The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-04-20
DAN ELLIS'S STORY,
The Adventurous Career of Loyal
East TenneSSeean.
BY CAPT. DANIEL ELLIS, 18th TENN. cav.
ELIZABETHTON, TENN.
CHAPTER Xix.

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command of Col. Kirk
to the town OF Boone, in North Carolina, and
leaving one regiment at the mouth of Roan's
Creek he marched with the other two regi'
ments 10 Tay.oTsyiIle. | was in his service
until the return ct my men, which was four
days, dUri1E which limo ! acted as guide !oi
him in his movements through the mountain
When Gen Tilison approached IayIoTsylle
the rebels all left without making the least re-
sisiance The little damage that was done to
the leading rebels of Johnson County by my
company amounted comparatively 20 nothing
when compared with the damage that was
done ty Iilson's army, Tor the rebels had all
left their houses and mad left their property be-
hind them 10 risk its chances amid the turbu-
lent tide OF war which WAS now deluging the
country. There was not 4 thing lett but the
bare walls Of their houses. and many OF the
rebel families who had always lived In aInu-
ence and ease were now compelled TO draw
their supplies from the army. On AHrlI ID
my men returned. and being OF 40 more ser
vice TO TIlson. who intended. 10 remain sta
tiOnary for some time, aler day CT two,
which my men spent III resting / started with
my little company
IN SEARCH OF REBELS,
for had heard that company Of them were
making regular trips 10 Carter Station. We
went 10 this place first, but failed to find any
of them. After waiting for some time went
on towards Bristol, but we could hot find any
trace Of them.
We returned 10 the mountains and remained
all night, and on the morning of the 18th of
April, We started for Sullivan County, where
We knew there were some very had rebels, if
we could find them; for all the leading rebel
citizens OF Carter County and many OF the rebel
soldiers had taken refuge Sullivan County.
The rebel soldiers had be,D IL The habit Of
robbing the Union citizens OF Carter aud John
sou Counties, and Conveying their ill-goiten
plumber 10 Sullivan County. gang of them
would frequently assemble together, headed By
the mean rebel citizens Of wbCm Isaac l.. Nave,
Henry {. Nave ald his sDn, Jacob Nave, were
ring leaders, Who would never fail to kill with
the utmost cruelty every man whom They
found scouting ia the mountains, WHO had the
misfortune Of accidentally falling into their
lanis. They woa!d rob Union mems houses
OF every article, from yard OF Dixie cotton
cloth or an infants clothing, up TO a feather
bed or a horse.
But SO far as horses were concerned, at this
period OF time, there was scarcely Union fam
lily liz Carter County that could boast OF having
one. Those We're the men THAI we were now IN
pursuit OF. When We started TO Sullivan
County we crossed Waiauga River near
Elizabethton, aud went GA TO the head OF
Indian Creek, travelling in an unireGuented
road, thinking that we might meet with some
renegade rebels.
We went in this road for about 10 miles
toward Sullivan County, wien we observed
three men running from a house. We called
them 20 surrender, and galloped OH after
them, but they continued TO run, and some Of
the men commenced shooting at them and one
ei them fell, MORALLY wounded. The other
two surrendered, and we Immediately turned
Them loose, although they lad been in COM
pany with the very man whom we were so
anxious 10 capture, but they were not quite so
bad.
AFTER PURSUING OUR JOURNEY
e little farther We saw tTo men run out OF
violent old rebels house. Some of the men
commenced shooting aud calling on them to
halt, but the more We called the faster they
ran. When / got up close l heard one of my
men say, That is Henry Nave" / instantly
turned my horse and rode of in a different
direction, for did not wish TO see him killed,
and / knew it would be perfect folly to en-
deavOr to prevent the men from killing man
who had been such a desperate enemy to them
and their families. As ! rode toward the other
man that some Of my men were pursuing heard
the gun FIRE that killed him. When got close
10 the other man. TO my very great surprise
found that II was Isaac L. Nave. lie would
not surrender, and being well armed he con-
tinued 10 shoot as long as he could, but he was
soon killed.
These men were my inveterate enemies, aud
had often, in camping with the rebel soldiers,
effect my capture and death, although / had
never harmed either one of them in ell my
life. They always talked about me 10 the
rebel soldiers in the most disparaging manner
which caused them TO rob my house and abuse
my family; yet, notwithstanding all this,
dId not wish TO participate in their destruc-
tiOn.
We went on, and in our onward march we
captured many rebel citizens who had fed
from Carter County, but all of them were re-
leased. When We arrived at the HoiEton
River we met with the rebel soldiers and as
expected 10 have an immediate engagement
with them, ordered my men to take position
in field, where we could have fair chance
with them. / divided my men and sent
portion OF them 10 flank the rebels the left,
while the river admirably served 10 flank them
on the right. ! ordered the Ranking party 10
Charge the flank Of the enemy whenever they
"a" NE charging in the center.
WE BEGAN THE CHARGE,
and away went the rebels as hard as they could
dasI, while started in pursuit Of them as
rapidly a. our horses could carry Us
We should have continued the chase had we
not met with several citizens la whom / put
the utmost confidence. They told me that
there WAS regiment Of rebel soldiers stationed
at Union, which WAS but q short distance from
the place at which we were then. aud advised
Inc not to 20 any farther If / id not wish to
have nay company captured.
HOW thought that tiie rebels were running
JIG oraer 10 draw u on TO position where we
could DC captured by achievements from the
regiment which the citizens had spoken Of aud
Therefore concluded 10 discontinue my fur
tbeF pursuit. We found shortly afterwards
that wat the citizcns had told Us was entirely
false, and II VIC had pushed forward We could
have made clean sweep Of every rebel soldier
FROM Onion TO Bristol.
We then returned 10 the mountains Of Carter
County with the intention Of returning 10 Sulli-
van County The next day. But y hen arrived
IA Carter County ! received "a dispatch from
Gen. Iiilson, requesting me 10 20 to Jefferson,
n L, with scout. ! regretted this consider.
ably for ! was doing a Furnishing business
with the rebels, and therefore did not wish to
leave them for 4 while. On the 18Th Of April.
1865. ] started with my company 10 RGan's
Greek, where / was 20 meet with Gen Tiilsop
and early the next morning / started with a
scout Tor North Carolina. We went 10 Irving
Wilson's two miles north of Taylofsvilja,
where we remained all night Food was now
very scarce fOr both man and beast Here !
Tell IB with Maj. Losing, who belonged TO a
Kentucky regiment, but he was now command
ing a small cavalry force which had been de-
tachen from the clh, 9th and 18TH Tenn Cav
When our men were joined together our whole
force numbered 25O. We started for jefferson
n. &, and when we arrived at Taylorsyille /
WAS detained Tor short time during which
the Major got in advance Of me some distance.
started on, having men from Carter and