USA > Tennessee > Johnson County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 17
USA > Tennessee > Carter County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 17
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crossed the river, and after procuring something to eat, and resting and feeding their horses, proceeded in good order to Strawberry Plains and from there to Love's Creek, 5 miles east of Knoxville, where the Brigade went into camp.
The losses of the Brigade in this disastrous affair were heavy, including our six pieces of artillery with caissons complete; our entire wagon and pack trains, ambulances and horses together with small arms, colors and about 150 prisoners. Sergeant J. A. Shoun, of Co. D, was cap- tured and escaped by jumping off the train at Carter's Depot and rejoined the Regiment.
Gen. Breckenridge followed, threatening Strawberry Plains and sending a force in below that place burning the railroad bridge at Flat Creek and threatening Knox- ville.
Gen. Ammen who had been so tardy in going to Gen- eral Gillem's aid, and who had given as the reason for not sending reinforcements, that he knew Breckenridge had only 1200 men and Gillem ought to be able to take care of himself, was now thoroughly alarmed for the safety of Knoxville and telegraphed to Gen. Sherman that "Breckenridge is said to be in command of from 2000 to 8000 men," and to Gen. Steadman that "the enemy are 5000 strong," and again : "The enemy is reported cross- ing the Holston at Strawberry Plains with a large force ; number not known. Will you send me assistance if I need it?"
It will be seen that the enemy had grown materially in the estimation of Gen. Ammen since he told Mr. W. G. Brownlow in the presence of Col. R. R. Butler a few days before, when Gen. Gillem was importuning him for assistance that Breckenridge had only 1200 men. Gen. Ammen kept the wires busy for four or five days wiring Gens. Steadman and Stoneman about the dangerous po- sition of Knoxville.
On the afternoon of the 16th the Regiment moved to the Fair Grounds two miles east of Knoxville and went into camp. On the 17th the enemy was reported west of
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Strawberry Plains and the Regiment was ordered out to reconnoiter. We found the enemy in force near the Flat Creek railroad bridge which he had burned and an engagement followed. The fighting continued for two hours until almost dark, our men showing no signs of the demoralization of the stampede but fought with their old time gallantry.
On the 18th the entire Brigade was ordered out, but the enemy having withdrawn from the rear of Straw- berry Plains we returned on the 19th and moved our camp on to a ridge south of the Fair grounds.
Gen. Gillem in his report to Governor Johnson called attention to the gallantry displayed in repelling the as- saults of the enemy at Bull's Gap on the 12th by Col. John K. Miller, Lieut .- Col. William H. Ingerton, Major J. H. Wagner, Captain C. C. Wilcox, of the Thirteenth, and also the officers of the Eighth and Ninth and the Light Artillery, as well as the members of his staff, in- cluding Lieut. B. A. Miller of our Regiment.
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CHAPTER XXII.
After the Stampede .- Brigade Shows no Demoralization .--- Death of Col. Ingerton .- B. P. Stacy Appointed Lt .- Col. and Assumes Command of Regiment .- Many Changes in Offi- cers .- Camp-Life at Cantonment Springs .- Preparing for a Winter Campaign.
The weather was now quite cold and the Regiment having drawn tents and equipments went to work to get things in order, and rest from the recent hard service and disaster. Stragglers and many who had been dismounted and cut off the night of the stampede, and had been re- ported captured or missing came into camp nearly every day. Adjutant Scott whose horse had been killed at Rus- sellville and who in company with his orderly, John S. Hilton, and a dismounted Eighth Tennessee cavalryman, made their way to Morristown on foot that night, came into camp on the 24th. Reaching Morristown the morn- ing after the retreat just at daylight Adjutant Scott and his orderly Hilton started to go into town, supposing the troops they could see there were our Brigade. Upon nearer approach he found they were rebels, or from ap- pearances suspected they were, and reached a woods some distance north of the town without being discovered. Young Hilton, who was only about 16 years old, and small for his age, not being able to find pants small enough for him had on citizens' pants and also a citizens' hat. He concealed his cavalry jacket and went into town to find out the situation. Not returning Adjutant Scott and the cavalryman (who was still with him) remained in con- cealment all day and that night, the 14th and the morn- ing of the 15th, made their way to the Holston river, crossed it in a canoe and went down the river to the house of a Union man whose name he has forgotten, who
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lived in the vicinity of Rutledge. On the way there the two men narrowly escaped capture trying to get some- thing to eat. The country was full of rebel soldiers, many of their homes being in this locality and at every house these men went to they would either see horses tied up, or stepping up to the window, see soldiers in the house. One place they were discovered and pursued but the house was near a woods and they escaped. Finally reaching the house of the Union man referred to they were fed and kindly treated. Adjutant Scott being too much fatigued and worn out to attempt to reach Strawberry Plains, 20 miles away, besides the danger of being captured as the rebels were now all through the country hunting for men who had been cut off, remained with this Union man until the 23d of November, his comrade of the Eighth finding quarters with another Union family in the vicinity. This friend in need fur- nished him with a suit of butternut jeans and an old straw hat and he hid his uniform in a straw pen. In this way he was completely disguised. While here Adjutant Scott heard of a copy of the "Knoxville Whig" giving an account of the stampede and went to a house about two miles away, in the night, to see the paper. He found the full account of the stampede with his own name among the killed or missing.
