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rebels shot and shell whenever oppor- in number, managed to swim the river tunity offered.

and escaped. Shackelford followed the rebel leader in a westerly direction nearly sixty miles, when he came up with him and his men, who, after a brief fight, gave themselves up. It turned out, however, that only a small part of Morgan's force was captured at this time; the cunning raider having slipped away with 600 men for another race. Somewhat exasperated at this result, Shackelford and his brave helpers continued the pursuit, starting at daybreak on the 21st of July. For sev

Having burned the bridge over the Scioto River, on the 16th of July, Morgan passed through Piketown, which surrendered at once, to Jackson, where he was joined by his whole force. Thence, on the 18th, he pushed rapidly for the Ohio, near Pomeroy, hoping to make his escape into Kentucky. Trees were cut down and laid across the roads, and everything was done to impede his progress. In the course of the afternoon, however, the rebels reached the Ohio, at Buffington Island, near Pome-eral days and nights they followed hin roy, where they made a desperate at tempt to ford the river. But they were driven back, the gun boats lending efficient aid; and the next day, being hemmed in and vigorously attacked, they surrendered.* Dick Morgan, Basil Duke, and over 700 men fell into our hands, with all their ill-gotten plun der; but John Morgan was not with them. Shackelford at once started in pursuit. Another effort was made to get across the Ohio, about fourteen miles above Buffington, where a portion of Johnson's regiment, some 300

* The scene of the action at Buffington, and all the

roads in the vicinity, were literally strewn with the

in his zig-zag course, his appetite for wanton plundering and destruction unappeased. By burning the bridges, and in other ways, he managed to put off the evil day for a brief period; but Shackelford was not to be baffled or wearied out. On the morning of July 26th, when near New Lisbon, he finally came up with and caught the noted trooper, who, with about 400 of his men surrendered. The next day, he was taken to Cincinnati and placed for safe keeping in the Ohio penitentiary.*

This troublesome matter having been thus disposed of, in the way above nar rated, Burnside was at liberty to con tinue his preparations for the long in tended advance into East Tennessee.

fruits of their raiding operations, and their army equipments. There were buggies, rockaways, spring and lumber wagons, without number; rolls of silk, muslin, calico, and other dry goods; bags full of men's clothing, hats, boots, and shoes, linen, laces, kid gloves, * Morgan was placed here for lack of a proper mili cutlery, men's and women's under garments-even tary prison. Some four months afterwards, on the children's petticoats-lying about in every direction, 28th of November, he managed to escape, with six mingled with carbines, shot guns, rifles, sabres, pistols, others, and in December he was heard from, advertising and cartridge-boxes. Many of the latter were found to in a southern paper for recruits to form a new band of contain jewelry instead of ammunition. The woods followers. Pollard is quite jubilant over Morgan's were full of horses and mules. In places the ground" brilliant expedition." He says that M. destroyed was covered with pieces of greenbacks and other cur- thirty-four important bridges, and in the way of steamrency, stolen and torn by the rebels on surrendering. boats, railroads, public stores, depots, etc., destroyed We are sorry to say, that very little, if any, of this spoil not less than $10,000,000 worth.-" Third Year of the ever found its way back to its rightful owners. War," p. 104.

CH. L.]

1863.

BURNSIDE'S MARCH TO KNOXVILLE,

345

The 9th army corps had been detach- don, twenty-five miles. On the 24th, ed from Burnside's command to rein- he made Williamsburg, thirty miles force Gen. Grant. This had somewhat further south. On the 26th, he was delayed Burnside's proceedings, and he joined by Hartsuff, at Chetwood, twenwas at last compelled to make his ar- ty-eight miles from Williamsburg. rangements independently of the sup- The enemy being reported near, he diport and presence of his favorite corps. rected a cavalry regiment to reconnoitre Rosecrans, with whom Burnside was to toward Jackborough. From Chetwood co-operate, had pushed forward his lines the march was continued across New as far as Winchester. On the 16th of River up the Cumberland Mountains August, he crossed the Cumberland to Montgomery, Tenn., forty-two miles Mountains, reached the Tennessee River distant on the summit of the range, on the 26th, established his headquar- where the column arrived on the 30th ters at Stevenson, Alabama, and of August. Here it was met by Gen. was ready for further advance. White's command. Col. Burt having Burnside, on his part, was actively en- been sent forward with a cavalry brigaged in his portion of the work. On gade, reported that the rebel Gen. Pethe same day that Rosecrans left Win- gram, with a body of cavalry, held a chester, August 16th, he left Camp very strong position at the gap near Nelson and started for Lexington. His Emory Iron Works, leading into Clinch plan was to make his way by unfre- River Valley. Additional troops were quented roads, and thus take the rebels sent forward with the expectation of a by surprise. Having arranged his force, battle on the morning of the 31st, but about 18,000 in number, to march in with daylight it was discovered that three columns, the first set out by way enemy had fled. of London, under the commanding general; the second, consisting of the 23d army corps, under Gen. Hartsuff, by way of Somerset; and the third, under Gen. J. White, by way of Jamestown, Kentucky.

