The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-22
THE sALTvILLE RAID.
COmrade AthertOn Tells What He Knows About I


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: was glad TO
see an account of the raid by COmrade soliday,
of the 18th Ohio Cav, and in the main think
he gave a very good description of one of the
hardest marches it was my luck to be on.
belonged to Co. A, 10th Ky. M'td Inf, Col
c. ]. True commanding. The 10Th Ohio boys
always called us the baby company, but we got
there all the same. As cOmrade Soliday says
we left Mt. Sterling Sept. 90, 1864. l will say
that after the first day out we were bush
whacked until we got back on Kentucky soil,
and then they did not like to stop. When we
would 90 to any of the houses in that County
and ask them where the men folks were they
would say " out digging sang, meaning ginseng.
But in fact they were in our front telling trees
across the road up the mountains, and while
our men would be removing the obstruction
they would be behind the trees shooting at US.
Then we would bring forward our little mount
ain howitzeT and throw a few shell amongst
them and try and scare them, but they would
not scare worth cent
l remember very well meeting the pack train
that Comrade Soliday speaks of, and TeColleCt
the boys loading up for the march with rations
for themselves and their horses The men
would have had ratiOus enough TO have lasted,
but that night it commenced to rain-and such
a rain 1t came down in sheets, and when it
stopped / don't think there was dry bareback
in the whole division, and we soon ran out of
grub. l think we would have made success
of that raid if we had done our marching
in daylight instead of night as we would
have made better time and, as the COmTade
says, we got there one day too late. When
marching at night some regiment or company
would get lost then they would commence
yelling company so and SO lost in the rear. and
before it would get to the head of the column
it would be changed to firing in the rear. Then
all would be excitement until things got
Strengthened up. Then we would go again foI
awhile until somebody got lost and commenced
the same alarm.
Comrade Soliday speaks about the narrow
defile through which the Holston River forces
its way. Well do / recollect that place. The
day that we were there our brigade was in the
advance, and our regiment in the front. If my
memory serves me right, that place was called
Laurel Gap. 1t was a narrow road through the
rocky chasm of the hills. The rebels had put
in a blast and blown it all to pieces, but it was
our only chance of getting through. So axes
! picks and shOvels were brought into use to fiji
! it up so we could pass over, and while we were
! doing that the rebels were on each side of u
up the hill banging away, but they generally
/ over-Shot US. l recOlleCt one man in particu
! lar way up on a single spur of rock singing
/ Dixie and shooting at US. A good many o
/ the boys tried to drop him, but COHld not. Pres
/ emily Gen. Burbridge came up and said: You
! boys don't seem to be good shots. Let me try M
/ hand" He tried several times, but the chal
| kept singing Dixie" Finally we were ordered
| to scale the mountain and dislOdge them. a
! they could do us no harm by shooting at u
! they commenced rolling large stones down tht
mountain. Now, didn't they keep US bus,
| lodging? Several of the boys were badly hurt
It was nearly shutdown when we startet
| through and went into camp, and it must hav
been after dark when the rear got through, an
! tl,a
all night bringing in troops for the defense 0
the salt works.
One thing take exception to In Conrad
! SOlidays article is this He says that if tn
right and center had done as well as the lef
/ they would have taken the works anyhow
! Now, / think, Comrade, that was impossible, a
| they had three men to our one, and also GOO
artillery, and had Notifications to prOtec
! them. Hanson's and Hobson's Brigades bot
did their whole duty, and went where the,
were ordered; and what more could men do
| / saw Col. Hanson when he was brought to tn
rear, and to the best of my recollection he wa
shot in the thigh.
/ saw no coWardice anywhere Our boy
fought against great odds, and if we were badl
defeated we have the satisfaction Of KNOWN
we all did our duty, and are not ashamed Of til
result. Under the circumstances the retrea
was well done, aud reflects great credit on Ger
Hobson. A great many of the boys were walk
ing, their horses having given out, and the OF
ders were to kill all disabled animals, destro
the guns and ammunition, and do their best t
| keep up with the division. For a few days
1 kept the rearguard busy keeping the rebel
from capturing our boys. Our bill of far
was nothing more than paw pa US, and hav
never cared much for that fruit since. Why
photograph of a bareback would have made th
whole division smile. But we got back t
Gods country in tolerably good shape, and wer
glad it was no worse.-O. g. ATHERToN, 40t
KY. MID Inf, Arrowsmith, Ill.