The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1865-02-07

crossing OF the WnOle command. Iht
river was too high for fording, and two
lines were, after much difficulty, car.
ricd across the stream, and two rough
barges extemporized out Of canoes and
planks. The remainder of our com.
mand having arrived the work of cross
ing began, and on the night of the 30th
we found ourselves, after two days and
nights of hard work, on the south side
of Cliuch river. Col B. and staff cross.
ed about midnight, after uhe last man
and horse of the Brigade was landed
! on the south side. We marched
about seven miles, over an extremely
rough road and bivouacked at the foo
of Clinch Mountain. At daylight our
column was in motion again, and pas
sing Clinch Mountain we reached Bean
Station about a. m., distance Of s
miles. Sent the 10Th Ohio Cavalry on
scout i'm the direction of Rogersville,
which place they reached, and returned
having found there only small scout
ing party of,Vaughn's command, most
of whom. were captured. AT daylight
Dec. 1st the remaining three Regiments
set out for Russellville, distance oils
miles, sending a scout via Morristown
to report to us at the Ford, @ miles
from Bean Station. We arrived 1t the
Ford at 10 a. m.-found no enemy
waited an hour to hear from Norris
town, but heard at last that Vaughn's
Brigade was at Russellville with
three pieces of artillery. Here it rain
ed hard about an hour. We crossed
Holsten River without difficulty, and
marched direct for Russellville, arrived
within mile of town, ran into the en-
emy's pickets and formed a skirmish
line and went for them like hot cakes,
Co. G. of the 1lth Mich. charging Q
with sabres. About 200 shots were
fired, and suddenly brother Vaughn's
Battery started OH the back track for
Chucky Bend, and we proceeded to
Whilcsboro, 3 miles above, where Dukes
rear had but ustleft as our advance ar
rived. We made huge fires and prepar-
ed as though bivouacking for the night
but pulled up stakes in an hour for
Cobb's Ford, distant Z miles. The
night was dark, the roads rough and
slippery; but we reached point with
in mile of the Ford, and withina rods
of the enemy's pickets, who were Tin
camp guarding the fires, probably for
Vaughn to pass. We quietly slipped
around to another Ford miles below,
and crossed at daylight, cooked break
fast, fed. our animals, and at p. m.
marched for Bean Station, having been
ordered in by Gen. B. The weather
was severely cold the next two days,
which were spent in collecting cattle
and corn. Thus passed the time until
the morning of the 1lth, when Gen.
Stoneman, the noted raider, with Gil
lens Brigade having arrived, we moved
ut daylight to perform our most impor-
tant work. Gillen being in advance.
skirmishing commenced with the enc
my under the notorious Dick Morgan.
This did not check our progress. We
halted an hour at midnight and fed, re-
sumed the march at 10 O'clock m the
18th, and about a. m. skirmishng
commenced with the Brigade under
Duke, at Kingsport Ford of the Hol-
ston River. Gillen's Brigade and two
regiments of Buckeyes did the work
ha ldsomely, and routed the enemy,
capturing Morgan and other officers
andsS5 men. The lst Brigade was call
ed up as support, but were not enga-
gcd. No time was lost after this our
first decided success, whereby we had |
Inflicted an irreparable loss on Dukes
and taken all his wagons.
The lst Brigade, supported by the Sd,
moved directly for Bristol on the II. II. /
At sundown VIC encamped, fed, got sup
Der, and marched again at p. m. At
midnight or thcrabouts, the troops of |
'ur Brigade charged the place, captur-
ng about 800 prisoners, five locomo.
ives and trains and large amount of
luartermaster and commissary stores.
leaving the work of destruction for
hose in our rear, we hurried forward
or Paperville to cut off Vaughn, who
vas digging mud for the salt works.
Rain commenced falling about the time
We entered Bristol, and the night being
'ery dark we did not reach n point far
her than 5 miles from Paperyille and
o from Bristol by daybreak. We halt
ID here and Il number of prisoners were
AIKEN of Vaughn's command, who were
greatly surprised to find us ahead of
hem. Just before dark, hearing
1aughn had taken another road and Il
vas about to try and slip US to join
breckenridge, we moved in two col
INNS on separate roads to Abingdon, the
amous place the residents Of which 4
eretofore have boosted thatno Yankee
Dot had ever disgraced, except pris- 4
ners. Here the Brigade in advance
ad lively skirmish, but as usual drove /,
he enemyin confusion, capturing many I,
risoners and large quantities of Gov Il
stores. The X. Road build {
,gs, several locomotives and cars, and Z:
IL buildings used by the Government {
xcept hospitals, were burned; also the ,
MI which contained several prisoners, q
zen who had tried to keep ont of the /;
rmy, and when caught were thrown in {,
,this loathsomc place. Ibelieve these /
len9were all released. After feeding
ur horses and resting uqtil s, a. m, {
re resumed our pursuit of the enemy. IL
light skirmishing occurred during the [
lternoon, and at, sundown we again s
alted to feed and wait for the, moon to
se, as the night was very dark. At Z
0 O'Clock we were again III motion, and q
ushed forward rapidly to point about q
miles from Saltville, called "7 mile Z,
ord" which we reached about day ,
reak. The mud was very deep and $
ie weather cold, making our march III