The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-08-09
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
TELLS ALL ABOUT 1T.

EDITOR NAHUM AL 4 cNN III thN
issue of the 18th inst. that Comrade Clark,
OF Co. c, ID Tenn. Md Inf, wants me or
someone else in the near future 10 tell the
whole story about the disaster that occurred
near Rogersville, Hawkins County, Tenn,
and thinks that as it was disastrous to Col.
Garrard's Brigade, composed of the I'd Tenn.
MID Inf, Philiips's four-gun battery, and
the 9TH Ohio Cav, that l purposely ignored
the facts
Now. with your permission, and after ex-
planning why was not more explicit, l Will
give them as | learned them on my re-
Joining the regiment at Mcrristown on the
9Th.
At the time wrote that part Of the his
tory of the 9Th Ohio Cav. had no assurance
that it would be published, as it would re-
Qure considerable space if l should enter
into all the details; so 1 cut it as short as
could to give the facts
In reading over my story of the 9TH you
will see that | altogether ignored the part
taken by the 9TH On the Saunders raid into
Tennessee in June, 1S63-a raid that had
not been excelled for brilliancy up TO its
date; q raid where every man who partici-
pated won feather in his hat; yet to cut
my story short, passed 1t.
have no disposition to cover up any part
of the services of the 7th, not even the part
played at Rogersvllle, for L believe that
large majority of the readers OF the grand
old soldiers defender" will agree with me
that it was grand achievement for the 7th
to get out OF that scrape with 700 men ami
equal number of horses and equipments
saved to the Government rather than to
turn them over to the Johnnies and take up
our board and lodging at Andersouville.
e No ,her 1892 f,und Col
Garrard's command, composed OF the I'd
Tenn. Mid Int, 7th Ohio Cav, and Phillips's
ID III. Art. four guns, in camp some three
miles up the Holston River above Rogers
vile, Tenn. The position of this camp was
not as desirable one from military point of
view as il might be- but for this Col. Gar
rard was not responsible; Gen. Saackelford,
commanding the division of which we were
a part, had selected this place ard put Col.
Garrard here as a protection to his left
flank as he faced the enemy that was east
OF him.
say this camp was not desirable. This
was so because the approaches to this camp
were such that the enemy could attack from
all sides simultaneously.
The country in this part of Tennessee is
interspersed alternately with mountain and
valley running nearly parallel east and west,
with occasional narrow passages through the
mountains from ore valley to another, these
valleys losing themselves in the main Hols-
ton Valley.
One of these passes came through the
mountain from Carter Valley about the
middle of the camp
On Nov 4 a courier from Division Head
quarters handed Col. GarTard a dispatch TO
the effect that information had reached him
that the enemy was advancing in force by
way of louisville, Va, and desired him
(GarTard) to send a reliable officer with so
men to 90 IS near Jonesville as he deemed
safe, and ascertain the truth or falsity OF the
report.
a detail from the 18th was made at once,
and the writer was put in command and
started at noon of the 4tb. Finding moth
ing to impede my march l reached Jones'
vile by noon of the 5ih. / charged into
the place, captured three prisoners, and
pressed into service all the blacksmiths In
town, and had what horses shod that
needed it, and STATED back for camp.
1t commence raining in the evening, and,
oh, how il rained About 8 O'Clock p. NJ.
/ came TO large barn shielded on all sides.
/ opened the gate and rode in and said to
the men 10 put their horses under the sheds;
We could occupy the barn. The owner OF
the premises came out and asked me how
many men / had. On learning, he ordered
the servants TO get supper for US, and when
the morning Of the 9th came he had break
fast prepared. After partaking Of his repast
j started iOr camp.
On reaching Carter Valley met a squad
of TeDnesseeans making for he mountains.
They informed me that everything at camp
had gone up; that they saw Col. Garrard
surrender. Upon The receipt of this news
coun ermarched and made for the mount
aims; the Tennesseeans acted as guides.
When We struck the mountain we fol-
lowed blind pathway along the side until
ii brought US oul into the Little Poor Valley.
followed this uatil came 20 Pow ell Valley,
which / followed till / came TO where the
Cumberland Gap and Morristown road
crossed said valley, taking The Morristown
end Of the road. At 10 O'Clock p. m. came
to Beanie Station, where | put my men
under TIE sheds Of a lanyard. Here ] re-
manied till o'clock a. NJ. of the 7th.
Then / took up my line of march for Morris
town, reaching there by noon. / was graft
fed to find here he Colonel and about 700
men Of the regiment.
On the following morning / was given 200
men and ordered to 20 as near Rogersville
as j deemed safe, TO try to ascertain the con-
ditiOn Of cur sick aud wounded. Finding
nothing in my front / continued my march
into the town and found the sick aud
wounded in as comfortable condition as
could be expected. They had all been pa
rolled by the enemy before leaving. This
ends the part taken by me in the Rogcrsville
affair.
Now, comrades, / will describe to you the
)art taken by the 7th as a regiment About
Dldnight OF the 5th, or on the morning OF
Sow. 6, 1863, Col Garrard was apprised of
the enemy's approach down the main Hol-
ston Valley, having came by the way of
KlDgsport aud the old boat-yard that we
heard so much about in Capt Dan EIlis's
stories. II should have mentioned that on
going into camp here Col Garrard, as
precautionary measure, sent a company Of
Tennessee Home Guards, quartered over in
Carter Valley, with instructions to send
scouting party every day over into Hickory
Cove and TO keep Garrard posted as TO any
movement in that direction.)
On learning Of the advance Of the enemy,
as before stated. Col. Garrard sent two COM
panies Of the 9Th, under Lieut. Murphy, up
the valley Of the Holston and one company
OF the I'd Tenn. over into Carter Valley.
The two companies of the 9Th met the enemy
about six miles from camp. The enemy, on
meeting with resistance from the two COM
pauies OF the 7th, and knowing their superb
orlty IN numbers, for they had two brigades
while we had two regiments, divided their
forces, sending one brigade over into Carter
Valley, with instructions TO move rapidly
IleV som capfured and scattered HING