The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-11-09
The Lost Company

The orders were Tor COlOnei DAVIS
OF the Twenty second Federal regi-
ment, stationed about four miles from
Bulls Gap. In the Tennessee noun.
tains. to move by night and capture
Confederate signal station which had
post upon a mountain crest ten miles
away. This station commanded the
pass so far as observation went and
every move Of the Federal force there
was at once reported
The idea was to move slowly and
quietly. and this was carried out The
regiment had four hours and half TO
make the ten miles. aud the vicinity
OF the signal station was reached at
4 o'clock Ia the morning Three com.
panles were sent TO the left, three to
the right, and Company Il was to make
long detour to get in the rear Of the
station and hold a mountain road
against retreat All movements were
made 80 quietly that no alarm was
given.
Day had just begun to dawn when
up from the valley came a white mist,
cold as shroud and thick enough TO
cut out all objects twenty feet away.
The Confederates at the station could
be heard moving and talking, but there
could be no attack until the mist dis
appeared IL hung over the mountain
for two long hours before the rising
sun began to eat into II, and II was
near I O'Clock before the Federals
dashed forward. The surprise was
complete. There were only fifty Con
federate soldiers there as guard, and
seeing the force opposed 70 them they
prudently surrendered. Not a man
was killed on either side, although
there was considerable firing. The
regiments sent out on the tanks were
up In time. and Colonel Davis supposed
that the firing would bring In Com
pany Il.
When an hour had gone by and
nothing had been heard OF It scouts
were sent forward with orders for II
TO Join the main force at once. At the
end OF two hours the scouts returned
and reported that no trace OF the com
pany could he found beyond a certain
point.
The main column returned 70 camp,
and from hour to hour looked FOR the
missing company, When a day had
gone by without news from It two
scouts were sent out There was fear
now that Il had been gohbled up by a
Confederate force The scouts struck
the highway and followed Il to the
bend, but they brought back no news.
A native had gone along with II to
act as guide, and after three or four
days had passed II was concluded that
he might have led the detachment far
enough to bring about It's capture by q
Confederate force. The matter rested
there for a week. Then two COnfed-
crate prisoners were captured, but they
denied having heard the least news OF
the missing company. Had II been
captured they must have known OF the
event
An advance by the Confederaies In
force just at this time prevented any
further search by the Federals, and for
six weeks the fate Of the hundred men
was almost forgotten. Then there was
an Investigation ordered from Wash
ingtOn. and the result was the trial and
dismissal OF Colonel Davis. The Fed
erals had been driven out OF that part
OF Tennessee. and as a matter Of fact
they did not regain the ground again
-. - h. ~
truce were frequently resorted to to
gain news OF the missing company. and
all prisoners were closely questioned,
but the war came TO an end at last and
the mystery mad not been solved.
No move was made until a year
later. and then Colonel Davis himself
took up the case. He was a wealthy
man, and he smarted under the dis
grace put upon him by the court mar
tial.
Accompanied by two picked men he
went over the route from Bulls Gap.
From the Confederate signal station he
struck for the highway and reached u.
There was but one house on the road
between that point aud the bend, and
the widow occupying Il said that no
force had passed on that night She
must have heard the company had II
marched that way. The scouts sent
out had never questioned this woman.
Returning over the highway Davis
and his companions had covered half
the distance when they noticed the
mouth OF ravlne TO the right. II
started at the highway and descended
so gradually that II might have been
taken In the night for another road. II
deepened as they followed It, and at
the end OF a quarter OF mile. when
II had become a rough and rugged
ravine. II came TO a sudden ending
This did not look at all natural. and
su investigation lasting half a day
brought to light the fact that there had
been a landslide there Hundreds Of
thousands Of tons OF earth and rock,
accompanied by hundreds Of trees. had
gone crashing down into the ravine
and filled Il to depth Of twenty feet.
The I'LL was from bank to bank. and