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88

THE CONFEDERATES UNEASY.

engaging the Confederate batteries, protecting the transports, and covering the re-embarkation. Indeed, to Captains Walke and Stemble, who managed their craft with the greatest skill and efficiency, the country was mostly indebted for the salvation of that little army from destruction or capture.' At five o'clock in the afternoon, the flotilla, with the entire force, was on its way back to Cairo, carrying away two of Beltzhoover's heavy guns, the others having been recaptured. Grant had lost four hundred and eighty-five men,' and Polk six hundred and thirty-two. Cotemporaries and eye-witnesses on both sides related many deeds of special daring by individuals.

3

The repulse of Grant did not relieve the Confederates of a sense of impending great danger, for intelligence was continually reaching Columbus of the increase of National forces on the Ohio border. General Mansfield Lovell, then in command at New Orleans, was solicited to send up re-enforcements; and Governor Pettus, of Mississippi, and Governor Rector, of Arkansas, were implored for aid. But these men perceived the peril threatened by the land and water campaign commanded by Fremont, which events had sufficiently developed to make it fully suspected by the Confederates, and they dared not spare a man. Lovell answered that he had no more troops than were necessary to defend New Orleans, whilst both Pettus and Rector considered themselves deficient in strength for the expected conflict. Gov

ernor Harris, of Tennessee, was urged to increase his efforts in Nov. 14, raising volunteers. He had telegraphed to Pillow," saying: "I 1861. congratulate you and our gallant volunteers upon their bloody

but brilliant and glorious victory;" and a week later he added, “I am organizing, as rapidly as possible, thirty thousand volunteers and militia, armed with country guns." The hope thus held out was fallacious, for nearly all the troops that Harris could then muster, by force or persuasion, were soon needed in the interior of his State, in keeping in check the Loyalists of East

and having had his horse shot three times. Grant's horse was also shot under him. Colonel Dougherty, of the Twenty-second Illinois, was three times wounded, and finally taken prisoner. Major McClurken, of the Thirtieth Illinois, and Colonel Lauman, of the Seventh Iowa, were badly wounded. Among the killed were Colonel Wentz, of the Seventh Iowa, Captains Brolaski and Markle, and Lieutenant Dougherty. The Twenty-second Illinois lost 23 killed and 74 wounded; and the Seventh Iowa had 26 killed and 80 wounded, including nearly all of its field officers. The loss of property was estimated at 25 baggage wagons, 100 horses, 1,000 overcoats, and 1,000 blankets. One man was killed and two wounded on the gunboats.

Among the Confederates killed was Colonel John V. Wright, of the Thirteenth Tennessee, and Major Butler, of the Eleventh Louisiana. Wright was a Democratic Congressman, and an intimate friend of Colonel Philip B. Fouke, of the Illinois Volunteers. "When they parted at the close of the session of 1860–61," says Mr. Greeley, (American Conflict, i. 597), Wright said to his friend, Phil, I expect the next time we meet it will be on the battle-field.' Their next meeting was in this bloody struggle."

1 After the transports had departed from before Columbus, and gone some distance up the river, followed by the gunboats, Captain Walke was informed that some of the troops had been left behind. He returned with the Tyler, and met detached parties along the banks. He succeeded in rescuing nearly all of the stragglers from capture.

2 Eighty-five killed, 801 wounded, and 99 missing. General Pillow, whose performances on this occasion were the least creditable, with his usual bombast and exaggerations, spoke in his report of his "small Spartan army" withstanding the constant fire of three times their number for four hours.-Pollard's First Year of the War, 203.

3 Official reports of Grant and Polk, and their subordinate officers; private letter of General Grant to his father, Nov. 8th, 1861; Grant's Revised Report, June 26th, 1865; Pollard's First Year of the War. The latter gives the Confederate loss as it is above recorded. MS. Reports of Acting Brigadier-General R. M. Russell, Nov. 9, and of Colonels E. Ricketts, Jr., and T. H. Bell, Nov. 11, 1861.

4 A little later, Governor Pettus changed his views, and, in a special message to the Mississippi Legislature, he suggested to that body the propriety of sending such troops as could "be immediately raised and armed, to assist in the defense of the important post of Columbus. I deem the safety of our position and forces at Columbus as of such vital importance to this State," he said, "as to claim the prompt and decisive action of all the State authorities."

KENTUCKY INVADED BY ZOLLICOFFER.

89

Tennessee; in aiding Zollicoffer in his invasion of Southeastern Kentucky, already alluded to;' and in supporting Buckner in his treasonable operations in his native State. Zollicoffer had advanced to Barboursville, the capital of Knox County, so early as the 19th of September, where he dispersed an armed band of Kentucky Unionists, and captured their camp. He proclaimed peace and security in person and property for all Kentuckians, excepting those who should be found in arms for the Union; but his soldiers could not be restrained, and the inhabitants of that region were mercilessly plundered by them.

