Garfield's Address to his Soldiers.--Starvation Stares them
in the Face.--Garfield takes Command of the "Sandy
Valley"--Perilous Trip up the River.--Garfield's Address to
the Citizens of Sandy Valley.--Pound Gap.--Garfield Resolves
to Seize the Guerillas.--The Old Mountaineer.--Successful
Attack.--General Buell's Message.--Garfield is Appointed
Brigadier-General.
Marshall and his entire force were dislodged from their intrenchments.
Garfield had obeyed General Buell's orders, and the following day he
issued the following address to his army:--
"_Soldiers of the Eighteenth Brigade:_
"I am proud of you all! In four weeks you have marched some
eighty, and some a hundred miles, over almost impassable
roads. One night in four you have slept, often in the storm,
with only a winter sky above your heads. You have marched in
the face of a foe of more than double your number--led on by
chiefs who have won a national renown under the old
flag--intrenched in hills of his own choosing, and
strengthened by all the appliances of military art. With no
experience but the consciousness of your own manhood, you
have driven him from his strongholds, pursued his inglorious
flight, and compelled him to meet you in battle. When forced
to fight, he sought the shelter of rocks and hills; you
drove him from his position, leaving scores of his bloody
dead unburied. His artillery thundered against you, but you
compelled him to flee by the light of his burning stores,
and to leave even the banner of his rebellion behind him. I
greet you as men. Our common country will not forget you.
She will not forget the sacred dead who fell beside you, nor
those of your comrades who won scars of honor on the field.
I have called you from the pursuit that you may regain vigor
for still greater exertions. Let no one tarnish his
well-earned honor by any act unworthy an American soldier.
Remember your duties as American citizens, and sacredly
respect the rights and property of those with whom you may
come in contact. Let it not be said that good men dread the
approach of an American army. Officers and soldiers, your
duty has been nobly done. For this I thank you."
The enemy, after burning their supplies and baggage of every
description, had made their escape through Pound Gap, and Garfield knew
that it would be worse than useless to pursue them any farther. His own
little force was greatly exhausted and short of food, as it had started
with only two days' rations. A heavy rain-storm had caused an overflow
of the Big Sandy, and a large part of the valley was under water. The
boats were all detained in the Ohio, and among them the steamers that
Garfield had loaded with provisions for his troops. Meanwhile,
starvation stared them in the face. Foraging was strictly forbidden, and
if it had been possible for them to march over the muddy roads, it would
have been in disobedience to orders, for the enemy might at any moment
return and take possession of the country.
The young commander saw but one way out of the difficulty. Calling
Brown, his faithful scout, he said to him,--
"What do you say to our going down the river and hurrying up the
supplies? The boatmen say it can't be done, but you and I have had some
experience on the water."
"I say, gin'ral," answered Brown, "I'd rather drown than starve, any
day. Jest give me the word for't and I'm yer right-hand man!"
"We'll go, Brown," was the laconic reply, and, boarding a small skiff,
they floated down the seething waters to the mouth of the Big Sandy.
Here they found a small steamboat, called the "Sandy Valley," which had
formerly been in the quartermaster's service. This, Garfield loaded with
supplies, and ordered up river.
The captain, who was a secessionist, declared it was impossible to stem
the current in such a flood. The water was at least sixty feet deep, and
the trees along the banks were covered to their topmost branches.
"I will take the command of this steamer," said Garfield in an
authoritative tone, at the same time ordering the captain and his men to
get on board.
Placing Brown at the bow, Garfield took his stand at the helm. The most
careful steering was necessary, for the water was full of dangerous
snags and treacherous banks of sand. At one time the boat ran aground.
"We must get a line to the opposite shore!" exclaimed Garfield.
"It can't be done," said the rebel captain; "it's death to any man that
attempts it!"
"It must be done!" cried Garfield, as he sprang into a yawl and called
Brown to follow. For a few moments it seemed as if the little boat would
be overborne by the current and utterly submerged. But the strong arm
and indomitable will at last prevailed. Another moment of fearful
suspense, and the opposite shore was gained. It was an easy matter,
then, to fasten the rope, construct a windlass, and draw the steamboat
out of the mud.
For two days and the greater part of one night, Garfield stood at the
wheel, and at nine o'clock the following morning the provisions were
safely landed at Paintville.
"Had it not been for my experience on the canal-boat," he said,
afterwards, "I could never have managed that trip up the Big Sandy."
When the half-famished men saw the boat and their noble commander at the
helm, they could hardly contain themselves. They shouted and cheered,
and would have borne him in triumph upon their shoulders had he not made
a resolute protest against such manifestations.
The whole neighboring country about Paintville were greatly terrified
when they heard of Marshall's retreat. The rebel troops spread such
alarming reports of the hostile intentions of the Union forces that the
people left their homes and took refuge in the woods.
