retribution is approaching, and will fall upon you Of everything that bears the shape of whiskey-skin,

Dows in a small Palmetto State the curious ones This South Carolina gentleman, one of the present may find,

A SCOUT TO EAST TENNESSEE.

BY THE LOCHIEL CAVALRY.

AT sunrise, on December 20th, 1862, ten companies of the Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry-460 men, under command of Major Russell, and eight companies of the Second Michigan. 300 men, under command of Col. Campbell, marched due east from Nicholasville, Ky., on a secret expedition, for which thirty days were allotted for those who should be so fortunate as to return. The orders were to move "light and easy," without tents, baggage or extra clothing; carry on your horse all you wanted, and two shoes and twenty nails for him. There were ten days' rations issued, which each trooper carried. Marching through the farms and by-paths to avoid all towns and villages, crossing the Kentucky river at an out of the way ford, and ascending Big Hill south of Richmond, we arrived at M'Kees, county town of Jackson county, Ky., containing six or eight houses, being the first village we had passed through. We were halted here one day, for a corn and provision train to come up that had pack-saddles in it. There were fifty mules packed here with two days' rations, and the wagons sent back to Lexington with half team force, leaving corn for our return, there being none in Jackson county.

they were in full flood, so that they could not even have been swum by our horses. From Goose creek we had only bridle-paths, and marched by file across a deep depression in the ridge to the Red Bird, up that and across it scores of times to its topmost spring.

December 27th.-Crossing the Kentucky Ridge, and down to the waters of the middle fork of Kentucky river, crossing and rising that, we came down to Straight creek and halted for half an hour to breathe, ere breasting the pine mountain that appeared to push its rocky side up like the wall of a house to near the clouds then lowering and dripping on our heads. The zig-zag paths up the face of this mountain turn and return on each other as often as a fox trail, and the toiling men and horses crawling up its side, looked, from the valley, like flies ascending and sticking to a wall. Its sandy eastern front was too steep to ride down, and there were several miles of arduous marching over the Pine Mountain ere we reached the Poor Fork at the Cumberland. Marched up its quicksand shores and beside the horizontal rock ledges that are natural fortresses, ready made to the hand of the men of Harlan county to defend themselves from invasion by way of Cumberland Gap or any other in the mountain range. Fording the Cumberland December 24th. The weather had been very and Clover Fork and following up Martin's fair and beautiful, except this last day, which creek, we camped during the rainy night and was rainy and cold, and we marched out in slept by the fires for the last time for many days the rain for Goose creek, near its junction until our return into Kentucky again. Marching with the Red Bird fork of Kentucky river. over a high ridge, the bold and beautiful CumHalting in the meadow an hour to give the berland mountain rose majestically before us, horses a bite of hay (the first they had for four and extended like a frowning barrier to right days, and about all they ever got on the march), and left as far as the eye could reach without a we were joined by the Seventh Ohio Cav- perceptible break in the uniformity of its crest. alry - 240 men from Winchester, Ky., under Two-thirds of the way up the mountain was a command of Major Reany. The whole force now level shoulder, as it were breaking the uniformity numbered 1,000 men, and was under command of its side and appearing as if there had been of Brig. Gen. Carter, having on his staff Col. great waves running the length of the mounCarter, Col. Walker, Col. Garrett, Capt. Watkins, tains, and thus arrested and changed to rock Capt. M'Nish, Capt. Easley and others, all acting while in motion adding greatly to its beauty, as aids, assistants, or guides. We now ascertained while the softened rays of the declining sun shone we were sent to burn the bridges on the East in contrasted light and shadow on the gray rock Tennessee railroad, and were expected to foot it waves, the green pines and the bare, brown half the way over the successive steep and rug-poplars and oaks. Halting beside the little ged mountain ranges of Kentucky, Virginia, and stream in the pleasant valley, an hour was spent Tennessee, and recommended to cheerfully endure in giving corn to the jaded horses, sending back all the hardships and place ourselves on half the whole pack mule train, all inefficient horses rations to begin with. I will say for the soldiers and a few sick men to Lexington. At sunset, that no man cavilled at it, or wanted to turn his leading our horses for a two mile march up, and back, but all went cheerfully forward, bearing a one mile march down, we cheerfully addressed their own burdens as best they might, without ourselves to the task of crossing the Cumberland sleep, on half rations, food half cooked, and boots mountain. We reached the summit in two hours, worn off their feet by tramping over the rocks to under the light of the full soft moon that silvered ease their own good horses, and trusting to Provi- and beautified the scene, and passed over into dence to keep down the wide and swift rivers that the State of Virginia through Crank Gap, so drain these wild mountains. There was to ford, on called from its tortuous break in the horizontal going and coming, the Cumberland, Powell's rock crest of the Cumberland, some 200 feet river, Wallen's river, the Clinch, North Holston, deep and a quarter of a mile in width. This South Holston and the Watauga, the Holston pass is more beautiful and picturesque than anyand Clinch being navigable for steamboats when thing I have ever seen. It arrested the attention the waters are up. Providentially they were of every soldier and according to his temperakept down for us. In three days after our exit ment he viewed it to right and left in silent admi

