Slike strani
PDF
ePub

General Lee in season to take part in the memorable campaign

of 1864.

General Willcox, to whom had been entrusted the charge of the operations in the upper valley and its neighborhood during the siege, had done excellent service in holding Cumberland Gap and in preventing a junction between General Longstreet and the enemy's forces advancing from Virginia. Previous to the interruption of communication with Knoxville, orders had been transmitted to General Willcox that, in the event of such a contingency, he was to gather up his garrisons and trains and withdraw to Cumberland Gap. His command at that time consisted of the Indiana regiments and the batteries already mentioned, with a skeleton regiment of recruits from North Carolina, and two brigades of cavalry under Colonels Graham and Garrard. With these, General Willcox was holding the passes of the Bull Mountains, and scouting towards Greeneville and Newport. At Morristown, he had the 32d Kentucky infantry, the 11th Michigan battery and a battalion of mounted Tennesseeans. At Mossy creek was a battalion of Tennessee recruits under Colonel Patten. He had an immense wagon train to carry in safety with these troops to Cumberland 'Gap, a distance of fifty-two miles. He conducted the movement with great skill. On the morning of the 18th, he sent out his cavalry to demonstrate against the enemy at Kingsport, and under cover of this feigned movement, quietly withdrew his infantry and trains. The roads were crowded with refugees and their property, and the march was slow. During the night of the 18th, he collected all his troops and trains without accident of any kind at Bean's Station. On the afternoon of the 19th, he put his command on the march, with his cavalry well out in front, on his flanks and in his rear, reached Tazewell safely on that night, and Cumberland Gap in the evening of the 20th. One of his cavalry parties, scouting towards Jonesville, surprised and broke up the camp of the 64th Virginia regiment, scattered the troops and drove them two or three miles, cap

turing and destroying a large portion of their arms and camp equipage.

General Willcox remained at Cumberland Gap during the remainder of the month, employing his men in scouting, gathering subsistence and forage, and obtaining what information was accessible. At one time he communicated with Knoxville by means of a courier, who bravely and cunningly made his way through the enemy's lines. Major Behr, with a battalion of Illinois cavalry, made a dash upon the enemy at Jonesville and drove him across the Powell river with considerable loss. General Willcox also organized an expedition against Abingdon and the salt works in that neighborhood, but owing to various circumstances, the party did not get off.. On the 30th, General John G. Foster arrived at the Gap, and on the 1st of December, the entire command, with the exception of a small garrison left at Cumberland Gap to hold the post, started towards Knoxville to coöperate with the other columns moving up from Chattanooga. On the next day, Colonel Graham's cavalry, with two regiments of infantry and Captain Patterson's 21st Ohio battery, had a smart engagement with the enemy's cavalry under General Martin, near Walker's ford, and succeeded in punishing them quite severely. Our loss was about fifty in killed and wounded. The enemy's loss was considerably greater, and our cavalry captured one hundred and fifty prisoners.

With the successful termination of the siege of Knoxville closed the active services of General Burnside in East Tennessee.

Before General Longstreet's withdrawal, the command of the Department of Ohio was transferred by the Secretary of War to General Foster. But General Foster did not succeed in reaching Knoxville until nearly the middle of December. On the 11th of that month, General Burnside formally committed the Department into the hands of his successor. The general orders, both of General Burnside and of General Foster, are expressive of such sincere and appreciative friendship as to deserve a place in these annals. General Burnside's order was

dated at Knoxville, December 11th, and was as follows: "In obedience to orders from the War Department, the Commanding General this day resigns to Major General John G. Foster the command of the Army of the Ohio.

"On severing the tie which has united him to this gallant army, he cannot express his deep personal feeling at parting from men brought near to him by their mutual experiences in the eventful scenes of the past campaign, and who have always, regardless of every privation and every danger, cheerfully and faithfully performed their duty. Associated with many of their number from the earliest days of the war, he takes leave of this army, not only as soldiers to whose heroism many a victorious battle field bears witness, but as well tried friends, who in the darkest hours have never failed him. With the sincerest regret he leaves the Department without the opportunity of personally bidding them farewell.