On the night of the 23d he started for Strawberry Plains going with a pilot through the hills until reaching our pickets the next morning. At Strawberry Plains he was kindly treated by Col. Trowbridge and soon found an opportunity to go to Knoxville on a pay car. Going up Gay street he met Col. Ingerton on horseback going out to camp, but who returned with him to the Franklin House, where he met Mrs. Ingerton and also Mrs. Gen. Gillem. That night Adjutant Scott went out to camp where he joined "the boys" in drinking each others' health in a few bottles of excellent wine procured for the occasion, and in mutual rejoicing that we were all alive.
The following day, Nov. 25th, witnessed the saddest event that had yet befallen our Regiment. Gen. Gillem's
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. headquarters were at the Franklin House in the city. Mrs. Gillem and their little daughter were with him and Mrs. Ingerton was also a guest of the hotel. Col. In- gerton spent as much of his time as he could spare from his duties as commanding officer of the Regiment would permit with his wife.
On the 25th of November Col. Ingerton with a num- ber of others were sitting in the lobby of the hotel, the Colonel holding Gen. Gillem's little daughter on his knee. J H. Walker, who had been a Lieutenant in the 2d Ten- nessee Cavalry, came into the hotel and took a seat near Col. Ingerton, and acting as if intoxicated leaned rudely over against him. Col. Ingerton pushed him away from him to protect the little girl, and then recognizing the man as an ex-Federal officer who had a grudge against him told him if he had any grievance against him that he (Walker) could find him at any time, and if he would come to him in the proper condition lie would settle this matter to his satisfaction. Col. Ingerton then set the little girl down and started to walk across the corridor of the hotel suspecting no danger from this man. Hear- ing some one behind him he turned and con- fronted Walker, who had drawn his pistol and was in the act of firing. Ingerton hastily sprang towards his assailant, caught hold of him and partially turned him around but Walker succeeded in firing the pistol, the ball taking effect in Colonel Inger . ton's abdomen, inflicting a fatal wound. With some as- sistance he walked to his room on the second floor of the itctel. On the receipt of this news in camp the officers and men of the Regiment were greatly enraged, as were the entire Brigade. Immediately after the shooting Capt. D. M. Nelson of Gen. Gillem's staff, who was a warm friend of Col. Ingerton, and a brave and resolute young officer, procured a shot gun. repaired to the hotel and attempted to shoot Walker, but just as he was in the act of firing some one knocked the muzzle of the gun up and its contents were discharged into the ceiling of the hotel office.
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Walker was arrested and placed in jail. There was great excitement and indignation in the Regiment and threats of lynching were heard on all sides. The officers of the Regiment went in a body to Gen. Gillem's rooms in the Franklin House and asked that the assassin be turned over to them, stating if it was not done they would bring the Regiment into the city, break down the doors of the jail and drag the murderer out and hang him. Gen. Gillem told them he would pledge his honor as an officer that Walker should be tried at once and it not properly punished they could take the matter into their own hands.
Col. Ingerton lingered in great agony until December 8, when his spirit took its flight. During this time he was often delirious from the inflammation that had set up from the wounds, and would fight over the re- cent battles in which he had been engaged at Greeneville, Morristown and Bull's Gap; calling on his favorite offi- cers to charge the enemy.
His remains were embalmed and taken charge of by his wife and faithful friend Liettt. James Reese, who had been his associate in the Fourth U. S. Cavalry, and taken to Zenia, Ohio, the home of his wife for burial.
