The National tribune., 1899-03-23

would send it to my wife, informing her of
my safety. She said she would do SO the
next day, or die in the attempt. She took
me by both hands and apologized for her
stupidity. This note safely reached my wife,
who at the time was in mourning on account
of my death.
| Our hostess treated me with great con-
sideration after she was satisfied was Capps
She told me to remain awhile and her hus-
band would be at home, and he would pilot
us farther on. until could find some of my
men or reach the open country and a road
leading to Camp CARRIER, on Cumberland
River.
As soon as the husband returned made n
bargain with him to take me on his mule to
the place where it was supposed some of my
men were. So we made our way to camp,
where, to our surprise. we found about 100
of our men. If my ghost had appeared they
would not have heen more astonished. They
went wild in their congratulations. / noted
that the men had made up 4 muster-roll and
were organizing Il company to join the Union
army. They hailed me as their Captain
without the iormality of an election. l ac-
cepted, and entered at once on duty. The
under officers were selected by ballot. In
due time we arrived at Camp CARRIER, on the
Cumberland kiver.
We at once entered the United States
army, and formed Co. +, 4th East Tenn,
under Col. johnson. We were then furnished
with equipments. An account Of our Ell
gagement with the rebels IN POwell's Valley
had reached the camp before our arrival. l
found n great many of my former acquaint-
ances i'll camp. There were at that time
some 10000 Union troops at Camp CARRIER,
under the command OF Gen. Morgan, Of OHIO.
There were four regiments made up of East
Tennesseeans The drll-master soon trans
formed Co. i into soldiers pro ured H.r-
dve's Military Tactits, and bent every effurt
TO master the science of war. My ambition
WAS to 20 with this fine army into East en-
nessee and drive out the rebels and preserve
our homes and families from persecution.
The refugees iIom East Tennessee kept
coming in and filling up the LAST Tennessee
regiments. They brought in the usual
count Oi the terri lie persecution of Union
people in East Tennessee. The authorities at
Washington had established this camp with
view OF saving Cumberland Gap. and then
advancing into East Tennessee and re=cuing
her people from rebel oppression. This was
ca Ter III theory than practice.
Finally, the Commanding General decided
to make 4 move to carry out this program.
He decided to flank the Gap by crossing the
mountain at Big Creek Cap several miles
south, then investing the Gap on the south
and east. and starving the rebels out.
The whole army moved early one morn
ing, and very secret, along south and west
of The mountains to carry out this purpose.
We marched all day till late in the evening.
Some oi the principal amuscments of camp
life is the spinning o! warns and getting
jokes on each other. They carried this to the
very hi est degree of perfection. had laugh.
ed and laughed. bnt so lar always at the other
fellow. had not dreamed that pious- faced
Captain could become the butt-end of a
joke, hut my time WAS about to come. On
this evening. after the camp was in order,
the AdJutant OF our regiment buttOnloled
me and pointed to large farmhouse some
miles distant, and said Captain let US go
over there and get square meal"
'All right Lieutenant said.
When we got there we found that the family
had already been eaten out of house and home
Col. Bird, his wife. and n color.d woman
his wlte's servant, were there, and were
going to remain over night. The lady of
the house was tired out. and it looked as if
the Adjutant and | would 20 without our
supper.
The colOred woman volunteered to prepare
for US something to eat as best she couli
She was fine specimen of the African race,
tall and portly. and as black as q polished
stovepipe She soon had our meal ready,
and we sat down and Went to eating Our
coloIed friend and protector became very
talkative, asking us all kinds of questions;
especially she wished to know our rank, and
what command we belonged to. was alb
sorbed in doing justice to our supper, and
the Adjutant did the talking lie told her
tia, he was a Brigadier-General. Of some
command, and that | was Captain in the
49th Ind. We finished our supper and re-
turned to our quarters. / twitted the Adju- |
tant on making such n blowhard on the |
colored girl. Next morning the column was |
up in line and made forward movement |
Our colored friend of the evening before |
planted herself at the head of the 49th Ind |
to get a glance once more of her handsome |
Captain. She was sorely disappointed. The
18th Tenn. was next, and soon |, at the head |
OF Co F, came along next 10 her. She spied |
me, and yelled out at the top of her voice: |
- Captain. ! thought you told ME last night |
that you We're the Captain of the 49th Ind"
By evening of the next day the entire
column, artillery and all, passed through Big |
Creek Gap, deployed into fighting array, and |
went into camp. About 3 O'Clock next |
morning the long roll heat, and we marched |
out, as we were sure, for fight.
1t was understood that the rebels from the
Gap were coming down to give US battle. We
marched on in circuitOus route until morn
ing, and coming on to the camptires of the
rebels still burning, were ordered into line,
every moment the ball would
open.
- 1t turned out that there was no battle.
The rehels had only sent out a squad to cover
their rear while evacnating the Gap So we
had nothing to do but take possession Of
Gap, most formidable strong
hold. In due time the United States army
took possession of all its Notifications, and !
the Stars and Stripes were unfurled in view
of the loyal people of East Tennessee.
could not understand why we could not
follow the rebels, capture Knoxville tear up
the East Tennessee & Georgia Railroad track,
aud hold East Tennessee. The authorities
knew better, so we continued to remain in
the Gap, going through the usual drills and
dress parades until late in the Fall of 1862,
when the rebels appeared in strong force in
front of the Gap. We had a number of small
battles with them, and found out that Gen.
Bragg's whole army was making a forward
into Kentucky, and large force
had already passed through Big Creek Gap.
We were entirely surrounded. Our base