ration at the wonderful works of God, or in rapturous comment as the soft moonlight silvered o'er and smoothed the ruggedness of each natural "frieze and coign of vantage" that was broken or rounded and carved, and overhung our winding path with all the softness of a summer Italian landscape by Claude Lorraine. Passing the crest we turned to the left and went down an easy grade on a projecting Sierra from the face of the mountain, with a precipice on each side. Reaching the end of that we turned short again to the left with our faces to the mountain and slipped down into chaos, pitching and sliding from rock to rock into a wild gorge. Looking directly up to the Kentucky heights was rock scenery of such savage character over our heads, as would have delighted the heart of Salvator Rosa. It would but have required a camp fire while our troops were filing and plunging down, and his pencil, to more than rival his scenes in the Appenines. The cliffs here were in shadow from the moon, and crested the whole northeastern face of the mountain in one rude unbroken strata, and projected like a threatening arm from Kentucky, raised to chastise any invader. It is not to be wondered that the white man had his superstitions in invading the western home of the Indian while climbing these cliffs from the

east.

sunset we reached the broad and swift Clinch river; fording it, we halted at a very picturesque spot, where was a large old-time mansion and the only good flouring mill we had seen in our travels, with its very large wheel driven by the tumbling waters at a mountain brook poured on the top of it, glistening like silver in the soft twilight, while the river waters murmured by. Halting here for an hour for coffee, and to give to the horses a good feed of corn, which the mill and farm-house furnished, and was paid for in "greenbacks," though under the confederate iron rule the miller would not dare to use them, we pushed on through the mountain passes at Purchase Ridge and Copper Ridge for Estillville. We had captured many small squads of confederate soldiers and conscripts on our way, paroling them all. We this night captured several, under charge of a lieutenant, who were halting at a farm-house by the road-side. Before starting, orders were given that we were to report ourselves to inquirers along the road as confederate Georgia and Tennessee cavalry returning from a secret expedition, and every one along the road was deceived by it, as they thought we were purposely disguised in blue clothes. Passing Estillville, crossing Scott county, Virginia, and fording the north fork of the Holston at night, we reached Blountsville, Tennessee, at eight A. M. The Ninth Pennsylvania and Seventh Ohio were halted here an hour, and the Second Michigan were pressed forward six miles to Union Station, where the East Tennessee railroad crosses the south fork of Holston on an expensive bridge 1,000 feet long. Here, as we had understood from our prisoners of last night, were stationed three companies of the Sixtysecond North Carolina confederate troops under Major McDowell. After all our marches, toils and trials, here was to be tested the complete surprise and success of our expedition, or we were to be met by the enemy, repulsed and driven back over the mountains without accomplishing our object. It was a moment for anxious thought on the part of General Carter, which was fully shared by each one in the expedition from highest to lowest. As it proved, the Almighty was pleased to bless our cause, for never was surprise more complete. We had outtravelled all Turning with a sigh from all this wealth of certain information, but rumors of a coming host natural beauty, thinking how much it would be had preceded us like the mutterings of a thunder endeared to us could the loved ones at home be storm. Within eighty rods of the station Serat our side to appreciate it, and pondering on geant Whitemore, Co. A, commanding the Michithe thought of how far distant was the day when gan Videttes, met six citizens riding up; they we could visit it with smiling peace waving her asking who our troops were, were answered First wing over the land, we looked the present toils Georgia Cavalry. They were delighted, shook and dangers fully in the face, and strode man-hands with the Sergeant and said, "The d-d fully on. Passing north up Poor Valley to avoid Yankees were in Estillville, fifteen miles off, alarming Jonesville, we forded Powell's river five thousand strong" that " they had raised a and crossed Lee county during the night, reach- hundred men besides the troop, and were going ing Wallen's Ridge at sunrise, where resting out into the country to raise more men to defend two hours, cooking our coffee and toasting our meat on long sticks or eating it raw (as many preferred), and feeding our horses with the corn we carried over the Cumberland we pushed on for Tennessee, crossing Powell's mountain. At