Lieut .- Colonel Ingerton was a born soldier, brave, dis- creet and with capacity to grasp a situation in an instant, and the intelligence to act at the proper time. He was no boaster, and was always watchful of his men and made no needless sacrifice of life. A Brigadier's star would have been a most graceful acknowledgment of his service in East Tennessee, and he would have worn it with credit to himself and honor to the service.
Previous to joining the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry Col. Ingerton was Acting Provost Marshal on the Staff of Gen. W. Sooy Smith in the Mississippi campaign in the Spring of 1864. It was alleged by Col. Ingerton's friends he had preferred charges against Lieut. Walker for cowardice in the presence of the enemy at the battle of Okalona, Miss., and that Walker was convicted and dismissed from the service. The friends of Walker
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claimed that the charges were preferred against him for drunkenness and disorderly conduct while at Memphis, Tenn. In either case it was a cowardly assassination, Col. Ingerton having only done his duty as Provost Mar- shal in preferring charges against an unworthy officer. Walker escaped from jail and was never prosecuted. We have been informed that about ten years ago (1892), while in an intoxicated condition, he met a tragic death near his home in Sevier county, Tenn. Returning from his saw-mill to his home in a vehicle drawn by a mule, he fell out of the vehicle and frightened the animal. His ciothing was caught and he was dragged to his death. Walker's name does not appear upon the rolls of the 2d Tennessee Cavalry.
After the death of Lieut .- Col. Ingerton, Major George W. Doughty being next in rank was, according to mili- tary usages, entitled to promotion to the rank of Lieuten- ant-Colonel of the Thirteenth. The officers and men had the greatest respect for Major Doughity and believed him in every way capable of commanding the Regiment. The friends of Captain B. P. Stacy, who had now been pro- moted to Captain of Company F, vice Captain Frederick Siimp, who had resigned on account of physical disabil- ity, claimed that owing to greater experience and longer service in the army, he would make the most efficient Lieutenant-Colonel, and insisted on his promotion over all the Captains who were his seniors in rank, and over the Majors to this position. This created a serious dis- turbance in the Regiment and came near ending in in- subordination and riot.
Major Doughty had cheerfully submitted to the pro- motion of Col. Ingerton over him, and even favored it, believing at that time the good of the service and the best interests of the Regiment would be promoted by having a commanding officer of Ingerton's experience to train them for service. But he felt now that he himself had had considerable experience and was justly entitled to the position.
Major Doughty had many friends in the Regiment and
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the men and officers who had served under him during the siege of Knoxville and many others, including Cap- tain Dervin, of Company K, and Lieutenants Walker and Freels, were warmly attached to him. Major Doughty and his friends firmly and openly protested against the appointment of Captain Stacy and threatened to revolt in case it was done.
Captain Stacy also had many warm friends in the Regiment and was exceedingly popular, and through the influence of Col. Miller and Gen. Gillem he was commis- sioned Lieutenant-Colonel. Major Doughty, who was in command of the Regiment since the shooting of Col. Ingerton, feeling deeply mortified and angry at what he considered a great wrong done him, refused to submit to it. He called on the officers and soldiers of the Regi- ment who were his friends to form in line and assist him and he would openly resist. A number of his friends signified their willingness and a serious conflict seemed imminent. The Regiment was called to arms and the disturbance finally quelled. Major Doughty was arrested but was soon released. He refused, however, to take command of his battalion, and sent in his resignation. The command was now ready to start on the raid into Southwest Virginia under General Stoneman. On this raid Major Doughty acted as Chief of Staff by appoint- ment on General' Gillen's staff and did excellent service in that memorable campaign.
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CHAPTER XXIII.
First Stoneman Raid Into Southwest Virginia .- Cold Weather and Hard Marching .- Fights at Rogersville and Kingsport .- Death of Capt. Jas. B. Wyatt at Abingdon .- Pursuit of Gen. Vaughn .- Fight in Marion Before Day-Light. Death of Capt. Wmn. M. Gourley .- Fight at Mt. Arie .- At Saltville .- Gallant Charge and Capture of Fort Brecken- ridge .- Regiment Complimented by Gen. Stoneman .- Suffer- ing From Cold and Hard Marching .- Return to Knoxville .- In Winter Quarters .- Social Life at Knoxville.
