The National tribune., 1883-11-29
The Experiences of the 18th Ohio in the Tazewei
Affair.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

lates the experiences of the 10th Ohio In the
Cumberland Gap campaign, and invites any
comrade who was under Geo. w. Morgan to
write description of the same. think the
lieatenants memory is little bad on some
points and fear that mine is not any better in
some things bat / will endeavor to relate few
of the incidents of that campaign to the best
Of my recollection, and if am incorrect in any
particular, would be pleased to be set right by
any other comrade. On or about August l,
1862, our brigade, consisting of three regiments,
14th Kentucky, and q six-gun battery of agtil-
lery, started Tor Tazewel, East Tennessee, on
foraging expedition 10 obtain proyender for
our hungry horses and mules; also, to get ac-
quainted with the enemy, his numbers inten-
TONS &c. Lieut. Heckert puts our brigade as
the 10th Ohio 23d Kentucky, and 49th Indi-
ana If Iay memory serves me right the last
named regiment was the 42d Ohio, instead of
49th Indiana. He asks what battery was it
that was with us at TazeWell? My memory
says Captain Wetmore's 9Th Ohio battery; yet it
posi- bly, was Captain Testers LIST Wisconsin bat
terry, though think it was the former. Colonel
John Z. DeCourcy was in command of the ex-
petition. Nothing happened of any note I'M
TIL on the morning Of the 4th of August, Colonel
DeCourcy took the 10th Ohio, two pieces of
artillery, and the left wing of the 18th Ken
lucky, and marched out on the Knoxville road
six miles to Big Springs, where we found one
regiment of rebel infantry and one noun
tain howitzer. The village was in a little
ravine; the enemy, on higher ground just
beyond. Companies A and b, of the 10th,
depioyed as shirmishers, advanced to within
three or four hundred yards Of the enemy, and
commenced firing. Soon afterwards we formed
line last in their rear; they were called in,
and we commenced fle-firing from right and
left of sections. Our section of artillery came
galloping through small field that lay in our
rear, over rail fences, which caused the rails Of
sra WAS Ta.a fact
rear-to fly around SO promiscuously that had
to dodge rails as well as bullets. Soon after the
battery opened fire tie rebs began TO skedaddle.
We advanced about 80 yards to better posi-
tion, and continued our fire until they retreat
cd out OF sight. The skirmish only lasted
about half An hour, but was quite lively while
it did last. There was no loss ON our side
what the rebel losses were never ascertained
We then gathered all the proyender we could,
and fell back on Tazewell that evening.
HOT PLACE.
On the morning of the 9th of August, at
break of day. our regiment-16th 0hio-and
left wing OF the 18th kentucky, and two pieces
Of artillery was ordered out on the Knoxville
road south and east Of Tazewell, on Walnut
Hill; the left wing of the 14th Kentucky was
held in reserve, and the 10th Ohio took position
on the summit of the HILL except tive COM
panies Captain Edgars' and one other COM
Z
road, where he lost his life, and eighty-three
men were taken prisoners. Behind US was an
I open field; 10 the front was dense forest
Of heavy timber and paw-p2w underground
! Before we had time to get any breakfast the
enemy opened fire on US with their skirm-
ishers, and repeated the operation twice; then
I they advanced on Us with eight regiments
! Just as they came 10 the terminus Of the tim
/ beT-they we're less than one hundred feet from
our line-their commanding officer put his left
/ hand TO his mouth and cried out: Rear bri-
gade viii move TO the right About that time
one of orr pieces Of artillery, which was double
shotted with grape and canister, failed to go
/ OF and the fifth primer had been snapped
The enemy was advancing rapidly with two
/ regiments in line and two in column Just in
their rear and were within $50 feet of our
cannon, when the gun finally responded TO the
/ sixth primer and sent its missiles of death
/ crashing through a solid line of the enemy four
1 deep with horrible effect.
Those artillerymen had good grit to remain
4 there, under the circu instances, as long as they
did. They Embered up IN about three seconds
and fell back with orr right wing to our re-
serve, bat took their gun with them, and had but
one wounded horse aud rider. The Confederate
rear brigade soon attacked our left wing and
drove them of Of the hill to the left of the road.
/ Just before they were driven of, Major Philip
Kershner's horse came running down the hill
caused his orderly, Jake Williams, to burst out
crying, supposing the major was either killed
! or wounded. jake went in search of the major
and soon found him all right. The colonel's
4 horse was wounded and was dancing around
considerably We were ordered to fall back
which we did in as lively manner as our
strength would per1nit-to our reserve on the
north and west Of Tazewel, the left wing of the
14th Kentucky covering cur retreat. The re-
mainder Of the day was spent in artillery fight
| ing.
COLONEL GoRDoE's CAPTURE.
While this was going on, two Of Captain
! Edgar's men, II have forgotten their names, J
one corporal and one private came in with
/ q prisoner, who proved 10 be Lieuten2nt-C0l
mel Gordon, commanding a rebel brigade.
| VIII tell OF his capture In his own words, which
he related to a group Of US that afternoon Oh
/ the battlefield. lie said: and my citizen
/ guide started up z canyon, with the intention
/ Of going ever 10 the right Of my command TO
see the position Of the Federals and to the dis
| position Of my own men. AL of sudden two
men sprang from the ground, covered US with
their rifles, and ordered US to halt which we
Immediately did, but thought it mistake-that
4 IL was some Of nay own men; for did not think
I 1t possible that any Of the Federals was in rear
/ Of my brigade. They said, VIII you surrender.
or do you prefer TO be sbot2' felt very peculiar
but saw there was no time for parley, so / said,
4 Twin surrender. 4Iey InSQ ordered US 10 throw
down our ar1ns, which we did, and they took
possession, ordered Us to dismount and pro-
coed ahead Of them, they leading our horses in
our rear. In short time we came almost upon
the rear o. one of1ny own regiments, but / was
SO CONFUSED and bewildered that was not then
aware Of ii, and asked my captors what troop
that was. They replied that it was the 10Th Ohio,
and that they were NOW fighting and very
bloodthirsty, and if they took US up there,
they might shoot as both on sight. I told
them that IL the 18th Ohio were such men as
that, for Gods sake TO take US anywhere but
there. Ihey said: We viii take you cir
cuitous route 70 the rear, where you viii be IN
no danger, A half mile further on, we came
within a few feet Of a road, and a troop of my
cavalry came galloping by. Our captors
cooked their rifles and ordered US TO lie down /;
not TO move or open orr mouths, or they would
put bullet through Us. We considered discre-
ton the better part Of yalor and complied AS
soon IS the cavalry passed they ordered rs up
and on, and here we are, both of us l and
my guide, prisoners"
Who can tell me what those boys names
were2
Our artillery captain Captain Wetmore, I
believed and Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon found
that they were schoolmates That night we
fell back eighteen miles, on Cumberland Gap,
arriving in the morning, having been thirty
Elk hours without food, except hasty-handed
lunch given US late in the evening on the
battlefield by one Of our other regiments:
got half Of cracker for my portion Our
/ final evacuation of the gap took place on the