The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-08-20
WAR At COAL CREEK
General Carnes Now in Possession
of that Place.
CAPTAIN ANDERSON RELEASED.

men Killed and Several Wounded.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Aug. 20.-
Not single special came from the
Coal Creek region yesterday. Nearly
thousand men under fearless leaders
now face the angry miners and fights
are reported on all sides No confrma-
ton Of any fight has been received yet.
Railroad men tell various stories of
carnage and battle. The state troops
and posses are at Coal Creek by this
time and the dreadful suspense will be
soon relieved by some report. Captain
Keller Anderson, commanding Coal
: Creek, is still captive and will be held
ss hostage by the miners. Carnes
swears to liberate the captain, and the
men will fight to the death for him.
A special just received says that tho
miners are withdrawing before the
troops and posse. The force of men
now In the field in command of General
Samuel l.. Carnes is composed of men
OF rare nerve and pluck, and they can
be depended upon in any emergency.
The force is as follows: First regiment,
Colonel II. L. Fox, $50 men; Second
regiment, Colonel A. r. Taylor, $50
men; Third regiment, Colonel Gator
lDU
psny stationed at Coal Creek, under
Captain Anderson, $50 men. battery,
Nashville, six-inch steel gun and latest
Gatling, with 81 men, under Lieutenant
Heist; citizens posse from Chattanooga,
Captain r. l.. Watkins, 200 men; citi-
zens' posse from Knoxville, Captain ID.
A. Carpenter, 200 men; citizens posse
from Nashville, Captain s. A. Considine,
30 men. This makes n total of 1887
men now at Coal Creek ready for any
sort of service. .......4 ..
The Battle at Coal Creek.
NASHVILLE, Aug. 20.-At o'clock
last evening II special train bearing the
two volunteers who were killed in the
battle at Coal Creek yesterday morning,
the three men who were wounded, and
1876 volunteers who went to the front
Thursday night were rolled into the
depot. Three thousand persons were
gathered about the station and the ex-
citemept was higher than at any time
since the trouble began. When the
train stopped the men, who bore every
evidence of actual service on the field
of battle, poured out of the coaches and
formed in a line through which their
two dead companions were carried in
military style. The company formed
with arms reversed and marched behind
the court house.
Not until the arrival of this train was
Il possible to get correct statement of
The battle and the exciting incidents
leading up TO it. Five men were killed
Sn ALL The dead militiamen are: John
L. Walthall, of this city, railway clerk,
aged 22I Bruce Givens, farmer, Knox
county, aged 80, militiamau, Second
regiment, name unknown and supposed
A. L. Ma Il
on the side of the military are: Thomas
l.. Carly, lawyer, of this city, shot
through the left groin, injuries may
prove fatal: Samuel g. Heiskell, prom
inent lawyer and Democratic politician.
alightly injured John Milton, laborer.
slightly wounded.
Two miners were killed. They are:
George Miller, of Coal Creek, George
Neil, of Oneida, Tenn. John Wilson, a
wounded in the heel. 7. M. Gaul, a
business man Of this city, and one of
the volunteers was badly injuredeby
Ealing over ledge of rocks.
The battle commenced at $50 yester-
day morning and lasted half an hour.
-Four Of Colonel Woolford's soldiers who
were along with the Knoxville boys
were captured. They were soon re-
taken. The volunteers and 100 soldiers
vi Lut EOtCOul ItklulCut EtdCiltu OuulS,
small village four miles this side of
Coal Creek. about II o'clock the previous
night. After thoroughly discussing the
situation and comforting by wire with
Brigadier General Carnes it was decided
to go at once to the relief of Fort Ander-
son. Major D. A. Carpenter, who
soldiered in that vicinity during the
war and who is thoroughly acquainted
with the topography of the country,
took command Of the men. They left
Otfuts about 2 p. m. and across Walden's
ridge by a circuitous route so as to
reach Fort Anderson from point
farthest removed from the village of
Coal Creek. The night was dark and
the loneliness of the road was depress-
ing.
The si7es of Walden ridge are very
steep and are covered with huge bold
ers and lodges of sandstone. Over
these distractions the brave fellows,
many of whom had never been in the
mountains before. climbed and then de-
scended. Their clothing was torn and
their hands and faces were scratched by
the brambles. Just after they started
down the mountain on the north side
toward Fort Anderson the men were
divided into three squads, under COM
mand Of Captain W, L. Ledgerwood,
General D. d. Anderson and Colonel S.
L. Woolford, respectively.
Caught In m Ambuscade.
Soon afterward three men, all uni
formed and claiming to be friendly to
the soldiers, appeared and offered 10
pilot the regiment down the mountain.
Without suspicion the troops followed
them into well planned ambuscade
Ledgerwood's men were in front. At a
point within quarter of a mile Of Fort
Anderson, the firing commenced from
behind the great Lodges of sandstone on
spur of the ridge overlooking the val
ley where the men were marching.
The stars and stripes at Fort Anderson
were in full view and the men were
feeling relieved at the near approach of
fortifcstions, and were joking with each
other when bullets began whistling
about their ears.
Lsdgewood's men had passed the am
buscade before firing commenced, and
they received volley of bullets in the
back. Carly, Walthall, Givens and
Heiskell were all in this party The
other companies faced about at once
and opened fire on the ainbuscade. AS
the firing became general men seemed to
arise up from behind every stump and
stone In sight. They were all we'll
armed and greatly ontnumbered the
military. Major Carpenter, seeing that
the odds were greatly against him, or
dered all three companies to retreat, and
tho long march over the mountains to
offuts was commenced again. The dead
and wounded OF both sides were left
on the field of battle. -.
Tho -Captives Released.
The miners, after capturing four Of
Woolford's men, started in a retreat
themselves. Seeing that Carpenter was
going rapidly In the opposite direction
the four soldiers wore released and al
lowed to return to their regiment. The
regiment reached Oifutts on their re-
treat about 10 o'clock thoroughly ex-
hsusted. They had eaten nothing since