Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-04-12
A Scouts Expsrieneea.

MessrB. Harper & Brothers hav,
just published = modestIy written bool
BY a Union Scout, giving his var ex
periehces in East Tennessee The
following Interesting paragraphs are
taken from the work:
The mountainous deolivities amid
which we we're now travelling were
/ very rough, and yet We had not arrived
at the toughest parts of them; for on
! every side nothing could be seen but
steep and awful preeipices and depres-
sed holloWs, and We all felt we'll as
sUred of one thing. and that was that
there was no danger of being pursued
through this dreadful range of noun
tains by the rebel hordes, which, in
/ deed, constituted one of Nature 5 safest
pathways from the tyranny of the Sc
cessionists. We travelled slowly along
that evening, and when the dark
blanket of night was thrown over the
face of Nature, we halted and rested
until morning, our sleep being dis
tuTbed with no noise save the harsh
music Of the Whip-poor- viii, as it rev
erbrated through the hills and valleys
around US. When moFniBg dawned
again, we -part0ok of h@sty meal, and
then went onward, slowly olim bing the
mountain all day. Night coming on,
We stopped and ate the last of cur pro-
visions, and pushed forward across a
little valley during the night, pulling,
as we passed along some green corn,
which ne ate raw with a very good ap-
petite. When morning came ne were
on the top of -WalIing's Ridge, which
OverlOoks Powells VALLEY, which was
thicklY settled, and which we found
we were compelled TO pass through, or
else be forced to travel through the
toughest sort of mountains If We chose
to avoid it; we Therefore determined
to make an effort to 90 through the
valley. We COHtinued To travel all
day oa the lofty elevations Of W'ailing' 8
Ridge, and in the evening we supplied
ourselves With kone more Eresn corn,
which we procured from q field which
had been planted on the side of the
ridge. Having matches, we soon kin
died up a FIRE, and, after roasting our
corn and eating what we desired of it.
we moved o0 slowly down to PoWeil's
Valley The night was dark and
gloomy, and we succeeded in crossing
Is without any impedfment whatever,
not t,foTge6ting to supply ourselves with
corn as we passed through. By an
hour By the sun upon the following
morning, We found that We had arrived
at the base Of Cumberland Mountain,
whose elevated chain separates the
States Of Tennessee and Virginia from
kentucky. We now considered that
we were safe from the rebels, but still
had q rough mountain to cross, whose
high peaks rose up in magnihcence
aud splendor into the blue Welkin' s
vault. Before attempting to climb
this side Of this great natural barrier,
We stopped to rest and take another
repast upon our corn. Some of the
men we're almost dead from the great
fatigue which they. had endured. and
presented truly q most pitiable aspect.
Their shoes were gone. the rocks and
sBags having torn them from their feet,
and as regarded our clothing, one had
no reason to laugh at another, for ne
were all in tattered rags the bTiers and
brambles having completely diTested
US of pantalOons from the knees down.
We succeeded in crossing the noun
tain that day, and when night came
on apace, ne prepared beds out of
leaves, on which we slept quite sound
ly until morning. At this time we
had nothing to eat, and were very weak
aud hungry but VIC were compelled
to travel all that day without eating,
and in the evening we had the profound
and iueXpressible joy and happiness of
arriving at the Federal camp at Cum
beTland Gap.
The Yankees now fell back, and I
was again forced to 60 into the noun
tains to resume my old occupation of
plotting companies. ofmeu through the
/ lines. The Union men were in great
| hope for some time that the Yankees
would soon return, but they were
| doomed to be most sadly disappointed.
/ The rebel General Longstreet was in a
/ position east of Knoxville, with thirty
thousand troops, and wintered all of
/ this large force off of the upper coun-
/ ties. IF the Union people we're 10
/ trouble before this force made its ap-
pearance In East Tennessee, what can
| be imagined was their Wretched con-
dition now ? Rebel gangs of soldiers
were now prowling through the coun-
/ try In every direction, rRnsacking and
I plundering, and numbering many ai
I the oitizens. They took every wagon
that they could find, and hauled of
| the small stock Of provisions which
\ the people had to live upon aud
/ where the country was too mountain
GUS for them to go with wagons, they
/ would 20 on horseback and pack of
/ thu scanty provisions from the mos
humble cabinih the mountains. There
was no other chance now for the few
remaining Union men but to RC
through the lines and join the UniOr
4 army, OF be suddenly killed by the reb
| ell thieves and murderers who now in
Tested all parts of the county. Nam
poor and INDECENT families were nov
left without a protector, for the hus
band and father was compelled q
] leave. his home in order to save hi
i own life The distress which nov
prevailed among the Union people il
4 Upper East TeUnessee beggars all de
scaiptiOn. j will not attempt il an
further. Gold, bleak winter vas a
hand, and II was almost impossible fo
men to scout and lay out In the noun
tains for if by so doing they coull
succeed Ia hiding from the rebels
there was nothing which could be pro
cured for themselves or their familie
} 10 cat Their only alternative was Ell
, ther to 60 through the lines OF remail
at home, aud either htarve OK be killed
\ One of the greatest annoyances o
I | our scouts arose from the watohful
ness Of the dogs Of the rebels FL
says: g-i
" At every house in this valley thcr
was gang Of dogs, and the dogs an,
men seemed to know very we'll WheI
E-E- = hn