The National tribune., 1885-11-12
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
IN KENTUCKY


IN tNIA> l. ~ SiN
During the Eariy Days Of the War.
To THE EDITOR: In the Summer and Fall of
1861 a Federal camp was formed at the Olym-
plan Springs, quite noted watering place IN
Bath County, Ky, before the war. At this
place soldiers were mustered for the Union
army, and drilled by Licut.-Col. Hurd, who
afterwards became Colonel OF the Gath Ky. At
this place i saw for the first time a regiment OF
solders-the I'd Ohio Col. Harris commanding.
Here preparations were made Tor an ascent
into the mountains of Eastern Kentucky to
break up the camp John {. Breckenridge and
others were forming at Prestonburg on the
Big Sandy.
To this place Nelson came, and from here we
started on our first campaign. Our force con-
sisted of the I'd and 2lst Ohio, two or three
companies of the oath Ky. before the regiment
was organized, and two or three companies of
Col. Metcalfs Kentucky Cavalry. Our first
camp alter leaving the Springs was about 20
miles up in the mountains. The camp, think,
was called Camp Garrett Davis. Here Gen.
Nelson organized several scouting parties.
The rebels were now rendezv ousing at Hazel
Green, about % miles from our camp, and also
at West Liberty. Hazel Green was on Red
River, and West Liberty was on the Licking
River, about Is miles northeast of Hazel Green.
One of these scouting parties was sent ty Gen.
Nelson toward Hazel Green, and WIS directed
by the General TO conduct the party, on account
of my acquaintance with the country We pro-
ceeded in the direction of Hazel Green, pass
ing through the neighborhood where my family
lived, and saw quite a number of hadly-scared
rebels. They believed we were going TO kill
every one OF them. When We arrived within
two or three miles OF Hazel Green, the detach-
ment stopped at the house of a Union man, John
Swetnam, for refreshments. Capt Goodpastor,
who was in command, sent three Of the boys
ahead for mile and half where they could
md
town and see what was going on. They
had not proceeded more than mile when
they met man, and he no sooner saw the
bluecOats than he jumped the fence and
started Oh the run. The boys cried haiti" but
he halted not, and the louder they yelled the
faster he ran. They let loose their guns, and III
venture he never made better time than he did
then across that bottom till he reached the tim
Der on the river; he simply fell over the fence
and down the bank into the river and that Is
the last l ever or heard of Joe Ross.
We now received orders to countermarch.
We came back to Blackwater and down the creek
to the Blackwater Church, and there learned
that the ID Ohio had gone, with two pieces of
artillery, toward West Liberty, and our orders
We're to follow. There we had our first
pericnce in hi ht marching through rain, mud
and pitch darkness. We continued our weary
march until nature was exhausted and at the
old Grassy Creek Church We turned in for
nap.
We arose about two hours before day and
continued our march through the darkness and
mud. When within three miles of West Liberty
it was daylight and we heard the boom of the
six Founders in battle at West Liberty. It was
the first time the most of us had ever heard
the noise OF battle. Some of US became very
nervous and excited. We hurried on, and
when we came to the battle-ground the fight
was over and our boys experienced the sensa-
tions of a first victory. We thought then it
was considerable battle when in fact it was
but light skirmish.
Judge Burns, d noted lawyer and rebel, lived
in West Liberty, and he. like great many
Southerners, thought that in these mountains
a few bushwhackers could destroy whole
regiment of disciplined soldiers. So he had
this mob OF civilians with their shotguns, corn
knives and squirrel rifles, form On a ridge in
the timber south of the town, and as the I'd
Ohio marched along a narrow detiIe at the base
OF the ridge, they opened fire on them, but not
having any experience in war they overshot
our boys. In an instant the bluecoatS tore
down the fence ran their artillery out a
narrow bottom between the hill and the river,
and opened fire on these brave citizen soldiers
with Shot and shell. Among the rebs on the
hill was one Lish Prather, who never owned a
slave and scarcely shelter for his family, but
fshed and hunted for living. When the war
broke out he was in great trouble because he
said Lincoln was going 10 free all our niggers,"
and to prevent his freeing all our niggers,"
he went in to fight the Ianks. When he heard
one of these cannon for the first time, he
yelled at the top of his voice, g -, boys.
what gun! Let's rum" And he did run and
they all followed. / think probably that was
the last battle Lish Prather ever fought to keep
"Our niggers " from being freed. At least the
yell he gave on the hill that morning was the
last l have ever heard of him.-W. BRIsTow,
Go. Is, oath KY, Baldwin, Kan.