andersonville-第3章

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later　Boone　and　his　hardy　companion　followed；　and　forced　their　way　into
Kentucky。

Another　half　century　saw　the　Gap　the　favorite　haunt　of　the　greatest　of
American　banditsthe　noted　John　A。　　Murrelland　his　gang。　　They
infested　the　country　for　years；　now　waylaying　the　trader　or　drover
threading　his　toilsome　way　over　the　lone＇　mountains；　now　descending　upon
some　little　town；　to　plunder　its　stores　and　houses。

At　length　Murrell　and　his　band　were　driven　out；　and　sought　a　new　field　of
operations　on　the　Lower　Mississippi。　　They　left　germs　behind　them；
however；　that　developed　into　horse　thieve　counterfeiters；　and　later　into
guerrillas　and　bushwhackers。

When　the　Rebellion　broke　out　the　region　at　once　became　th　theater　of
military　operations。　　Twice　Cumberland　Gap　was　seized　by　the　Rebels；　and
twice　was　it　wrested　away　from　them。　　In　1861　it　was　the　point　whence
Zollicoffer　launched　out　with　his　legions　to　〃liberate　Kentucky；〃　and　it
was　whither　they　fled；　beaten　and　shattered；　after　the　disasters　of　Wild
Cat　and　Mill　Springs。　　In　1862　Kirby　Smith　led　his　army　through　the　Gap
on　his　way　to　overrun　Kentucky　and　invade　the　North。　　Three　months　later
his　beaten　forces　sought　refuge　from　their　pursuers　behind　its
impregnable　fortifications。　　Another　year　saw　Burnside　burst　through　the
Gap　with　a　conquering　force　and　redeem　loyal　East　Tennessee　from　its
Rebel　oppressors。

Had　the　South　ever　been　able　to　separate　from　the　North　the　boundary
would　have　been　established　along　this　line。

Between　the　main　ridge　upon　which　Cumberland　Gap　is　situated；　and　the
next　range　on　the　southeast　which　runs　parallel　with　it；　is　a　narrow；
long；　very　fruitful　valley；　walled　in　on　either　side　for　a　hundred　miles
by　tall　mountains　as　a　City　street　is　by　high　buildings。　　It　is　called
Powell's　Valley。　　In　it　dwell　a　simple；　primitive　people；　shut　out　from
the　world　almost　as　much　as　if　they　lived　in　New　Zealand；　and　with　the
speech；　manners　and　ideas　that　their　fathers　brought　into　the　Valley　when
they　settled　it　a　century　ago。　　There　has　been　but　little　change　since
then。　　The　young　men　who　have　annually　driven　cattle　to　the　distant
markets　in　Kentucky；　Tennessee　and　Virginia；　have　brought　back　occasional
stray　bits　of　finery　for　the　〃women　folks；〃　and　the　latest　improved　fire…
arms　for　themselves；　but　this　is　about　all　the　innovations　the　progress
of　the　world　has　been　allowed　to　make。　　Wheeled　vehicles　are　almost
unknown；　men　and　women　travel　on　horseback　as　they　did　a　century　ago；
the　clothing　is　the　product　of　the　farm　and　the　busy　looms　of　the　women；
and　life　is　as　rural　and　Arcadian　as　any　ever　described　in　a　pastoral。
The　people　are　rich　in　cattle；　hogs；　horses；　sheep　and　the　products　of
the　field。　　The　fat　soil　brings　forth　the　substantials　of　life　in　opulent
plenty。　　Having　this　there　seems　to　be　little　care　for　more。　　Ambition
nor　avarice；　nor　yet　craving　after　luxury；　disturb　their　contented　souls
or　drag　them　away　from　the　non…progressive　round　of　simple　life
bequeathed　them　by　their　fathers。




CHAPTER　II。

SCARCITY　OF　FOOD　FOR　THE　ARMYRAID　FOR　FORAGEENCOUNTER　WIT　THE　REBELS
SHARP　CAVALRY　FIGHTDEFEAT　OF　THE　〃JOHNNIES〃POWELL'S　VALLEY　OPENED
UP。

As　the　Autumn　of　1863　advanced　towards　Winter　the　difficulty　of　supplying
the　forces　concentrated　around　Cumberland　Gapas　well　as　the　rest　of
Burnside's　army　in　East　Tennesseebecame　greater　and　greater。　　The　base
of　supplies　was　at　Camp　Nelson；　near　Lexington；　Ky。；　one　hundred　and
eighty　miles　from　the　Gap；　and　all　that　the　Army　used　had　to　be　hauled
that　distance　by　mule　teams　over　roads　that；　in　their　best　state　were
wretched；　and　which　the　copious　rains　and　heavy　traffic　had　rendered
well…nigh　impassable。　　All　the　country　to　our　possession　had　been　drained
of　its　stock　of　whatever　would　contribute　to　the　support　of　man　or　beast。
That　portion　of　Powell's　Valley　extending　from　the　Gap　into　Virginia　was
still　in　the　hands　of　the　Rebels；　its　stock　of　products　was　as　yet　almost
exempt　from　military　contributions。　　Consequently　a　raid　was　projected　to
reduce　the　Valley　to　our　possession；　and　secure　its　much　needed　stores。
It　was　guarded　by　the　Sixty…fourth　Virginia；　a　mounted　regiment；　made　up
of　the　young　men　of　the　locality；　who　had　then　been　in　the　service　about
two　years。

