Brigadier-General Felix K. Zollicoffer to Colonels Sidney S. Stanton, John P. Murray and George R. McClellan, October 31, 1861

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,        

Cumberland Gap, October 31, 1861.

Colonel S. S. STANTON, Colonel MURRAY, and Colonel McCLELLAN,
        Near Jamestown:

Lieutenant-Colonel Mackall, General Johnston's assistant adjutant-general, telegraphs from Bowling Green that "Stanton has been ordered to Wolden Pass; also the available force of Murray and Bledsoe to Jamestown, Tenn. Both come under your [my] orders."

Where Wolden Pass is I do not know. It is important I should immediately have a perfect understanding and communication with Colonels Stanton and Murray and Captain Bledsoe. There is reason to believe the enemy intends advancing in force upon East Tennessee. Whether the route by Cumberland Gap, by Jacksborough, or by Jamestown will be selected, cannot be definitely determined. I have seven cavalry companies scouting back to Barboursville on this road, four back to Williamsburg on the Jacksborough route, and I wish Lieutenant Colonel McClellan to scout on the  road from Jamestown back to Monticello, and, if practicable, to Sta[e]gall's Ferry, to get the earliest possible reliable information of the enemy, and communicate it to me by express messengers. I am moving two regiments to Jacksborough this morning. Two others will be placed at Big Creek Gap. Four will remain here or in the neighborhood.

I wish Colonel Stanton and Colonel Murray to take a strong position near Jamestown and throw up entrenchments, looking to the protection of the commissary stores and the stopping the enemy’s advance. Let the cavalry communicate to them promptly any intelligence received; and if any movement of the enemy is made in force, let information be given to me and to General Albert S. Johnston simultaneously by the quickest possible mode of conveyance.

Very respectfully,

F. K. ZOLLICOFFER,        

Brigadier-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 4 (Serial No. 4), p. 493-4

Brigadier-General Felix K. Zollicoffer to Lieutenant-Colonel William W. Mackall, October 29, 1861

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,

Camp Buckner (Cumberland Ford), October 29, 1861.

Lieutenant-Colonel MACKALL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Bowling Green, Ky.:

SIR: My pickets at Laurel Bridge yesterday drove back a small cavalry picket of the enemy and took 3 prisoners, who represent that portion of the enemy's force has advanced to London. Their force at and on this side of the Rockcastle River is reported at 9,000. There are three main roads by which, if an invasion of East Tennessee is contemplated, an enemy might approach. On this, by Cumberland Gap, we have heretofore concentrated nearly our whole force, and we now have seven guns in position at Cumberland Gap. The most westerly road is by Monticello, in Kentucky, and Jamestown, in Tennessee. The counties of Fentress, Scott, Morgan, and Anderson are poor, mountainous, and disaffected. Should a force select that route of invasion I could meet them at the mountain passes near Clinton and between Kingston and Morgan Court-House, and keep them on that broad, sterile region until it would be practicable for General Buckner to throw a force in their rear and cut them off.

In view of this danger they may select the middle route, by Williamsburg and Jacksborough. The road over the Log Mountains will soon become almost impassable between here and the Cumberland Gap. The Gap is a much stronger position than this. While I am watching the road from here to Laurel River, the enemy might be advancing on the Jacksborough or the Jamestown road without my knowledge. For these reasons I send four cavalry companies to scout on the roads from the neighborhood of Jacksborough into Kentucky, and I have ordered one infantry regiment to Jacksborough, one 6 miles east to Big Creek Gap, two about half way between Jacksborough and Cumberland Gap, while four will remain at present at Cumberland Gap. I leave six cavalry companies to observe this road. One cavalry company is posted on the road from Williamsburg, Ky., to Huntsville, Tenn., and six cavalry companies (I suppose) Colonel Murray's regiment of infantry are in the neighborhood of Jamestown.

It is currently reported that an invading force, from 20,000 to 30,000, is on the road, from Cincinnati to East Tennessee, but I have no means of knowing anything of the accuracy of the rumor. Except cavalry Scouts, my force will be withdrawn from this post to-morrow. Acting upon my best judgment, I have supposed the disposition of my roes I have described the very best under the circumstances. Had I a military engineer, in whose judgment I could rely, to reconnoiter the mountain roads, gaps, and passes from Cumberland Gap to Jamestown, I would feel much more capable of making a judicious disposition of troops. I have had rumors that re-enforcements of Confederate troops were to be thrown upon this part of the border, but as I have no official information, I take it for granted the rumors are erroneous.

Very respectfully,

F. K. ZOLLICOFFER,        

Brigadier-General

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 4 (Serial No. 4), p. 486-7

Rebel News

Important from Big Creek Gap – Capture of a Large Number of Confederate Cavalry.

The Knoxville (Tenn.,) Register, of the 16th  March, says:  By a number of cavalry direct from Jacksboro’, we learn that on Friday morning, at daybreak, a regiment of infantry, assisted by cavalry, attacked our cavalry, in the neighborhood of Big Creek Gap, five miles east of Jacksboro’, and thirty miles west of Cumberland Gap.  Our information is exceedingly confused, contradictory and meager.  In our next issue we expect to give more detailed accounts; but from the best information we can gather, the enemy have captured and killed the larger portion of five companies of Colonel Rogers’ cavalry regiment.  By some culpable negligence of our officers, no pickets were out; besides, our encampment was at least a mile from the Gap. – What better inducement for an attack by the enemy could have been held out by the cavalry cannot be well imagined.  The surprise of our forces is consequently complete and successful.

When it comes that cavalry wukk permit themselves to be surrounded by infantry, we think good policy would dictate that they be disbanded altogether, or at least changed into infantry.  We have not been able to ascertain the names of the five companies who were engaged.  Lieut. Col. White, who was in command in the absence of Col. Rogers, is reported captured.

One report is that Fincastle, a village 5 miles above Big Creek, was burned by the Hessians – two of the companies having been stationed at that place, the other three being immediately at Big Creek.

William H. Malone, a lawyer of Jacksboro’, but who had recently removed his family to our city, is reported among the killed, altho’ only a private citizen.

The enemy had possession of Jacksboro’, having ridden down there on the horses captured from our men.  They may constituted the vanguard of the Lincoln army into east Tennessee.  If so, our forces will meet them at Phillippi. – Mark our predication.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 2