The National tribune., 1900-11-29
By THE LATE J. M. BRANUM.

Camp near Crab Orchard, Ky, Wednes-
day, Oct It, 1897 last wrote on Sun
day night a confused account of the bat
tie, but it was the best that could be done
under the circumstances The next morn
Ing we were on the road early, and after
marching awhile found we had taken the
wrong road, and were countermarched and
went up a winding creek at Il rapid gait
to make up for lost time. We passed
many beautiful farms, and at l O'Clock
camped in q fine grove near the 10Th Ohio,
and many of the Belmont County boys
were over to see us.
The next morning we were marching
through the aristocratic country near Dan
vile.
Bragg's army was ahead of us, and be-
ing well provided with wagons and mules,
kept well in front. Our regiment came
into Danville, and lay in a back street
while several divisions passed on ahead.
Bands were playing and the troops
marched well. To every four regiments
was a battery of artillery, and many of
the flags carried had been riddled with
bullets. Near by was the Hon. j. j. Crit
tenden and his family, watching to see his
son go by, who is a Major General in our
army. and who got off his horse and was
welcomed by them as his command came
along. The old man has a son high in
rank in the rebel army also. We marched
on that night until dark, and our regi-
ment was ready at 3 o'clock the next
morning, but was kept waiting until IL
o'clock, while other troops were passing
ahead. We at last got started, but there
were many miles in our rear covered with
troops. We travelled on until ] o'clock in
the morning, the men and mules being al
most gone up from fatigue The country
through which we passed is not so much
injured as one would imagine, although
both armies have recently passed through
ii, but the people will be short on corn,
straw and have TO build new fences, as
these are all used up by the troops. l
will never forget the scenes at the hospi-
tai after the battle.
HOSPITAL SCENES.
The rebel hospitals were in worse con-
dition than our own. l talked with wound
ed rebels, from the worst dressed in but
ternut clothes to finely dressed officers, and
with the very men who fought in front of
us. None entertained the malignant feel
ings toward us that are exhibited by the
copperheads at home, who pretend to hate
the Abolitionists so. The rebs gave us
credit for being a splendid set of men, and
being from the West, said we ought to be
their natural allies, and that we were mis-
lead into fighting them by the New Eng
land Yankees. They were very ardent for
their cause, and say they can never be
conquered, and / have learned a great
many things from coming in contact and
acquaintance with these Southerners that |
l never knew before.
Oct. 1.-THE hard marching we did |
yesterday was TO get to the water here. !,
1t is said that the forward part of our
army is still in pursuit of Bragg towards |
Cumberland Gap or will go to Nashville. |
1t seems a blunder that Gen. Buell. did |
not have more of his army up at the bat |
tie at Perryvfle. The rebels seemed to |
know just where our forces were, and |
turned on our division and gave US such |
hard fight, and our army cannot catch |
them, as they beat us in travelling. The |
battle seems to have been a bigger affair
than we were aware of at the time, and |
the 9Sth was right in the midst of it and |
by one of the most effective batteries all |
the time. / am sure there could have
been no more incessant firing than ragged