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On the first day out we reached the
Cumberland river, 71/2 miles distant
from Gallatin, where we were joined by
Companies G and I, and encamped for the
night.
On the morning of the 5th we moved out
early to Spring Creek. The rain poured
down in torrents, but the men were
supplied with ponchos and gum coats and
paid little heed to it.
On the 6th we found good roads and
plenty of good water—all seemed cheerful
and happy. We crossed Caney Fork and
encamped in a beach grove; and on the
7th found roads rough and country
broken. We camped that night 5 miles
north of Sparta—it rained that day. The
next day we had good roads and an
abundance of fine water on our way to
Sparta. The town had recently been
almost completely burned out. We were
joined at that place by the Ninth
Tennessee Cavalry, Col. Joe Parsons
commanding, and Batteries E and G,
commanded by Lieut. W. J. Patterson.
We remained at Sparta all day, the 10th,
and at dinner a number of our officers
enjoyed the hospitality of a rebel lady,
sister of Gen. Dibbrill, who had two
sons in the Confederate army. This lady
treated us with great kindness, asking,
as the only reward, that if her sons,
should fall into our hands we would
treat them kindly. This was one of the
few oases in the desert of the soldier's
life in the field not easily forgotten.
That night, the 11th, we reached the
Cumberland mountains, which divide the
Middle from East Tennessee, and encamped
at a place on the mountain that had been
a popular watering place before the war,
and where a beautiful cascade fell over
a precipice, a distance of fifty feet or
more. We were annoyed by guerrillas who
fired a few shots but did no damage.
We would remark here that Mrs. Col.
Ingerton accompanied us on this march
over the mountains in a buggy. Adjutant
Scott was her escort. She wds a native
of Oberlin, Ohio, and was highly
educated and a most intelligent and
agreeable lady. She resided at Amarillo,
Texas, for many years after the war. We
heard recently with much regret that she
died in 1893 or 1894.
On the 12th we were in the midst of the
mountains where "rattlers" and
"varmints" abounded. We crossed
"Mammy's" and "Daddy's" creeks, passed
through broken country and reached
Crossville, Cumberland county, and on
the 13th passed over the roughest roads
yet encountered. We camped within 10
miles of Kingston, where we could get no
forage. We moved early on the 14th and
crossed the Clinch river, four miles
above Kingston, passed through that town
and encamped four miles east of it.
There we again met with the 4th
Tennessee Infantry, that regiment being
on duty at that place, and again had the
pleasure of seeing a number of old
Carter and Johnson county friends. The
roads had been very dusty that day, but
at night we had a good rain, laying the
dust and making our march more agreeable
the next day.
On the 15th we reached Campbell's
Station and saw a large brick house
which had been damaged by artillery in
the fight there, a year previous,
between Gens. Burnside and Longstreet,
just before the siege of Knoxville. The
lady of the house told us Gen. Burnside
made his headquarters there during the
fight, and that when forced to retreat,
he had not been gone longer than fifteen
minutes when Gen. Longstreet entered the
house.
On the 16th we reached Knoxville and
went into camp near the Fair Grounds.
two miles east of the city.
We had now reached the scene which was
to be that of our operations for some
time to come. Other Tennessee troops
were fighting the battles of our country
on different fields, some far removed
from their homes. As we have said the
winter of 1863-4 had been one of extreme
suffering and destitution in upper East
Tennessee. That section had been overrun
by Confederate soldiers, and was still
occupied by them. All the troops that
could be spared had been sent with
Sherman on his great campaign through
Georgia and final march to, the sea.
Our Brigade was left as the only
dependence for the redemption and
protection of the upper counties. A few
regiments were sent to our assistance
now and then. During our first
operations the 8th Tennessee Cavalry was
not with our Brigade, but the 10th
Michigan Cavalry, a fine regiment,
commanded by Col. L. S. Trobridge, took
its place.
The Confederate troops had found East
Tennessee, with its fertile fields, a
fine foraging ground, not withstanding
both armies had despoiled it in their
marches back and forth, and they were
determined to hold on to it as long as
possible. For this purpose various
commands under well tried officers
occupied this field at various times
during the summer of 1864. Among the
Confederate officers that operated in
upper East Tennessee at this time were,
Generals Vaughn, Morgan, Wheeler, Duke,
Jackson, Giltner, Williams and Major-
General John C. Breckenridge. In
detailing the operations of the Brigade
to which our Regiment was attached, we
will take pleasure in mentioning, as far
as we can, the services of other
regiments, and their officers, who were
associated with us in trying to redeem
our homes. Each performed his duty
nobly, and many brave deeds were done.
In these campaigns, that after varying
fortunes, resulted in the final
expulsion of the enemy from East
Tennessee, we would say in the language
of Admiral Schley : "There was glory
enough for all."
The one night we encamped at Knoxville
we had our tents blown down by a rain
storm. The Regiment left Knoxville on
the 17th and moved east as far as
Strawberry Plains, the point we had left
nine months before, almost to a day. We
could not help but reflect what a change
those months had brought about.
From an unorganized mob, fleeing from
the enemy, we were a well drilled
organization, with confidence in our
officers, and in our ability to meet any
equal number of the enemy, however
experienced, who might be found on our
way towards our homes. -
We rested at Strawberry Plains on the
18th and on the following day passed
through New Market and on to Mossy Creek
(now Jefferson City), where we heard
there was a force of rebels at
Morristown. Moving forward, we reached
the latter place about daylight on the
morning of the 19th, but found no enemy.
