The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-06-30
INVASION OF EAST TENNESSEE.

ATTACK or KNOXVILLE, TENN.-A portion
of Gen. Burnside's command-3,00Q strong-at
tackled Knoxville on the goth inst, and were re
pulsed.
They left without doing any damage, but on the
line Of the Railroad East of Knoxville, they burnt
bridges, tore up the road, destroying the wires
burnt and robbed private houses, &c. But they
were finally overtaken, and after a sharp engage
ment their artillery taken and the raiders routed
and dispersed, forces pursuing. The raiders
left Knoxville on Saturday at ten oclock and the
cncmy captured a small force Of ours at Strawbcr.
ry Plains, burnt the bridge, the depot buildings
some private houses, dc. They proceeded to New
Market and Messy Creek on Sunday, where they
burnt the Railroad bridge, tore up the track cut
the wires, &c. On Monday, between Messy Greek
and Morristown, they were confronted by Generals
jackson AM. Pegram, who, it is rumored and be-
licved, took their artillery, routed them, &c.
y letter from Chattanooga enables US to supply
the particulars of the movements of the ! Yankees
before the attack was made. The party was CON-
mandcd by Gen Carter, the Tennessee renegade,
and numbered about 1000 men, They penctra-
| trated into East Tennessee through gap in the
mountains near kinston, aud marched on London
town of l 800 Inhabitants, on the East Tennes-
see and Georgia Railroad, Is miles west Of Knox
vile intending to burn the railroad bridge at that
place; but, fnding the bridge we'll surrounded by
stockades and defended by artillery, they moved
off to Lenoir, about seven miles nearer Knoxville.
on the same road Here they burnt the mammoth
factory Of the Lenoir Brothers, with all the out
buildings and the residence of the owners, and
tore up the track of the railroad for several miles
The 54th Virginia regiment, which had been
stationed there, had Just left that morning for
Knoxville, and the place therefore defenceless.
They told two citizens, whom they captured there
that they were going on to burn Knoxville. The
raid came ust the section Of country south of
London had been transferred from Gen. Buckner's
department to that Of Gen. jackson, at Chatta-
nooga, and in the movement of troops consequent
on the change several places were left undefended
which would not have been the case if the trans
fer had taken place few days later or earlier
1t will be seen that after their repulse at Knox
Vile the Yankees came far east as Morristown
on the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad,
which is IS miles from Bristol. There it appears,
they were likely to come to grief
A TRUE PATRIoT.-The Houston (Texas)
Telegraph, of May Is, contains a narrative of the
adventures of Judge Nicholas Cleary, formerly
Judge OF the Thirteenth Judicial District of Cali
lorna, anu afterwards United States Naval store
keeper at Shanghai, China On hearing of the
secession OF Virginia, his native State, he forth
with uhdettooS to return thither. The Journey
had occupied two years when he reached Hous+on
during which time he encountered danoers sur'
mounted obstacles, and endured privations and
sutfcrings that no ordinary man could have trinm-
Pied over He has travelled about II 900 m;los
by water, over 1,150 miles on foot by land, and in
terrible country for foot travellers, and will have
travelled fully 1000 miles besides in various CON
yeyances, aud all the time exposed TO hardships
and dangers (which ordinary men can have no
conception. Besides this he has sacrificed posi-
ton property-everything, to offer=his services to
his native country in the war.in which she is now
ENGAGED