The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-10-03
BULLS GAP.
Gallant Defense and Hazardous Retreat from that
Place.

/
! the 18th, aud Capt. Patterson the battery.
The boys had all voted for grand old ABE"
and were feeling very happy to think that they
| had helped TO elect 'Abe and Andy" as We
called the ticket.
Gen. A. c. Gillem was in command of the
forces. ] remember very distinctly that about
halfpast four in the afternoon some of the boys
! had found some apple jack" and were very
much inclined 10 be boistcrous, aud were hav-
ing lots of fun, when Capt. J. A. Taylor, mem
/ Der of Col. Miliers staff, rode into camp and
reported heavy force of rebels advancing from
! JouesbOro, and almost Immediately the boys
were in the saddle and off 10 meet Gen. Brock
! irridge the celebrated Kentucky fighter. All
! the boys knew whom we had to meet and
! those brave mountain boys were glad OF the
chance TO meet another of kentucky's brave
sons.
Each man would grip his gun flrmer and
! poke fun mt his file leader with such remarks
as We will send him to keep john Morgan
! company" or TO "hunt Vaughn, twhom we
| had stampeded at Harristown only few days
/ belore)
As we met the skirmishers Of the advancing
| J0hnnies il began TO rain, and after n short
| skirmsh were ordered to fall back, and
! then, with the rain falling in sheets aud the
wind blowing almost gale, we rode back to
| Greenville and tried to find a place TO lie down
| in the mud.
Just rs we got ourselves fixed for the night,
Col. John Brownlow rode up with the 9th Tenn.
/ Cav. and reported to Gen. Gilem that.a heavy
/ force was moving south OF Greenvlile on the
! Chuckee River road Gen. GiGem called Capt.
/ Taylor aud another staff officer into his tent,
/ and in few minutes we were again riding
| through the dark with orders to the COM
mander of the battery and 9Th Tenn. Cav,
who had found resting place southwest of
! Greenville, in the cedaIs,
don't know what the order was, but from
/ what followed presume il was to move on TO
| Bulls Gap, some Is miles northwest OF Green
vile.
| All night we rode through the mud and
/ slush. We reached the gap in the morning put
/ out guards, and waited for Breckenridge, who
was not slow in coming up, for about o'clock
/ he attacked our scouts at Lick Creek, two miles
east of the gap sent the boys in ON the fly, and
| moved up his whole army, but did not attempt
10 attack US that evening; but the next morn
| ing we saw long line of mounted men In our
rear, and also a signal from the battery, which
/ told us that Breckenridge had moved up IN the
night. We soon found what the long line OF
men meant, for they opened fire upon the 9th
/ Tenn. Cav, and almost at the same time at
/ tackled US on all sides.
Maj. Wagner had the third battalion Of the
| 18th Tenn. Cav. on n ridge running parallel
with the rebel lines, while the second battalion
OF the Sth was on a ridge that ran parallel with
4 bhS VIC ou WHICH -haJs wagner htSh NoAS
situated
One section of Patterson's battery was on
! the ridge with the Sth Tenn. Cav, and was
! pushed forward 20 the north end of the ridge
and placed behind the logs which had been
used line Of works by Longstreet the Win
ter before.
| Col. Ingerton. with four guns and one bat
/ TALON OF the 18th, were in fort in the gap,
/ south Of the road. The second battalion under
/ Maj. Underwood) of the 18th Tenn. Cav. was
| formed Immediately in front Of the gap, across
| the wagon roads, and resting on the ridge near
/ the rebel lines.
| On the right. and west Of the fort were two
4 battaliOns Of the 9Th Tenn. Cav, under Col.
| Brown, aud the 9th was under Col. John Brown
| low west Of the gap. In this position the battle
1 opened about o'clock in the morning, and
lasted till . O'Clock. During the night the
rebels had crawled mp TO their position, and
were in gunshot range, when they started 10
take Capt. Patterson's two guns on the hill.
Just here / wish 10 say that no Drawer men
ever charged and were Tepulsed than those who
/ made that charge.
The first charge hurled the battalion Of Maj.
| Wagner back, aud the whole battalion would
| have been routed had not Lieut.. Andrew Camp
| bell rallied his company.
Gen. Gillem sent them the assistance Of Capt.
/ Wilcox, with Cos q aud ] Of the ID battalion
| Of the 18th Tenn Cav. lie came up on run,
| aud when within 20 yards of the advancing
/ column Of rebels, gave the command in n voice
4 that was heard across the valley, Left into
/ line-Rcady. aim. ire-Lie down. Aud be-
fore those $50 carbines the rebels staggered
| forward few steps, then fell back before the
advancing column Of dismountcd cavalry, who
were using little Joslin carbincs at close quar-
ters with dreadful effect.
So Basil Duke, with his Kentucky Brigade,
| Of John MorgaB's command, fell back again
! hes la that IEN 81. a..l
into Greenyille on the 4th of September, 1864,
and killed their old commander.
On the left was Capt. Patterson, heroically
manning his two guns and lifting the trails on
his shoulder while they were double charged.
Scrg't Estcpt, Of Co. III, 9Th Tenn. Cav, or.
dered bis company to charge tbs rebels, who
were withiH ID feet Of the battery, aud they
did charge with dubbed carbines, aud met Gen
Breckenridge, who led this charge In person
aud hurled them back 10 the foot Of the ridge
in dismay, while Patterson worked his guns
with telling effect. Capt Wilcox charged Basil
Duke and drove his men peil-mell across
creek that ran along the north and east end oil
the ridge.
Here Capt ]. A. Taylor climbed tree TO sec
il he could get better view of the rebels
Just as he raised himself 10 a good position ht
caught the fash Of gnnbarrel as a rebe
brought il to his shoulder. Ike. as VIC called
the Captain, let 20 his hold and dropped TO the
ground. We asked him if he was hurt, but ht
said - No; but left my gloves up there, and
guess they will keep"
Breckenridge concluded that charging upon
Teunesseeans WAS not healthy, and moved back
out Of reach Of our deadly Joslins aud Burn
sides, and set down 10 starve us out, for he had
us cooped up like turkeys for Christmas, only
that he did not mean for US 10 be fattened fol-
that feast.
For three days and nights we fought and
starved, until we were out Of ammunition, and
then Gen. Gillefn called council Of his officers
aud asked what should be done Some 10 their
everlasting shame be it told wanted TO surren.
der, but Co.'s. j. X. Miller lngerLOn, Brownlow
aud Capt. Wilcox said no. Capt Wilcox told
Gen. GIlem that il the troops surrendered, he
did not intend hrs company 10 DO among them
Said he: 10 ID death 10 my men anyway
and we prefer 70 die fighting" And when ht
came back and told the men, they all said
Captain, we will follow where you lead"
Gen. 6ilem then gave the order 10 BIO ready
70 move at 1890 p. III. The 9th, under Brown
low, was 10 move out and open the road 10 Knox
vile, 20 be followed by the wagon train ant
pack mules then the battery, with the ambn
lances and sick that could be moved, and the4
the 9Th Tenn. Cav, under Col. Patton.
Col. Ingert0n was TO remain In The gap unit
II o'clock, midnight. Capt. Wilcox was ordered
TO build new FIRES in the rear of the picketg auf
wait for orders, which he did, and moved out O
the gap al IL sharp, and brought up the rear.
Reaching the forks of The wood south Of Rus
sellVille, be heard firing, and when he attemptet
2 10 pass was Cred upon by Vaughn's whole bri
gade, Bh0 had lain concealed in the timber an,
: along The fence while tue rest had pissed on
4