ing by the way
of Crab Orchard and London, crossing the Cumberland river at Williamsburg,
about the 25th.

Here, one batallion of the 7th, under Major McIntyre, was thrown out in
front as the advance of Gen. Burnside's command, and held that post of
honor during the whole march, until they reached the railroad at Lenoir
Station.

A considerable force of the enemy being at London, and some fighting going
on, the regiment was ordered to that point, and on reaching there found
the rebels gone and the bridge that spanned the Tennessee river, in
flames.

The regiment then counter-marched, reaching Knoxville the next day.
Resting two days, we took up our line of march for Cumberland Gap,
skirmishing with the enemy at Taswell and Powell's river, reaching the Gap
and beseiging that place three days.

At the end of that time, September 9th, that stronghold surrendered its
garrison, consisting of two thousand, six hundred men, under General
Frazier.

On the day previous to its surrender, a detail of officers penetrated the
rebel pickets lines, much to the chagrin of Gen. Frazier, they were taken
in headquarters, without being hoodwinked; of course they used their eyes
and saw just what they went to see, the condition of the enemy.

Gen. Frazier immediately ordered them out of his lines which order was
complied with.

That night they returned, not by the picket post however, and burned the
mill inside the rebel lines, thus cutting off their rations, which may
have had something to do with his sudden surrender.

They came back to camp unmolested and without the honor of a rebel escort.

On the next morning after the surrender, the 7th started back to
Knoxville, and on the third day reached that city and went into camp.
Remaining there only a few days they started eastward on the railroad, but
meeting with no resistance until reaching Johnson's Station, a distance of
one hundred miles.

The command moved on to Zollecoffer, and not being able to capture the
garrison there guarding the bridge across the Watauga river, they returned
to Jonesboro, remaining there one week, one batallion under Capt.
Copeland, doing the provost duty of town scouting and pressing horses.

The enemy attacked the command on the 28th of September and compelled it
to retreat down the railroad as far as Bull's Gap, where we stayed several
days.

On the 10th of October, we started eastward again and had a fight at Blue
Springs, losing several men