The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-01-04

amount of stores, ammunition and pro-
visions, including 800 sacks of salt, 70
tents, and a great quantity of camp
equipage In our possession. The COM
mand camped at this place all night,
and destroyed the splendid bridge over
the HOlstOn River over 1000 feet in
length, built on IL piers. The bridge,
with trestle work, was 2,100 feet long.
At daylight on June 81 the march
was resumed toward Messy Creek Sta
ton, destroying the railroad and tele-
graph line in many places, and burning
one over 800 feet in length. At New
Market and Messy Creek the command
captured 12O prisoners. destroyed sew
eral cars, several hundred barrels of
saltpeter, 200 barrels of sugar. and a
large amount of other stores. Near
gun factory and saltpeter factory.
Back Toward the Mountains.
From this place the raiders left the
railroad and moved in the direction of
Rogers Gap, in the Cumberland Noun
tains. fording the Holston River at
Eayworth's Bend, and moved toward
Powder Springs Gap, in Clinch Noun
tain. Here a large force was found in
front, and another large force overlook
and commenced skirmishing with the
rear guard. Gen. Sanders moved the
command by country road and got
into the Gap, thus leaving all this force
III our rear. The rear guard now had
the whole force to contend with at close
quarters, being closely pressed. The
rear guard made saber charge and
drove them back with rush. At the
same time few men had dismounted
near a log grist mill which stood
short distance from the ford After
We came back from the charge a rebel
officer rode out in sight, and one Of The
dismounted boys took rest against a
corner Of The mill, and shot the officer
off his horse. This shot, which was at
so rods, go astonished the Johnnies
that they kept at a respectful distance,
and did not come to close quarters
again. The enemy by this time had
thrown large force into all the gaps.
Smiths Gap being the nearest, Gen.
Sanders decided to make a break
across PowelPs Valley and force the
rebels out OF the way. We had a large
force against us at this time, both in
front and rear, and could only avoid
capture by getting into the mountains
and thus place all of them in the rear
again. Serg't Reynolds. Of the LIST East
Tenn, acted as guide to Gen. Sanders
during the raid, and from his intimate
knowledge of the country rendered in
valuable service. Serg't Reynolds led
the command at breakneck speed across
Fowells Valley to Smiths Gap. No
word had been sent back to the rear,
and we were in utter ignorance Of what
was going on in front. We knew that
We were having all we could attend to,
and had no time to watch the front,
but when we reached the strip Of tim
Der which skirted the south side of
POWelPs Valley, and saw the artillery
dismantled, and Capt. BarnitZ's pack
horse with his patent mess-chests firm
ly wedged between two trees, I realized
at first glance that there was serious
business before us. The main COM
mile away, and racing for the noun
tains like a pack Of prairie wolves run
ming before a prairie fire. Ordering the
guard to draw sabers, we started for
the point where the command struck
the mountain, as fast as our horses
could run. Before we reached the
mountain 1t began to get dark and the
underbrush all looked alike, SO we
plunged into the brush and did the best
we could to get up higher. We had
barely got out OF sight in the under
brush when a force Of rebels, presum-
ably the ones who were in our rear,
came charging down the valley, and at
the same time rebel force came charg-
ing up from below, and commenced
firing on each other, and in the dark
ness kept 1t up for some time before
they discovered their mistake. This is
the only time In my recollection when
fight was going on and any Of the I'd
Ohio Cav. were around that they did
lack OF ammunition was the only thing
that kept them out. The climb up the
steep mountainside was very slow, and
1t was nearly midnight before we
reached q spot that was level enough
for Q man to lie down. and hAra we