The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-09-01
THE WAR IN TENNESSEE.
A PITCHED BATTLE BETWEEN TIE
MILITIA AND MINERS.


The Soldiers Were Ambush,d hy The
Miners.
KNOXVILLE, AVg. l9.--At 7 O'Clock
train carrying the bodies OF three vol.
unteers who were killed in the battle ut
Coal Creek this morning, three that
were wounded and 125 volunteers who
went to the front last night, rolled into
the depot Thrt thousand people were
gathered about the station, and the eX-
cltelnent was higher than at any time
since the trouble began. When the
train stopped, The men, who bore eyery
evidence Of actual Service on the field
poured out Of The coaches AMI formed
line, through which their dead com.
radeS were carried N military style.
Inc company formed, with arms re-
versed, and marched behind the re-
mains OF the dead volunteers to the
court house
NOT until the arrival Of this train was
IL possible to get a correct stat ement of
the Dattle anu the exciting incidents
leading uptO it. Five men were killed
Inc dead mi .tIamen are: John T.
Walthall, OF this city, railway clerk
aged twenty two; Bruce Givens, farmer,
Knox county, aged thirty nine militia
man OF the Second regiment, name un-
known, and supposed to be from Chat
tanooga: The wounded on tie side of
tie military are: ThoS. l.. Carter, law
yer, Of this city, shot through he left
groin, injuries may prove fata' Sam c.
ielskell, prominent lawyer aau Demo-
cratic politician, slightly injul, q; John
Milton, laborer, slightly w0unIe
TWO miners were killed. Hhey are
George Miller of Coal Gre elk aud George
Neil of Oneida. John Wilson, "A miner
OF Coal Creek, was slightly wcunded in
the heel. j. M. Cant. d business man
OF this city, and one Of the Volunteers,
was badly injured 10y falling oVtrn
ledge OF rocks. The battle commenced
at G:3O this morning, and lastrd nearly
halt an hour. -Four Of Col. Wolford's
soldiers who were along with the
hnoxYllle boys were Captured,
but they were soon retaken. The vol
unteers Of the Second regiment reached
Oputte's, four miles this side Of Coal
Creek, about O'clock last night. Ar.
ter thoroughly discussing the situation
and comforting by wire with Brig. Gen.
Carnes, 1t was decided to go at once to
he relief of Fort Anderson. Mai. -.
a. Carpenter, who soldiereG in that
vicinity during the war ami who is
thoroughly acquainted with the topo-
graphy OF the country, took command
OF the men. They left Oputt"'S about
o'clock, and went across Walden
Ridge by ciIcuitOuS route, SO as to
reach Fort Anderson from point
fartheSt removed from the village Of
,Oal Creek.
T,he night was dark as pitcl!, and The
racneiineSs Of the road was de pressing.
lie Sl0eS cf "alhcn Ridge i.,c very
steep, and ale cOVertd d W.lh hug.
boulders and Lodges of sandstone. Over
these Instructions the brave fellows,
many OF whom had never been in the
mountains before. climbed and their
hands and faces were scratched by the
DrambleS. just after they starred down
The mountain, on the north side to-.
wards Fort Anderson, the men were
divided into squads, under command
OF Capt. W. l. Ledgerwood. Gen. ID. d.
Anderson and Col. ). l.. Wexford res
pectivcly.
Soon after three men, all uniformed
and claiming 10 be friendly to the sol
dlers, appeared and offered to pilot the
regiment down the mountain. With
out suspicion, the troops folio Hed them
into well planned ambuScale. Led
gerWoodS men we're in front. At
point within a quarter Of a mile of
Fort Anderson the firing commenced
from behind the great ledgtS Of sand.
stone Oh aspur OF the Ridge overlook
ing the valley in Witch The men were
marching.
The Stars and Stripes ut FCrt AE,ler-
son were III full vie ", and the men were
feeling relieved 1T the near approach of
1ortlhcations, and We're joclIng with
each other, when bullets Ucgnu whistl-
ing ABOUT tf 'lr ears. Led; ,rrWOOd'S
men mad passed the amDuSci,ip before
Inc llrlng commenced, and tlIey received
volley in the back. Carty, WalthalI
GlYenS and IleSikct weIe al IN this p,r
ty:
J he other companies faced about at
once and opened tire on the a!nDuScade.
The firing became general. Men seemed
10 rise up from behind cvtTyslump and
stone in sight. They were all well
armed and greatly outnLmnered the
military. Maj. Carpenter, seeing that
the odds were greatly against hm,
oruercd all three companies 20 retreat,
ana the long march over lie noun.
talns to OHutts was comn"n,, again.
The dead and wounded Of both sides
were lett on the field OF battle. The
miners, after capturing -four Of VOL.
1DIdS men, started on Il retreat them
selves. Seeing that Carpenter was go.
iDg repldly In the opposite direction,
the four soldiers were released and al
; lowed 20 return to their regime.t.
Tie regiment reached Onttte's OH
tnelr return about III O'Clock,
thoroughly exhausted. They had eaten
nothing since noon yesterday, and we're
as hungry as wolves. They notified
Gen. Carnes tnaL they were at his ser
vices, If needed, and many pucky
young fellows, thoroughly stirred up
over the loss OF three OF their comrades,
wanted togo to Coal Creek anyway.
Gen. Carnes wired them that ne could
manage Coal Creek with his .cglmcnt,
ana they started around the country
among the farm HOUSES and ate thcir
nrst meal in twen,y-Iour nuurS. \
.Squard OF picked men relulLtd to lhr
battlefield and brought the dead and
wounded into Coal Creek under a IT,,
of truce. ''
Inc miners were the first To le,,cy1
Wnen Inc hiring commenced in earliest
Large numbers of them rushed down
the valley into the village, aid IIrht
into the hands OF Gen. Csrnrs. ;The
third man reported killefis cnusimC