The National tribune., 1906-07-12
OF THE
CUMBERLAND
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Maj Reaney. Col Chas. ]. Walker
10th KY Cav. was placed In command
of the Cavalry Brigade. The troops
were ordered to move without bag
gage. with 10 days rations and 100
rounds OF ammunition. IL was deter
mined to take the most unexpected
route through the wild, mountainous
and barren country of Eastern Ken
lucky. so as 10 surprise the enemy by n
movement against which they had not
guarded. AS no supplies were to be OBJ
tanned upon the earlier part of the route
a wagon train went so miles or a. far
as the roads were at all passable. and
there delivered its supplies to pack
mules.
u The start.
I When the force came together it was
smaller than Carter had expected. hav-
ing only $50 men. and many of these
were recruits and not the veterans who
should have been chosen for such i'm
portant work. The country into which
he started from Goose Creek was now
absolutely destitute of other roads than
rough bridlepaths along precipltous
mountain streams and over the ridges.
so that progress was irritatingly slow to
a commander who had only 10 days
rations on hand. The foot of the Cum
herland Mountains was reached Dec 2S.
| opposite a rough and slight depression
in the range called Crank's Gap. some
IL miles from Harlan Court House
The horses were there given D good.
liberal feed. loaded with forage for the
next day. and the pack train sent back
under the charge of a detachment of
the Kentucky State Guard. BY after
noon the little force had reached the
summit OF the mountains and theFo be-
| fore them GDTp9d in hillntvy
panse far to the east and south was
| the enemys country into which they
were to plunge. 1t had been originally
| intended to distract the enemy by di-
viding the force and operating in diff
| ferent directions. but II was now de-
cided. In view of the information which
| mad been received of the eHemy'S
strength. that this would be dangerous.
Before midnight Carter reached the
| foot OF the mountain on the Virginia
side near Ionesville. and turned aside
to evofd some 40G rebel cavalry at that
place. and % miles further halted on
the top of Walters Ridge 10 rest and
| feed. This far there had been no sus-
pfcion on the part of the Confederates
OF the entrance of Carter and his little
| force into their territory. Those citi-
zens who had seen Il had mistaken IL
| for Confederate cavalry. but the knowi-
edge naturally began to diffuse it.
self through the country, and upon ar
riving at EstiIviIle. Gen. Carter learned
that a force was collecting at Moccasin
Gap to resist his passage. He moved
| forward at once with the I'd Mich. in
| advance, and secured the Gap without
| trouble. but a Sergeant was killed and
| two men captured by the guerrillas
who were lowering around the rear of
the column. Carter pressed on so rap
idly toward Union. or ZoIIicoffer. az its
| HoS ha
garrison there. consisting of $50 men
of the SD n. c., under Mai. Mcdowell.
and burned the exceedingly important
| bridge across the HoIston River, the
structure being about 500 feet long
| The North Carolinians captured were
| mostly Union men conscripted into the
army. and were only too glad to be pa
rolled and allowed to make their way
back to their homes, where they vowed
they would remain. In addition to de-
stroying the bridge, the stores. bar
! racks, tents. large number OF arms.
depot and wagon bridge We're also
| burned. considerable quantity of
salt and inter were also destroyed As
soon as Gen. Carter saw this work of
destruction fairly under way he started
Col. Walker with 1S1 men of the I'd
Mich. 9Th Pa. and 7th Ohio Cav. for
the Watauga bridge. 10 miles further on
where they attacked and routed about
200 Of the 62d n. c.. killing from IL to
is Of them. They then burned the
bridge, some 800 feet long. with guam
tity of stores and cars A locomotive
was run into the river. knocking down
4 pier in its descent.
The Whole Country Alarmed.
By this time the whole of East Ten
nessee and southwestern Virginia was
thoroughly aroused Humphrey Mar
shall. Sam Jones and John B. FLOYD.
commanding the Confederate troops in
that section. were seriously excited. and
marched hither and yon to intercept
the raiders. surround and capture them
Humphrey Marshall took II upon him.
self to occupy the Gaps to prevent re-
treat, while Sam Jones was to pursue
and attempt to head the daring raiders
off. By this time Carter's horses were
badly jaded and sorely in need of food.
The march had been rapid and exhaust
Ing. and after eluding by the narrow
est chances several of the pursuing
bodies. Carter gained Clinch Mountain |
Jan. /, and reached place where he |
could get forage and rest for the night |
This was the first bivouac since the
night of Dec. 81 The bushwhackers and |
guerrilias were beginning TO be exceed |
ingly annoying. and they grew worse |
and worse as the command started |
back to Jonesville, Va, TO recross the |
mountains. The Confederate force |
pressed upon the rear guard, and a fight |
occurred In Jonesvifle in which the reb-
els were driven back with a loss of |
several killed and 20 captured With !
all the furors created. AL Humphrey
Marshalrs and Floyd's telcSrap phing and
sending OF messages by couriers. Car
ter was lucky enough TO find Crank's
Gap. by which he had entered the State.
unguarded and unblockaded and
passed through 1t Jan 2, bivOuacking a
night at the foot of the Cumberland
Mountains on the Kentucky side, after
having been: In the last five days, but
30 hours out Of the saddle. The road
down the mountains was strewn with
horses. abandoned saddles.
blankets, and clothing, which the dis
mounted troops had thrown aside TO
make their way forward on foot. Since
starting out the command had marched
470 miles. 10 of which were in the
snemy's country. over the toughest pos
sfble roads. and through weather of
Mfdwinter inclemency.- 1t had burned
l ,0d0 feet OF highIy-important railroad
bridges. destroyed locomotive. 10 cars,
a lumber train, some miles of telegraph,
5000 pounds of inter. several hundred
stand of arms. and several car loads OF
salt, sugar coffee. meal. etc. The Ohio
lost one killed and eight miss
ing; the Michigan battalion one killed
and seven missing. and the 9th Pa. two
making total loss of 49,
The enemy lost IL killed. Is or 90 ,
a youu,fpd and 13S Drisopers .