The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-07-31
BATTLE OF TAzEWELL.
An Extraordinary Occurrence In The History OF Twt
Regiments.

berland Gap. at the base of the mountain, ant
a little to the southeast, spread out over yellow
| Creek Valley, which is as level as a floor j
| is lighted up by electric lights of the mos
! approved and latest style. Imagine to yourse
that you are standing in the Gap, or along the
sides, lodges, or cliffs of the mountain over
looking this young and flourishing city, aftel
the shades of night had spread its mantle
over the scene, and You will be forcibly re
! minded that you are overlooking some grea
bay or harbor, with ships from all nations
riding at anchor, with their thousands of many
| cOlored lights swinging at their mast heads a.
! signals Tor all passing ships to steer clear o.
them. What a contrast this scene now pre-
sents to that of the Summer of 1862, when
| Gen. George w. Morgan's command occupied
this noted point. The railroads have cut
! tunnel through tho mountain Immediately
under the Gap. The 22d Ky. was then en-.
camped in what is now the northeast part oil
| Middleboro, and southeast Of the tunnel the
| 18th Ky. was encamped on the mountain in
the immediate Gap and near the celebrated
/ spring gushing out of tho side of the Gap;
I Michigan battery was encamped near by
the 33d Ind. and the 10th and 42d Ohio were
encamped on the high pinnacle, and on the
ridge running back therefrom and overlooking
the main Gap. Gen. Spears command of Ten
nessec infantry was encamped on the other
side of the mountain, Immediately under the
Forage had become exhausted on the Ken
lucky side of the mountain by the last of uly,
and the Union people in the neighborhood OF
Tazewell notified the General that they could
furnish a large supply of hay, and would be
glad to let him have it. Accordingly, about
the LIST of August 1862, Gen. Morgan sent out
detachmcnts from the 22d KY, SD Ind, and
10th and i2d Ohio, accompanied by the Mich
igan battery and the writer, with about 20
wagons.
The reason Of this strong escort being sent
was that it was well known that the rebels
were in considerable force in or near that
vicinity. The command arrived at farewell
under Col. DeCourcey IAN Euglishman, and a
thorough disciplinaran), without any inter-
ruption.
After resting n day or so, the wagons were
sent out under strong escort to cove or
valley on the southwest side from Tazcwell,
and all were loaded with hay. Whilst the
wagons were being loaded, an old, motherly
lady, whose hay we were loading, notified the
writer that Scott Blcdsoe and his cavalry had
gone over into another cove, expecting to find
our train there, and 10 hurry up with all
speed, for he would very soon find out his
mistake and return to where we were, and
destroy our train.
notified the boys of the trouble ahead, and
If ever you saw q cyclone strike a meadow
full of newly.cut hay, you can imagine how
the hay was flying in and upon the 20 wagons.
However, they were loaded in less time than
1t takes 10 tell il, aud we returned TO Tazewell.
Sure enough, here came Bledsoe's cavalry,
and they rode right up TO the last wagon rs it
bad moved inside the picket-line, when they
were fired upon by our pickets, aud one Of their
number fell dead from his horse into the road.
within few feet OF one of the pickets They
returned the fire and wounded one of our
pickcis and as suddenly wheeled and galloped
away rs they had done in making the charge
The wagon train was sent back TO Cumberland
Gap, and arrived there in safety.
On the morning Of the 9th OF August, the
writer Of this and Capt. Burdick, of tho Michi.
gan battery, were detailed to escort few
prisoners, who had been captured, from Taze.
well 10 the Gap, and we thereby failed TO be
IN the battle fought that day on the cast side
OF IazeWell. Col. DeCourcey, for some two or
three days previous had expected an engage
ment with the rebels, aud had occupied the
high ridge overlooking Tazewell, on the cast
side thereof. The camp OF the 22d Ky. occu-
pied rather level plat midway between Taze-
well and the high ridge. During the day the
9th OF August the rebels nankcd Col. DcCour.
cey's command from the right and left and
terrific engagement ensued. Being thus
hankcd, he fell back in good order, but in so
doing the rebels drove him back toward Taze-
well, aud through the camp Of the 22d Ky,
capturing some 200 or 800 Of them. This regi-
ment lost all their camp aud garrison equipage
When the Coniedorates reached the camp
they stopped 20 plumber il, and, whilst thoy
were doing this, Col. DeCourcey occupied the
high ground 10 the southwest of TazeweiI
and, with the aid Of the Michigan battery.
drove them back. Col. DeCouTcey's command
lost quite number in killed aud wounded i'm
this engagement. But for the daring, skill.
and bravery Of Col. DeC0urcey, the battery
would have been captured, as well as his whole
command. lie rode by the side OF the battery
horses whipping them up with his sword,
whilst the rebel bullets were flying around as
thick as hail.
! am unable TO give all the particulars Of
this noted engagement and do not assert the
foregoing facts as being true in detail trust
that some one or more Of the 22d XIV, 33d
Ind OF 18th and AID Ohio, will write out for
publication IN your valuable paper correct
history Of this battle, rs it will be of great
interest 70 all the old comrades who were In
that engagement.
4 very remarkable occurrence took place
May il, 1863, at Port Gibson, Miss, during
Gen. Grants raid, In getting to the rear Of
hIcksbuEg. severe battle was fought at or
near Port Glbs0n, in which the 22d Ky fought
q Georgia regiment, aud during the engage.
ment come 200 or 800 Of the Georgiaug were
captured; and when they were brought 10 tho
rear they had on the canteens and knapsackg
Of the 22d KY, which they had captured from
about an equal number Of prisoners of the 22d
KY, at Iazcwell, Tenn, aug. @, 1862 some 400
or 500 miles distant.
Was there ever like occurrence Of the same
regiments lighting each other, the time and
distance considered IN the whole United States
armyt If such was the fact we would like
10 have some one give parallel TO the same
Gro. II. hckIHNEY, Lieutenant aud X. ON,
18th KY, Stanford, Ky.