Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-07-29
BATTLE AT msovEH,s GAP.



Several criticisms hsvs appeared in the APPEAL in
regard to the Battle At HOover's gap. In them have
noticed msay errors Of omission sad commission, AID be-
ing present at his sRgageRsat, snd fsmlisr with all
the facts, I have prepared 3 concise, truthful ststsaszt
Of facts, and IN srdsr that justice map be done sza the
truth Of history Tindeztsd I trust ysu viii psslish
them.
At . o'clock P N. Gen. wm. B. Bate received orders
frsn Najor.Gsnsral Stewart to neva a regiment up
Garssn's fork Of Duck river, towards Beach Grove. a
distance Of four niles frsm Bates camp. In ! few 30
msnis another srder arrived ortsring 5tHl another rsr
nsnt ts the same Place. With that eharastsriutic oEer
81 and efficiency which has avar ckzrzc tsrizsd tts nil
tary career # the gallant and hlgAhsartss Bats, he
fastened to obsy the srEsr, and in = few ms
mszts "a had On the mareh The LIST Georgia AID
tas a0A TsnHsssss, accompanied by the Eufauls liz {
srtlsry while his rsaaiaiHE TIVE regiments were or.
dsrsd nader aras ready for Rsti0n. Every shiesr and
Baa was found Al hs pest, AID tAs premptnsu vita
which Gen Bate psthb eoaasnd in uotien, received
the esnmsaS4tion and Admiration Of all On he march
to The GAP, Gen Bate net ~straviug cavalry in snail
groups, AID aaeng tAsa Gel Butar, Of the LIST Ksn.
tueky, with a sqsad q i've Of six men, whs stated that
his had bssu on picket, and uas zca.tarad By
3 sewers stack fraz the eHany, consisting Of thrss
regiments OF nsunted infantry which had Iast psssss
~ e- EGF I4@ ANWL aaa GA4Ea1akaE U4E0. ten
Bate thaz Immediately sr5srsd Col. Tyler, in eoznsnd
81 tie l5h and 37.h Tennessee rsElasnts consolidated
up the stream fer the purpose OF guarding The read
which lead directly froa the Nsaehsster pike ts his
nZhs and rear. He ASS erisras ths 9h Alabama Eat
talon, Gel. Jssss, up Dismal Hslsw to guard his left
and ts be N easy saPPsrting distance. This Opposition
being made. be pushed his coazsad On ia Tie direction
q HOovers gap, via Beech Gesvs.
About enc mile hrsa this the Enemy WIS NET. wbsa
the engagement sonDeHeed. Here TIE gallant Clay
brock vas killed and many wogzssE. Never wers msa
manguvsrod with zors skill thss general Bsi. dis
Flaysd on this eccasSa. He was svorywzsrs-wstek-
nag every point. He pressed al with Ssh fnpstsous
sasrgy. that the szany did net have uas t. fsrz. The
brigade marched rght on, the s0a Tennessee being IL
Trent. One sss,isa Of tAs Esfzula light srtUsry was
promptly placed on az sminsaas commanding the
meuth OF the gap, sad opened a deadly fire o. the a.
vance Of their COLUMNS The enemy having svsr-
wheLniag numbers At ais ceanazd. as was anticipated
By General Bate, Hade a flank Rsvsasat On the opse-
site side Of the creek, and o. ths left Of CUR tAaH lire Of
battle. TAis movement was quickly aiscsvarss By the
watcaful Eats-hs Immediately ordered the 2)sb Tsu.
nessss ard a battaisR q sha~PaAostsrs-ths name Of
which IhAve fsrEsttsn-i1 their foat. The snsu,v bv
this movarasat wss driven back into the weeds. While
the lt Gso-gis poured a deadly IRE into tbsl- flank
E--A@A ~ WIN MEuNEaE.NEE.
The s7ssy was pressed back anti large rarzforcsnssts
turned eur left when ear bAstsry was novsd on a rssgs
Of hills, absui tive kindred yards in The rssr Of our
Inc Of battle, which commanded ar frat and lse.
On Ibis range eur line 81 battle was again fsraed. and
hroa which wss hsId az bay the Thousands esufrontfBr
them Tie sa Alsbana battzlsa azd Gel Tvler's
Command were br0sght into the fight and did good
service.
The Sight cos.iuusd with saa5ateS fury u.tH night.
fan closed q conf ct. At this jazcturs Msjsr-GsnsraI
S swsrt arrived ca The grcuud nth Generals Jsbpssz
and Ciaytoa's ~brigaasz. Tbus the 2Ots Tsanssssa ans
lst Georgia, with the Pswsrf1, aid Of a bartsIiss Of
sharpshco.ers and the EufzHls artillery, csrposfar f.,
al lsss tha8 seven hundred msn, not only drove back
tEa advancing columns Il Rosscrana frsa near a mile
this side iHto the gap, but with deggsd ds,s misstlau
drove back his right ana held him At BAY uadl tie dark.
Hsa q Higat closed the ssngainary sssas. Gen. Bate
lost uesrly sas third OF bis command.
The aeTt nsrning, the a5tk Jszs, tKsv ware es,rr..t
ed by Nsi'r General Stewart usHl 10 oc.oek. Wien the
waels command fell back on the s7h to Fairfield. Il.
gssS srdsr.
These are the facts, p'sis aHd uzvarnlshed. The
brow o. Sen. Bate is already green vita fsdslsss ana
iuPertshsbis laursls won on ether f.Iss 57rfgr this
war, but bis gallsst and hsgeic defense Of Hosvsrs rss
vii add q new wreath ts his already euviabls mana
HIS bravery and Spartan courage Is slrsa5y known.
and on this ~impertsnt occasion he developed The kirhs.t
order Of military taleRt. HIS noble dofspss Of Heeverrs
gap no doubt had an important bearing upsa tie rs.
traat heR shslbyvile. II it did not save the entire
army from disas' CT. Firm as the hiIz. he stood g LIVING 1
against which the niuiszs OF tyranny
urged in vaa. De hsld tha enemy in chsck for
ferry aigAt kours-loHg snsRgA ts give Gsssral
Bragg tins to Draw ia bis fsrcss and csscsa.
.rats tAan at Tulahona TIE miskoz Gen. Bate was
viii, vas an ilPsrtaat one, and 40 was
sqaai to the great sccasisa. He lost many gallant SOL
In the eight but the emergency was great. and
While We weep for the brave spirits that fell At Heever's
gas, We should fseI consoles By tie reflection. thatiu
A probability this battle prevented q larger esa. ia
which the result would have bssu hazardous II net dis.
'sUoaa' TENNESSEE CITIZEN.