The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-02-01
A HOT TIM E.
The l4th Ill. Cav. In "a Fight with the
Cherokee Indians OF. North Carolina.

Cherokee Indians of North Carolina.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The East
Tennessee campaign, under Gen. Burnside
in the Fall and Winter of 1863 '64, was an
active one for The cavalry. After the arrival
of Longstreets Corps and before, at the time
and after the siege OF Knoxville, it had all il
could attend 10 conveniently.
Gen. S. d. Sturgis, who was in the old
Army, had command of the cavalry in Janu-
airy and February. He bad made repeated
efforts during the Winter to have his COM
mand go to Kentucky to Teyequip. Finally
the order came. rtr
The corps moved ont on the morning OF
the 3lst of January, bound for Gods
country" Every man in the command felt
happy. It meant visit home to many OF
us. The 14th Ill. Cav, then commanded by
Mai. f. M. Davidson, was halted, dropped
out of the column, and an order was read
directing their regiment TO make q raid into
the North Carolina mountains.
The point of attack was the Cherokee In
dian camp, commanded by Maj. Thomas,
the old Government Indian Agent. The
order was compliment to the fighting
qualities of the regiment. It's selection, ont
of so large q number of regiments, for the
perilous trip was creditable to it.
Experienced guides, familiar with the
wild, mountainous region the command
would have to traverse, accompanied the
14th. Majs. Davidson and Quigg were
The only field officers with us. Capt.
H. c. Connolly, of Co. l., was detailed TO
take charge of battery of howitzers.
We camped the first night in a cave. The
guerrillas, whose natural home was in the
mountains, continually moved around us,
picking off q man whenever they had the
chance.
After the first day Maj. Davidson feared
the battery would be an obstruction, and
that it would be lost in the wild ride
through the mountains. He asked Capt.
Connolly to return with it, and rendered him
an escort. Capt. Connolly replied that he
would assume all responsibility for the bat
terry if permitted to proceed. 1t continued
with the command.
The next day, Feb. 1, the guides struck
an old Indian trail. Snow was on the
ground, and the cold was intense. The
command made good progress. The descent
Of The great mountains for the battery was
more difficult than the ascent. Away the
guns at times would tumble, carrying the
horses from their feet with them. Finally,
WIN tbC dsu Vi ti1O s5hho "CiO AS Nv in
place.
Occasionally hunters den would be seen
on the trail. We had got beyond the guer-
rillas. The region was wild and unin-
habted. When hunter was fonnd, bear
and the skins of other wild animals could
be purchased for o small consideration.
The second night in the mountains the
command huddled in mountain gorge.
Surprise of the Indians was our great sal
walton. With both sides prepared for
action, not man in The cavalry, in this
wilderness and the familiar hhnting-grounds
of the Indians, would nave been left 10 tell
the tale. 81
Early next morning the cavalry was in
motion, the battery in the center of the col
umn. Arriving i'll the vicinity of the In
dian camp about o'clock D. M, with
stealthy tread their pickles were approached
aud captured. Part of the command had
made detour to get to the rear of the
enemy.
The other portion, with carbine, revolver
and saber, dashed into the camp, demoraIiz-
ing and throwing the Indians into the
greatest confusion. They fed in every di-
rection. Their commander, Thomas with
some white men with him, retreaied across
the Tuckaseigee River, ON the bank of which
the Indians were encainped, and escaped.
Lieut.. Horace Capron, son 0of Gen. Horace
Capron, our first Colonel, was in command
of Co A. He had made the detour and had
captured several of the Indians.
A squad OF the latter had taken shelter
behind mountainous rock. When Lieut..
Capron came up, flushed with victory, his
men following HIM in the path in single file,
Maj. Davidson directed the Lieutenant to
dlslodge the enemy in rear of the great rock.
Young Capron turned in his saddle and
looked for his company, and seeing but two
or three in sight, he exclaimed
Where the - is Co. A? Fall in, Co.
Al"
With drawn saber he charged up the
mountain with his command. As he adj
vancad and within easy range, the Indians
poured whitening fire into his platoon.
The Lieutenant fell, MORALLY wounded !;
al>o. one of his Sergeants; others were
slightly wounded.
Lieut.. Capron had served in the 9Th Ill.
Cav. He was brave, skill'ul, and gallant
His remains were taken to his Peoria IIl)
home and buried with the honors of war
During the engagement the battery opened
fire. The reverberations and echoes of the
report of the guns through the great mount
ain gorges totally demoralrzed the Indians
When brought in as prisoners, the moment
their eyes rested on The brass guns they
were startled. Nothing could induce them
to pass in front Of the guns. They went
a roundabout way 10 avoid Them.
Leaving number OF wounded Indians in
their bark tents, the command crossed the
river and camped for the night. The cold
was so intense that in wadlng the river
their buckskin clothing almost instantly
fir, re 10 their flesh.
A large supply of picked hams and flour
were found, and the soldiers reveled in plenty
of ratIons. the retreat was made with great
success, everything returning in good shape
except the mOrtally wounded and the horses
and mules we had in the battery when we
started out
An official report of this raid was made to
Maj. Davidson, but was evidently lost in
transmittai. IL has not been found in the
war records.
Gems. S. d. Sturgis and J. G. Foster; Col.
Gerard, of the 7th Ohio Cav, and the Con-
iederate Colonel, john B. Palmer, all make
brief reference to the fight. About so In
dams were captured and taken to Knoxville
besides the number killed, which was vari-
Ously estimated.
The 14th did not get to Kentucky with
the other regiments. 1t was engaged during
the remainder of The Winter and Spring In
guarding mountain passes and watching
guerrlllas. At Citico, Tenn, a squadron
was stationed.
Tho InI,opa hoI raonrop,vad