Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Tuesday, November 5, 1861

Our battalion moved (twelve miles) from Camp Buckner to within four miles of the Gap, where we remained until Thursday, November 7th.

McNairy's Battalion marched out of Kentucky, through Cumberland Gap, thence along a fertile valley in the direction of Jacksborough, Tennssee, and bivouacked eighteen miles from the Gap.

General Zollicoffer set out for Jacksborough yesterday from the Gap. Four regiments of infantry (Battle's, Cumming's, Newman's and Statham's), four cavalry companies (Branner) and a battery of artillery (six 6-pounders and two Parrott guns) were now in the neighborhood of Jacksborough. The Twenty-ninth Tennessee (Colonel Powell) and a battalion of the Sixteenth Alabama (Lieutenant-Colonel Harris)¹ were on their way to the same place, leaving Colonels Rains' and Churchwell's Regiments well intrenched, and seven guns in good positions at the Gap, with two companies of Brazelton's Battalion to scout in front of that position.

A military engineer, Captain Victor Sheliha, had been sent to Zollicoffer, and was now reconnoitering the mountain passes in the vicinity of Jacksborough.

Before leaving Cumberland Gap yesterday Zollicoffer received the following dispatch from Lieutenant-Colonel McClellan, stationed near Jamestown:

I have information that is entirely reliable that the enemy is approaching this point 6,000 strong-1,500 cavalry and the balance artillery and infantry. The infantry and artillery camped last night, the 3d, five miles east of Monticeliu, a portion of the cavalry in town, their pickeis seven miles below.

Colonel Murray is at Camp Zollicoffer, in Overton County. I dispatched him yesterday, urging him to move to this place. Colonel Stanton, I understand, is at Celina.²

This was the information that Zollicoffer had been expecting to receive, and, in anticipation of which, he had previously (October 31st) ordered Colonels, Stanton, Murray and McClellan to concentrate their commands, and throw up intrenchments at some suitable point, near Jamestown,³ and was now moving as rapidly as possible with the force above named, including McNairy's Battalion, by the way of Jacksborough, Clinton and Montgomery, to their support.

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¹ Colonel Wood had the other battalion of this regiment with him at Knoxville. He was in command of that post.

² Rebellion Records, Vol. IV., p. 514.

³ Ibid, p. 493.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 71-2

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Wednesday, November 20, 1861

Setting out from Clinton, the First Battalion moved about fifteen miles and camped on the Wartburg road, in the north corner of Roane County.

Having set out from Knoxville in the afternoon of the 17th, General Zollicoffer rejoined the brigade at Wartburg, 19th, and on the 20th he wrote to A. S. Johnston as follows:

I am moving as expeditiously as possible, with four and a half infantry regiments, a battalion of cavalry and Rutledge's Artillery, to unite with Stanton's command (his and Murray's regiments and McClellan's cavalry) beyond Jamestown, with a view of taking a strong position on the Cumberland River beyond Monticello. . . . . .

I hope, by scouring the country on the north bank down to Burkesville occasionally, to command the river, and draw supplies from Nashville when the roads to Knoxville are bad. From this camp as a base of operations I hope in mild weather to penetrate the country towards London or Danville, or in other directions, and command the approaches to Cumberland Gap or Jacksborough.

. . . I sent a few men up to Greeneville to arrest Andrew Johnson's sons and son-in-law.¹

According to Zollicoffer's official report, the following shows the aggregate present at Wartburg:

Sixteenth Alabama (battalion), 401; Fifteenth Mississippi, 701; Seventeenth Tennessee (Newman), 538; Nineteenth Tennessee (Cummings), 603; Twentieth Tennessee (Battle), 637; McNairy's Battalion, 341 ; and Rutledge's Battery (eight guns), 126—total, 3,565, but only 2,995 were able for duty. Thirty-five of McNairy's Battalion were reported absent.²

Zollicoffer ordered Colonel Stanton, with his regiment, Colonel Murray's Regiment and Lieutenant-Colonel McClellan's Battalion of cavalry, encamped at Camp McGinnis, some ten miles north of Jamestown, to make a rapid and stealthy forward movement to capture as many ferry-boats as possible along the Cumberland River, between Burkesville and Mill Springs.³

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¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 686.

² Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 687.

³ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 690.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 81-2

Lieutenant-Colonel George R. McClellan to Brigadier-General Felix K. Zollicoffer, November 4, 1861—1 p.m.

JAMESTOWN, November 4, 1861—1 p.m.

General ZOLLICOFFER:

SIR: I have information that is entirely reliable that the enemy is approaching this point 6,000 strong—l,500 cavalry and the balance artillery and infantry. The infantry and artillery camped last night 5 miles east of Monticello, a portion of the cavalry in town, their pickets 7 miles below. Colonel Murray is at Camp Zollicoffer, in Overton County. I dispatched him yesterday, urging him to move to this place. Colonel Stanton, I understand, is at Celina. I forwarded your dispatch to Colonel Murray last night, requesting him to forward to Colonel Stanton. Have heard nothing from either since we were at Albany. Captain Bledsoe, with his company, is at Camp Myers. I have with me not more than 500 effective men, and I have determined to retire, with the commissary stores, in direction of Pikeville, which is 15 miles from Brison's Landing, on the Tennessee River. Fine road from here to Pikeville. Bad road and great danger of being cut off by way of Montgomery has determined me to take former route. We will defend them the best we can until re-enforced. I am informed that the enemy understands that we have a large amount of stores here, and they wish to capture them by surprise. I have brought all my command up to this place, except our pickets back on the different roads, and we are felling timber in the strong passes behind us to obstruct their advance. Let me hear from you without delay.