This Crank pass has the singular appearance of having fallen two hundred feet into some subterranean gulf, the pass being level for a quarter of a mile in width, winding over the mountains in a curve between the buttressed walls for more than half a mile, with the rocks torn sheer down from both sides, leaving the singular rock walls overhanging. The pass has the same me kind of soil and trees on it that cap the rock battlements, and to soften the wild scene, were glassy glades around a dilapidated house, where some mountaineer had once built him a home, now abandoned. Below his house the sounds of falling water greeted our ears as we crossed the sunken pass, through an avenue of hemlocks and gigantic rhododendrons, intermingled with isolated rocks, moss covered by the falling waters, that were of such enormous sizes as would have made dwellings for the Genii or the Titans.

the post-that the Major was coming along right up and the Sergeant would meet him before he got to the bridge." Col. Carter came up to the citizens at that moment and passed them to the rear. The Sergeant told him he would

go down to meet the Major. He said, "Yes, do Love, of the Sixty-second North Carolina, a so." The Sergeant moved forward to a sharp Major, a Captain and a telegraphic staff coming curve in the road and saw the Major and two up to ascertain why the telegraph would not citizens, at sixty rods' distance, talking to the work. Five minutes sufficed to put a guard on sentinels at the bridge. He came back out of the locomotive and run her down after us, and sight, dismounted three men and himself, sent we were again on our way and on the alert. It the horses back to the column halted up the road, had been raining slowly all day and now came and secreted his men in a fence corner behind on heavily. Nearing the rebel camp, Col. Carthe road curve to await the Major's coming. ter, who knew all the ground, arranged the attack, When the Major and the two citizens came up, Col. Walker assisting. Companies A and F, conversing about the "Yankees" to within five Second Michigan, dismounted on the right; the feet of the ambush, they were appalled by the twelve rifles of Company A, Ninth Pennsylvania sight of the bright revolving rifles close to their Cavalry, in the centre, and Company D, Seventh heads at full cock. The Sergeant said, "You are Ohio, with their rifles, on the left, were to surmy prisoners." Involuntarily they halt, wheel round the camp, the balance of the rifles being their horses to flee, when a sharp halt! brought posted as rear guard and on the left of the road, them to front face again. The Sergeant and then it was to be summoned to surrender, moved them up toward the column. Colonel to save useless bloodshed. Unfortunately there Campbell had come to the point with Colonel were some rebel soldiers on the ourtskirts of the Carter. Colonel Campbell addressed the Major, camp chopping wood, six of whom were captured took his hand and told him he had come to take as the troops deployed, but two ran in and his post, and if he did not surrender uncondi- alarmed the camp. A shot was fired by some tionally he would take it at any rate; saying one on the left, and the attack became general. also, "My men are posted to fire on you The rebels were under arms and the firing was you have not a moment to lose to avoid use- very heavy on both sides for the numbers enless bloodshedding. The Major wrote a note gaged, for ten minutes, when the Ninth Pennsyl to the Captain in command at the post and vania, followed by the Seventh Ohio, charged advised its surrender. It was sent down with a on the camp pistol