Cumberland Gap is a passage through the
Cumberland Mountains, on the line between
Kentucky and
Tennessee and the western extremity of
Virginia.
It is a place about which clusters many a Civil War incident.
It was occupied by
Zollicoffer in his retreat, Nov. 13, 1861.
On March 22, 1862, a reconnoissance in force was made from Cumberland Fort to this place.
The Confederate pickets were driven in, and firing began early in the morning, which continued all day, without any definite results.
The
Gap was occupied by the
National forces under
General Morgan, June 18.
Skirmishing was of almost daily occurrence.
In an engagement, Aug. 7, the
Confederates lost, in killed and wounded, 125 men; National loss, 3 killed, 15 wounded, and 50 prisoners, large quantities of forage, tobacco, stores, horses and mules.
General Morgan destroyed everything of value as war material, and evacuated the place Sept. 17, and, though surrounded by the enemy, he succeeded in saving his command, which reached Greenupsburg on Oct. 3.
The
Gap was occupied by
General Bragg, Oct. 22.
On Sept. 8, 1863, the place, with 2,000 men and fourteen pieces of artillery, under the
Confederate General Frazer, surrendered, without firing a gun, to
General Shackleford; forty wagons, 200 mules, and a large quantity of commissary stores were captured.
A three hours skirmish occurred Jan. 29, 1864, on the
Virginia road, 13 miles distant.
Colonel Love, with 1,600 cavalry, 400 only of whom were mounted, and with no artillery, held his position till dark, and then fell back 3 miles to camp.
On April 28, 1865, 900 Confederates surrendered and were paroled here.