Yours, truly,

GEO. R. McCLELLAN,        

Lieutenant-Colonel.

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. 514-5

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, November 20, 1861

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,        

Wartburg, one mile from Montgomery, November 20, 1861.

Lieutenant-Colonel MACKALL,
        Assistant Adjutant-General, Bowling Green, Ky.:

SIR: I am moving as expeditiously as possible, with four and a half infantry regiments, a battalion of cavalry, and Rutledge's artillery, to unite with Stanton's command (his and Murray's regiments and McClellan's cavalry) beyond Jamestown, with a view of taking a strong position on the Cumberland River beyond Monticello. The country is sterile from near Clinton to beyond Jamestown, Tenn. The counties of Wayne and Clinton and the western half of Pulaski, in Kentucky, are, I learn, comparatively good counties for subsistence and forage. If I can find a good position on the Cumberland for hutting in winter I hope, by scouring the country on the north bank down to Burkesville occasionally, to command the river, and draw supplies from Nashville when the roads to Knoxville are bad. From this camp as a base of operations I hope in mild weather to penetrate the country towards London or Danville, or in other directions, and command the approaches to Cumberland Gap or Jacksborough. I hope it may be practicable, by scouring the intervening country occasionally by detachments from both camps, to establish and safely maintain a line of express messengers between General Buckner's outposts and my camp.

My information, when at Knoxville, induces me to believe that the numbers under Clift, in Hamilton County, were greatly exaggerated. I doubt whether he had at any time more than 100 to 200 followers. They are not now to be found, having dispersed. The tories in Sevier seem also to have retired where as yet our troops are not able to find them. I sent a few men up to Greeneville to arrest Andrew Johnson's sons and son-in-law. Have no late news from Carter and Johnson Counties. By this time I presume General Carroll is at Knoxville, in command, and instructed to make proper dispositions to guard the railroads and crush the tory combinations.

The recent burning of the bridges brought a crisis which I think demonstrates that but comparatively a small proportion of the population will now give countenance to hostile acts against the Confederate Government, and that those who are still hostile are only running upon their own destruction. They should now be dealt very severely with. Leniency and forbearance have gradually won many thousands over who would have been driven to the enemy had our policy been severe two months ago, but those that are yet hostile can only be cured of their folly by severity. They should be made to feel in their persons and their property that their hostile attitude promises to them nothing but destruction.

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 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 686-7

Brigadier-General Felix K. Zollicoffer to Colonel John P. Murray, October 28, 1861

CAMP BUCKNER, KY., October 28, 1861.

Col. JOHN P. MURRAY, Near Albany, Ky.:

SIR: I felt of the enemy's intrenched camp at Rockcastle Hills, on the road from London to Mount Vernon, on the 21st instant; found the position almost a natural fortification. My information [was] that the enemy was nine regiments strong there, and large reserves between there and Cincinnati. I fell back on the 22d, and will retire to Cumberland Gap, where I have placed a number of guns in position. The Log Mountains will soon be impassable, making this position difficult to hold. If the enemy advances, the approach is likely to be by way of Jacksborough or Jamestown. So soon, therefore, as I can complete the work, strengthening the pass at the Cumberland Gap (now in a few days), I will dispose my forces so as to be ready to meet the enemy on either of the other routes.

I hope you and Lieutenant-Colonel McClellan will co-operate to watch that border, and give me early and frequent reliable intelligence.

Learning that the enemy had retired from Albany, and desiring to see that the guns were all in position at the gap, I determined to return this way.

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. 483

Brigadier-General Felix K. Zollicoffer to Colonel John P. Murray, October 16, 1861

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,        

Camp Ten Mile, Ky., October 16, 1861.

Colonel MURRAY, Camp Myers:

SIR: I am 10 miles on the march toward a camp of the enemy on Rock-castle River, having left Cumberland Ford this evening with the greater part of my command. I learned that the enemy at Albany has retired. My plan has been to fall in their rear and cut them off. Now that Colonel Stanton and our cavalry have left the neighborhood of Jamestown, the enemy may return in force near the line. I have ordered stores of subsistence for my troops to be placed at Jamestown by the 25th instant, and have ordered the same cavalry companies to return to that neighborhood almost the same time, to prevent the enemy from seizing and appropriating the stores. Perhaps the cavalry from above would not be sufficient to prevent an incursion. I expect to pass down by Somerset and Monticello or by Columbia and Burkesville, in the hope of capturing any forces they may be threatening your position with. As secrecy is the element of success, I must beg of you not to mention to any solitary person this enterprise. My object in writing to you is to ask you, about the 25th, to move in such a way as to insure, by the aid of the cavalry, the safety of the stores, until I can reach the neighborhood. Inform General Caswell at Knoxville what you can do, and he will communicate with me.

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. 212