Today in History:

400 Series I Volume XXXI-I Serial 54 - Knoxville and Lookout Mountain Part I

Page 400 KY.,SW.VA.,Tennessee,MISS.,N.ALA., AND N.GA. Chapter XLIII.

TAZEWELL, December 9, 1863-6.40 p.m.

GENERAL: General Longstreet and staff passed Bean's Station yesterday morning about 10 o'clock. Some of his infantry is with infantry passed on the Bean's Station and Rogersville road. They retired from Clinch Mountain late last evening and this morning, leaving two pieces of artillery and one regiment of cavalry; pickets of the enemy are still in the gap. I have no doubt this information is substantially correct.

Very respectfully,

O. B. VILLCOX,

Brigadier-General.

Maj. Gen. JOHN G. FOSTER,

Commanding Department of the Ohio.

TAZEWELL, December 11, 1863.

Your dispatch of the 8th (8 p.m.) received yesterday. I have telegraphed to all commanding officers, quartermasters, and commissaries, from here to Camp Nelson, to hurry forward provisions, shoes, and stockings. I have just received a dispatch from Major Conover, Mulberry Gap, who reports 300 rebels near the Black Water salt-works;and he also learns by scouts sent beyond Sneedville and by deserters who came in this morning that there is a large force at Flat Gap, 10 miles from Sneedville. This, of course, has prevented his scouting force, as I advised you in my last dispatch. The force at that gap is variously estimated from 1,000 to 10,000 men. I suppose it is a brigade guarding Longstreet's flank from an attack in this quarters, but possibly they may have in view a raid across our line of communications.

The block-house at Mulberry Gap is progressing well.

O. B. VILLCOX,

Brigadier-General.

Major-General FOSTER.

TAZEWELL, December 14, 1863.

GENERAL: Nothing further from the enemy on my left, except that yesterday a force of about 400 cavalry were this side Clinch River, on the Sneedville road, committing depredations; probably scouting and foraging. Nothing from them to-day. I sent your order to Captain Gross, who is coming on. I have sent to Barboursville for wire; also sent to Cumberland Gap for axes, and they will leave there for Knoxville to-morrow. No cross-cut saws, and have telegraphed Hall for one hundred.

This Sixth Indiana Cavalry are used up, and there is not sufficient cavalry force to scout the Sneedville road.

Very respectfully,

O. B. WILLCOX,

Brigadier-General.

Major-General FOSTER.


Page 400 KY.,SW.VA.,Tennessee,MISS.,N.ALA., AND N.GA. Chapter XLIII.