| From the Wilmington Journal |
| |
| January 3, 1863 |
| |
| From the Richmond Enquirer |
| The East Tennessee Raid
{East Tennessee & Virginia RR} |
| The Knoxville Register,
of January 3d, says a courier started from Pattonsville on Monday last,
at one o'clock, P. M., and reached Morristown Monday night at eight
o'clock. He broke down six horses to reach Morristown. Thence he
telegraphed the military authorities at Knoxville and at Abingdon, Va.,
that the Federals were approaching the railway at the Watauga and
Holston bridges. Thirteen hours intervened between the time this
despatch was sent from Morristown and the burning of the railroad
bridges. Why was not Colonel Love advised of the facts? Why were his
guards at the bridges unadvised of the approach of the Federals? Why
were the bridges destroyed? Can't a train of cars move a brigade from
Knoxville to the Watauga and Holston in thirteen hours? Who has been
asleep? |
| These Yankees passed Kingsport
at noon on Monday. The courier who left Pattonsville at one o'clock
reached Rogerstown at four o'clock, making thirty-two miles in three
hours. The Register says it has these facts from unquestionable
authority, and knows that the despatches were sen by telegraph and were
received at Knoxville. |
| The Lynchburg Virginian gives
some additional particulars in regard to this Yankee raid. It says: |
| Col. R. G. A. Low, who was
captured during the recent Federal raid in East Tennessee, has been
paroled and returned home. He was captured at Zollicoffer {on
the East Tennessee & Virginia RR}, where he was
reconnoitering on a locomotive. He gives through the Greenville Banner, a
full account of the whole affair. After burning the bridge at Zollicoffer, about half of the Yankee force
(2000) was despatched to burn the
Watauga bridge. Upon their arrival at Carter's Depot, they
precipitated their whole force at once upon the little band there
stationed, which was under the command of Lieut. J. Ramsey Dills.
This small force of 120 men withstood the onset bravely and contested
every inch of ground, when at last they were overwhelmed, and compelled to surrender.
The casualties on the side of the enemy were much greater in proportion
to numbers than ours. The Yankees lost
four killed and several wounded, one man losing a leg. Our loss seven
wounded, one mortally, since dead. |
| After the fight the bridge was
set on fire and the engine, bearing Colonel Love, was run back to
Carter's Depot, the prisoners taken off and paroled. The steam was then
increased, the muskets and sword belonging to our men were broken and
placed on the engine. The engine was then put in motion by a Yankee by
the name of McNish, who used to run as engineer on the East Tennessee &
Virginia Railroad; which ran on the burning bridge, and all went under. |
| The Yankees acted towards our
little band of soldiers more like heathens than civilized warriors of
the 19th century. Not being content with burning their tents, they
robbed them of every blanket and every stitch of clothing except what
they had on, and burned them, broke open trunks, took money and every
little thing they could lay their hand on. |
| There were five regiments of
these thieving Abolitionists. One was n East Tennessee renegade tory
regiment, under the command of Col. Jim Carter; one was the 7th Ohio,
one 9th Pennsylvania, one 2d Michigan, and the other either from Iowa or
Michigan. All under the command of Brig. Gen. Sam Carter, the infamous
tory and renegade from East Tennessee, who like many others, is lending
all his energies, both of body and mind to aid Lincoln in subjugating
the land of his nativity, the home of his family relations. |
| Col. Love says it was plain to
be discovered in the countenance of the Carters, that they had not met
with the reception from the Unionists that they expected. |
| After a short hour's rest, and
from mortification they had to endure by not finding their friends to
cooperate with them in the bridge burning. they stole all the horses
they could, both from Union and Southern men, and left in disgust, the
worst scared men that ever made track from Tennessee. |
|