ration at the wonderful works of God, or in sunset we reached the broad and swift Clinch rapturous comment as the soft moonlight silvered river; fording it, we halted at a very picturesque o'er and smoothed the ruggedness of each nat-spot, where was a large old-time mansion and the ural "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.

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 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 bemlocks 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.

Turning with a sigh from all this wealth of natural beauty, thinking how much it would be endeared to us could the loved ones at home be at our side to appreciate it, and pondering on the thought of how far distant was the day when we could visit it with smiling peace waving her wing over the land, we looked the present toils and dangers fully in the face, and strode manfully on. Passing north up Poor Valley to avoid alarming Jonesville, we forded Powell's river and crossed Lee county during the night, reaching Wallen's Ridge at sunrise, where resting 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

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 certain information, but rumors of a coming host had preceded us like the mutterings of a thunder storm. Within eighty rods of the station Sergeant Whitemore, Co. A, commanding the Michigan Videttes, met six citizens riding up; they asking who our troops were, were answered First Georgia Cavalry. They were delighted, shook hands with the Sergeant and said, "The d-d Yankees were in Estillville, fifteen miles off, five thousand strong that "they had raised a hundred men besides the troop, and were going out into the country to raise more men to defend 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

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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 Pennsylto 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.

19

not to be a member of any chain of mountains that I could perceive in the distance. For an isolated mountain it was very picturesque in appearance, and was beautified by being covered with snow, while the surrounding landscape was dark. It looked a-rifted, inaccessible, and uninhabitable as the high Alps of Switzerland. Riding at night down the South Holston at Kingsport,

were moved from Rogersville to Kingsport to inOur prisoners were all paroled on the road, the one hand and "Charybdis tercept us; but we passed between "Scylla" on 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 on the other, 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. below with a great crash. In our haste to ex- towered up the black mountain of North CaroAt fifty miles distance pedite 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, reporting there were thirty thousand of us at the railway. Our men were ordered to feed their horses on the rebel corn, and rest for a few hours; but there was no rest after the excitement of the day and night, and at one o'clock on the night of December 30th, we commenced our retreat, and by strategy to baffle the enemy that our scouts told us were massing to cut us off and pursue us. We felt confident they must be great adepts if they could outmanœuvre Gen. and Col. Carter and our guides. Our poor horses were sinking under the severe toil of marching, and it became a matter of prime military necessity to replenish the stock or leave straggling men on our retreat. Every man having a worn-out horse was sent out with a sergeant or corporal to trade off his horse at any farm-house right or left, day and night, leaving his own horse in exchange, it taking only one to make a horse-trade Morgan fashion. Some hundreds of horses were thus pressed into the service, but some six unwary men fell behind the column and were captured by the rebel troops that were following us at a safe distance for themselves in our rear. that the Richmond papers give us the credit of I find doing no marauding, nor injury to private property. 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

fit for steamboating, we were fired upon from there a broad and beautiful stream over the river, the bullets whistling over our heads and striking the fence between our horses. I got tired at the one-sided arrangement and ordered some of my lads, who are adepts with their rifles, to try some long shots in the moonlightdismounted; they never require a second bidding for that kind of work, and the popping from over the river was quickly ended. I cannot tell if there was "anybody hurt," but we came off clear. After fording the north Holston at its junction with the main stream, we marched on to a very fine and extensive farm, where the horses were fed and the men had their coffee. The night had become unusually nipping, and to benumbed fingers and toes. large fires with fence-rails were a great luxury not let us rest in peace to enjoy our coffee, but kept popping at us from the hill-tops occasionally. The enemy would 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

