The Cumberland Gap

[lukegilly13]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

Thanks ryan. Bring some instruments...we'll be playin tunes on those yankee forts...leavin from the picture above after work on friday!

[yankeecav]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

Luke, I miss identified a photo link number earlier, here is the right info.http://history.ky.gov/sub.php?pageid=94&sectionid=14 (click KHS digital collections, then in search box at top right type "Cumberland Gap", photographs are on page 2, image # 36) Again, great image and thanks for posting.

The caption for the picture at the link above states that it is a picture of the gap during Union occupation, 1862. How accurate that caption is is anyone's guess. Great pic though.

[MickCole]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

The image is featured on the cover of a book that I am currently reading: Contested Borderland, by Brian D. McKnight, 2006, University Press of Kentucky. The Federal occupation of Cumberland Gap in 1862 is discussed in Chapter 4: The Kentucky Campaign, Cumberland Gap. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in this little-known area of conflict.
Some of my 1st cousins (a few times removed) were among the members of the 64th VA who became POW's when General Frazier surrendered the Gap without a shot being fired in 1863. Daniel Frazier (no relation to the General) was sent to Camp Douglas where he enlisted in the 5th US Volunteer Infantry in April 1865. James H. Head died at Camp Douglas of chronic diarhhea on Febrary 27, 1865, and is buried in Block 3, Chicago City Cemetery, Chicago, IL, Gravesite 865. James Monroe Dykes died of smallpox at Camp Douglas on December 5, 1864.
Mick Cole
37th VA Co. E
9th Texas Co. B
SCV, SUVCW, SVR

[surveypunk]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

Flag, 7th Kentucky Veteran Volunteer Infantry

http://kydgi.ky.gov:2005/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Flags&CISOPTR=38&REC=3

Great Grand Dad, top dead center. I have a copy of this image, without the penciled annotation in my hallway.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kylaurel/military/cok.htm

Jim Baugh

[lukegilly13]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

Mick,
Contested Borderland is a very good book! Nice read! Check out (if you haven't already) "Grumble". It tells the story of his cav. coming down through Jonesville.
I've not checked too much into this and I do not have the sources on hand to do so....but can anyone put a year to the replacement of the sibley tents on the US side of the conflict? There appear to be several in the image and it is my understanding that those are much more common early war.
2nd reasoning for belief that it is the '62 image....the roadway you can see to the left of the gap is the orignal railway that ran by the station just outside of town. The pathway int he middle is the actual "wilderness road". In '64 (the last federal occupation) Grant describes the road is rutted so deep that it was not usuable. The road appears to not be so warn to me in this image.
3rd, I believe the undergrowth in 2 years would be higher if this were the later war image. The trees were cleared in '62.....not a biologist/ecologist....But, after 2 years I think the undergrowth would of taken over much more than this.

Any thoughts?

[Raven]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

Wow, You hardly see many pictures of Tennessee back then!
Great Picture!

[Roy Queen]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

What a neat image! A distant ancestor, 2nd Lt. Benjamin N. Queen of the 62nd NC Infantry was taken prisoner at the Gap in Sept 1863.

Roy Queen

[coffey]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

Im gonna have to go with andrew they probably did use the wood for fire wood shelters and defense positions but some of it could have been used in the iron furnace where they could have made anywhere from axes to cannon balls.

[-Jesse-]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

the tents could also be conical tents...they were used by the french and british,pre-war...

[lukegilly13]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

Very true about the wood and the tents.

Roy, I have pinpointed (to the extent possible...at least with my knowledge) to where Frazier surrendered by using the description of his headquarters and the wonderful preservation of the old harlan road! If your'e ever in the area and feel like walking, shoot me a line and i'll show ya!

[Sean Wilson]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

My Great Grandfather x3 was at Cumberland Gap during the war he was with 1st Tn Inf. Co A U.S. It's really something how some of the place has change and some of it hasn't.

[lukegilly13]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

Possibly the trees were used to feed furnaces up and down the western side of VA? Just a thought...

This could be....People always say that it was used for firewood, but i've always been skeptical because they cut down way more than what you see in that image.....from the gap to the top of log mountain was trimmmed bare....that's acres upon acres of lumber....the place was filled with massive old growth forest according to civilian descriptions of the period. Never thought of it being spread among civilian homes, sold for rails, etc.

See you in a couple of weeks.

[Sean Wilson]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

That would make sense. The other pictures and descriptions i have heard of say the same thing. It funny how it change hands so many times and there was no major battle.
It had to be hell on the soilders how had to be there.

[lukegilly13]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

In a letter from John Ritter, written June 19, 1862 from atop Cumberland Mountain at the Cumberland Gap Garrison:

"Dear Margarett,

I take up this verry earlyest opportunity to write to you. I last wrote to you from Pine Mountain or Boston. The little slip was writtn at the foot of Pine Mountain, Ky. Since then we have done some hard walkin & Running not from the Enemy but to find him. We stopt last night after being being on the march thirty hours, a good ______? of the time on force March. We marched thrity Eight miles from two hours by Sun in the evening of the 17 to dark last night trying to Bag the Rebbels but they were to fleet footed for us. We Climed the Pine and Cumberland mountain a place that they thought imposible to be passed with trains or Artilery and was trying to get in their rear. They left the Gap at 8 oclock 18th. We took posesion of the gap. We came up to it in the Rear. One Battery & a Reg. went up and fired the cannon last Evening. The doore is now open to East Tenesee. The enemy retreated to morristown. But if they would not stand a fight at Cumberland Gap they cannot stand any wheare....
....At some future day I may write still further about our travils on this trip. We have marched over a hundred miles and find our selves 14 miles where we started and for all we think it a cheep service? for by it we have possession of Cumberland Gap perhaps the strongest position now in North America. Military men Say that the place is the Strongis that there is. Military men say that 10,000 men could hold it against the world if the provision supplys were Kept up. It is incredable how much work has been done. The fortifications are verry Extensive & scientificatt?. I spent all this afternoon and only had time one side of the Gap, the right hand side. All things go to show that the Gap was evacuate in a hurry. All their Tents were left but cut to pieces. Their powder was thrown down the hill, 6 cannons were left, some of them thrown over the clift, large Quantity of shot and shell were lef, some Flour, some bacen, and picked? pork. There is a well about 15 feet deep. They filled it up with Flour and pork. They left a large number of huts that I supose that they did not Burn because they migh have raised the alarme but if they would not fight at Cumberland Gap there is no use for them to talk about fighting any wheare. I am truly glad that we did not have them to fight in the Gap yet we may have to run them down but I am of the oppinion that Tenessee is virturly clean of rebels. I think that hte Rebbel cause has gone up. I hope how soon it may be acknowledge by the Rebbes. I must close for the present. Mail facility will be Kept up Regular hereafter. I am will, my heath ahs imprved every day on the march. Feet sore.

Yors,

John A. Ritter"

[lukegilly13]

Re: The Cumberland Gap

Gen. Ulysses S. Grant traveling through in 1864:
"With two brigades of the Army of the Cumberland I could hold that pass against the army which Napolean lead to Moscow."
To give you the gist of the size of the confederates that "ran off" in the above quote...here's what they left.
According to the official records in the national archives recorded september 9 1863:
General Frazier surrendered...."2026 prisoners, 2000 small arms (would love to know what those were...if anyone does or knows how to look...let me know), 12 pieces of artillery, and the stores of ammunition and provisions. They also surrendered 200 horses and mules, 50 wagons, 160 cattle, 12000lbs of bacon, 2000 bushels of wheat, and appx. 15000lbs of flour."