in hand, and the enemy fled. flag of truce and the place was surrendered at Companies C and D and the balance of Company once; the rifles peering across the Holston from A, Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, had been formed the hill commanding the camp being persuaders in fours around the hill to charge with sabre too potent to be gainsaid. The telegraph was should there be resistance. When the firing instantly destroyed before an intimation of our slacked they were ordered to charge, and did so, presence could be conveyed and the railroad on the camp. Finding it almost abandoned, bridge fired. The two hundred prisoners (who they galloped over the Watauga. Companies C appeared to be rejoiced) were placed under and D filed left into a ploughed field to head off guard, and the Ninth Pennsylvanian and Seventh the retreating enemy. Company A kept the Ohio ordered forward from the Blountsville road. road, and at full charge came on them drawn up On their arriving, an expedition was ordered in two ranks by the roadside. Capt. Jones under Colonel Walker and Colonel Carter to ordering them to throw down their arms at thirty capture and burn the bridge nine miles south-paces, the rebels were so startled by the rush of west across Watauga river, consisting of compan-horses and glancing of sabres that they all obeyed ies A, C, and D, the twelve rifles of Co. B, fifteen the order, but a half dozen, who came near losing of Co. F, Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry; compa- their lives by not doing so. There were two nies A, and F, Second Michigan Cavalry, and two lieutenants and seventy-two men who surrencompanies of the Seventh Ohio Cavalry. The dered and saved much blood-shedding. They balance of the troops were kept back by Gen- were making their way to a log house close at eral Carter to destroy the county bridge, the hand -a capital fortress which we would turn-table, cars, ammunition, camp and commis- have been compelled to have stormed at once. sary stores, and to follow us down to Watauga Companies C and D went down the road and and defend our rear from the enemy's 800 troops overhauled sixteen more. The short, sharp action at Bristol, fourteen miles by railway, and Hum- cost several lives. One man of Company D, phrey Marshall's force at Abingdon, thirty miles Seventh Ohio, shot dead; one man of Company off by railway. At five miles out the Watauga A, Second Michigan, mortally wounded in the expedition heard a whistle. The troops were abdomen, and two of the twelve men, Company instantly dismounted and ambushed at both ends A, Ninth Pennsylvania, wounded in the leg; one and besides a deep cut, a rail cut out with our had to be amputated and the man left with the axes in front, and men ambushed with orders to rebel wounded. Of the rebel forces, there were cut out a rail in her rear the instant the engine two killed and fifteen wounded. Our surgeon ran into the deep cut-all in less time than it assisted in dressing their wounded, and two of takes me to write it. A locomotive and tender our wounded men were left at the station, Col. came in sight, ran into the cut, saw the rail out, Love and Lieut. Hill promising they should have reversed and backed out instanter, but not be- the same care as their own men. The two Lieufore the rail was up in their rear, and they were tenants, Hill and - -, of the Sixty-second fully caged on the rifles peering over the bank. North Carolina, fought their commands with We had gotten a prize, having captured Col. great gallantry. What a pity that it should be

exerted in so evil a cause as the disruption of their country.