From Morristown a detachment of the
Thirteenth, under Col. Ingerton, was
sent to Rogersville, Tenn., to attack a
rebel force at that place, the remainder
of the Regiment moved with the Brigade
as far as Lick Creek on the 20th, where
Col. Ingerton rejoined the command.
On the previous morning Col. Ingerton
had reached the ford of the Holston
river at McKinney's mill, 3 miles south
of Rogersville, just before daylight,
captured the rebel pickets, hurried on
into Rogersville and surprised the small
rebel force there, killing several of
the enemy and capturing 35 prisoners,
among whom were Joseph B. Heiskell,
Confederate States Congressman. Sergeant
J. H. Pharr, of Co. A, captured a fine
black, blaze-faced horse, belonging to
Capt. Clay, of Gen. Morgan's command.
Gen. Gillem rode this horse through the
campaign in East Tennessee.
This was the first fighting, except with
guerrillas, done by the Regiment, but
the men behaved like veterans. After the
little brush was over the men scattered
about the town, hunting something to
eat, when the report came that a
considerable force of rebels was
approaching from the east. The men were
recalled and moved out in the direction
of the enemy and formed in line.
Skirmishers were thrown out in a corn
field, but presently Col. Ingerton moved
towards the enemy's left, as if trying
to get into his rear. Perceiving this
the enemy retreated, when Ingerton,
believing the enemy to be superior in
number, leaving a rear guard, fell back
to the river, recrossed, and joined the
command with his prisoners.
On the 22d Gen. Gillem, learning that
Wheeler's Cavalry was marching by way of
Maryville to Dandridge, determined to
turn back and attack his forces in
detail, as they crossed the river, so
our command retrograded as far as
Russellville. Hearing nothing further of
Wheeler, on the 23d we moved east in the
direction of Bull's Gap again.
On this date the Regiment was again
detached to go to Rogersville to attack
a rebel force at that place. While
crossing the Holston river at Cobb's
Ford the Regiment was fired on. when the
"Sharp Shooters," under Sergeant Peter
L. Barry, hastily reaching the bank of
the river, went in pursuit of the
pickets. Firing was soon heard and Capt.
Wilcox of Company G was ordered forward
to support the sharp shooters. Coming up
we found that Sergeant Barry had killed
one of the pickets, wounded another and
captured the remaining one. Learning
that the rebels were located in Rice's
Gap, about four miles distant, and
having captured the pickets, a
detachment was sent to the right, near
the river, hoping to get in their rear
and capture the whole force. However,
the Regiment reached the Gap before the
detachment reached the rear and a charge
was made, led by the sharp shooters,
supported by Capt. Northington, Co. I.
The rebels were surprised and completely
routed, killing and wounding thirty of
the enemy without any losses on our
part. The enemy fled in the direction of
Rogersville, pursued for some distance
by our cavalrymen. The Regiment returned
to the river and went into camp for the
night.
On the 24th we crossed the river at
Carmichael's. The river was very high
but we crossed safely, and reached
Greenville on the 25th, late at night,
and rejoined the brigade which had been
engaged with the enemy at Blue Springs
and Greeneville.
On the 26th the Brigade moved back to
Rogersville, and on the 28th attempted
to reach Morristown but found the river
too high to cross and returned to camp.
It will be seen that our Brigade had
been marching and countermarching, back
and forth for several days, almost over
the same ground. This was puzzling and
disheartening to those who did not
understand the situation.. Our men were
impatient to move towards their homes,.
and even began to distrust the officers
in command, and believe they were trying
to avoid rather than meet the enemy. It
was learned, however, that while Gen.
Morgan had a force equal to, if not
superior to ours, somewhere east of us,
Gen. Wheeler with a large force of rebel
cavalry was in our rear, and liable to
cut us off from our base at Knoxville,
and capture our entire Brigade, so it
was not cowardice, but only ordinary
prudence that had governed the movements
of the Brigade which had appeared so
mysterious.
We will mention here that Gen. Gillem
paid a high tribute to Col. Miller's
gallantry in the fighting at Blue
Springs and Greeneville in his official
report to Governor Johnson, stating that
"it would be great injustice not to call
particular attention to the almost
reckless gallantry of Col. John K.
Miller, who was always in the thickest
of the fight, inspiring his men by his
own example to acts of gallantry." He
also said : "Lieut.-Col. W. H. Ingerton
deserves great credit for the prompt and
efficient movements to the enemy's
rear." In his report to the Governor,
Gen. Gillem, after complimenting the
bravery of Col. John B. Brownlow of the
Ninth Tennessee Cavalry. Major Newell of
the loth Michigan and Lieut. W. J.
Patterson of the Battery, said of the
Ninth and Thirteenth: "These Regiments
are improving rapidly and require little
more experience to make them excellent
soldiers."
Lieut. B. A. Miller was injured near
Greeneville by his horse falling off a
bridge in the darkness.
On the 30th we crossed the Holston river
and encamped near Russellville. A
reconnoitering party was sent out under
Capt. Wilcox on this date to obtain
information as to the whereabouts of the
enemy. On his arrival near Bull's Gap,
about 10 p. m., he was met by a
reconnoitering party of the enemy about
100 strong, he immediately charged them,
drove them back and held the Gap until
the remainder of the command came up at
daylight.
On the 31st a scout going out on the
road to Lick Creek met a flag of truce,
and returned to the Gap where the
command remained, shoeing horses,
repairing wagons and getting, things in
order. The Adjutant of the Thirteenth
sent in the regular monthly report of
the Regiment and received a
complimentary notice from Brigade
Headquarters, it being the only report
received. We remained here rather
quietly until the night of September 3d,
1864. |
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