follows Gen
DECouRcEy's Brigade with his splendid
batteries, in front; ID, Gen. BAIRDs;
Sd. Gen. SPEARS 25th Brigade; 4th.
Gen. CARTER; and 9th. Gen MonGAN's
Brigade with cavalry and artillery. We
started at one o'clock a. m, precisely.
Our turn out was as quiet as the move
ment of such a large body of men and
trains could well be effected. The moon
was just rising to take peep at our noe
turnal operations. Quietly as possible
we moved on up the valley, expecting, as
had been truly reported to us, to find the
rebels in strang force at the point where
two valley roads meet For the time
your humble servant volunteered as aid
to Gen. SrEARs, and you may Jmcy my
| fcelinE3," as the boys say, when l, for the
first time, put on the sword "a rebel
sword and sash, and rode into the staff
"to go to battle in the morning" as
CHARLEY O'MALLN would say Not a
man but what expected to have to fight
that morning, and must say that al
though / have been with the brigade on
many march, yet none was performed
with moro alacrity or checrfulness than
the march Of Tuesday morning.
The general expression Of our boys
was, ave have to fight them somewhere,
and we would as soon fight them in
PowclIs Valley as anywhere" But to
when within three miles of the place we
learned that the opemy on the evening
precious had sagely concluded that dis
erection was the better part Of yalor, and
had, in obedience TO the general order of
all rcbeldom, lcelI}ilc} in the direction
Of Tazcwcll, or in tha direction Mr.,
WAUp sent his ducks, we could not learn
exactly which, When we arrived at the
point whore they had been posted, sure
enough they were gone, and we learned
that they had 2lqo evacuated the Gap,
We marched up at our leisure and took
possession Of their works, and we arc
now engaged hunting up their stuff which
has been left with their friends in IN,
netghborhood. We have various reports
about whore the rebels have gone; but th,
most reliable information we can get in,
dictates that they have gone TO Morris,
town, ON tho railroad, forty miles aboy,
Knoxville. We expect to pay them
friendly visit in their new quarters in
4, few days whore You may hear from M
, again. Your iciond,