, 1862-01-25


ZOLL1COFFER'S CAMP. /!
Our course was nov steadily forwarded 10 !;
tie main road that led to Zollicofer's :
encamrment on the Cumberland. shall not !:
attempt to describe the battlefield, the dead ;
or the dying: Of course, in all battles some !
body must be wounded; this was no excep- !:
one Of the dead-that one Zollicof1er. He Lay i
by the side of the road along which we all !,
passed, and all had a fair view Of what was
once Zollicoffer. saw the lIeless body as it !!
Lay in fence corner by the side Of the road.
The march was now steadily but cautiously |
forward Two pieces Of artillery were taken;
one was crippled in the woods near the battle
ground, and the other was found stuck in the !
mud about mile IN the rear; also two wagg-
ons with ammunition. No incident worth
deliberately hut steadily forward, with the ar
tillery well up, until final half was made,
about halfpast four, within 4 mile Of the
breastworkB Of the famous Iortifcations Of
Cumberland, which lave been reported I'M
pregnablc. Here the artillery was again
planted, ands TO work slelling the wonder
fu1 foztifications and continuous fire was
kept up for nearly ar, hour. Every shell that
was thrownz. NC eou1d hear burst dis
tbat ns rnsie waS o% 1n s 5ree
works, and that one sounded more like po-
tato pop-gun than anything else can liken it
to, and did US no damage, as the shot never
reached us. This one, piece was only fired four
times. Night closed in and the firing ceased.
We all laid down on the wet ground, in per
feet security, to rest our weary limbs, the dis
t:ncc we had come being over ten miles.
CAMP.
On the morning Of the Goth, soon after day
light, several OF the regiments were moved
| forward toward the breastwo worhE, and cannon
hall t1Ca frSd SYf1 fbarss t1t+
| sWer vas made-all WIS quiet. The regiments
moved steadily on and into their forti6ca-
| tions, it being ascertaincd that there vas no
one to oppose them. The enemy having
| crossed the river during the night or early IN
| tic morning, the trout was complete. 1t
| seems as though there was perfect panic
| among them, their tents having been left
| standing, and their blankets, clothes, cook
| my utensils, letters, papers, etc.. Ill left
bciind- Here WIRE I'LL, or nearly all Of
their wagons, some twelve or fifteen hundred
horses and mules, harness. saddles, sabres,
| guns; il fact, everything. 1t was complete
stampede, and by far the most disastrous de-
feat The Southern Confcderacy has Jet met
with: Ten pieces Of cannon, with caissons,
are also here. To all appearances, they seem
to have completely lost their senses, having
only one object in view, and that was to run
somewhere and hide themselves
| I give you copy Of two Or three Of the
documcnts found in the camp. The following
HAA1
Col. SPEARS: Nc fought yon brave'y and ae=.
| pressing circumstances, hut do not fcel that We
are whipped. We will yet succeed, and"
Here the circumstances bcca1llc SO pressing
that the writer did not wait to finish the cpis-
afaj. John ". Bridgman Of the Tennessee
Cavalry.
| Tic following was written On q piece Of
brown paper, with pencil:
JAN 10th, 1861. FISHING CREEK.
The great battle ut Fishing, Creek took place
dFed Killed and wounded: and great many taken
| prisoners. We will try them again at our breast
works if they come to us.''
Al thu bottom If the paper, upside down, j:
na,ut cannot make Out, and then Po
lasky.r
Here is another paper, Which is evidently
the result Of council of war, held before thi:
force came across Oh the north side Of tht
, Cumbtrland:
'.The result Of your crossing the river now, vi!
be that you will he repulsed and lose oil the artl
Dec 4th, '61 Esrt11.
.,An9thsr Wild Cat disaster is q 1rS can lc9 y
We viii cross over and find that the enemy la
retired toa place that We will not deem advisabl
10 attack, aid 1hcn VIC will return to this encal
!. | mint. loRISG-'
: EstilI is a Colonel from Middle Tennessee
FuIkcISUH Is 13:tjUT- 1tlsi OJlc A1 t4 Rs 4tGtlu
+ Of TIC sterssiun party III Tennessee.
# GEN. suoEPFF"S BRIGADE-T HEA
5 TIE ROAR OF LAT TIE AND FLY TO I'll
RELIEF.
S The Somerset correspondent Of the Cinci1
+ nati Gazttte says That Gen. shoeph, hearin
i That Thomas was advancing up the road trol
l. Columbia, sent out portion Of his brigade I
&c join forces, OH Friday, but the men being III
III laid 20 %1,ac 4,;r II.
there, {ninc miles distant,} and returned |
:, Somerset on Saturday.