STONEMAN'S RAID IN SOUTHWEST VIR- GINIA.
Some part of Breckenridge's command had remained ir East Tennessee since our defeat at Bull's Gap. Our Erigade and the forces of General Ammen were now to join forces with Major-General Burbridge and this en- tire command under Gen. George S. Stoneman was as- signed the task of destroying King's Saltworks, tearing up the railroads, burning the bridges of the East Tennes- see and Virginia Railroad to Witheville, Va., and de- stroy the lead mines at that place. In these operations we were again to meet the commands of Generals Vaughn and Duke, our ancient enemies, whose men we had re- peatedly defeated, but who had at last succeeded in driv- ing us from Bull's Gap and captured our artillery and wagon-train. This was our first active service since that disastrous stampede, and we were more than anxious to retrieve the reputation we had lost, and punish the enemy for the severe blow he had dealt us.
Our Brigade had been newly equipped with arms and horses and now numbered about 1500 men.
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The only commissioned officers of the Field and Staff who were on duty with the Regiment on this raid were Lieut .- Col. B. P. Stacy, Major W. H. Matlock, Surgeon, Major J. H. Wagner, Adjutant S. W. Scott and Lieut. S. P. Angel, Acting Regimental Commissary.
The Regiment left Knoxville on the 10th of December, 1864, moving in the direction of Bean's Station, where we joined Gen. Burbridge and were provided with five day's rations. Our Regiment took the advance here moving in the direction of Rogersville. On the night of the 12th we encamped near the residence of a Mr. Bassett, where the officers of the Field and Staff found opportunity to dry their clothing which had been satu- rated with rain and mud that day, and enjoy the luxury of a warm bed for the last time for several days. Here we met a young lady, Miss Vaughn, who claimed relation- ship with Gen. Vaughn, a gentleman with whom we had exchanged compliments on several occasions but whose personal acquaintence we had never made.
Before reaching Rogersville on the 13th our advance began skirmishing with the enemy, driving them through the town. Four miles east of Rogersville at Big Creek, the enemy fired on us from a bluff to our left. Col. Stacy ordered Captain Wilcox to form his company and charge across the bridge, which he did, driving the rebels back. Gen. Gillem fell in with the company and went some dis- tance when the rebels halted and opened fire. Captain Wilcox charged them and dispersed them. Nothing more was seen of the enemy until we reached the "Yellow Store," when we made a charge. capturing an officer and several men.
There was no further fighting until we came to Kings- port on the morning of the 13th, when we found the enemy posted on the bluff on the east side of the North Fork of the Holston river in command of Col. Dick Morgan, Gen. Duke being absent. After some delay the Regiment was ordered to charge across the river and up the steep bluff. This charge was made under heavy fire, but we suffered only a small loss owing to the enemy
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shooting too high. We captured Col. Morgan and 198 of his men, killing and dispersing the remainder. We also captured his entire wagon-train. On that night we passed through Blountville, where some of our men found the body of Christly Crow, a Carter county man, who had been killed by Gen. Burbridge's men, who had preceded us on this road. Christly Crow belonged to the Confederate army, and had a brother, John Crow, who was at this time a member of our Regi- ment and with the ambulance corps. He was notified of his brother's death but could not stop to see him buried, but employed and paid a citizen nearby to see that his brother was properly buried. This was another of the sad features of civil war.
Gen. Burbridge had preceded us to Bristol, engaging the enemy and sending back for reinforcements our Bri- gade came up and Burbridge was sent forward to Abing- don with instructions to threaten the Saltworks. Before leaving Bristol Burbridge, in conjunction with our Bri- gade, had captured a part of Vaughn's Brigade which had been sent up on the cars from Greeneville. The rebel telegraph operator was captured at Bristol and a dispatch from Gen. Vaughn to Gen. Breckenridge intercepted ask- ing the latter if it would be safe to send a train loaded with dismounted men forward. Gen. Stoneman ordered the operator to dispatch to Gen. Vaughn that the road was clear and to send them on to Abingdon. He told the operator if he gave the enemy any hint of the real situation and the train did not come he would hang him. A force was sent west to tear up the railroad after the train passed and another east to tear it up before the train arrived. Troops were also drawn up in line at the depot. The train came in with about 500 rebel soldiers, many of them unable for duty. Our force captured here 560 prisoners. Their guns were broken up and the train of cars burned. Our Brigade completed the destruction of rebel stores at Bristol and left there on the night of the 14th, passing through Abingdon on the morning of the 15th. When our Regiment passed through Abing-
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don that morning Capt. James B. Wyatt, of Company M, asked permission of Major Wagner to remain there a short time. The Major refused and warned him not to remain or commit any overt act. Wyatt, however, in- censed by having been mistreated by rebel citizens because he was a Union man remained after the command had passed, and it was alleged by the citizens, set fire to some buildings and then got on his horse and started to leave. He was pursued by armed citizens a short distance east of the town when his horse fell and the men coming up, shot him. Capt. Wyatt was a handsome, dashing, young officer, and his death was greatly regretted by all. He was born and raised at Abingdon and his death was the outcome of that bitter hatred engendered by the war be- tween neighbors and friends, and even kindred, which we have had occasion to mention so often.