Maj。　C。　H。　Beer's　third　Battalion；　Sixteenth　Illinois　Cavalryfour
companies；　each　about　75　strongwas　sent　on　the　errand　of　driving　out
the　Rebels　and　opening　up　the　Valley　for　our　foraging　teams。　　The　writer
was　invited　to　attend　the　excursion。　　As　he　held　the　honorable；　but　not
very　lucrative　position　of　〃high；　private〃　in　Company　L；　of　the
Battalion；　and　the　invitation　came　from　his　Captain；　he　did　not　feel　at
liberty　to　decline。　　He　went；　as　private　soldiers　have　been　in　the　habit
of　doing　ever　since　the　days　of　the　old　Centurion；　who　said　with　the
characteristic　boastfulness　of　one　of　the　lower　grades　of　commissioned
officers　when　he　happens　to　be　a　snob：

　　　　　For　I　am　also　a　man　set　under　authority；　having　under　me　soldiers；
　　　　　and　I　say　unto　one；　Go；　and　he　goeth；　and　to　another；　Come；　and　he
　　　　　cometh；　and　to　my　servant；　Do　this；　and　he　doeth　it。

Rather　〃airy〃　talk　that　for　a　man　who　nowadays　would　take　rank　with
Captains　of　infantry。

Three　hundred　of　us　responded　to　the　signal　of　〃boots　and　saddles；〃
buckled　on　three　hundred　more　or　less　trusty　sabers　and　revolvers；
saddled　three　hundred　more　or　less　gallant　steeds；　came　into　line　〃as
companies〃　with　the　automatic　listlessness　of　the　old　soldiers；　〃counted
off　by　fours〃　in　that　queer　gamut…running　style　that　makes　a　company　of
men　〃counting　off〃each　shouting　a　number　in　a　different　voice　from　his
neighborsound　like　running　the　scales　on　some　great　organ　badly　out　of
tune；　something　like　this：

One。　Two。　　Three。　　Four。　　One。　　Two。　　Three。　　Four。　　One。　　Two。　　Three。
Four。

Then；　as　the　bugle　sounded　〃Right　forward！　fours　right！〃　we　moved　off　at
a　walk　through　the　melancholy　mist　that　soaked　through　the　very　fiber　of
man　and　horse；　and　reduced　the　minds　of　both　to　a　condition　of　limp
indifference　as　to　things　past；　present　and　future。

Whither　we　were　going　we　knew　not；　nor　cared。　　Such　matters　had　long
since　ceased　to　excite　any　interest。　　A　cavalryman　soon　recognizes　as　the
least　astonishing　thing　in　his　existence　the　signal　to　〃Fall　in！〃　and
start　somewhere。　　He　feels　that　he　is　the　〃Poor　Joe〃　of　the　Armyunder
perpetual　orders　to　〃move　on。〃

Down　we　wound　over　the　road　that　zig…tagged　through　the　forts；　batteries
and　rifle…pits　covering　the　eastern　ascent　to　the　Flap…past　the　wonderful
Murrell　Springso…called　because　the　robber　chief　had　killed；　as　he
stooped　to　drink　of　its　crystal　waters；　a　rich　drover；　whom　he　was
pretending　to　pilot　through　the　mountainsdown　to　where　the　〃Virginia
road〃　turned　off　sharply　to　the　left　and　entered　Powell's　Valley。　　The
mist　had　become　a　chill；　dreary　rain；　through；　which　we　plodded　silently；
until　night　closed　in　around　us　some　ten　miles　from　the　Gap。　　As　we
halted　to　go　into　camp；　an　indignant　Virginian　resented　the　invasion　of
the　sacred　soil　by　firing　at　one　of　the　guards　moving　out　to　his　place。
The　guard　looked　at　the　fellow　contemptuously；　as　if　he　hated　to　waste
powder　on　a　man　who　had　no　better　sense　than　to　stay　out　in　such　a　rain；
when　he　could　go　in…doors；　and　the　bushwhacker　escaped；　without　even　a
return　shot。