were moved from Rogersville to Kingsport to intercept us; but we passed between "Scylla" on Our prisoners were all paroled on the road, the one hand and " Charybdis" on the other, and here, amounting to near four hundred and and came out ahead of them all. While on our fifty, inclusive of one Colonel, two Majors, two rout to Kingsport, a man by the roadside told Captains and five Lieutenants. It was now dark. me that the infantry and artillery stationed there The telegraph was instantly destroyed, the camp had crossed our route six hours before marching and the bridge fired, the arms broken and put to Blountsville, expecting to intercept us there. on the locomotive, and after the bridge had fall- While on the high ridge above Kingsport we en, steam was drawn on the engine and she was had a beautiful view of a snowy mountain, illumrun over the abutment on to the burning mass ined by the setting sun. At fifty miles distance below with a great crash. In our haste to ex- towered up the black mountain of North Caropedite these matters we lost a prize of another lina, six thousand nine hundred feet in the air, locomotive and train that came up in sight at the the highest land in the old United States proper, burning bridge, reversed her wheels and scudded standing like Saul a full head and shoulders over down the road toward Knoxville. Jeff Davis all his companions. It looked exceedingly rughimself might have been on the train. It is the ged at that great distance, with its rude cononly thing we have to reproach ourselves for dur- cave side towards us, seamed and furrowed by ing the expedition as being left undone, or half tremendous chasms from top to bottom. It had done. There were two hundred and fifty cav- a crest of two or three miles in length, and is alry came up after dark to reinforce the infan- crescent-shaped on top, very steep on both ends, try. Hearing of the fight they wheeled about and towering so high above all others, seemed and marched over into North Carolina, report- not to be a member of any chain of mountains ing there were thirty thousand of us at the rail- that I could perceive in the distance. For an way. Our men were ordered to feed their horses isolated mountain it was very picturesque in apon the rebel corn, and rest for a few hours; but pearance, and was beautified by being covered there was no rest after the excitement of the with snow, while the surrounding landscape was day and night, and at one o'clock on the night of dark. It looked a-rifted, inaccessible, and unDecember 30th, we commenced our retreat, and inhabitable as the high Alps of Switzerland. by strategy to baffle the enemy that our scouts Riding at night down the South Holston at told us were massing to cut us off and pursue us. Kingsport, there a broad and beautiful stream We felt confident they must be great adepts if fit for steamboating, we were fired upon from they could outmanœuvre Gen. and Col. Carter over the river, the bullets whistling over our and our guides. Our poor horses were sinking heads and striking the fence between our horses. under the severe toil of marching, and it became I got tired at the one-sided arrangement and ora matter of prime military necessity to replenish dered some of my lads, who are adepts with their the stock or leave straggling men on our re- rifles, to try some long shots in the moonlight — treat. Every man having a worn-out horse was dismounted; they never require a second bidsent out with a sergeant or corporal to trade ding for that kind of work, and the popping from off his horse at any farm-house right or left, day over the river was quickly ended. I cannot tell and night, leaving his own horse in exchange, it if there was "anybody hurt," but we came off taking only one to make a horse-trade Morgan clear. After fording the north Holston at its fashion. Some hundreds of horses were thus junction with the main stream, we marched on pressed into the service, but some six unwary to a very fine and extensive farm, where the men fell behind the column and were captured horses were fed and the men had their coffee. by the rebel troops that were following us at a The night had become unusually nipping, and safe distance for themselves in our rear. I find large fires with fence-rails were a great luxury that the Richmond papers give us the credit of to benumbed fingers and toes. The enemy would doing no marauding, nor injury to private prop-not let us rest in peace to enjoy our coffee, but erty. Our scouts informed us that five hours after we left Watauga river the enemy had sixteen hundred infantry and four pieces of artillery brought up by railway from Jonesboro or Greenville, and put upon our trail. We laughed at the idea of footmen and field-pieces following up the paths we came across the farms and lanes and ravines. Our guides certainly must have been coon-hunting over that country all their lives at dark nights, to have guided us so unerringly. We got so that we left the horses to follow up in the dark, and although it felt sometimes as if both horse and saddle were going from under one and we going to perdition, we came out all right on the ravine bottom at last. Humphrey Marshall moved troops from Abingdon to Blountsville on our right, and troops

kept popping at us from the hill-tops occasionally. There was quite a little skirmish back in town. Some of the cavalry following us up had the audacity after dark to attack Col. Carter, his orderly and a private, at a hotel in Kingsport, where he was acquainted, and had halted behind the column to appease his hunger. Some twenty or thirty shots were exchanged in the dark. The orderly got a ball through his hand, and our force of three were compelled to beat a retreat to camp across the North Fork. Our pickets dashed into the town, but the enemy had fled and all was quiet again. After resting three hours, we were in the saddle again at midnight, understanding there were some two hundred cavalry forward of us whom we desired to capture. Our advance came near their camp near