Learning that Gen. Vaughn was moving east on a parallel road north of us, the Brigade, with the Thir- teenth in advance pushed on in the direction of Glade Springs. At 2 A. M. on the 16th we left that place with the intention of intercepting Vaughn before he reached Marion, Va.
Our sharp shooters commanded by Lieut. Peter L. Barry, who had been promoted to Second Lieutenant of Com- pany E for gallantry and efficient service, was in our ad- vance, supported by Company H, commanded by Lieut. Freels, came up with Gen. Vaughn's rear just before reaching Marion about daylight and drove them in on the inain force in the town. The Regiment following, charged into town and in the darkness we got mixed up with the enemy so we could scarcely tell friend from foe. Captain William M. Gourley, of Company A, recognizing the uniform of a Confederate officer near him struck him with his sword; the officer instantly shot Gourley dead. Gourley had scarcely fallen from his horse when Robert Shell, of Company H, who had witnessed the personal encounter, killed the Confederate officer, who it was learned was Colonel Gideon of Gen. Vaughn's command.
Capt. Gourley was an aggressive Union man from the
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beginning, took an active part in the Carter county rebel- lion and in all the exciting affairs in that county. He went through the lines with Dan. Ellis in April, 1863, and joined the Fourth Tennessee Infantry. Upon the resignation of Capt. Pleasant Williams, of Company A, May 10, 1864, Capt. Gourley was recommended to suc- ceed him as Captain of that company. He was an ardent Union man, a good citizen and a brave and capable officer. He was a great favorite with Col. Ingerton, who called him "Old Fighting Gourley." "Old" was an expression used by Colonel Ingerton to mean old in the head-re- 1:able.
The enemy being finally driven out of Marion, our men, enraged at the death of Capt. Gourley set fire to a dwell- ing house near where he fell. A young lady was plead- ing with the men not to burn the house. Lieut. Angel recognized her voice as that of Miss Mary Johnson, of Elizabethton, who was visiting her sister, Mrs. Huff, who lived at Marion. He rode up and made himself known to her, and insisted on her getting out of danger, as the firing was lively in that vicinity.
From Marion we had a running fight with the enemy for several miles. Lieut. Barry with his sharp-shooters and Lieut. Freels with Company H, and Lieut. Carriger, Company A, were with the advance and captured the enemy's outpost near Mount Airy except one man who escaped. The enemy made a stand here in a field to our left and opened on us with their artillery. Gen. Gillem came forward and ordered a charge. He took a guidon from one of the soldiers and giving it to Capt. Dyer told him to capture the enemy's artillery and place that guidon on it. It was but a few minutes until this brave officer was waving the flag over the captured piece. The Regiment made a gallant charge, capturing 198 prison- ers, 4 pieces of artillery and all his trains. Among his artillery we found four pieces that had been captured from us at Morristown in the Bull's Gap stampede. We now moved on to Witheville, Va., reaching that point at night. Here the command destroyed a large amount of
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ammunition that had been stored in a church. When the: flames reached the ammunition the exploding cartridges and bursting shells and the lurid flames of the burning building presented a grand spectacular scene never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it. Our Regiment sta- tioned on a hill west of town had a fine view of it and many of us thought at first the enemy had returned and a terrific battle was in progress. Gen. Stoneman had sent another part of his command to destroy the Lead Mine, some distance from this place, burn the railroad bridge across Reedy Creek and tear up the railroad, all of which was successfully accomplished. On the 17th our Regiment returned to Marion skirmishing with the enemy, who, after our command passed came out of their position at the Saltworks and followed us.
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