"To the citizen soldiers of East Tennessee, who proved their loyalty in the trenches of Knoxville, he tenders his warmest thanks.

"With the highest confidence in the patriotism and skill of the distinguished officer who succeeds him, with whom he has been long and intimately connected in the field, and who will be welcomed as their leader by those who served with him in the memorable campaign in North Carolina, and by all as one identified with some of the most brilliant events of the war, he transfers to him the command, assured that under his guidance the bright record of the Army of the Ohio will never grow dim."

General Foster gracefully responded: "In compliance with the orders of the War Department, Major General John G. Foster assumes the command of the Army of the Ohio.

"He accepts with pride a position which his predecessor has rendered illustrious.

"After a long period of unbroken friendship, strengthened by the intimate relations of active service with him in a campaign which is prominent in the history of the war, he can add

to the general voice his tribute to the high worth and stainless name of the recent commander of the Army of the Ohio. The work he has so ably planned and vigorously conducted, it will be the aim of the commanding general to complete.

"For the future of this command he has no fears. The results of their past are around them, and confident with these high evidences of what he may expect from their courage and their patriotism, he assures them that to the fulfilment of their mission his utmost efforts shall not be wanting."

General Burnside left Knoxville on the 14th, and arrived at his home in Providence on the 23d. While on his way, he stopped at Cincinnati for a day or two, and in the course of a public address in that city, he modestly disclaimed the honors which were offered him, declaring that they "belonged to his under officers and the men in the ranks." Major Burrage gratefully acknowledges the kindness of these words, and declares that it will ever be the pride of these officers and men to say: "We fought with Burnside at Campbell's Station and in the trenches at Knoxville." The Congress of the United States passed, and on the 28th of January, 1864, the President approved a resolution providing "that the thanks of Congress be, and they hereby are, presented to Major General Ambrose E. Burnside and through him to the officers and men who have fought under his command, for their gallantry, good conduct, and soldierlike endurance."

The deliverance of East Tennessee and its subsequent pre- . servation from the hands of the enemy, were considered of so great importance by the President as to receive from him, not only his personal thanks, but also an official public recognition. On the 7th of December, he issued a proclamation referring, in congratulatory terms, to the fact that the enemy had retreated from before Knoxville, "under circumstances rendering it probable that the Union forces cannot hereafter be dislodged from that important position," and recommending that "all loyal people do, on receipt of this information, assemble at their places of worship, and render special homage and gratitude to

Almighty God for this great advancement of the national cause." The intelligence was received in all sections with the liveliest gratification. It was generally understood that the blow given to the insurgent cause was especially severe and damaging in its effects. General Lee so regarded it, and at one time was seriously inclined to strengthen General Longstreet, and make a grand combined effort to wrest this region from our grasp. But the advent of General Grant upon the scene of operations at the East convinced him that all his strength would be required in that quarter, and the rebel forces reluctantly turned their steps away from East Tennessee.

General Longstreet, however, caused our troops considerable annoyance during the winter. He retreated beyond our line of communication with Cumberland Gap, but established himself in the neighborhood of Rogersville and Morristown. Thence he occasionally sent out detachments of his force, and attempted to embarrass our troops in the matter of supplies. At one time in January, 1864, a portion of his army approached Knoxville and gave rise to certain apprehensions that another siege was contemplated. "Well informed refugees reported that large reënforcements had been sent from General Lee's army in Virginia, and that a great battle was imminent. The emergency, if it ever really existed, soon passed, without a decisive engagement. A few lively skirmishes relieved the tedium of winter quarters.

General Willcox rejoined the Ninth Corps on the 17th of January, and relieved General Potter. On the 21st, a very brisk engagement took place at Strawberry Plains. The purpose of the movement was the destruction of the bridge near that point across the Holston river. The Corps moved from Blain's Cross Roads on the 16th, and encamped near the bridge. On the 20th, the enemy made a dash upon our pickets, but was speedily repulsed. The bridge was destroyed on the night of the 20th, and the next morning our forces formed in line of battle. Colonel Morrison's brigade of the first division was in front, with Gittings's battery of artillery. Colonel E.

« PrejšnjaNaprej »