Fires　were　built；　coffee　made；　horses　rubbed；　and　we　laid　down　with　feet
to　the　fire　to　get　what　sleep　we　could。

Before　morning　we　were　awakened　by　the　bitter　cold。　　It　had　cleared　off
during　the　night　and　turned　so　cold　that　everything　was　frozen　stiff。
This　was　better　than　the　rain；　at　all　events。　　A　good　fire　and　a　hot　cup
of　coffee　would　make　the　cold　quite　endurable。

At　daylight　the　bugle　sounded　〃Right　forward！　fours　right！〃　again；　and
the　300　of　us　resumed　our　onward　plod　over　the　rocky；　cedar…crowned
hills。

In　the　meantime；　other　things　were　taking　place　elsewhere。　　Our　esteemed
friends　of　the　Sixty…fourth　Virginia；　who　were　in　camp　at　the　little　town
of　Jonesville；　about　40　miles　from　the　Gap；　had　learned　of　our　starting
up　the　Valley　to　drive　them　out；　and　they　showed　that　warm　reciprocity
characteristic　of　the　Southern　soldier；　by　mounting　and　starting　down　the
Valley　to　drive　us　out。　　Nothing　could　be　more　harmonious；　it　will　be
perceived。　　Barring　the　trifling　divergence　of　yews　as　to　who　was　to
drive　and　who　be　driven；　there　was　perfect　accord　in　our　ideas。

Our　numbers　were　about　equal。　　If　I　were　to　say　that　they　considerably
outnumbered　us；　I　would　be　following　the　universal　precedent。
No　soldier…high　or　low…ever　admitted　engaging　an　equal　or　inferior　force
of　the　enemy。

About　9　o'clock　in　the　morningSundaythey　rode　through　the　streets　of
Jonesville　on　their　way　to　give　us　battle。　　It　was　here　that　most　of　the
members　of　the　Regiment　lived。　　Every　man；　woman　and　child　in　the　town
was　related　in　some　way　to　nearly　every　one　of　the　soldiers。

The　women　turned　out　to　wave　their　fathers；　husbands；　brothers　and　lovers
on　to　victory。　　The　old　men　gathered　to　give　parting　counsel　and
encouragement　to　their　sons　and　kindred。　　The　Sixty…fourth　rode　away　to
what　hope　told　them　would　be　a　glorious　victory。

At　noon　we　are　still　straggling　along　without　much　attempt　at　soldierly
order；　over　the　rough；　frozen　hill…sides。　　It　is　yet　bitterly　cold；　and
men　and　horses　draw　themselves　together；　as　if　to　expose　as　little
surface　as　possible　to　the　unkind　elements。　　Not　a　word　had　been　spoken
by　any　one　for　hours。

The　head　of　the　column　has　just　reached　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　the　rest
of　us　are　strung　along　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile　or　so　back。

Suddenly　a　few　shots　ring　out　upon　the　frosty　air　from　the　carbines　of
the　advance。　　The　general　apathy　is　instantly；　replaced　by　keen
attention；　and　the　boys　instinctively　range　themselves　into　foursthe
cavalry　unit　of　action。　　The　Major；　who　is　riding　about　the　middle　of　the
first　CompanyIdashes　to　the　front。　　A　glance　seems　to　satisfy　him；
for　he　turns　in　his　saddle　and　his　voice　rings　out：

〃Company　I！　　FOURS　LEFT　INTO　LINE！MARCH！！〃

The　Company　swings　around　on　the　hill…top　like　a　great；　jointed　toy
snake。　　As　the　fours　come　into　line　on　a　trot；　we　see　every　man　draw　his
saber　and　revolver。　　The　Company　raises　a　mighty　cheer　and　dashes
forward。

Company　K　presses　forward　to　the　ground　Company　I　has　just　left；　the
fours　sweep　around　into　line；　the　sabers　and　revolvers　come　out
spontaneously；　the　men　cheer　and　the　Company　flings　itself　forward。

All　this　time　we　of　Company　L　can　see　nothing　except　what　the　companies
ahead　of　us　are　doing。　　We　are　wrought　up　to　the　highest　pitch。　　As
Company　K　clears　its　ground；　we　press　forward　eagerly。　　Now　we　go　into
line　just　as　we　raise　the　hill；　and　as　my　four　comes　around；　I　catch　a
hurried　glimpse　through　a　rift　in　the　smoke　of　a　line　of　butternut　and
gray　clad　men　a　hundred　yards　or　so　away。　　Their　guns　are　at　their　faces；
and　I　see　the　smoke　and　fire　spurt　from　the　muzzles。　　At　the　same　instant
our　sabers　and　revolvers　are　drawn。　　We　shout　in　a　frenzy　of　excitement；
and　the　horses　spring　forward　as　if　shot　from　a　bow。

I　see　nothing　more　until　I