On the 20th of August, Burnside reached Crab Orchard, by way of Danville and Stanford. On the 22d, he marched to Mount Vernon, twenty miles, and on the following day to Lon

* On the importance to the rebels of holding East Tennessee, as well as its importance to the Union arms,

and also respecting the sufferings and trials, of the
most terrible description, of loyal men in that region,

see Woodbury's "Burnside and the Ninth Army
Corps," p. 303; also, Pollard's "Second Year of the
War," p. 204.
VOL. IV. 44.

the

The road to Knoxville was now clear. Having reached Emory River, seventeen miles from Montgomery, Gen. Burnside ordered Col. Foster, with a mounted brigade, to make a forced march over a direct road to Kingston, six miles further. Being anxious to save the most extensive and important bridge over the Tennessee, at Loudon, twenty miles from Kingston, Burnside directed Shackelford, with his cavalry brigade, to push on as rapidly as possible; but they were unable to prevent its being burned by the rebels.

The rebel commander in this region, Buckner, was astounded by the sudden appearance of Burnside's force, and not

had abused its facilities, and the power of the Union became supreme. The frantic and desperate efforts which the rebels subsequently made to regain their lost authority were all completely

1863.

knowing what to expect, he instantly tion was taken from the hands that evacuated East Tennessee, and left in such a hurry as not to find time to apprize the rebels at Cumberland Gap of his movements, or to give them any orders as to the course they were now to pursue. Thus Burnside, after a very foiled. Their season of triumph had severe and trying march across the passed. Their doom was sealed." Cumberland Mountains, of some 250 Just before leaving Kentucky, Burnmiles in two weeks' time, found him- side ordered Colonel De Courcy, with self master of the situation. a brigade of infantry, to march upon Cumberland Gap by the direct route. through London and Barboursville. Learning, on the 4th of September, that the rebel force defending the Gap was strong, and likely to offer resistance, he dispatched Shackelford, with his brigade, on the 5th, from Knoxville, with instructions to seize all avenues of escape to the south. He followed himself, with another body of infantry and cavalry, on the 7th, and arrived within four miles of the Gap on the 9th, after a forced march of sixty miles. De Courcy and Shackel ford had both demanded a surrender which Frazier, the rebel commander refused. On Burnside's arrival, the de mand was renewed, and after some par leying acceded to. In explanation of the extraordinary isolation in which Frazier was left, rebel officers asserted that Bragg had peremptorily ordered him to remain. Fourteen pieces of artillery and 2,000 prisoners were captured at Cumberland Gap, and its loss was pronounced, by a rebel journal, to be "one of the most disgraceful occur rences of the war."*

The advance, under Col. Foster, entered Knoxville on the 1st of September, and two days later, Burnside was welcomed there with enthusiasm and joy rarely if ever equalled during the war. It was, in fact, a perfect ovation which met the deliverers upon their entrance. The town was decorated with flags, some of which had been hidden for more than two years; and the people, lining the roads and streets, cried out, "Welcome, Gen. Burnside, welcome to East Tennessee!" "Bless the Lord! The old flag's come back to Tennessee!" A public meeting was held, at which Burnside made some appropriate remarks, and the citizens congratulated themselves upon their deliverance from the grinding despotism under which they had so long groaned. A large amount of public property claimed by the rebel authorities, as machine shops, foundries, cars, locomotives, etc., fell into Burnside's hands. About 2,000,000 pounds of salt, a large quantity of wheat (the fruits of the tithe tax), and many thousand bags were also taken. "From that day," says Woodbury, "the rebel rule in East Tennessee was ended, the great western line of rebel communica- terms:-"The country was painfully surprised by the

*Davis, in his message to the rebel Congress, subsequently spoke of this surrender in the following

CH. I.]

POSITION OF OUR FORCES.

347

emergency. By the middle of September, he had taken effectual steps to guard a line of 176 miles in length from the left of Rosecrans, with whom he was in direct communication, nearly to the Virginia boundary.

Gen. Halleck congratulated Burnside on his success, and went on to say: "It is important that all the available forces of your command be pushed forward into East Tennessee.

