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

Governor: On the fifth and sixth instant, De Courcey's brigade, with the Fourteenth Kentucky, had a series of brilliant affairs with Stevenson's division in entire force. The enemy outnumbered DeCourcey four to one.

The enemy lost two hundred and twenty-five, and Lieut.-Colonel Gordon, of the Eleventh Tennessee, was taken prisoner. We captured two hundred wagon-loads of forage, twelve hundred pounds of tobacco, and thirty horses and mules. We lost three killed, fifteen wounded, and fifty prisoners. Two companies of the Sixteenth Ohio were surrounded by the rebel regiments, but two thirds of them cut their way through.

John Morgan, at the head of two thousand cavalry, left Knoxville for Kingston about the second instant. It is rumored that Kentucky is to be invaded.

We have had the pleasure of an interview with Capt. J. H. Ferry, Quartermaster of General Morgan's division, who left the Gap at noon on Tuesday last, the twelfth instant, and he gives a full and explicit denial to the rebel reports of our reverses in that vicinity. Since the fight at Wallace's Cross-Roads, in the middle of July, there has been no regular engagement near the Gap until last Saturday, when Col. De Courcey went out on a foraging party with his whole brigade, consisting of the Sixteenth and Forty-second Ohio and Twenty-second Kentucky, Col. Lindsey, and the Fourteenth Kentucky, Col. Cochran, of Gen. Baird's division.

Col. Cochran was in advance with his regiment, about a mile and a half beyond Tazewell, on picket-duty, when he was attacked by four rebel regiments under Col. Rains, comprising the Eleventh and Forty-second Tennessee, Thirtieth Alabama, and Twenty-first Georgia. Col. Cochran immediately formed his command on each side of the road, each flank supported by a piece of artillery from Foster's Wisconsin battery, under command of Lieut. John D. Anderson. The rebels advanced upon the Fourteenth Kentucky in extended line, and their flanking regiments thrown forward, with the evident intention of surrounding and cutting off the whole regiment and artillery. Col. Cochran, seeing this, retired his regiment in perfect order, as soon as the artillery had placed itself in his rear, and took position where the movement could not be repeated against him.

The rebels then changed their plan of attack, and charged by column of regiments, until when within two hundred and fifty yards, Col. Cochran, who had stood without discharging a gun, poured a terrible fire upon them, which checked their advance and threw them into disorder. In the mean time, Foster's entire battery of six guns had been placed in position on an eminence in the rear, and opened fire, which turned the rebel disorder into a rout, and no more was seen of them. Rebel officers who came in under a flag of truce, acknowledged a loss of from two hundred to two hundred and fifty, and the Knoxville Register, a copy of which Captain Ferry had read, published the names of one hundred and nine killed.

We lost but three killed; among them, we regret to say, was Captain Edgar, of the Sixteenth Ohio, who was on picket-duty with his company in advance of the Fourteenth Kentucky. He was a brave man, and one of the most accomplished drill officers in the service. His death was instantaneous, having been shot through the head. Col. Cochran had fifteen wounded in his regiment, and our total wounded was twenty-three. We lost fifty-seven men of Edgar's and Tannehill's companies of the Sixteenth Ohio, who were cut off before they could fall back from picket-duty, on the main body.

Lieut.-Col. Gordon, of the Eleventh rebel Tennessee regiment, was taken prisoner by two men of the Sixteenth Ohio, and though their company was completely surrounded, they dexterously managed to bring him in to Colonel De Courcey. The rebels offered to exchange all the prisoners taken by them for their lieutenant-colonel, but the arrangements had not been completed when Captain Ferry left the Gap. Gen. Morgan issued orders complimenting Cols. Cochran and De Courcey and their men for their bravery, but it is universally conceded that to Col. Cochran belongs all the credit of the splendid repulse of the four rebel regiments.

The enemy has been met and defeated — in fact, routed; but it has not been as extensive an engagement as at first supposed; neither has there been the cutting to pieces of this regiment and that battalion, as stated. The fight was a gallant one while it lasted, which, according to the general's despatch, was about four hours. The enemy were getting bold in the vicinity of our forces, and was gradually extending his lines and committing depredations upon the property of private citizens; so Gen. Smith ordered an attack, to put a check upon his movements. The skirmish of Colonel Ashby's cavalry, some days ago, was the forerunner of a movement on him, and shout after shout went up from the ranks of men almost disheartened that our government would not let them have a brush. As I learned, the Third Georgia and Fourth Tennessee were in advance, and waded Clinch River, which, being swollen a little, came up to their arm-pits.

It is impossible to draw the Yankees in a fair, open field fight, but they are always found in strong position, as in this instance. Two miles from and overlooking Tazewell, is a ridge called [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.