Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[574] Waldren's, and is the scene of several little artillery duels between the opposing forces. Here Gen. Stevenson, with his brigade, consisting of the Eleventh Tennessee, Fourth Tennessee, Forty-second Georgia, Eighth Georgia battalion, and Yeiser's battery, with the Eufala artillery, met the enemy. Taylor's brigade acted in conjunction. All went to work to dislodge the enemy; with such a furore did they attack him, that in a few hours the Federals, consisting of about three brigades, turned and fled, the majority at a run, and some in great disorder. The Sixteenth Ohio was the only regiment that left in any manner appertaining to good order. As usual, they left a good portion of their dead on our hands, taking seven or eight wagon-loads off previous to their defeat.

We have not captured any artillery, as announced; neither did the Third Tennessee regiment lose one hundred and nine men in killed and wounded, as reported; but they fought gallantly, and I have been told that, had they been supported, they would have taken the enemy's guns in a charge made by them. Capt. Corput's battery did fine execution, and poured the shot and shell into their disordered column as they put out in a double-quick for the Gap. Forty prisoners were captured, a good many stand of arms, and some commissary stores. Lieut.-Col. Gordon, of the Eleventh Tennessee regiment, (Col. Hains,) was captured by the enemy.

I cannot call this a battle, as it does not come up to my idea of what a battle is; I denominate it more like a heavy skirmish. I have asked as high as fifty persons what our losses are, and after putting myself to the trouble of comparing all statements, I strike a balance of nine killed and thirty or forty wounded.

The loss of the enemy is variously estimated at from fifty to one hundred and fifty in killed and wounded. It was a brilliant affair, and reflects great credit upon our arms. It has come like a thunderbolt on the Unionists in this section, who were making their boasts of soon shaking hands with their Federal friends. It has relieved a large section of country from the depredations of a ravaging foe. The boasted threat that this railroad would soon be in their hands, coupled with the congratulatory promise of Andy Johnson to dine with his tory friends, is all exploded now, and pray “where now is heard the scream of Montgomery's eagle?”

The Federals fled to the Gap, and our forces now occupy Tazewell. They have advanced in a few days over twenty miles in the enemy's front, and I should not be surprised if this affair, small as it appears to be, will cause General Morgan to leave Tennessee, and let his hoped for junction with Buell go by the board. The decisive battle of East-Tennessee is yet to come off, and Buell is now “trying not to try” --not to find out where to attack us, but how to avoid it and get safely away.