To quiet their fears, Garfield issued the following:--
"_Citizens of Sandy Valley_
"I have come among you to restore the honor of the Union,
and to bring back the old banner which you once loved, but
which, by the machinations of evil men, and by mutual
misunderstanding, has been dishonored, among you. To those
who are in arms against the Federal Government, I offer only
the alternative of battle or unconditional surrender. But to
those who have taken no part in this war, who are in no way
aiding or abetting the enemies of this Union--even to those
who hold sentiments averse to the Union, but will give no
aid or comfort to its enemies--I offer the full protection
of the government, both in their persons and property.
"Let those who have been seduced away from the love of their
country to follow after, and aid the destroyers of our
peace, lay down their arms, return to their homes, bear true
allegiance to the Federal Government, and they shall also
enjoy like protection. The army of the Union wages no war of
plunder, but comes to bring back the prosperity of peace.
Let all peace-loving citizens, who have fled from their
homes, return and resume again the pursuits of peace and
industry. If citizens have suffered any outrages by the
soldiers under my command, I invite them to make known their
complaints to me, and their wrongs shall be redressed and
the offenders punished. I expect the friends of the Union in
this valley to banish from among them all private feuds, and
let a liberal love of country direct their conduct toward
those who have been so sadly estrayed and misguided, hoping
that these days of turbulence may soon be ended and the days
of the Republic soon return.
"J. A. GARFIELD,
"_Colonel Commanding Brigade_."
This promise of protection allayed the fears of the people, and they
began to flock about the Union camp. From them Garfield learned that
Marshall and his forces were still lurking about the country. At last,
through the scout, Jordan, he found out that a grand muster of the rebel
militia was to meet in Pound Gap on the 15th of March, and that, by
uniting their forces, they hoped to enter Kentucky and drive out the
Union army.
Pound Gap is a narrow opening in the Cumberland mountains and leads into
Virginia. On the top of the gorge through which the road passes, the
rebels had built a long line of huts; and, directly across the gap, they
had thrown up a breastwork, behind which they declared five hundred men
could easily resist five thousand.
About six hundred of the rebel militia under Major Thompson had been
stationed here for a number of weeks. Forming guerilla bands, they would
come down into the peaceful valleys and commit all sorts of
depredations. Before the terrified inhabitants could offer any
resistance they would retreat to their strongholds, where pursuit was
impossible.
Garfield felt his work in Kentucky would not be done until some effort
had been made to break up these mountain hordes. When he heard of the
intended muster, he set out with seven hundred men, and, although the
way was beset with difficulties, he pushed on through swollen streams
and muddy roads until he was within two miles of the rebel garrison. His
plan was to send one hundred of his horsemen up the road to attract the
enemy's attention, while he, with the six hundred infantry, were
climbing the steep side of the mountain and attacking the rebels on the
flank.
He could find no one, however, to act as a guide in this perilous
expedition, until one morning an old man, with long hair and snow-white
beard, came into camp.
"I came down the mountain ten days ago," he said, "and where I can come
down, ye can go up."
"But, do you think we can get over the road safely?" asked Garfield;
"they tell me in winter the slope is a sheet of ice with three feet of
snow on the summit."
"Wall," said the old man; "ye'll hev to make yer own path most likely,
but it's worth yer trouble if ye can only ketch that nest o' murderin'
thieves as is pesterin' the hull country!"
Garfield looked steadily into the old man's face with that peculiar
searching glance of his, and then said,--
"We will do it to-morrow, and you shall be our guide."
The snow was falling in blinding drifts next morning when they commenced
their ascent. The ridge rises to a height of two thousand feet above
the valley at this point, and sudden precipices yawn on every side. A
single misstep is certain death; and slowly, cautiously the little band
follow their weird-looking guide up the icy slope.
At length the old man turns suddenly to Garfield, saying,--
"The rebels are just a half mile from here; press on at the double and
ye hev 'em!"
A firing from the picket-guard greets them, and the enemy call together
all their forces to resist the intruders.
But Garfield and his men are equal to the occasion.
"Press forward, scale the hill, and carry it with the bayonet!" cries
the Union commander, and with loud cheers the order is obeyed.
Little by little, the rebels fall back into the forest. The undaunted
band follow with gleaming weapons, and before night are comfortably
established in the enemy's quarters. Next morning, they burn the long
huts, some sixty in number, destroy the breastworks, and set out for
their own camp at Piketon. A week later, the order comes to march to
Louisville, and the campaign on the Big Sandy comes to a successful
close.
Kentucky is thoroughly rid of the rebel hordes, and General Buell is so
delighted that he sends to Garfield the following message:--
"The general commanding takes occasion to thank General Garfield and his
troops for their successful campaign against the rebel force under
General Marshall, on the Big Sandy, and their gallant conduct in battle.
They have overcome formidable difficulties in the character of country,
conditions of the roads and the inclemency of the season, and, without
artillery, have in several engagements, terminating in the battle of
Middle Creek, on the 10th inst., driven him back into the mountains,
with a loss of a large amount of baggage and stores, and many of his men
killed or captured. These services have called into action the highest
qualities of a soldier,--fortitude, perseverance and courage."
President Lincoln, to whom the news of "Middle Creek" had come like a
benediction in his discouragement, immediately appointed Colonel
Garfield a Brigadier-General.