Meantime, a column of cavalry ascended the Valley to Bristol, driving the enemy across the Virginia line, and destroyed the railroad bridges over the Holston and Watauga Rivers, so as to prevent the return of the rebels into East Tennessee. The main body of Burnside's army was now ordered by the general-in-chief to concentrate on the Tennessee River, from Loudon west, in order to connect with Rosecrans's army, which reached Chatta- All your scattered forces should be nooga on the 9th of September. Burn- concentrated there. So long as we side, not being in good health, wished to resign; but the president refused to accept his resignation at that date. He accordingly put his troops in motion to occupy the different points necessary to guard-his line of defence, the Holston River, and to hold the gaps of the North Carolina mountains. The rebels under Gen. S. Jones, about 10,000 in number, were making all the resistance in their power, harassing our outposts and watching for opportunities of attack; but Burnside, by his activity and zeal, was fully equal to the

hold Tennessee, Kentucky is perfectly safe. Move down your infantry as rapidly as possible toward Chattanooga, to connect with Rosecrans. Bragg may merely hold the passes of the mountains to cover Atlanta, and move his main army through Northern Alabama, to reach the Tennessee River and turn Rosecrans's right, and cut off his supplies. In this case he will turn Chattanooga over to you, and move to intercept Bragg." On the 17th of September, Burnside received another dispatch from Halleck, at Washington, dated the 14th, which read thus: "There are several reasons why you should reinforce Rosecrans with all pos

Intelligence that the officer in command of Cumberland Gap had surrendered that important and easily defensible pass, without firing a shot, upon the sum-sible dispatch. It is believed that the mons of a force still believed to have been inadequate enemy will concentrate to give him bat

to its reduction, and when reinforcements were within

supporting distance, and had been ordered to his aid.

The entire garrison, including the commander, being

still held prisoners by the enemy, I am unable to sug

gest any explanation of this disaster, which laid open Eastern Tennessee and South-western Virginia to hos tile operations, and broke the line of communication between the seat of government and Middle Tennessee."

tle. You must be there to help him."

Leaving, for the present, Burnside and the operations required at his hands, we turn to the movements of Rosecrans and the important results consequent thereupon.

CHAPTER II.

1863.

DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND: ADVANCE TO CHATTANOOGA: BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA.

-

Position of Rosecrans and his army- Rebel attack on Fort Donelson repulsed-Colburn and his force captured by the rebels-Various skirmishes, raids and contests of minor importance - Rosecrans's preparations— Execution of spies - Army begins to advance in June- Position of Bragg and his forces Rosecrans's plan successfully carried out-Advance on Chattanooga in August — Progress of the army across the Cum berland Mountains — Chattanooga evacuated by the rebels-Halleck's fears - Rosecrans's reply-Reinforce ments called in from every direction - Hooker sent out with 11th and 12th corps - Scant supplies - Bragg's movements-Address to his soldiers Rosecrans's position for battle-Bragg begins the battle-Description of the battle of Chickamauga — Heavy losses — Rosecrans falls back on Chattanooga — Bragg's movements to cut off supplies - The separate commands combined-Gen. Grant in charge of the Military Division of the Mississippi, embracing the departments of the Ohio, of the Cumberland, and of the TennesseeRosecrans relieved of his command - Gens. Thomas, Sherman, and Burnside in command of the several departments.

AFTER the battle of Murfreesborough | my began in the afternoon by throwing (see p. 253), several months were spent by Gen. Rosecrans and the Army of the Cumberland in bringing up supplies, opening lines of communication, and establishing a base of operations for an advance upon the rebels at Chattanooga. Various raids and skirmishes occurred in this interval, the rebels manifesting much activity, and interfering seriously with Rosecrans's supplies, but not gaining any special or permanent advantages. Several of these assaults and engagements may properly here be noted.

On the 3d of February, an attack was made upon Fort Donelson by the rebels under Wheeler and Forrest, with about 4,000 men and eight pieces of artillery. Col. A. C. Harding was in command of the post, with 1863. about 500 available men of his regiment, one company of cavalry, and Floyd's battery of artillery. The ene

solid shot into the fort, and made seve
ral feints at storming the works. For-
rest twice sent a flag of truce, urging
his superior force and demanding a sur
render, which Harding resolutely re-
fused. At eight o'clock in the even-
ing, the enemy had invested the work
on three sides to the river above and
below, and were about pressing the
final attack which, as the defenders
were nearly out of ammunition, pro-
mised to be successful. At this mo-
ment, however, a number of gunboats,
under Capt. Fitch, which were convoy.
ing transports from below, opportunely
arrived on the spot, and warned of the
attack, skilfully opened fire upon the
assailants. The gun boats, effectively
placed, speedily drove off the enemy.
Their loss in killed and wounded was
not less than 900. Col. Harding's loss
was
thirteen killed and fifty-one

wounded.

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