2 F. K. Zollicoffer to Samuel Cooper, August 6, 1861

Knoxville, August 6, 1861.

Adjt. Gen. S. COOPER, Richmond, Va. :

Sir: Thomas A. R. Nelson, with.an escort of three men, supposed to be on his way to take his seat in the Federal Congress at Washington, was arrested about midnight night before last in Lee County, Virginia, by a company of Home Guards of that eounty. He was

im” v o). T € z Má mor Co. EA, E AN a IAS P AME S dos: c iR e c

_ brought to a camp under my command at Cumberland Gap, and was

from there sent, under a guard of 60 men, to Abingdon, Va. These facts are to-day communicated to me by Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, of Cumberland Gap. The knowledge of the event has apparently produced much excitement among Nelson’s adherents here, giving rise to menacing language.

I have information from various sources, apparently reliable, that

different bodies of men in the counties of Southeastern. Kentucky, *

estimated to amount in the aggregate to several thousand, are under

military organization, and are threatening to force a passage through

the mountains into East Tennessee. ‘The Federalists here, I am now well advised, are awaiting such a movement. My impression is that a large number of Union men are opposed to it, but there are very many

‘Lincoln men here who will be restrained from co-operating only by

considerations of policy or apprehensions of the consequences. A very large amount of arms and ammunition has been placed by the Lincoln Government in Kentucky. Anderson (of Sumter memory) is by the Federalists here believed to be the leading military man. A Kentuckian named Nelson, late a lieutenant in the U. S. Navy, by some said to

be Anderson’s aide, by others said to be a newly-appointed general, —

having his headquarters at Cincinnati, is the most prominent man in getting up the threatened invasion of East Tennessee: My information goes to show that they contemplate a movement very soon, but I am not sufficiently advised of their state of preparation. lt is becoming

difficult to command reliable information, on account of the apprehen-

. Sion felt by spies in that region.

I send you a copy of the best map I am able to have made of the topography of country about the Kentucky line. It has been gathered from the best information I could get from scouts, but think it may be

. imperfect. The centers of their military organizations seem to be Crab

Orchard, London, Somerset, Barboursville, Albany, Columbia, and

Boston. The principal gaps in the mountain are Cumberland, Big —

Creek, Elk, and the passes by Chitwood’s and Camp McGinnis, but the top of the mountain is comparatively flat and 30 or 40 miles broad,

and there are innumerable bridle-path passes intervening between Cumberland Gap and Camp McGinnis. My purpose is to form a chain

. of infantry posts at Cumberland Gap, Big Creek Gap, Elk Gap, Camp

McGinnis, and Livingston, for which I have 33 infantry companies, all but one regiment very raw troops. There are six cavalry companies, which I propose to use as. scouts, advanced posts, and to pass intelligence rapidly along the line of infantry posts. I will have a constant patrol at Archer’s Gap, Chitwood’s, and at other advanced posts near the Kentucky line, patrolling scouts of cavalry traversing the various paths leading across the mountains, the objects being to cut off communication between Kentucky and Tennessee Federalists, seize arms, or prevent them from being brought over, &c.. Should there be an approach of Kentuckians in much force, I could soon concentrate upon the line of approach. I have a regiment here, one I am disposing at different bridges on the railroad, and sixteen other companies of infantry, the latter entirely undisciplined and some of them without arms. I hope in a few days to have a battalion of cavalry for service in connection with the road. There are three field pieces of artillery at Cumberland Gap, used as a fixed battery, with no experienced artillerists. Here there is a field artillery company with six 6-pounders, which

. might be taken to the Kentucky border when required.

I have great reason to fear that our friends in Kentucky are power-

. Cumar. XI] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.—CONFEDERATE. 383 . less to resist the complete dominancy of the Lincoln forces. I have a thus far obtained no knowledge of the state of things in Southwestern ‘Virginia or on the Kanawha.

RICHMOND, August T, 1861.

Very respectfully, y Brigadier-General.
E RICHMOND, August 7, 1861.
3 General POLK, Memphis, Tenn. :
E lf Russell’s regiment is armed or you can arm it, you will command
E its services, of course. There are said to be two regiments in Louisiana
s ready for service. I have telegraphed Governor Moore to order them
= toyou. If there be other available regiments known to you within the