Great credit is due to the colored people for the information they gave.
Another detachment of the 7th joined Col. Sweeny’s command of detachments and took part in the fight with Scott’s Cavalry at Richmond, Ky., July 28th, 1863, and made a brilliant saber charge against the same command at Crab Orchard, (Capt. Leaper commanding detachment,) skirmishing with them at Stanford, and following them on their retreat to the Cumberland river, compelling them to drop one section of artillery, said to be the same we abandoned in the mountains on the Sander’s raid.
After the capture of John Morgan, the regiment was disbanded for fifteen days and allowed to visit their homes.
At the expiration of that time, the regiment was got together at Cincinnati and marched to Stanford, Ky., preparatory to their march to Knoxville, Tenn., under Gen. Burnside.
The regiment broke camp about the 20th day of August, moving 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.