Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-10-24
HISTORY OF TaE SURRENDER OF CUMBERLAND
GAP BY ONE WHO WAS INSIDE

Major G. B. Mcdowell, of the SID North Carolina
revment which was surrendered at Cumberland Gap by
General Frazier published letter which is the first
liable account of that affair. II appears that on Mon
day. the 9th ult, about o'clock, A. NJ the Yankee
General Shackelford, appeared about two miles from
the GAP and demanded its surrender which was refused
BY General F., and Tuesday again made and sgain
refused The Majors statement continues the narrative
On Tuesday evening Colonel DsCoseys command
made their appearance on the north SIDE OF the noun
tain A portion of his command approached on the
Hsrlin county road, and portion on the main Ken
tucky road. A heavy tkirmish soon began between
CAPTAIN Turpins company, of my regiment and the
advance Of Aboltionists. Captain Turpin with bis
gallant boys eectually checked the advance Of the
enemy until late in the evening" when the Yankees dis
appeared, Captain Turpn holding his ground, which
was something near mile IN advance of our line
About O'Clock, Tuesday evening, Col. DeCosey de-
mAoded the unconditional surrender OF Gen. Frazer and
command Gen Frsz,r replied under flag of truce,
ing DeCosey the number OF forces to which he was
ordered 70 surrender DeCosey replica nearly twelve
Of ck at ngn refusing TO give the nunbr of forces
under hs command, stating that it was from motive,
en- civ disconnected 18th the attack upon toe gap that
he old CO. Gen Frazer then refused SURRENDER aud
was understood that the 6gnG would open at twelv
o'clock on Mond.y. will IN ibis couLecon, at
on tuesday evenII a cOu Gil Of the commanding III
GERS o. regims called which resutel 10 the r,f
sal of all surrendered Ill state further Laa.
msio ty pref. d he r,sk Gu ung tier way through
the Yankee ines Than TO DC s>rendered on any terms
A DPhJ was therefore CO, len Nv expec q. Near IL
oc ock on Wednesd y tie en- ali in an1ivus
e1pscC for fsLt " open, Gen. Fr'zsr received
from Burnside uGder & VI truce demand Tor the
Il oundllio al sureuder OF himself and bis command
Very soon It's reception one Of Gen. Frszers aid
d,-,amps came in great haste down the mountain sod
ordered me 10 take down my battle tag and hoist a
white flag inst, ad tbereo. Although many Of
OF opinion that would be surrendered sooner later
ycu can imagine the assonshment with which this struck
the baya boys that aDx:ousy expecting al en-
gagemen..
Various statements have beer made 10 regard 10 the
conduct of the troops composng the command at Cum
berland Gap. assert most positively that have yet
see troops 10 foer spirits determined to Id
their ground than the troops 10 the gap
that attempt is being made 20 rsy the surrender q
the gap upon the ground that the troops in tie gap
would not fight and that some OF them shouted when
the flag was ordered down. The last charge was made
against the 82d North Carolina regiment The first is
false and the second not only false, but is base and
cowaIdy effort protect those that may be guilty sthe
expense of the innocent brave, patriotic and true -
We were surrendered then, TO Gen. Burnside on We'd
nesday, the Oh, ct o'clock P. II. Many made thsr
escape after the surrender, and among them your
unworthy correspondent We had when we surrendered
provisions upon which we could have subsisted thirty
DAYS We bad all the ammunition on hand that we had
when the gap WAS first invested. My regiment had $50
rounds to she man. and presume other regiments had
the same.
As to the spikng and throwing over the cliffs the
tlery mentioned in your issue of ths 7tb taken from
the Knoxville Register know nothing, piece
that two men Of my command spiked and threw over
the cliff near it on their own responsibility.
This l witnessed and know to be- true The number
of forces investing the gap am not by any pre-
pared to state. 1t represented to be 10000
on each side the gap. If the surrender matter of
necessity, it from causes other than want Of pro-
Visions ammuni ion, willingness the part of the
men to do their duty.