Clinch river, but they fled and our poor horses my at Jonesville, one of my men said he was were too jaded to pursue them. The "bush-hungry. I had entirely forgotten that I had not whackers" had quite a busy time, popping at us eaten for twenty-four hours, and felt no symptoms crossing Clinch river. Rested at night for a few of hunger, and told him that we might yet have hours on a limestone mountain, and exchanged a two days' fight up the cliffs of the Cumberland a few long shots with the enemy to no purpose. mountain without coffee, and I felt as if I would Started at daybreak, without breakfast or horse- be able to stand it for three. We moved on to feed, on our last long day's march to the Cum- the foot of the mountain, and now there was the berland mountain, crossing Powell's mountain, excitement to know whose horse would reach river, and valley. The "bushwhackers" here the top and whose would fail. They were all had an unusually busy day at it, even for them, very carefully handled, but many a one of them lively as they are. But they are either miser- failed, and the poor cavalryman would be seen able shots or have miserable guns, for they have breaking up his saddle with a rock and cutting not touched a man since we left the railroad, ex- up the leather with a knife to prevent secesh cept Col. Carter's orderly, shot in the hand-to- from using it. The poor horse wanted no hand fight; whereas two of the Michigan sharp-quietus; he generally dropped dead in his efforts shooters "incontinently" rolled two of them to scale a rock, and fell over out of the path, exdown the rocks at about seven hundred yards. cept one that made a convenient stepping-place While I was fording Powell's river, they were for his more fortunate fellow horse. There must darting in and out among the trees and rocky have been thirty horses fallen dead ascending hill-tops, and throwing down some lead in a very the Cumberland. The men shouldered their spiteful way, but did no damage. I concluded, blankets, gave one last look at their steed stiffafter crossing and seeing one fellow blazing away ening in the keen frosty night air, and clambered among the rocks, to try and cure him with a on over the rocks. When I reached the topmost little saltpetre, as salt was scarce, and called two crest I cried, " All hail, Kentucky!" and stretchof my lads out of the ranks. One of them drew ed out my arm as if to grasp and welcome a long a sight on him, and he cut up some very ludi-lost friend. The excitement was over, and I crous antics for a sane man. He flew round and scrabbled about among the rocks, and then made a dart up the hill, rattling down the stones at an alarming rate; he bounced about it as if burnt with a hot iron, and not at all pleased with the impression made.

felt faint and giddy. I scarcely know how I got down; and when I reached the little valley at the foot of the mountain, and had a fire of rails kindled, fatigue overpowered all the animal wants and ailments, and the moment I lay down upon the frozen earth, I was fast asleep, and so At Jonesville, Va., the rebels had quite a continued until well shaken after sunrise. Our force. After our column had passed they en- horses had corn here, but we were on short ragaged our rear guard of the Seventh Ohio, and tions. The ground was frozen hard, and all the we were all halted, the General sending back the shoes had been put on the horses' feet, and none rifles of Co. B, Ninth Pa. Cavalry, to deploy as short of Richmond or Nicholasville. There had skirmishers and engage them in the open field, been no kegs of shoes brought to McKees with and Co. D, Ninth Pa., with sabres. It was un- the corn, and the prospects ahead were dark for derstood that they expected to engage our at- the men who had limping horses whose feet were tention, so long as to enable a force to move worn to the quick. I saw them cut up clothes around by Poor valley, occupy the mountain and blankets and tie them on their feet, but it pass, engage our front, and have us between two did no good; nothing but iron would answer fires. We were crossing at our old gap (only on the frozen and rocky creek beds and gullies twenty miles from the Cumberland Gap), con- which formed our path. We had been signally trary to their expectations. There was some favored by Providence with unfrozen roads in little firing on our front, and quite a brisk little the enemy's country, but now they were telling skirmish in the rear. As usual they kept at too on horse-flesh. Every day a score or more of great a distance for their shooting and did no men were compelled to drop their horses and harm, but there were several rebels shot down shoulder their muskets. There was no murby our rear guard and skirmishers, among whom muring; nor did I hear a whimper from any were some Michigan rifles, when they concluded man who marched twenty or thirty miles in a to draw off and let us go on our "winding way," day (all unused to walking as he was), with his which we did without further molestation. We boots worn and torn, and his feet on the rocks had made a very severe day's march, with a and frozen ground. Two days after our arrival little sprinkling of fighting, and nothing to eat on Kentucky soil, we encountered a storm, which since the night before for man or beast, and raised all the Tennessee rivers and made them while we were at Jonesville, there was a very unfordable. Two days after our arrival here at fair prospect of a regular mountain battle for the Nicholasville, has come upon us the heaviest possession of the pass. I had been giddy from snow-storm for many years. I lift my hands want of food and rest, while marching down to in praise when I think of our escape from this Watauga, but did not feel it much during the ex- storm among the mountains, and shudder at the citement of the homeward march. I slept on thought of what would have been the condition my horse during the bushwhacking of the day; of man and beast there without food or forage. and while waiting for the rear to scatter the ene-We should have been compelled to adopt the