Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1865-09-13

trap, and believing our forces to be 3d..
900 strong, gave way before us, and
afforded us an uninterrupted passag'
through both gaps. We had now per
formed the great feat of crossing all the
Pine and Cumberland ranges Of noun
tains, and were in position where Be
could at once attack the enemy's strong
hold in the rear, or advance by short
and easy march into the heart Of EasI
Tennessee.
Gen. Morgan at once threatened the
rebels at Knoxville, Cumberland Gap
and Clinton. The enemy was bewildered,
and divided his forces to defend each Of
the menaced points, while General Nor
gan concentrated ours again; and on the
18th of June, about one o'clock in the
morning, we started out from Rogers
Gap upon the road which runs along the
southern base of the Cumberland Noun
tains, and by rapid march we reached
Cumberland Gap about daylight, only
four hours after the enemy had evacuated,
in despair of resisting US.
The result has completed aemoralized
the enemy's forces in East Tennessee,
and we believe that We could then, OF
now, take, or have taken possession Of
this whole section of country. We all
expected to move forward at once, after
capturing the Gap, to Knoxville, to seize
that ancient capital of this State, and %
hold the East Tennessee and Virginia
Railroad, over which the rebels in Vir-
ginia obtain the greater partof their sup
plies of beef cattle, not to speak of salt,
But we have been here for the past fort
night with our whole force, which,
though not as strong as the enemy repre-
sents, is not at all contemplate in num-
bers. How long we are to lie here, none
of US, Of course, know. Gen. Morgan, I
know, is anxious to push forward but it
is said here that his orders from Wash
ington peremptOrily forbid him of max
ing any movement whatever, Carter's
brigade is composed in great part Of
East Tennessee exiles, and they are eager
to get to their homes, which the rebels
are still ravishingi but though almost
within sight of-perhaps not the pearly
gates of heaven-but, at least, the door
silS of their loved homes-they are not
permitted to enter it.
1 am astonished that this handsome
and gallant strategical movement which
We here consider one of the most impor-
tant triumphs of the year, should have
been so completely unnoticed through
out the country. 1 should judge from
the few papers that occasionally reach
US, that you in the East imagine Cum
berland Gap to be still in possession of
the rebels. We don't care about your
newspapers praising wepoor fellows, who
are fighting the battles of the Union in
these wild mountain regions, and amid
the most tremendous difficulties; but
would, at least, have you know that Cum
berland Gap is ours. If our forces have
not as yet done anything more, that,
mind you, is not our fault. Like true
soldiers, we obey Gen. Morgan, who obeys
our honest President, who commands US
all.
Our General Morgan (pray do not
cOnfound him with the rebel guerrilla
Morgan) has seen real service in Mexico,
and understands the nature Of warfare in
a wild and unsettled country like this
and no commander in our glorious West
ern army surpasses him for prompt and
rapid movements in an emergency. We
all hope that he will be allowed an op-
portunity to render his country the great
service he isSo able and anxious to aocomp-
lish, in the liberation of East Tennessee,
now for so long time given up to the
tender mercies of the rebels. All his
men are anxious to hear from him the
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