Monday, February 25, 2013

From Kentucky

Col. Decouroy, of the Sixteenth Ohio, is encamped four miles above Somerset, on the Stanford road, and as near London as he would be at the former place.  Col. Ray, 49th Indiana, in at Hall’s Gap.  It is probable he will march on the Mount Vernon road.  Col. Garrard, 7th Kentucky is at Crab Orchard.  Col.  Mundy’s battalion of Cavalry is to form part of Gen. Carter’s force.  Wetmore’s Battery is to encamp at Somerset.  Gen. Schoepff’s Brigade is encamped on the road from Somerset to Waitsburg, on the Cumberland.  He will move into Tennessee, on the Monticello road, as soon as he receives supplies of provisions and means of crossing the river.  Gen. Thomas’ headquarters are at Somerset.  He, too, is waiting for rations and will, in a short time, go down the Cumberland on Nashville, and turn Bowling Green.

The roads are drying very fast.  Mr. Garber rode to the Ferry at Waitsburg on the 26th ult., and found the road in good order, dry and hard, excepting a large sized mud hole in every mile.  The regiments have been working on the road between Somerset and Hall’s Gap since the battle and judging from the long trains of wagons that came on the 25th and next night, he thinks the clear weather and the labors of the soldiers have improved the road wonderfully.  The captured animals and property have been sent to Lebanon.

Mr. Garber was told by a Secession officer, now a prisoner, that in sixty days Gen. Thomas and all the force he would take into Tennessee, would be captured – that Beauregard was quietly withdrawing his army from Manassas, and would soon be in Tennessee.  This may be true but Garber feels willing to trust Gen. McClellan to keep the French rebel in check.  It seems to him, however, that some move similar to that one mentioned must be made by the rebels to save their railroad communication.  If Gen. Thomas is permitted to reach Nashville, Buckner’s force will be cut off, and will be sandwiched between the divisions of Gen. Thomas and Gen. Buell.  Carter and Schoepff, at Knoxville would break up the communication by the Tennessee and Virginia railroad, and be equally disastrous to the rebels.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 8, 1862, p. 2

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