The National tribune., 1904-09-29

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: IL is as re-
freshing as drinking water out of q noun
tain spring TO read the communication Of
Comrade Daniel Mckinney, Co. II, 18th
Ky. Cav, in your issue of Sept. & Com
rade Mckinney rises TO say that he has
been prompted, often, to correct errors that
appear in The National Tribune from time
to time, and he now says that he refutes
many things which, from his point Of view,
are entirely wrong; and he particularly
corrects Comrade John O. Weeds, Co. Il,
LIST Ky. Cav. (Wolford's regiment), re-
garding the campaign in East Tennessee.
1t is particularly desirable when a comrads
rises to correct some other comrsde that he
be quite sure he is right himself-but
Comrade Mckinney tells us Of the capture
of Knoxville in August or September, 1853,
and tells us that while still on the summit
of Cumberland and Smoky Mountains, I'VE
(he) could see Knoxville on the east bank
of the Holston River, its prominent build
ing and church spires looking like small
specks," and he adds that il Buckner's
soldiers had been tall enough he would
have been able to have seen them in Knox
vile also. Now, in order to see a man In
Knoxville from the Cumberland Gap or the
Smoky Mountains, it would be absolutely
necessary that this man should be about
5000 feet high; and while ! have seen
rebel soldiers who, to my excited vision,
appeared to be that tall, l fancy that in
reality none of them were more than six
feet, six inches tall. The distance from
Knoxville to Cumberland Gap, air line, is
about so miles, and two or three large
mountain ranges intervene. Under these
circumstances [ am greatly inclined to
doubt the cor ectness OF Comrade Mckin-
ney's statement.
In view Of the fact that Comrade Nc
Kinney says that this view was also to be
had from the Smoky Mountains, 1 infer
that he must have been over near North
Carolina, looking into Knoxville from the
top Of the Great Smoky Mountains, which
form the dividing line between North Caro-
lima and Tennessee, and these mountains
are also about 40 miles distant from Knox
vile. But as / happened to belong to the
army under Gen. Burnside's command,
which entered East Tennessee late in the
Summer of 1863. have no recollection OF
ever hearing that Wolford's Brigade en-
tered East Tennessee by way of North
Carolina and the Smoky Mountains. Com
rade Mckinney states that the line of
march of Wolford's Brigade was through
Crab Orchard and Cumberland Gap, but /
do not see how this could be, for the reason
that Cumberland Gap was at that time in
the hands of the rebel Gen. Frazer, with
about $500 rebel soldiers, mostly North
Carolinians: and. as matter OF fact sub
stantiated by history, Cumberland Gap was
not surrendered to Gen. Burnside's army
until about 10 days after the capture OF
Knoxville. LIZ Comrade Mckinney belonged
to Wolford's Brigade. was present at the
capture of Knoxville. and got there by
marching from Grab Orchard through Cum.
berland Gap, / would like to have him tell
us how he got through, as 1 am sure
Frazer's rebel troops occupied Cumberland
Gap at that time. and they would scarcely
permit Wolford's Brigade to go through
without molesting them.
Comrade McKinney's correction of every
body else's errors is one of the most ex-
cellent demonstrations we have had in a
long time of how uncertain and how unre-
liable ones memory may be after the lapse
of 40 years and in correcting Comrade
Weeds Comrade Mckinney got himself
tangled up.-HENRY CLAY CRIrTENDEN,
CO. B. LIST XIV. Cav. p