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LBATTLE OF BULL GAP.Storming of the Federal Fortifications at That Stronghold and Total Rout of the Blue Coats One of the Bloodiest Conflicts of the Civil War.CONFEDERATE HOME. Austin Tex.Editor Sunny South: Having seen only an Imperfect account of the storming of the enemy’s fortifications at Dull Gap, on the 12th of November, 1SG4, and the defeat of the Federal forces on the night following, under General Alvin C. Glllem. by the Confederate troops under Generals Breckinridge, Vaughn and Duke, and though our assault was not a success, yet for dash, daring and cool courage 1 doubt If It was ever exceeded by either cavalry or Infantry In the great war, therefore I submit the following, and while not painting a Gettysburg or Wilderness, yet this was a clash of arms in which blood freely run and southern heroes went down to death, and what made the conflict all the more stubborn on our side the Confederates knew they were fighting the same Federal troops who had made themselves notorious by killing General John H. Morgan on the 4th of September. 1S63, and these were the same Confederate troops that were under his command at the time of the occurrence.Fortifications of Bull Gap.On the 2d of October. 1S»4, General Jo‘hn C. Breckinridge was placed in command of the department of East Tennessee and Western Virginia, and collecting all the scattering forces he could find, defeated a Federal force under Burbridge at Saltvllle, Va., after which he moved on down the valley. Joined General John C. Vaughn, striking the Federal forces under General Alvin C. Glllem on the 10th of November, and drove them jnto their fortifications at Bull’s Gap, a pass in a spur of the Blue Ridge through which ran the Virginia and Tennessee railroad, and our troops immediately invested the plac* w'th close siege, until on the morr!» g of the 12th. and although thl6 being a strong position by nature and well defended witn ai til* lery and dismounted cavalry, our officers concluded it could be taken by a simultaneous assault from both sides of the ridge, and one hour before daylight our storming columns had formed line nwauing orders to advance, and were arranged as follows: Six pieces of artillery, under Major Page, with some dismounted cavalry as a support, all under command of Colonel George B. Critftenden. These were to make a demonstration in front, while the main attack was to diverge towards the left under General Breckinridge, composed of the followingcommands. Duke’s Colonel Giltner Cosby’s and Alston's,and someofVaughn’s dismounted men, all under the command of Colonel Alston, while General Vaughn and Colonel Carter attacked in the rear on the Knoxville road at a given signal. Just at early dawn the bugles sounded a charge, and cheer after cheer rent the cold morning air. and thesedevoted troops on both sides of the ridge.with a valor and dauntless courage seldomwitnessed, pressed on through the missiles ofdeath hurled against them, clambering over rocks, brush and fallen trees which had been cut down to impede our progress. We soon found the enemy's works to be absolutely unapproachable from our side of the ridge, and we withdrew after losing one captain and nine men. But our comrades on the opposite side made a most gallant and desperate assault, fighting hand-to-hand with the enemy, capturing their works, but owing to the broken nature of the ground our artillery was almost unavailable, while the enemy could elevate thir guns to rake our decimated ranks with fearful slaughter, and these brave fellows, finding themselves unsupported and exposed to an enfilading fire with grape and canister from the enemy’s batteries, they, too, reluctantly withdrew, passing back over the same ground over which they had advanced, covered with their dead and wounded comrades, leaving twenty-nine dead and many wounded Inside the enemy’s works.Confederates Were Repulsed.Being repulsed but not defeated, we withdrew to await further developments of the enemy, whch we knew to be 09 very short rations and would soon be compelled to surrender or come out and take chances of fighting us in the open country. They chose the latter, and we attacked their columns after they had evacuated the gap about 9 o’clock. The same night Vaughn attacked- in front. Duke in flank and rear, while Colonel Palmer, with the SSth North Carolina infantry, the sappers and mir.-r*. followed with the artillery, and all joined in pursuit. But as this was a night fight I can only relate the part taken by Vaughn’s brig-TContinued on Eleventh Page.}
Newspaper Details
Atlanta Sunny South
Atlanta, Georgia, US
Sat, Jul 24, 1897
Page 10
Full Page
Clipped by
Anne M.
IL, USA 21 Jun 2018
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