Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-03-01
"reminiscences Of the Third Tennes-
see Cavalry.
BY ADJUTANT WILL. A. M'TEER.
NO. III.
/" GOING 10 KENTUCKY.u


County, to act as pilot for us, but upo
arriving in the neighborhood wher
we were to meet him, we were saul.
disappointed to find that we were
day too late, and that he bad starte'
with some men the night before! w
could do no more than to wait until III
should return. 80 Mason and L feI
back, in good order, TO Stock Greek, a
the residence of Mr.. JOhnathar
Houser, while Murphey and SloaE
found a home somewhere else in the
1 neighborhood. Here we remained in
dread suspense for some days, when
we went to a AIR. Michaels, on the
river, a short distance above Knox
vile. He had Jacks Island" rem ed
and covered with q luxuriant growth
of corn. So, the four OF US found
refuge here for while, Mr.. Michaels
supplying US with God. We could
hear the Confederate soldiers firing
their guns, beating their drums and
making other noises very distinctly,
and occasionally could see a soldier
passing around through the country.
On one occasion, we were enjoying
ourselves fishing under the dense
foliage of some willows, feeling per-
fectly secure, aud, as we thought,
where no one could find or zee US,
suddenly the water began max
ing a gentle ripple within a few
feet of us. Quietly we looked
for the cause, when presently
the end Of canoe hove in
sight coming towards US very slowly.
We hadn't time to run, 80 we, with as
little noise as possible, backed into the
corn and laid down, while the canoe
with Confederate soldier, in full uni
form, and citizen whom We were told
to avoid, came right along over the
water in which we had been fishing.
/ would not have exchanged my brass
barreIed pistol for all of Jacks island,
just then! They were fishing too, and
were so iutent upon their business that
no attention was paid to us, our lines
or our tracks on the banks, and getting
no bites they passed out of sight while
we went back 10 our lines rejoicing
that they did not bite at our hooks.
- At length Mr.. Burkhart returned.
He was a One-armed man, and if re-
mem Der rightly, Register of Knox
County. On the night of the I'd of
August We again started, travelling
until midnight, when We halted and
slept until morning, then started
again. and travelled that day. Along
IN the afternoon we came TO the top
of ridge where Mr.. Burkhart halted
US, saying that there had been a COM
pany OF cavalry stationed in the val
ley before US, watching for Union
men on their way to Kentucky. They
We're nearer than be anticipated, for
we could hear them shoeing their
horses. Upon this we changed our
course a little, keeping in the woods
until we were off the ridge, where we
came TO field of corn. Here we
climbed the fence and started down
toward the centre of the field. The
corn became more rank and hiding
easier as we progressed, until
we came to spring in something
of ravine, where, to the complete |
of some of US, sat two Federal
soldiers in full uniform, armed and
equipped as if for battle while there
was another in Confederate uniform,
but armed like q Yankee. Several |
other men were present also, but We |
were least expecting Federal soldiers |
here, aud upon introduction, learned |
that the man with Confederate uni |
form was w. I. Parham, a Lieutenant |
in the Oh Tennessee Infantry, who
bad been watching the movements of |
he Confederate army, aud had been
somewhat surprised by some of the
army watching his move
nents. Here Mr.. Burkhart babe US
III Il Al in oh |
Lieutenant Parham, with a Mr.. James
Foaste aching as guide. Our company
was low increased to eighteen men.
We Travelled all night. Sometime
after midnight when everything
seemed still as death and there was no
.ign of life at the buildings along the
road, coming to a house there was a
light in one of the rooms. AS the
front man of our company came TO
he yard gate there was q rack ct in the
house, wheTeupon some of US thoaght
We were about to be caught 10y squad
If rebels, so that old brass barIeled
pistol was again deemed so valuable
hat gold cJuid not have bought il.
But il turned out this was Union
nan Lieutenant Parham bad arranged
o watch and / us know whether the
way was clear for US, so perfect was
rennesses during those dark days of
var. We w,re relieved to learn
he way was clear ahead, but
made to shudder when informed that
We had passed q squad placed to watch
he road just In the rear of US. By
ONE means unawAres to either of us,
ielther had discovered the other. We
lad TO cross a river, perhaps it was
we came to il in the nj Sht, aud
! dark one il was too. The river was
Iwollen, so that it could not be forded.
The rebels had destroyed all the
,anOes and boats On the river. After
ome time we were furnished with q
,ox, made Of plank in which four
Gould cross at a time by bailing the
water out of it fast enough. 1t took
ONE time, of cOuIse, but we got over
Without accident. On the morning of
August 4th we stopped on a small
mountain and slept until about no n,
Fhen our journey was renewed with
Ugh spirits, having rested awhile and
danger was about past. In
be latter We were much mistaken.
)ur company was going down
fountain trail to take the main road
D Jacksboro, and was quite bold about
!, making considerable noise. Mason
nd L were some distance behind the
theirs, and on higher ground, where
here was an opening in the timber
trough which we could see the road
70 were aiming to take. Fortunately, | {
re came to this opening just in time
see squad of rebel cavalry coming
a the main road. It was with diff
Ilty we got our crowd to stop their {
Disc and keep still. We could hear .
. on nl0inlU and il aoona |