Zollicoffer's invasion aroused the Unionists of Eastern Kentucky, and they flew to arms. A large number of them were mustering and organizing under Colonel Garrard, a plain, earnest, and loyal Kentuckian, at a point among the Rock Castle Hills known as Camp Wild Cat. It was in a most picturesque region of one of the spurs of the Cumberland Mountains, on the direct road from Cumberland Gap toward the rich "blue-grass region" of Kentucky. Upon this camp Zollicoffer advanced on the 18th of October, with seven regiments and a light battery. When intelligence of his approach was received, Colonel Garrard had only about six hundred effective men to oppose him. Others in sufficient numbers to insure a successful resistance were too remote to be available, for the invader moved swiftly, swooping down from the mountains like an eagle on its prey. Yet when he came, on the morning of the 21st," he found at Camp Wild Cat, besides Garrard's three regiments, a part of Colonel Coburn's Thirty-third Indiana, and Colonel Connell's Seventeenth Ohio regiments, and two hundred and fifty Kentucky cavalry, under Colonel Woolford, ready to resist him. With the latter came General Schoepf, an officer of foreign birth and military education, who assumed the chief command.

a October, 1861.

The position of the Unionists was strong. Zollicoffer with his Tennesseans and a body of Mississippi "Tigers" boldly attacked them, and was twice repulsed. The first attack was in the morning, the second in the afternoon. The latter was final. The contests had been very sharp, and the latter was decisive. The camp-fires of Zollicoffer's invaders were seen that evening in a sweet little valley two or three miles away from the battleground. Promptly and efficiently had Garrard's call for help been responded to, for toward the close of the second attack a portion of Colonel Steadman's Fourteenth Ohio also came upon the field to aid the Kentuckians, Indianians, and Ohioians already there; and when the invaders had withdrawn, others were seen dragging cannon wearily up the hill for the defense of Camp Wild Cat.

A little later a trial of strategy and skill occurred in the most eastern

1 Zollicoffer, like Polk, made necessity the pretext for scorning the neutrality of Kentucky. On the 14th of September he telegraphed to Governor Magoffin, informing him of his occupation of three mountain ranges in Kentucky, because it was evident that the Unionists in Eastern Kentucky were about to invade East Tennessee, to destroy the great railway and its bridges. He said, apologetically, that he had delayed that "precautionary movement," until it was evident that "the despotic Government at Washington" had determined to subjugate first Kentucky and then Tennessee, whom he regarded as twin sisters. With the old plea of the unrighteous, that “the end justifies the means," he declared that he felt a "religious respect for Kentucky's neutrality," and would continue to feel it, so long as the safety of the Confederate cause would permit. He issued an order at the same time, setting forth that he entered Kentucky to defend the soil of a sister State against an invading foe."

90

BATTLE OF PIKETON, KENTUCKY.

portion of Kentucky, between about three thousand loyalists, under General William Nelson, and a little more than a thousand insurgents, under Colonel

1861.

John S. Williams. The latter were at Piketon, the capital of Pike County, and were marched against by General Nelson's force from Prestonburg, on the Big Sandy a November, River. He sent Colonel Sill, with nearly one-half of that force,' to march by way of John's Creek to gain the rear of Williams at Piketon, whilst with the remainder he should move forward and attack his front, so bringing him between two fires, and compelling him to surrender. Some one, counting positively on success, telegraphed to Washington that this result had been accomplished, and that a thousand prisoners had surrendered. The whole country was thrilled by the good news, for it seemed as if a way was about to be opened for the relief and the arming of the suffering loyalists in East Tennessee.

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WILLIAM NELSON.

Truth soon told a different story. Nelson had moved on the 9th with his main column' directly toward Pikeville, twenty-eight miles distant, a battalion of Kentucky volunteers, under Colonel C. A. Marshall, in advance. They met picket-guards eight miles from that village. The road now lay along a narrow shelf cut in a high mountain side, ending in a steep ridge at Ivy Creek, which bent around it. There lay the Confederates in ambush, and did not fire until Marshall's battalion was close upon them. Then a volley was poured upon his men, and a sharp skirmish ensued. Confederates on the opposite side of the creek joined in the attack; but, after a contest of almost an hour and a half, all the insurgents fled, leaving thirty of their comrades dead on the field. How much greater was their loss was not ascertained. Nelson's loss was six killed and twenty-four wounded. He did not pursue far, and, as he had no cavalry, Williams escaped. The latter was too watchful and discreet to be caught in the trap laid for him by Nelson. Seeing his danger, he fled to the fastnesses of the mountains at Pound Gap, carrying with him a large amount of cattle and other spoils.

