The National tribune., 1899-10-26
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
A MEMORABLE MARCH.
Occupation of Cumberland Gap in 1852 ant
the Retreat to the Ohio River.

v
the Retreat to the Ohio River.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Inn
mediately following the battle Of Mill
Springs, KY, Jan. 10, 1882, loyal refugees
from East Tennessee began 10 pour into the
Union camp at Somerset, KY, and We're
soon formed into several regiments, the
officers of which, by continued pleading
with the Union forces to move if possible for
the relief of their homes and families, then
scripts, determined on q move through
eastern Kentucky, with the determination
of driving the rebels from Cumberland Gap,
then fortified and occupied by them. This
pass in the Cumberland range of mountains
was considered a strategic point of great
importance as a roadway TO the City of
Knoxville and the rich country of East
Tennessee.
Upon orders from Gen. Geo. II. Thomas,
the 9th Ind pit Battery Ohio Art, together
with other troops, all under Gen. Geo. W.
Morgan, moved from Somerset, KY, Jan.
80 1862, the destination being Cumberland
Ford, KY, which place was reached after
continuous march of seven days over roads
almost impossible from mud and heavy
rains, the battery breaking in rebel cavalry
horses captured at Mill Springs to do artil-
lery service.
Rock Castle River was crossed at Sub
Unity Springs, a noted Southern Summer
4,
steep, rocky hill on the southern side of the
river with from four to six teams of horses
| to each carriage, and sometimes getting a
detail of whole companies of infantry to
assist the tired horses, the rain pouring
down all the time, the battery finally
! reached Cumberland Ford, and went
| into camp, men and horses almost worn
out with excessive duties, on the 10th of
| February, 1862; the rebel force under Gen.
Raines being at Cumberland Gap, Ia miles
distant. the fatigue and exposure of the
late battle and long march in the rain be-
gan to tell upon the health of the men, so
| that at one time, March II, 1862. 80 only
| were reported by the First. Sergeant for
duty. Having the care of horses, mules
and complete armament of a siX-gUn battery,
the full complement of men for the purpose
of working the command should have been
1856, officers and men.
Owing TO the bad roads it was almost
impossible at that season of the year TO
obtain supplies, and the horses nearly all
died from want of forage. Owing TO the
conflicting reports of the scouts, it was i'm
possible with any degree of certainty tC
find out the strength of the enemy, and or
March q, one section of Parrott 10-pounder
rifle guns of the battery together with one
brigade of East Tennessee infantry, adj
vanced Oh the Gap under cover of night,
and on the morning of the 22d opened fire
on their intrenchmentS at distance of one
and quarter miles from their works. The
distance was 50 great that the rebels could
not reach us with any of their guns, except
two 24-pounder and one 64-pounder sea
coast howitzer, which replied to the fire of
the battery throughout the gay, at times
putting shells too close for, comfort, but
doing no special damage.
The infantry, under the direction of Gen.
Carter, made an assault on their works in
the afternoon, but were recalled after OBJ
tanning the desired information as to the
strength of the enemy. The section OF the
battery was under fire seven hours, and
used 200 rounds Of shell and caSeshot
during that time.
At night the troops engaged returned to
their camp at Cumberland Ford, where all
branches of the service, cavalry, artillery
and infantry, employed the time in drilling
the men so as 10 become proficient III their
respective tactics.
On June 7, 1862, the entire force at the
Ford marched to Rodgers Gap, west OF
Cumberland Gap, crossing the mountain
by very steep and dangerous road, and
from there up the valley OF Powell River to
Cumberland Gap. The rebels accom-
plished a timely retreat, leaving their
strong intrenchments to be occupied by our
forces.
The Summer of 1862 was spent by our
troops in preparing the captured forts to
face the south, as IL was reported and con-
fidentiy expected that an attempt would
be made To dislodge us from their works.
Large quantities Of ammunition, clothing
and other Quartermaster stores were
shipped to the Gap, i'll expectation of a
forward movement into East Tennessee,
but the supply of rations was at all times
quite limited, so that we were often on
quarter rations for weeks at a time. Our
men being camped on the }, same ground
occupied by the rebels with their camps, we
saw and felt for the first time the army
"grayback" in full force.
On Aug. 18, 1862, our supplies were cut
off, both in front and rear, completely shut
ting us in our works, as Gen. Kirby
Smith with a large rebel force had adj
vanced into Kentucky and cut off our com
munication with our Northern source of
supply. He with the larger portion of his
army was on the advance, threatening the
capture of Cincinnati on the Ohio River,
having a detached force sufficient to Starve
US out or compel a surrender The 9th
Ohio Battery having received over 100 new
horses a few days prior to our being sur
rounded, were by orders from headquarters
required to turn them over to the 7th KY.
i'll order to mount them as scouts. Skir
mishing, and often persistent lighting with
the enemy, was Of daily occurrence in our
efforts to obtain forage for our animals,
which occurred mostly on the southern
side toward Knoxville.
Upon consultation with the officers of
the command, as none were in favor of
on the night of Sept. II, every
thing having been previously prepared
quietly for that purpose, the United States
forces, in all about 10000, marched out in
retreat through the mountainous parts of
eastern Kentucky. The battery, using
worn-out mules instead of horses, had the
advance as guard to long train of am
munition wagons, upon the saving of
which the success or failure of the whole
expedition rested.
The stiffness of the night was broken
at intervals by the thunder of the tons of
powder that had been placed in mines
under the roads in the rocky passes of the
mountains, which were blown up as soon
as the last of the troops were well out of the
way, to prevent, If possible, the rebels from
following too closely in our rear. Large piles
of clothing, tents, and other Quartermaster
supplies We're piled up and fired on our de-
parture to keep them from falling into
the hands of the enemy.
Several hundred of our sick We're of
necessity left in hospital tents, where they
were taken prisoners by the rebels, who
allowed them to go North as fast as they
were well enough, after requiring them
to sign a parole.
The battery for several days marched
with cannon loaded and the different
members of the gun detachufentS with their
sponge-staffs and other equipments in their
hands, expecting every moment to have to
unllmber the guns for action, as there were
continual alarms from the rebel cavalry
showing themselves in front and on our
fanks. Often the whole battery would be
ordered to the front on the double-quick
to repel a threatened attack in force, only
to find that the. enemy would vanish, after
a few shells had been thrown into their
midst. Positive orders were issued that
there must be no foraging{a as the enemy
Il s...z