4 Sunday morning came, dark and sainy-a
G day for u Satbatl battle. At six minutes b
r fore eight o'clock We heard the first boom
s cannon. The battle was evidently ragit
+ somewhere near General Thomas' S camp. FL
le eannonading continued, with but brief pause
"a for two hours, and then ceased. We waits
=, in suspense for two honrs more, but no new
q, The widest rumors began to circulate. Abo1
r noon messenger arrived from Gen. Thoma
y | BIS first words were. Hur1ah, Zolly' dead
z, He sought the General, and III moment O
u rushed Shoepi1, barcheaded aud jubilan
:. "Munt z: 70 and tell the 18th, 35th, 3Sth Al
10 3lst to prepare TO march instantly" ~
- stantly." he repeated, in lis quick, d
e. eisiyr way. We hurried back to camp. u
u, boys had not catvn their dinners jet. Til
II were tired with SATURDAYS march. They h
no meat for breakfast There were no crac
nc cre, only corn meal TO make bread of, aud
W time to prepare it. But it made 10 di1ferent
.iS The only anxiety WAS lest Thomas shor
on drive The enemy over tho river before We cou
Is get down. Boys sick in thu hospitals hurri
UP ont to @et tbeir nlushtts. Oar regiment, VIII
'in could not hare brought out three hundr
nicn for dress parade, marched five lundr
I'll, strong to ba,llc, and one COMPANY gone
uo repair the road to Stanford. II was the Sal
H. with all the rest Of the brigade. Cols. Br.
70 Icy and Vandcvicr left their sick rooms wilt
IL | bfH 4t1nr s1r i'll txaa1
10 to head their regiments.
es. We REACHED Fishing Creek in an hour ami
~ half. It was running breast high and t
'9S current very swift There was no time
II II bridge it. a rope was stretched across. T
q, uien strapped tlAir cartridge boxes upon th
lso shoulders, ard, with one hand holding th
as gun locks out Of the water, and with the ott
clipginG to the rope to Keep themselves fri
I. being swept down the stream, they press
of. across. AL the horses and mules that cot
AT But it was night before the last man was oy
tic- Four miles march brought lis to Gen. Thorn
camp. AL along the road We road VIC he:
t,,o the report Of Gen. Zollicot1er's death. 7
isn idS country people who hare suffered from
10 10 lawless sodiery. OF feared their rvagcs, vi
ny wild with delight: One old won,an On
~ ~ road exclaimed, 1--WE got two children in
tts fight, but don't trouble myself about tlle
~. ~. Tin 50 glad Zollicotler is dead
~ Atterlcav5n, thc camps, We pushed on
~, | 1Ddu AVhitlA t4S EAEAA3. We PttSSEu LAttN
~, on the battle field in the night. Two corpse*
~, l,y the roadside, and our men stumbled o
~ ~ them in the darkness. We could see Moth
~ ~ more at that time.
osa ese Tic road, which had been bad enough
-. ~ fore, DOW became frightful. The boys, ",
~ ~ out with fatigue and hunger, ono by
~; ~; dropped down by the waysidc to sleep. Sor
~ stumbling in the mud, were too much
e'1 laustcd to raise themselves again, and had
,,,+ ! be pulled up By their comradcs.
~ ~ About O'clock We halted, bni{t fires
W., W., | lay down to rest until tho moon should
~ far enouehup to give Us light to travel
,',a' .u Two hours Of rest somewhat refreshed
!, - and We again pressed on It was TWO o'tlt
: ~. ~ when we reached Gen Thomas's camp. III
~, ~, thun half Of the three regiments which VI
~. ~" through that night were dropped OH the II
81, 81, One by one they came struggling in, till
~ the time Nc were ready to mu1c in the mo
~ ing there were but few behind.
ire, ire, sIIoEPFF's BOYS DISAPPOINTED.
and As we marched over the hill into the
r. 6ertcd camp of the rebels, Monday morni
was storm was raging. There was sullen
$50 Of rain. The lightning leaped from the
the upon the Hills on the other side Of the ri,
lick as though it was pursuing the remain
ugh the rebel army with the wrath Of hcas
ter | Tic thunder echoed our artillery L
the columns Of our men filed along
to | circular crests of hills But there was hal
ON cheer. We had hoped to capture every Il
iu and though We had taken everything vi