Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-11-20
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Genu us tEs fchoHhE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES CT ''i'S
operation, which Tas not only creditable in it
self but has soac far to give Il new turn to
Confederate fortunes in East Tennessee
The affair at Rogcrsrille, East Te. ncssec,
affords some mitigation Of the general Ignoring
of the campaign there. a series OF movements
of the most unfortunate and disgraccsul char
acter illustrated by the retreat of General
Williams, glorious to him and his command,
but wholly shameful to those responsible Tor
his exposed position, the only other matter OF
commentator ustiics this sweeping phrase.
a true relation of these will, doubtless, ill u
dark page in history. Let us turn to the
brighter point, and present TO your readers
the truth.
A few DAYS since information of a reliable
character was received by Gen. Ransom Of
the exact position, numbers and condition o!
the Yankees ut Big Creek, four miles cast OF
Rosersvilc The nearest supporting force
being at Greenvile, he conceived the idea Of
cutting them off by a rapid night march Of
cavalry uron their front aud rear. Brigadier
General jones, accordingly, was directed to
put his brigade in molten, 50 rs to bring lin
self, on Thursday evening, within 4 nights
march, by the south side Of llclStein river,
down thevalley of Buck Greek, while Col. Gilt
ner, commanding Brig. Gen. Williams Brigade,
was TO move from Kin.spert and its vicinity,
on the north side of the, river: During the
afternoon of the 5th, Col. Giltner conccntra.
ted his command and went intn camp at
Kingsport, and ordered his force 10 move at
six o'clock, P. N. Owing to great difficulty
in passing the fords, it was nearly ii O'Clock
when the column had passed the river, with q
march of 81 miles between them and the cre>
my's camp. The intense darkness of the
night with rain, made the march one of great
difficulty and discomfort, but it was cheerlully
encountered by officers and men, who seemed
TO have no doubt Of the success which await.
ed them. At Lyons Store the head of the
column encountered the brigade of General
Jones, who was understood to have started FIR
Dodson's and Smiths fords, in the lIolaton,
below Rogersville lie, finding great ob'ta-
cles in the way of his advance, had deter.
mined to cross the river ut Longs ford, and
take the Carriers Valley road to R9sersvii!c,
in the rear of Garrard's camp. This trans.
ferred him to the right instead Of the left OF
the army, and brought him by the north of
the Yankee position instead :oI by the south,
to the rear or west Os it. Col. Gitner bad
received information or a.hon!e guard camp,
on the Carriers Valley road, By a citizen
whom he sent Mt once to General Jcncs, and
b7 means of his information no was enable |
20 surprise their camp about daylight, where
he captured some thirty CT forty prisoners
At SurgeoDstille the cnemy'S pickets ware
driven in. Owing to n failure on the part Of
the advance guard to charge them promptly,
and the delay consequent on Bringing up n
company to pursue them, they were enabled
to escape. Capt. Fulkcrson, CT Col. Carriers
command, being ordered forward, pursued
them some three miles, to the farm OF DR.:
Shields. where he vas ordered TO hal: ard
hold his position. Col. GIirer hailed the
head of his column at Miller's, eight miles
from Rogersvillr, and went forward to recon-
noiire the cncmy's position. Finding them
posted, apparently in force, on the hill beyond
Spears, he waited for his column to close up
and to give time to Gen. Jones to get into pc.
sition, and rode back to observe the read and
ascertain if it was covered from observation
by the enemy. Finding it was so, and sccur
ing information If Gen. Jones progress, he
ordered the column to advance as soon Is the
artillery SHOULD close up, and rode to the front
Here he found that the force Of the enemy
had disappeared. Capt. Fulkerson had beer
sent by The right to turn this position, ard
SION ascerraincd the fact that they had let this
point. and that the way was open. The advance
charged down the hill, urged to a sharp trot.
4 mile in advance, finding thick pine woods,
the advance formed rs skirmishcrs, and adj
vauced through the fields to the right OF the
road, where they soon discovered the cnemy'S
wagons crowded in the main road, while some
ono of the advance called out that the Yam
KEGS were escaping by the ford-Russell's Or
Chism's ford-in front Of the encmy's posi-
ton. Col Giltner ut once ordered Col. Car
ter's regiment to charge, which they did in
the direction OF the ford. Owing to the rough
ness of the ground only twelve or fifteen
reached the ford, but the regiment was in
supporting distance: ard the Yankees, seeing
their retrea. cut Of, made no further effort fin
that direction. They commenced, however.
Smelling the c1rnficld ia which Carriers mcn
wore. Col. Carter ordered his men to tie
cover of prccipicc. whence he advanced I'M
der cover Of hill into open ground. Throw
Ing down the fences, Ac dismountei and
charged the enemys gun, near the RnsSal!
House. The enemy abandoned one gun, cur
rying off their horses and some wagons
Meanwhile, another small regiment dismouut
cd and charged through the fields between the
gun and the retreatng enemy, who, however.
turned down tho river read. Another gun
now opened to tie left on 6 high hill south
west Of VIM Lyons house, west Of Big creek.
CO... Carriers regiment started to the left Of the
Russell house, crossing the creek to attack it.
Almost as soon as they could traverse the dis-
lance they charged and took it ; not, however,
until one gun OF Lowry's battery had been
put in position and frci Several shots. \
small body of the enemy appearing Ill the
fields to the right, q few shots from another
gun posted in the abandoned camp Of the 81
Louisiana were fired, and The enemy disap-
reared in the woods, to the rear OF the fields,
west of Big Creek. Just then Il heavy dis
charge of musketry was now heard IN the
rear, which was ut once recognized as the at
tack from Gen. Jones, and a cheer went up
from both columns. Col. Giltncr had, by
this time, brought up his reserves, who charged
down the river road, and down the lane be-
tween the Relay and Mckinney farms, where
the Yankees were atSmrtlng to escape by
private ford. Here they overlook two of the
guns of the enemy and took a large number
Of prisoners: q large number having previ>
ously laid down their arms in the woods to
the right of the road and in front of the
lane last mentioned. While this was going
on in front, General Jones had moved down
the Carter Valley road to the left Of the enc
my's camp, to the intersection with the main
road mile east of Rogersville, where he
despatched detachment Of Witeher's Battal-
ion, and perhaps Dunn's, to take the town,
occupied by small force. These captured, )
perhaps, one hundred prisoners, and killed
some five or six Yankees and rencgades. The
body of the command turned up the main
road short distance, to the road leading out
towards the Relay and Mckinney farms, and
interesting the rivesroad. The enemy being
drawn from their camp by the front attack,
here encountered the command in their rca6,
and after several sharp volleys yielded them
selves to their fate. The results Of this vic
tory have been detailed with sufficient accura-
cy, and need not be rccapitulatcd. The change
C &C O.. LANAI IL nrstl.