a hasty retreat down the
valley after receiving one volley from the First Tennessee mounted
Infantry, which accompanied our expedition.

The rear guard closing up and the way in our front being clear the command
commenced the descent, crossed the valley and ascended the mountain on the
other side.

When the rear guard had got one-third the way up the mountain, the enemy
could be seen moving in two columns.

The infantry and artillery finding that they had been foiled in their
efforts to capture our command, were coming down the valley, while their
cavalry were feeling their way up the valley.

Our rear guard were placed in a position to receive them in case any
attempt should be made to attack us in the rear.

As the approaching columns neared each other, it now being dark, and each
supposing the other to be the raiding "Yanks," at once engage each other.

Capt. Rankin, commanding the rear guard, not being interested in this
fight, nor caring which gained the day, ordered his command forward and
followed the main column, it having continued its march and being now out
of sight.

The night being very dark and no road, not even a path to follow nor any
mounted guide left to guide them, they worked their way over rocks and
timber in the direction they supposed the column had moved, and became
scattered.

And after climbing around over the rocks, amid the darkness of the night,
I found myself on the highest peak of the mountain, accompanied by one
man. I wandered about for some time to see if I could find any trace of
the column, and found no trace and heard no human voice save the tumult at
the foot of the mountain.

Inasmuch as the author did not join his command until reaching London,
Ky., and nothing of interest occurring except the leaving of three hundred
horses in the mountains by the command, he asks the privilege of narrating
his own adventures after he became separated from the command:

I struck out in what I supposed a northerly direction and after passing
over several high ridges and coming to a cliff that had to be descended,
and not thinking it safe to make the trial at night, we spread our blanket
down, tied our horses and went to sleep, being very much exhausted; and
upon waking in the morning found the sun high up and no noise to be heard
save the singing of the birds and the gnawing of my faithful horse on the
trees. I at once arose and set out to find some place to make my exit, but
finding