Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-12-04
DEATH OF GENERAL GEORGE
B. CRITTENDEN.
r I'm iniscerce of his Career as o
Confederate G .mmander,
temphls Ledger

General George b. tr1tCen06n, eldest son
of the late John J. Crittenden, died Satur-
day The 9th inst; at his home 10 Danville.
Kentucky. He was a graduate of West
Point and served in the old regular army.
Early in the war he rendered his services
to the confederate government, and was
rapidly promoted to the rank of major
general. In the latter part of the year
1861, he appeared at Knoxville and took
command of all the forces in East Tens
nessee. Zollicoffer, who was only briga-
dier general had already advanced toward
Kentucky with several regiments by way
of Cumberland Gap. At Wild cat, north
of the Gap, he met a partial reverse, fell
back aud transferred his forces west to
VI ill Spring, Kentucky, on the Cumber-
land river, point which was reached by
steamboats, from Nashville. The roads
from Knoxville to Mill Spring across the
mountains were in a terrible condition.
Crittden fingered as long as possible at
Knoxville. preferring, no doubt. the COM
forts of the Lamar house to the discomforts
of the tented field. Near the last days Of
December, 1861, he set out with his staff
and CAROLS old regiment. the 9th Ten>
nessee, then commanded by Col. Moses
White, and battery of artillery as an es-
cort. The distance was one hundred
and thirty miles, and the route lay
through wild hostile country. The
march was slow and painful and was re-
tarded byan enormous quantity of camp
squipage; personal baggage and supplies of
cOmmissary stores There was also some
ammunition carried along but it was
| mostly in wagons. in charge of an ord,
| nance sergeant. Very little of this super
ffulous trumpery ever found its way back
| across the mountain unless Thomas army
| took the trouble to pick it up. The com
mand pushed on rapidly as possible pass
ing through the little towns of Wart6urg,
jamestown and Monticello, KY, but the
writer can testify that it was in lighter
marching order aud made much better
| time few days later on the somewhat I'M
expected and unmilitary return. Toward
| the last OF the advance, Crittend en- with a
small escort pushed ahead. The command
| reached Mill spring, if we are not mistaken
| early In January. Zollicoffers little srrny
| had gone into winter quarters i'll pocket
or big bend, on the north side Of the river.
There VS. some cavalry, prob bly, Czrne' 8
| invincibles end some inf4ntry on the
south side; whit General Crittenden
thought of the stu stion and tn str tegy of
| the engineer or general who selected it we
l
peace against Indians srmed only with
BOWS and arrows, but General Tn omss
could take his choice to flank it Or make a
| direct attack. He concentrated his forces
and adopted the latter policy. Zolicoffsr,
as brave and noble man as ever lived,
was killed on that dark, miserable day, the
18th of January, 1862, and his brave but
| poorly armed and ill disciplined little
| army was driven across the river and fell
| ~, b fhaV ,xkd mil Tho
| tents we're lett standing and great quanti-
ties of stores were abandoned. We have
never seen q correct descri ption Of this
battle, and the reckless race for life that
easued. The march for day or two per-
hsps beggars description. The brsvest
men may become panic stricken IS in tn il
instance and lose their presence of mind.
This was one of the frst OLA series Otter.
ribls disasters to the southern confederacy
The regiments engaged IN it, including ht
| Thirty seventh Tennessee, the Fifteenth
| Mississippi, commanded that day By
lieutenant Colonel 4. o. WalthslI, the
Twenty-ninth Tennessee. commanded b.
Colonel Powell, and others that We canno
now recall, aiterwsrd, when properly
armed and deciPlined, made as fine record
for fighting as any in the service, but they
many of the Injuries of life to the front
General Crittenden in q day or two
had the command under his control ant
fell back leisurely toward MurfreesDoro
where the main army under Albert sgd
ney Johnston, was gathered together ant
organized. General Crittenden, while
brave man and heightened, well-edu
Gated gentleman, appeared: be wanting il
| some element of success. A cloud seemed
to hang over him and he did not again be
come prominent during the war. He wa
lost sight of by the army of Tennessee
After the war he returned to Kentnck.
and became state librarian, position
which he held some time. In social life b
was esteemed and respected.