The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-02-02

ed for the last ride. The old man had taken
good care of the horse during the night, and
when / got out from breakfast / found her tied
to a tree down by the water. I mounted gayly;
the old fellow gave me explicit directions as to
the road TO the Gap, which he said was IN sight
from the top of the hills. l bade him good-by,
promising to pay the bill on my return. l
hadn't a cent of money; besides, it was custom
airy for the soldiers TO live off the Unionists
so the old man was not much disappointed at
not getting fee.
Sure enough, I could see the Gap through a
break in the trees and brush from the next
hilltop, as the old man had said. / was sur
prised because it was so close to me, and dis
appointed in its appearance, as had expected
from all that / had heard and read of Cumber-
land Gap to find great gorge breaking abruptly
through the mountains.
On the southern, or, more strictly speaking
the eastern side, the approach to
CUMBERLAND GAP
on the ascent up the mountain is so gradual
that one is disappointed until the summit, or
jumping-of place, or highest point, is reached
from which view is to be had down into Ken
tucky it is then only that the grand beauty
of the historic old place is realized. As rode
closer met with some signs of military occu-
patton. There were a lot Of horses down the
road at a blacksmith shop waiting TO be shod !;
couple Of soldiers in gray had them in charge.
Farther on was a farmhouse, on the porch Of
which two officers in loose uniform were sit
ting smoking pipes. / forged ahead without
being stopped by anybody or stopping OF my
own accord until ! was almost up to the very
entrance to the Gap itself when / met with
careless sort Of challenge, given by a soldier or
officer without arms. 1t was only necessary 10
offer my papers and explain my business to be
told to 60 ahead, with directions as to where
should find our battery.
When had found Eikton and delivered my
papers 10 him, and had received from the boys
something Of that greeting which is always ac-
corded to a visitor who brings a payroll mail
from home, or any paper that looks that way,
/ took the first opportunity to walk over into
the Gap.
Lanyard was there-you remember Lanyard,
the sailor recruit from NOrfOll-as was also
my old Richmond friend, the Colonel. We
three had some hearty haudshaking and well
comes. The Colonel-Who was really the Ser
geant-could not spare the time from duty to
60 along but Lanyard escorted me over to the
Gap. And il was there as l stood on the crest
Of that great moUntain-top aud looked down,
down into the tree-tOps of a vast forest far be-
low and stretching away in the distance as far
as ! could see, that | realized what Cumberland
Gap was. / could see threading along through
the mass Of trees that looked like mere bushes,
so far down were they, a winding cord that re-
had dropped down from above. This was the
long. narrow and crooked road which led to
the Union forces, which 1 knew were some
where pretty close.
We were looking over into Kentucky and into
the Union. don't think talked much. know
that when such a scene is presented to me for
the first time I am struck dumb, as it were,
and not able to rave over it, as I have so often
heard and enyied others.
To my first question as to the location Of the
Yankees, Lanyard pointed to a clGmp Of trees
forming little grove, seemingly isolated from
the rest. and a little to one side oft the Gap. He
said:
That's where they were in force when they
made that attack on the Gap here"
Then we walked over TO a stockade made Of
the trunks Of saplings put on end III bitches,
reaching up 10 feet, behind which our Mary
land battery was located. They had two guns
then, aud I was shown the marks of