Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-09-24
Triumphant Occupation Of the Country aoithoat a
y Fght--The Surrender Of Cumberland Gap.

ftght-Ihe SURRENDER or Cumberland crap.
Gen Burnside left Camp Nelson the 10th Of August
for East Tennessee He left Grab Orchard the OATH
having completed his preparations. his columns having
been in motion for several days. He reached Mount
Vernon, twenty miles Distant the same day He left
Mount Vernon the 23d, and reached London twenty
FIVE miles. On the Oath he reached williamsburg thirty
miles from London On the 25th he reached Chitwood,
Tennessee twenty miles southwest of Williamsburg,
where he came up with Major Gen. Hartsuf, command
ing the Twenty-third Army Corps. Major Emory here
made cavalry reconnaissance toward JacksborO encoun
tered two regiments Of rebel cavalry and routed them
taking fory-fve prisoners Gen. Burnside, with the
body of his army, left ChwoOd the 2Sth and reached
Montgomery Tho county seat Of Morgan county Tennes
see orty-two miles from Chitwoed, on the Soth Here
another column OF infantry, under GEN. Julius White
in having marched from Central Kentucky by way
Of Albany, Monticello, and jamestown. Col Burt con-
mandng the cavalry advance, sent word that the rebel
Gen. Pegram was holding the gap the mountains,
the Emery Iron Works, with two thousand men. The
position was very strong One and the gap the gate
tn the Cinch River Valley. A battle expected,
there not better place in the country to check
forces But in the morning of tho 3lst it discovered
the enemy had fled in the night At Emery river une miles
east Of Montgomery Gen. Burnside ordered Col Foster
to march directly Knoxville whore he arrived and took
the town without opposition the LIST September Gen
Burnside proceeded Kingston where his scouts
ncatd with splendid body Of cavalry Of the Army Of the
Cumberland, under Col. Mnty. Burnsdes object in
moving to Kingston was to make push for the great
London bridge the Holston river This was twenty
miles from Kingston Gen eford was sent to Lon
don On his approach the rebels reiterated the
bridge, which they had barricaded and fred it. Turpen
of flames Our troops fred across the river with
artillery ana musketry and the people 10 the nsghbohood
said several rebels killed and wounded Gen Burn
side left Kingston the I'd and entered Knoxville the
3D. The reception of troops at this place most
gratifying Gen Buckner with his rear guard had left
The day before Col. Fosiers arrival Tor Chattanooga
There to believe Rosecrans had in front Of him.
Chattanooga the whole force of Buckner Bragg and
Johi ston
The people about Knoxville say the flight Of the rebels
when Burnsdes approach announced, something
wonderful. Their panic was Immense They had among
them report that Burns do had army Of from sixty
hundred and twenty thousand men, and of the
opinion that their safety depended upon their speed They
left behind considerable quantity of quarermsster's
stores in pretty good order and they had valuable
shops which they did dsmantle Two million ralions
Of salt among the spoils The secesh had story
that Longstreet coming from Virginia with twenty
thousand men, but it of their imagnings.
meeting Of the Union citizens of Knoxville held, and
addressed by Gen Burnside and Gen. Carter 1t at
tended by about Eve hundred men, and large number Of
women and children The demonstrn were not bois
Ierous but there was intense quiet rejoicing Men who
had been hidden for months came in full of gratitude for
their delverance
Intelligence was received that the rebels were prepared
to make stand at Cumberland Gap. Burnside not
afraid of their standing but Of their running and the
5th dispatched Gen Shackelford from Knoxville cut
off all Of escape On the 9Th Gen Burnside left
Knoxville with force OF cavalry and artillery, and
rived at Shackeords Headquarters early on the morning
OF the 9th. Gen. De C0urcey who had advanced upon
the Gap direct from London kentucky, hemming the
rebels in ON the north side The rebel force
manded by Gen. Frazer, of Mississippi. He had, when
rumors If Burnsdes movements reached Buckner been
ordered by that General to fall back to Knoxville but the
order counermanded BY Gen. Jhnston, aud Frazers
instructions were hold the Gap to the last extremity
When Burnside arrived Frazer had been Summoned to
surrender by both De Courcey and Shackeord and had
returned firm refusal Burnside sent officer with
flag Of truce, demanding unconditional surrender, in
structng the officer to wait for answer at tn picket
line one hour only At the expiration of the hour
answer having been given, the officer withdrew Prepa
ratons for an immediate attack made but in fifteen
minutes Gen Frazer sent fg of truce Offering to
render the position provided he and his paroed
the spot Gen. Burnside responded that under the
tel between the United States Government and the Con-
ederates for the exchange Of prisoners Frazer had
right to spuate for parole the spot aud that he
must insist upon tho surrender being unconditional Pref
ty soon Gen. Frazer sent very politely wordd letter,
saying he convinced he could not the force
brought against him. and he would yield to the fortunes of
His brigade consisted Of two North Carolina.
Virginia, and Georgia regiment and artillery
companies, with fourteen gnns The Georgia regiment
the 55th, and eight hundred strong The eec-
tive force abov. two thousand The prisoners
on their way to Ohio The North Carolina and Vir
GINA regiments email owing to desertons They
ttery dissatisfied with the vote TAKEN
few days before the surrender by the North Carolina
regiments Chat the regiments poled to ascertain
the sentiments of the solders and there considera
bio maj ry 10 favor of giving up he Southern Conderacy
and restoring the Union The Georgans however. were
fighting and the regiment composed Of them the
| only reliable Gen Frazer had.
On the 7h two days before the surrender, two compa
MES Of Shackeords penetrated the rebel lines and
burned the mill upon which the garrison at the Gap de-
pended tor their supply of flour. 1t hazardous and
brilliant affair When Shackrords advance at Taze
well they fired upon by rebel company Of Home
Guards and one killed. This only ca
suay OF The campaign Cen Burnside expected to leave
the Gap Thursday (l0th) to return to Knoxville.
Gen Carter, East Tennessean, has been appointed
Provost Marshal General of East Tennessee He is well
known TO aud highly esteemed by the inhabitants and is
the right man in the right place.
The East Tennessee troops, of whom Gen. Burnside
had considerable number, kept constantly the
advance and received with EXPIRE of the pro-
foundest gratitude by the people, who described
the most heartily and generally loyal population in the
United States. There many thrilling Of the
meeting Of our East Tennessee soldiers with their families
from whom they had been long separated.
There is hardly neghborhood in which Union
not been murdered and hundreds Of them been
hidden for months ia the mountains and supplied
with food by the The able bodied males were
nearly all absent in the army wandering in exile The
roads in Southeastern Kentucky swarm with them
returning to their long deserted homes The and
old men and children have done wonderful work raising
crops The wheat crop very large and heavy sup
plies collected by the rebels fell into our hands at Knox
vile and elsewhere. The country 10 full of corn mostly
raised by women, and there will be difficulty in supply
ing the army from the territory il occupes Guerrilla
warfare is not feared as the loyalty Of the inhabitants
will prevent it.
Our forces have occupied the East Tennessee railroad
far east MorrstowD and the indications were that
they might extend their lines at pleasure considerable
force had proceeded down the road toward
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