The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-05-12
Twas Another Drove Of Cattle.


Twas Another Drove OF Cattle.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Having
read Comrade Henry VI. Bonds letter OF
the 14th KY, i was much pleased to hear
from him, as / always am to hear from
any one who was brigaded with the 42d
Ohio The 14tb and 22d Ky. could always
be relied upon when there was business do
ing. In reply tp Comrade Bonds request
to inform him o; Comrade John Brayton's
whereabouts, would say that John has
answered the last roll call. He passed
away nearly - years ago. / was not sur
prised, Comrade Bond, when you said that
a warm friendship had existed between
YOU: having known John since child. He
was as fine young man as could be found
in the 42d
In regard to my statement about Mos
that the 4th Tim. comrade made-The
Burnt Bridge He said that he did not
think there had been a bridge burnt on
that march. 1t is fact, Comrade, and I
will resume where / left off about the
stampeded cattle. You are aware that the
division was surrounded by foes and had
to be prepared TO fight at any moment.
The enemy had counted upon Gen. Geo.
w. Morgan being obliged to retreat to-
ward Maysville. They therefore with
drew from his front at Proctor and pre-
pared TO make a stand at Irvine. BY
pushing his main column and trains TO the
east of Proctor. via Boonville, and send
ing Spears and DeCourcy's Brigades
through Proctor and thence across the
hills to Hazel Green, Morgan had COM
pletely eluded the enemy. Lit only remained
to be seen whether the rebel commander
could yet move an infantry force eastward
quickly enough to reach West Liberty or
Grayson before Morgan, and thereby in
tercept his retreat. On the evening OF
September % a foraging party Of 81 men.
belonging to Spears brigade, was cap
tured, with some horses and cattle. Spear
sent out detachment and recaptured the
lost cattle and a number of others that the
rebels We're trying to drive away. The
next day the Division moved at o'clock
in the morning, but encountered two heavy
blockades, one of which was cut away;
the other was evaded by cutting a new
road, nearly a mile in length. After %
hours hard work the troops bvouacked.
without fire or water. and with very little
food. having made but eight miles. Seven
blockades were found and overcome that
memorable day, and road built around n
bridge that had been burned. Now, COM
rades, are there any Of you who remember
this particular bridge? Let me say, fur
ther at this bridge two prisoners were cap
tured one of whom, Captain, was splen-
ddly mounted and equipped. He was cap
tured by an Artillery Sergeant and pri
vate of the 42d In the pockets of his
saddle were two pieces of corn bread The
property was divided into two
lots. the horse and saddle being one, the
bread the other, and the private was given
his choice. So famished was the poor fell
low that he chose the bread.
During the day a Captain in a Ten
nessee regiment was shot through the
lungs by bushwhacker. small gangs OF
whom had begun to harass the column
night and day. The march was continued
without halt or rest until 3 o'clock NEXT
when. having arrived within two
miles of Grayson the column halted while
n regiment was advanced to reconnoiter.
1t was known that the enemy was in pos
session of the town. but in what force
could not be learned. While the advance
proceeded cautiously on its mission, the
remainder of the column. staggering with
weakness and fatigue. lay down in its
tracks and slept For p hours the troops
had been marching and working. and in
that time not one in five of the men had
tasted a morsel of food. Even the paw
paws had failed: and as the soldiers
marched under oak trees they picked up
the bitter ac0rns and ate them like fam
ished animals. 1t was but ID miles further
TO the Ohio River, and, worn out though
they were, the troops were eager to be
once more on the way. At i'm the after
noon DeCourcy's Brigade, the advance
guard, moved out on the northern road,
by the trains and the remainder
of the division. Just as the rear of the
column was leaving. alarm was given and
it was stated that the enemy was coming
by the road on which the Union troops
had arrived. A brigade was quickly
thrown into position, Fosters Battery was
run into an open field, numbered and
double shotted with canister, and for a
few moments the troops We're on the de-
fensive. The enemy, however, did not at
tack. They were only a small troop OF
cavalry. This was the last trial that be-
set us on that memorable march. The
weary troops were within few miles Of
the Ohio, where food, rest, clothing, and
better than all-news from home awaited
them. Their last letters from Ohio had
been dated early in August, and it was
now Oct. ID. There was no struggling for
nuts or corn that day. Every man was in
his place. and the march was rapid and
Joyous. Soon after noon the advance
from rugged gorge into the valley
of the Ohio River, and saw before it. hall
i mile away. the little town of Greenups
burg. its white walls and spires bright in
the October sunshine. The people, as we
approached came out to welcome the lost
Army of Cumberland Gap. The troops
poured into the little town and spread
ont into the surrounding meadows. The
shores of the river and looked longingy
across TO the fertile hills of their own
native State. To those ragged, brown,
weary men Ohio seemed at that moment
like an enchanted land. After such a night
of sleep as could come only with utter ex-
haustion. the troops were ferried across
the river to their native heath at last, and
they were on loyal ground, amid friends
who honored their bravery and pitied their
sufferings; among people who cheered
their tattered battlefiags and welcomed
them to Union State. 1t was a bright,
warm Autumn Sunday, and the march OF
the tattered troops was everywhere an
ovation. Congregations assembled at
church with great baskets of food, and
instead of the ordinary services, they
thronged the roadside and fed the soldiers
as they passed. Farmers loaded their ia
bles with the best their lands afforded, and
considered themselves honored by the hun
CRY, ragged and unknown guests who
shared their hospitality. 1t was a day
never to be forgotten by any soldier of the
Seventh Division.
Comrades. L have written a very small
part of what / saw and experienced; and
if l have written of things which many
other comrades did not witness, / can con.
scientiously say that l have confined my
self to facts--whether it be of another