The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-11

tains of Western North Carolina t,
| prepare TO defend the passes through
| those mountains leading into tn,
heart OF the Southern Confederacy T,
] this duty General Vance was assigned
and he Immediately proceeded will
ms accustomed energy to the organi
zatlon of the district. He was com
PEELED at first to rely upon such loca
military organization as he found a
hand, with a few detached regular
forces and one or two regiments, anC
battery which was subsequently, bu
shortly after sent to him. The worl
was extremely difficult and perilous
The front was nearly 200 miles ii
length, altogether mountainous, witt
no railroad or Geographic communi'
cations. supplies very scant and ire
gular, and an ever vigilant and we'll
organized enemy facing and pressing
him, aided by most unfriendly loca
population along the Tennessee from
tier, yet, Notwithstanding all this
Vance was not only able to repulst
the repeated efforts of the enemy tc
enter the country, but frequently as
sumed the offensive and marched
from the passes of Western North
Carolina with a small, but brave de-
tachment of troops to assail the enemy
on it's TANKS and unprotected lines il
East Tennessee, and kept them in
check. 1t was while engaged on one
of these movements in aid of General
Longstreet. who was then facing Gen
eral Burnside in East Tennessee. that
General Vance moved his small com
mand across the Smoky Mountain in
unusually Indictment weather, taking
his artillery down the north side of
the mountain by hand, the roads be-
ing so impossible because of snow and
ice, that he descended upon Burn
sides rear and captured very large
wagon train with it's convoy, and per-
formed one of the most daring feats
of the war. On this occasion he had
present with him only about 400 men.
with whom he undertook to carry out
this mountain train through TINS
mountain country, instead or destroy
ing it and moving away from his pur-
suers. The capture was within four
or five miles of Burnside's line, and, OF
course, the pursuit was immediate
with overwhelming force. After a
most exhaustive march of all night
through "a most difficult country, the
small Confederate force was over
taken by daylight on the morning OF
the 14th of June, 1864, by brigade
of Federal mounted infantry, which.
after short conflict, re-captured the
train and prisoners, and also captured
General Vance, who in moving from
by mistake into a detachment of Fed
erals, believing it at the time to be
one of his companies which he had
sent forward to that particular To-
cality to take that position. Your
speaker was the only one of his staff
to escape capture on that occasion.
1.-The General was carried by the
Federals to Nashville, where he was
imprisoned for Il short while, and af-
ta rSc m thence
to Fort Delaware. While in the last
mentioned prison, he was released on
parole with General Beale, and given
the freedom of the country within
the Federal lines to buy clothing for
the Confederate prisoners. The cause
of this extraordinary kindness extend
ed to him involves a touching and in
teresting story which in this brief
sketch cannot be given in detail.
Suffice to say that it was an apt
illustration of the saying Of Jesus:
With what measure We mete, 1t shall
be measured to you again. 1t was one
instance of a mans good deeds COM
ing back on him as recompense III
this life While he, with his regi-
ment was holding the Union men
down in Johnson county, Tennessee, in
the early part of the war, the Rev.
Nathaniel G.. Taylor a Union man Of
that county, local preacher of emin-
ence in the NJ. T.. Church. South, and
a prominent politician, was much an
noyed by the Confederate scouts, and
feeling that his life was in danger, he
fled to the woods: but becoming weary
of lying out in this style, he came tc
Col. Vances headquarters, surrender
ed and asked for protection papers
Colonel Vance, fearing that it would
go hard with his old friend, II he
should be taken to Knoxville to be
tried instituted a court-martial, tried
and acquitted him, and gave him pro-
lection papers. 1t becoming too hot
for Mr.. Taylor in East Tennessee, he
soon made his way through the Con-
federate lines to New Jersey. AS soon
as possible he went to Washington
city called on President Lincoln and
gave him an account of the situation
in East Tennessee. The President
wept as the story was being told
him. but occasionally interrupted the
narrative with an humorous anecdote.
thus mineling shower and sunshine.
Mr. Lincoln was deeply affected by
the story of his trial and acquittal by
Colonel Vance, weeping freely at the
representation of the ColonePs mag
namimity. And now, Mr.. President,
said Mr.. Taylor, this man is your
prisoner He shall be released, was
the prompt and emphatic reply OF the
President, and the Ofuef lOr Ills re-
case was issued at once After the
Generals release he was active IN con-
nection with his Confederate colleague
i'm using the money furnished by the
Confederate treasury in purchasing
clothing for the Confederate prison.
ers and he was everywhere cordially
received by the people of the North,
many voluntarily contributing to the
wants of the prisoners.
HE was paroled and allowed to
come South on the 18th day of March,
1865, but he was not exchanged, and
subsequently did not enter active SER
vice again during the war. At the
close of hostilities he, with hundreds
and thousands of other Confederate
soldiers, bravely took up the work OF
the reorganization and resuscitation OF
the business life of the South, and
was actively engaged in every public
movement as well as in very extern
sive private business until 1872, when
he was elected to Congress- and was
continuously reelected until 1872.
ut has been said that in the prac-
teal affairs of his district that he was
the most useful member it has ever
had. He was prominent in the House
serving on various important commit
tees and for several sessions being
~ ;rn,on ne tho Committee on Pa