The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-20
And at Once Placed in Command Again of the
Convict Guards, and Several Companies
Of Militia Added to His Force.
Band of Volunteers from Knoxville Leo
Into Trap in the Woods.
Three of Their Number Killed and Several
Wounded-Two Miners Left Dead-Mid.
night March Over the Hills.
BETRAYED By MINERS.

Band OF Knoxville Volunteers Led Into m
'Ambusoade-Five Men Killed.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
KNOXVILLE. Tenn. Aug. 19.-At7 O'clock
tonight q special train bearing the bodiea
of two volunteers who were killed In bat
tie at Coal Creek this morning. three
wounded men and the lbs volunteers who
went to the front last night rolled into the
station. Three thousand people had gath .
cred about the train and the excitement
was higher than ever before. The men,
who bore evidence of service on the field
of BATTLE poured out of the coaches and
formed in line, through which their two
dead comrades were carried In military
style. The company formed with arms re-
versed and marched behind the remains
of the dead volunteers to the courthouse.
Not until the arrival of this train was it
possible to get correct statement of the
exciting incidents of the day. That the
militia and volunteers had met the enemy,
however. was evidenced by the dead and
wounded. Before telling the story the list
of casualties may be given. Five men were
killed In all. The dead members of the at
tacking party are:
JOHN T. wALTHALL, OF Knoxville. railroad
BRUCE GIvENs, a farmer of Knox county,
aged thirty-nine
MlLlTlAMAN, or the Second Regiment, name
unknown, supposed 10 be from Chattanooga.
The wounded on the side of the military
are:
THOMAS L. CARTY, lawyer. OF Knoxville, shot
through the left groin; injuries may prove fatal.
SAMUEL g. HEIsKEL, prominent lawyer and
Democratic politician, slightly injured.
JOHN MILTON, a laborer, slightly wounded.
J Nj. CANT. Knoxville business man, and
volunteer, badly injured BY falling over ledge
of rocks.
The known casualties among the miners
were:
GEORGE MILLER. OF Coal Creek, killed.
GEORGE NEIL, of Oneida Tenn, killed.
JOHN WILSON, of Coal Creek, slightly
wounded.
LONELY MIDNIGHT MARCH.
The battle commenced at 630 this morn.
ing and lasted nearly half an hour. -Four
of Colonel Wolfords soldiers. who were
along with the Knoxville boys, were cap
tured, but were soon retaken. The volun-
teers and one hundred soldiers of the Sec.
ond Regiment got off at Offutts. o small
village four miles this side of Coal Creek,
about IL o'clock last night. After thor
oughly discussing the situation and con-
ferring by wire with Brigadier- general
Carnes. 1t was decided to 60 at once to the
relief of Fort Anderson. Major ID. A. Car
penter, who soldlered in that vicinity dur
ing the war, and is thoroughly acquainted
with the topography of the country. took
command of the men. They left OffuttG
about 2 O'clock and went across Walden's
ridge by q circuitous route. so as to reach
Fort Anderson from point furthest re-
moved from the village of Coal Greek. The
-. RI mir nd ha
of the road was depressing.
The sides of Walden's ridge are very
steep and covered with huge bowlders and
lodges of sandstone. Over these obstruc-
tions the brave fellows, many of whom had
never been in the mountains. climbed and
then descended. Their clothing was torn
and their hands and faces were scratched
by the brambles. Just after they started
down the noun tain on the north side to
ward Fort Anderson. the men were divided
into three squads. under command of Capt.
w. l.. Ledgerwood, General ID. ID. Ander-
son and Colonel L. s. Wolford respectively.
Soon afterward three men, all uniformed
and claiming to be friendly TO the soldiers,
appeared and offered to pilot the regiments
the troops followed them INTO a WE'LL
planned ambuscade. Ledgerwood's men
were in front at q point within quarter
of a mile of Fort Anderson. The
firing commenced from behind the
great lodges of sandstone on q spur Of the
ridge overlooking the valley, where the
men were marching. The stars and stripes
at Fort Anderson were IN full view, and
the men were feeling relieved ut the near
approach of the fortifcation, and were jok-
ing with each other. when bullets began
whistling about their ears. Ledgerw0od's
men had passed the ambuscade before the
~ ThAxr rrafI IL
ley of bullets in the back. Carly. Walt
hall. Givens and Heiskel were all in thia
party. The other companies faced about
at once. and opened fire on the ambuscade.
rise up from behind every stump and stone
IN sight. They were all well armed.
and greatly outnumbered the military.
Major Carpenter seeing that the odds were
greatly againet him. ordered ell the COM
panies to retreat. and the long march over
the mountain 10 Offutts was commenced
again. The dead and wounded Of both
sides were left on the field of battle.
The miners. after capturing four Of VOL
fords men. started on retreat themselves.
The four soldiers were soon released and
allowed to return TO their regiment The
Knoxville band reached 0ffuts. on the re-
treat, about 10 o'clock. thoroughly ex-
bausted. They had eaten nothing since
noon yesterday and were as hungry as
wolves. They notified General Carnes
that they were at his service, il needed.
and many plucky young fellows. thorough
ly stirred up over the loss of three OF their
comrades, wanted TO return 10 Coal
Greek. General Carnes wired them that
he could manage Coal Creek with his regi-
ment Then they went 10 the farm houses
and ate their first meal IN twenty-f four
hours. A squad OF picked men returned to
the battlefield and brought the lead and
wounded into Coal Creek under dag OF
truce.
The miners were the first to retreat when
commenced
numbers or them rushed down the valley
into the village and right into the hands Of
General Carnes. The third men reported
killed is causing some talk. Many OF the