The Great Iron Wheel of War Moves On: Seizing Cumberland Gap with the 86th Ohio

Reading Sergeant Thomas Organ’s letter after the seizure of Cumberland Gap in September 1863, one gets the sense that the Ohio sergeant felt a sense of deliverance from not only avoiding death in battle but from no longer being under the command of Colonel John F. DeCourcey.

          “The colonel (little DeCourcey as the boys term him) was a foreigner by birth and having been educated in and the breathed the atmosphere of tyranny and oppression, they had become so perfectly instilled into his innermost being that it forms the predominant part of the man. He seemed never so happy himself unless those around him were miserable,” Organ complained.

DeCourcey’s command of the brigade terminated once Cumberland Gap was secured. “Colonel DeCourcey had his feathers cut some for disrespectful language toward General [James] Shackelford and was sent back to his regiment. General Shackelford had attacked the Rebs on the Tennessee side of the Gap but had effected nothing. He sent word to DeCourcey what disposition to make of our brigade. DeCourcey told him he had tried to take the Gap and couldn’t and that Shackleford should wait until 3 o’clock the next day and see what DeCourcey could do. For this General Burnside had him arrested after the surrender. One year from the day of surrender, DeCourcey had been driven from the Gap and was bound to go in that day. He took our regiment in as soon as possible after they took down their rag but told the colonel not to play ‘Yankee Doodle’ on entering. But we did not care for his English ideas and went in on the tune,” Organ noted.

          This letter first saw publication in the October 1, 1863, edition of the Urbana Citizen & Gazette, a superb paper for soldiers’ correspondence.

 

Federal troops of Burnside's command marched into Cumberland Gap on September 9, 1863 and would hold this critical pathway into Kentucky for the remainder of the war. Visitors to Cumberland Gap National Park can visit some of the various forts that were erected during the war to defend the Gap. The scenery, when not obscured by clouds, is breathtaking. 

Cumberland Gap, Kentucky

September 18, 1863

 

          The great iron wheel of war still rolls on and will continue in its onward revolutions until the last element of treason with its primal causes shall be crushed to rise no more. My object is to give a brief detail of the wanderings of the 86th Ohio since I last wrote you. We left Camp Nelson on the morning of August 20th and made our first halt at Crab Orchard. Our regiment has been brigaded in the following manner and placed under Colonel [John] DeCourcey of the 16th Ohio: the 86th Ohio, 129th Ohio, and 22nd Ohio Battery [Neil’s Battery], the 8th, 9th, and 11th Tennessee Cavalry regiments forming the Third Brigade, Second Division, of the 9th Army Corps.

          Our first day’s march was 23 miles and one of the hottest days I ever felt. This told sadly on the strength of the boys and ere we encamped for the night we had quite a respectable vanguard, stronger in point of numbers than our advance. On reaching Crab Orchard, we were anticipating a rest before we proceeded further. But no, we were under a man who did not recognize rest as a hygiene agent. The colonel (little DeCourcey as the boys term him) was a foreigner by birth and having been educated in and the breathed the atmosphere of tyranny and oppression, they had become so perfectly instilled into his innermost being that it forms the predominant part of the man. He seemed never so happy himself unless those around him were miserable.

          On Sabbath morning [August 23] after arriving at Crab Orchard, he issued an order compelling the companies to fall out for drill with all their equipment on, knapsacks to hold us steady, and drill for the purpose of hardening blistered feet, he said. There were a few imprecations uttered and a few consignments more emphatic than polite, breathing somewhat of a sulphuric air or the place where torrid ceased to be expressive of a condition. We used to sing the words- “Welcome delightful morn, thou day of sacred rest.” The words were fresh in my memory and I enjoyed the sentiment for it reflected a civilized thought, but on that day I would appreciate a practical experiment more. But to such men the sanctity of the Sabbath is nothing. They hold no moral principle as sacred.

          Our march through was long and wearisome as it was through a mountainous region. The scarcity of teams and the numerous mountain roads rendered it impossible to keep supplies up; in consequence, we were thrown on one half and one quarter rations during the entire march and up to last night when a small wagon train brought up some hardtack. As an instance which will satisfy the people that it is no easy matter to move an army (and this is but a small one), it took the teams six hours to move two miles at one time and four hours to move one mile at another and these were common occurrences. We passed over the road General Morgan retreated over about one year ago and by the Wild Cat battlefield. It is among the wildest of places and shows some signs of the conflict. A fit place for such scenes.



          On September 8 we arrived in sight of the long-wished-for and notable point in the history of this rebellion, Cumberland Gap. The hills towered up in the distance, giving us a distant view of the enemy’s works. Skirmishers were thrown out and we began to advance continuously through a thick forest, up a steep mountainside. For three long hours over rocks, logs, trees, and everything conceivable to impede our progress, we plodded our weary march until we reached the summit from which we could see their works quite plainly.

          We moved along a bypath just below the top of the mountain, far enough to keep out of sight of the Rebs. Our cavalry at this time was skirmishing with their pickets in a very lively manner, exchanging shots in rapid succession. As we moved along and passed a flat on the hill, the Rebels got a glimpse of our column. They opened from one of their brazened-mouth pieces and sent a messenger whizzing and spitting over our head to ascertain if we were present and accounted for. As we did not reply to this interrogation, they became more inquisitive and sent another with more impudence which failed to reach us by a few yards and in attempting to deliver this message, busted with the effort. They found us rather of the non-communicative class of persons, not conversant on such occasions, and withheld further inquiries of the kind.

