Attacking Cumberland Gap Letter, 1862 April 13
In this letter, Sgt. Charles H. Roney tells his parents about life in his company on April 13, 1862. He writes: "“all quiet on the Cumberland. We got orders today to pack up… and be ready to march at any minute and then you could see the boys run to one and then to another to find out where we was going…one company went up towards the gap [Cumberland Gap] They have gone about 8 miles and the Old. Col. Went with them…the calculations is to make an attack as soon as we can...we have about 5…in our brigade and General Morgan’s Brigade is coming up to reinforce us. He has got one battery…this time we will [capture] the gap sure. You know the 3rd time [is the] charm. I almost died to here the report of the Battle of Corinth for fear of hearing that John was killed or taken prisoner. If he did get killed I will revenge his death…I hope to God that he did not get killed, but if he did he could not die any better…O that must have been a hard fight. We heard that we lost 2,000 of our men…the Rebs have been reinforced at the Gap of 7000. We ketched a spy last night. He was at the Gap when we was there and said he helped load the cannon. He was from North Carolina, but I guess he wont help them load the cannons this time…if we whip them at the Gap I expect we will be home this summer…rain here for the last 3 or 4 days and the river was so high that we have been put on half rations…there is 2 new Tennessee Regts. Making up down at Flat Lick a little town about 5 miles from here. The loyal people of Tennessee is coming in everyday to enlist…your son, Chas. 2nd. Sergeant Comp. D, 16th Regt., 12th Brigade O. V. U. S. A…[Upside down on the front over the dateline.] We got tired of calling it Camp Cumberland so we have given it a new name…”.
Dates
- 1862 April 13
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
From the Collection: 0.1 Linear Feet
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository