The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-01-30
THE DEGTn..0F zoLLIcOFFER.
TOTAL ROUTE AND DEMORALI
ZATYON OF THE ENEMY
Geu. Crittenden Probably Hiding In the
Woods.
Especial Correspondence oftbe Cincinnati Gazette j
CAMP NEAR SoMEGsET, Jan 2I.
MARCH OF scHoEprF's BRIGADE.

~ . ORiNADAs
We reached Fishing Creek in an hour
and half. 1t was running breast high
and the current very swift There was
no time TO bridge 1t. A rope was stretch.
ed across. The men strapped their cart
ridge.boxes upon their shoulders, and
with one hand holding their gun locks
out of the water, and with the other cling.
ing TO the rope to keep themselves from
being swept down the stream. they press.
ed scross. All the horses and mules that
could be found were put In requisition
for ferriage. But it was night before the
last man was over. -Four miles march
brought us to General Thomas CAMP
All along the road we had heard the re-.
port Of Gen. .Zollicofer death. The coun-
try people who have suffered from his
lawless sOldieTy. or feared their ravages,
we're wild with delight. One old woman
on the road exclaimed "Pve got two chill
dren lE the fight, but don't trouble my.
self about them. I'm so glad that Zolli-
Golfer is dead" We had disbelieved the
reports, knowing how such rumors spread
after battle, but on arriving at the camp
we made inquiry aud found that there
was no doubt OF the fact. .
APPEARANCE OF EoLuooFfER's CORPSE.
Col. Connel!, who had known Gen. q
in Washington, asked TO bs permitted to
see the corpse and | went with him. lie
lay iu tent wrapped in an army blanket,
his chest and left arm and side exposed
A tall rather slender man, with thin.
brown hair, high forehead, somewhat
bald, Roman nose, firm wide mouth and
clean. shaved face. A pistol ball had
struck him in the breast, little above the
heart, killing him instantly. His face
bore no expression such as IS usually
found on those who fall in baitle-no NAL
Ice, no reckless hate, not even shadoy
Of physical pain. 1t was calm, placid
noble. But i have never looked on
countenance so marked with saduess.
deep detection had settled on il. 9Th
low cares Of the mouth" were distinct ii
tbs droops at its corners, and the thin
checks showed the wasting which Gomez
through disappointment and trouble.
zoLLIooTFER's CAREER.
Poor Zollicoffer! He has besn a mos
unfortunate man. Distrusied by his par
~ on account Of his supposed liberalit,
toward the North which was his birth
place, his political aspirations wero de
slroyed before the rebellion commenced
In its conception he was bitterly opposed
to it, and struggled against Disunion til
that great food tide came which swep
away so many of those whose names wer
once venerattd throughout the land.
Assuming command Of the confederat
troops in East Tennessee, he became ter
ror there and along the Upper Cumber
land, not, as am convinced, through an,
disposition of his own 10 be cruel or rapa
; cious, but on account OF the wild and un
, diciplued hordes whom he commanded
but could not control. His fidelity 10 tn
upstsrt Government was doubted, and h
fought the battle Of Wild Cat against tn
, advice Of every Colonel in his army, an,
: with reckless desire to obtain militar,
| distinction and prove himself faithful t
the new cause. That attack was unsuic
> cessful, simple because it was twenty.fou
hours too late. Fooled there. he brougt
! his troops to their late position on tn
5 Cumberland, threatening the heart of K J
keeping open the navigation of the Gun
q berland, and ready TO act in concert wit
the army at Bowling Green. No positio
was ever better chosen, either for is ow
strength or its value as connected Wit
8 other military movements on the sam
p line. Gen. Critteuden relieved him of hi
4 command on the ist day of January, an
: Gen. Zollicoffer went home for few day
: He left his home again, to die at the hea
$ of his army, fighting battle against h
s own judgment and in the moment Of d.
h feat. . E.....-. ....5-