The National tribune., 1901-05-30

| Col. Giltner now resumed command of
his brigade. relieving Gen. Cosby, who re-
turned to the command Of the remnant
of Gen. Geo. Il. Hodges brisade.
sToSEMAN's sTRATEGETICs NYsTIFY
| EEECKINRIDGE.
We remained in line of battle all that
| day and the greater part OF the succeed
| ing night, but Stoncman failed TO appear
in our front The fact was. he had gone
in another dircction-towitrd Wythcvillc.
over the same road we had Travelled in
coming to the Saltworks. The move
monts of Confcdcratcs and Federals We're
somewhat peculiar. Gen. Stoncman'S STRAIT
cgy being especially admirable. Gen.
! Brockinridgc was apparently nrcsolutc,
unable to determine the enemy'S inten-
tionS. making it difficult to promptly de-
| eide upon what movement TO make him
self Undoubtedly in the beginning of the
game Stoneman had played the better
cards. Finally, however. we learned pos
| itively that Stoneman was moving toward
| Wythcvillc, playing high jerks" gcner-
ally.
SOME CAPTURES.
Some time during the first night of our
| occupancy of the Saltworks n Federal
Surgeon, named Gardner. | think, was
brought in Il prisoner. This same Sur
econ had fallen into our hands at the for
| mCr battle Of Saltvilc. He WAS shrcwd
and made no effort to be agreeable, evil
dcntly having no love for rebels, especial
| ly when he was a captive. ! rather COM
mend him for his gruffness. He was
| plainly sincere in his antipatbieS; and for
that reason he, of course was no diplo-
mat. That he did not love his enemies
was apparent.
UndisguiScdly he took pleasure in tell
ing us unpleasant news. GarnishinG his
story with hyperbolic rhetoric, he in
| formed us that Stoneman had burned the
court house square and a number of other
| buildings in Abingdon. and the large de-
pot of commissary supplies at Bristol;
| that from Bristol the Fed"rals had gone
| to Glade Spring Depot and captured a
passenger train filled with negroes run
ming from SaltvilIe. OF course, all that
was mighty interesting news to we
unS.
When asked if he thought Stoneman
would attack the Saltworks, he elevated
| his eyebrows and replied. Certainly" at
the same time confidently asserting thar
the Federal General would not only as
sault the place. but that he would capture
it and every soldier defending it before
the close of another day.
\ staff officer told him that he doubted
| the infallibility of his prophecy; that Gen.
Burbridgc knew from experience what
Nbuli plObiDIN HdpIth W an hH''l'titih -
column. and that if he had any influence
with Stoneman BurbridgC would persuade
him to eliminate Saltyillc from his list OF
| objective points, if indeed it had ever
been written on Stoneman's program.
The officers pleasantly failed to mOllify
| the irascble Surgeon, who slightly ele-
waited his nose and with increased en-
phass reiterated his former terrifying as
sertion.
Gen. Duke. always active and adven-
| turcsomc, while we were still in battle
line on the second night. went to the front
on a sort of private scouting expedition
and was captured. ResOurccful as usual,
he concealed his identity and within an
hour adroitly effected his escape.
Capt. Bart jenkins and number Of
other officers were asleep in Abingdon
when the Fcderals entered the town. Jen-
kns was captured successiyeiy by two
| soldiers. Killing both of them, he es-
capped unharmcd. Capt. McAfee and Bar
ncy Giltner. two young gentlemen who
were ever seeking square meals and
beds OF goose hair" We're also surprised,
but escaped capture, walking, nolens yo-
lens, TO Glade Spring. l-
About o'clock in the morning We
| broke camp at Saltyillc ami moved Il few
miles in the direction of Wythcvillc. The
road being muddy. almost timpaSSablc, we
| turned into q field and waited until after
| daylight for Gen. Breckenridge.
CTO be contingcdJ