General Nelson entered Pikeville on the 10th, where he found Colonel Sill and his division, who, after fighting on the way, had arrived the previous evening, and given Williams's troops a few shot and shell when they departed. On the same day Nelson had the pleasure of saying to his troops, in an order issued from "Camp Hopeless Chase," that "In a campaign of twenty days,

1 Sill's troops for this occasion were the Thirty-third Ohio (his own regiment), a light battalion, under Major Hart, composed of portions of the Second, Thirty-third, and Fifty-ninth Ohio, and two Kentucky companies; one hundred and forty-two mounted men, mostly teamsters, commanded by Colonel Metcalf; thirty-six volunteers, under Colonel Apperson, and a section of artillery (two rifled 6-pounders), under Colonel Rober Vacher.

2 This was composed of the greater portions of the Second, Twenty-first, and Fifty-ninth Ohio Volunteers, under Colonels Harris, Norton, and Tyffe; a battalion of Kentucky volunteers, commanded by Colonel C. A. Marshall, and two sections of artillery, in charge of Captain Konkle.

RESULTS OF A FALSE ALARM.

91

you have driven the rebels from Eastern Kentucky, and given repose to that portion of the State." He alluded to their privations, and then said: "For your constancy and courage, I thank you, and, with the qualities which you have shown that you possess, I expect great things from you in the future." The East Tennessee patriots were compelled to wait and suffer longer. Bright hopes had been excited among them by the repulse of Zollicoffer at Camp Wild-Cat; and many from the great valley between the Allegheny and Cumberland ranges, had made their way to the camps of the Unionists in Kentucky, fully persuaded that they would soon return with a victorious host as liberators of East Tennessee. It might have been so, had not General Schoepf been deceived by false reports concerning the strength of the insurgents at the mountain gaps, and the movements of others who were occupying Bowling Green, in the heart of Kentucky, under General Buckner, and who at that time were too weak to make any aggressions. Startled by a report that a large force from Bowling Green was marching to strike his flank, Schoepf fell back hastily toward the Ohio, making two days' forced marches, and leaving behind him and along the road ample evidence of a precipitate and rather disastrous flight. Not a platoon of soldiers had gone out from Buckner's camp in that direction. That retrograde movement of Schoepf extinguished the hope of speedy relief in the hearts of the East Tennesseans.

Now, at the middle of November, the Confederates had obtained a firm foothold in Tennessee, and occupied a considerable portion of Southern Kentucky, from the mountains to the Mississippi River; also a greater portion of Missouri south of the Missouri River. At the same time the National authorities were making vigorous preparations to drive them southward. At this interesting point, let us leave the consideration of events westward of the Alleghenies for a time, and glance at stirring scenes eastward of that lofty range of mountains, and on the sea-coast.

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92

CONFEDERATE TROOPS IN WESTERN VIRGINIA.

CHAPTER IV.

MILITARY OPERATIONS IN WESTERN VIRGINIA, AND ON THE SEA-COAST

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He

N the autumn of 1861, the Confederates made a severe struggle for the possession of West Vir ginia. They hoped, by the employment of other commanders than those who had failed there, to recover all that had been lost in the summer by the dispersion of Garnett's forces at Carricksford,' and the pushing of the incompetent Wise out of the Kanawha Valley, as we have observed. General Robert E. Lee was sent with re-enforcements to take command of the troops left by Garnett and Pegram in Northern Virginia. He made his head-quarters at Huntersville, in Pocahontas County. His entire force, early in August, numbered full sixteen thousand men. placed a strong guard on Buffalo Mountain, at the crossing of the Staunton turnpike, and extended his line northward from the Warm Springs, in Greenbrier County. General Floyd, the late Secretary of War,3 had, in the mean time, taken chief command of his own and Wise's troops, in the region of the Gauley River. With these two armies acting simultaneously, it was intended to expel the National troops from Western Virginia, and menace Ohio. Floyd was to sweep down the Kanawha Valley, and drive General Cox, of Ohio, beyond the border, while Lee should scatter the Union army, under General Rosecrans (McClellan's successor), in Northern Virginia, and, planting the Confederate flag at Wheeling, threaten Western Pennsylvania.

Floyd took a strong position between Cox and Rosecrans, at Carnifex Ferry, on the Gauley River, just below Meadow Creek, and eight miles from Summersville, the capital of Nicholas County. He left Wise with his force, called "Wise's Legion," at Pickett's Mills, to prevent a flank movement from Hawksnest, a mountain on the southern side of the Gauley, near which, on

1 See page 534, volume I.

2 See page 587, volume I.

3 See page 145, volume I.

4 Wise was so great a boaster, and so poor a performer, that his signal failures as a military leader on all occasions caused him to be much ridiculed. The following is a specimen of some of the shafts of wit that were cast at him through the newspapers of the day

"There was a man of Accomac,

And he was bully Wise;
He jumped into Kanawha's bush,
And scratched out both his eyes;
And, when he saw he lost his eyes,
With all his might and main,
From Kanawha he quickly flies,
To brag, and-run again."

Bee page 537, volume I.

Carnifex is a Latin word, signifying a villain, or villainous

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