The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-08-19
THE BATTLE AT COAL GREEK.
Miners Repulsed Several Times--Many
Reported Killed and Wounded.

Reported Killed and Wounded.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn Aug. 19-Captain
Keller Anderson, who for nearly a year
has held the convicts at Coal Creek, is in
the hands of the miners at last. The
latest reports which are reliable say that
the battle at Camp Anderson was com
menced as early as 10 o'clock yesterday
morning. For several hours the firing
was not general. About 2 o'clock the
miners, TO the number of a thousand,
made an organized assault on the fort,
and were repulsed. The second assault
was easily repulsed.
The third attempt resulted in a regular
pitched battle and the Gatling guns got
known. Several of the assailants were
wounded, and many of them were proba-
bly, killed.
The fort occupies the crest of hill
commanding range of Coal Creek valley
for five miles east and west. To the
north is sDur of the valley in which the
stockade OF tue Knoxville Iron Company
is located.
The distance from Fort Anderson across
the valley to the top of Walden Ridge is
about l. 400 yards.
On the top of the ridge the miners had
planted two field pieces furnished them by
sympathizers in Kentucky. On the north
sides of the ridge and creek skirting Fort
Anderson the hill is a dense growth Of
hemlock and laurel.
The assailants of the fort had all the
advantages of hiding, and if one of their
number. should be wounded he could be
hastily removed to place of safety with
out any one being the wiser. No one is
allowed to approach within half mile of
the fort unless he is in sympathy with the
miners.
Between the first and second assault on
| the fort three miners were captured. They
! sent up a flag of truce TO Capt. Anderson
to ask for release. He was expecting such
a message and met the men on equal
grounds.
He was seized by several of them and
rushed down the hill and finally taken
to one of the hotels in the village, where
he is guarded by Robert Lindsay, depu-
ty United States Marshal, and number
of friends They are holding him as a
hostage and will not agree to give him up
until the troops and convicts are with
drawn from the valley.
In the meantime, Burl Lindsay, des-
perate character, and brother of the
deputy marshal, is trying to organize a
mob to lynch Anderson. The hotel is
surrounded by some 300 well armed
men.
This is one story. The miners have an
other to the effect that Capt. Anderson
was drunk and came outside of the forti-
fications, and the boys picked him up
without trouble. He has 50 far made no
statement.
His force of 130 men bravely held
the fort. The men have been on short
rations for three day.. Every avenue OF
supply has been cut off.
Early yesterday six hundred miners at
Jellico captured train.
The engineer refused to pull it out, but
the close proximity to his head of a
dangerous-looking Winchester made him
quickly obey all commands made upon
him.
They ran at the rate of fifty miles an
hour through the tunnels and over bridges
to Coal Creek, arriving about / o'clock.
All nut a few alightel at Coal Creek,
the few keeping possession Of the train
and going on to Clinton after the miners
there.
The miners at Coal Creek at once wired
their ultimatum TO the Governor, which
was that unless he ordered the Withdrawal
of the soldiers and convicts, they would
attack the fort before daylight,
An answer was received from Governor
Buchanan in brief space of time, evadmg
the question and advising in a pacific tone,
saying; "Be orderly, be quiet"
Ills greatly incensed the miners and
they at once wired him an exac0 copy of
their previous despatch and awaited an
answer
The plan of the miners was &c
attack under cover of darkness.
The final answer to the miners telegram
was received from the Governor at Nash
Vile lie wired that he wou remove
the soldiers and conyicts in a ew days
1t would be hard TO tell correctly just
what effect the receipt of this message
had upon the miners,
The coOl-headed ones, the men who lay
all plans and who so successfully carry
them out, took the answer as final. They
were apprised of the scheme for the alb
rogration of the lease system which al
the shortest must take 20 days, and recog
nized that troops and convicts could no
wei be removed with dignity befor
that time,
They began counseling the men whom
they could TO return to their homes a
everything was now settled.
On the other hand the hot-headed
warm m-blooded ones wanted TO make TIN
attack anyway, as they thought Buch
anan was merely figuring for time OF
which to get the troops at Coal Creek.
seems they carried their point.
| CIV Hu.hanants Condttfou U.,,v,,,.,.,1