          We moved out of range of their guns and lay concealed, awaiting the artillery to get up and get in position. But it was dusk ere we accomplished this, as it was very fatiguing on man and best to make the ascension. Indeed, now I wonder how it made at all. Ask muscle, nerve, whip, and goad. Perhaps they can explain. The darkness of the night prevented further operations that night.

A heavy fog the next morning kept us from seeing what the Rebs were doing as they seemed to be silent, a rarity. The 129th Ohio was deployed in rear of the cannons, out of danger, as they were by the general to be unfit to move on works as they were undrilled while our regiment was taken down from the mount and formed in close column for the purpose of storming their breastworks and fortifications. We were kept concealed under a hill from the Rebels’ view and were to move out as soon as the signal was given which was the opening of our battery.

Colonel John F. DeCourcey
16th Ohio Inf. 

Colonel DeCourcey sent in a flag of truce to Brigadier General [John W.] Frazer to surrender or he would open on him at such an hour. At the same time General [Ambrose] Burnside was on the opposite side of the Gap and had requested General Frazer not to hold communication with any U.S. officers but himself. General Frazer, finding himself surrounded and greatly overestimating our force, surrendered. General Burnside had attacked him on the Tennessee side but had accomplished nothing as their works by nature and art combined on that side are impregnable.

It was the most fortunate thing that ever occurred to us that they had surrendered without our having to storm their works. There were 2,500 of them well armed with stolen guns and in the strongest fortifications. One rifle pit after another with heavy breastworks reared up in our front and that had we attempted the work assigned to us by Colonel DeCourcey and the Rebels had made use of the means in their possession to repulse us, the 86th Ohio would have nearly been blotted from existence. We would have been subject to a plunging fire from them as soon as we unmasked and only numbered about 600 men. Our ammunition would have been exhausted ere we reached any point which we could play effectually upon them. They had an abundance.

There were a few intimations among official circles before we reached the Gap that we would starve them out. But the starve would have come in on our side this time. Theye were bountifully supplied with flour and meat while we had nothing of any note and our men were already feeling the gripping of hunger.

They were aware that it was only a matter of time for them. Surrender then or be cut off from all communications with their army for weeks and ultimately be forced to succumb. Their belief was that we had 16 regiments of infantry on our side of the Gap and 18 cannons. But all the infantry to be sent against them on our side was our regiment and Colonel DeCourcey had said that morning that we would eat our supper in the Gap or in hell. Which place he ordered his supper I don’t know but I do know that unless he improves his morals he will be compelled to take his meals where the temperature is some degrees warmer than Cumberland Gap.

We had stripped off [our equipment] to go in and were quietly awaiting the signal when a messenger informed us they had run up the white rag. Our regiment marched out and entered their fortifications. They had stacked arms and were outside their rifle pits in line, standing at parade rest as we passed them. Not an insulting word was exchanged between the parties. They were prisoners at our mercy then. Though they were men of strong physical frame, capable of enduring a vast amount of fatigue, they lacked the outward signs of culture and intelligence you see so plainly indicated in a majority of our northern soldiers. One regiment was from Virginia, one from Georgia, and the others from North Carolina and Tennessee. Out of the 2,500, some escaped by breaking for the woods. [The Confederate garrison at Cumberland Gap consisted of the 55th Georgia, 62nd North Carolina, 64th North Carolina, 64th Virginia, 1st Tennessee Cavalry, and the Mabry [TN] Light Artillery.]


Three companies of our regiment and three of the 129th Ohio with the assistance of some cavalry started back with the prisoners to Ohio. A total of 2,025 went first and since then they have been sending on a few squads. We have had some anxiety in regard to them since they left for fear the guard is insufficient for such a forces over such roads but it was our only way to send them. If every brigade will send up a like delegation from Dixie it will have quite a purifying effect on the C.S.A. but may taint the air of the north with a pretty heavy Copperhead breath.

          Our brigade is at present stationed here and may lay here for sometime but we may move ere this reaches you. The brigade is now known as the Independent Brigade of the Army of Ohio and is commanded by Colonel [Wilson C.] Lemert of our regiment. Though small in stature, he possesses the mind which makes the man. He is kind to his men, enforcing discipline by commanding respect. The men all honor him and well they may. Lt. Colonel McFarland is sick with typhoid fever. He is greatly respected in the regiment both as a man of true morals and an officer- a rare occurrence in the army.

          Colonel DeCourcey had his feathers cut some for disrespectful language toward General [James] Shackelford and was sent back to his regiment. General Shackelford had attacked the Rebs on the Tennessee side of the Gap but had effected nothing. He sent word to DeCourcey what disposition to make of our brigade. DeCourcey told him he had tried to take the Gap and couldn’t and that Shackleford should wait until 3 o’clock the next day and see what DeCourcey could do. For this General Burnside had him arrested after the surrender. One year from the day of surrender, DeCourcey had been driven from the Gap and was bound to go in that day. He took our regiment in as soon as possible after they took down their rag but told the colonel not to play ‘Yankee Doodle’ on entering. But we did not care for his English ideas and went in on the tune that John Bell went out on.

Source:

Letter from Orderly Sergeant Thomas W. Organ, Co. I, 86th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Urbana Citizen & Gazette (Ohio), October 1, 1863, pg. 2

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