They closed in on the place, capturing and scattering everything that was there.
This part of their programme being successfully accomplished, they moved up the valley on to the camp. In the meanwhile their main force was passing slowly down the valley, compelling the small force in their front to retire, and giving time for the force below to accomplish the task assigned them, and attack the camp from that side.
As they approached the camp, Col. Garrard had the train on the road, headed toward Rogersville, and the brigade drawn up in line, artillery placed in position on an eminence, commanding the approach from Kingsport.
While in this position we were attacked in the rear by the force coming up the valley.
At this instant, the force before mentioned as being secreted in the cedar thicket, being in close proximity to our left flank, poured a volley into the battallion of the Seventh, being not more than fifty yards distant, and made a simultaneous charge upon the wagon train and capturing it.
They were seen in the thicket by our battallion, but were supposed to be the Tennessee homeguards.
At the same time a charge was made front and rear.
Finding the command attacked on three sides, each force equaling our own in numbers, there was no alternative but to make our way across the Holston river at the nearest ford.
This being done, the regiment was formed in line on the opposite bank of the river, but the Seventh had already lost over 100 men, and the Second Tennessee over 500, and both sections of the artillery being captured, the command fell back to Morristown, a distance of 30 miles.
In the meantime, the scouts who were sent out to Jonesville, returned to within three miles of camp, and on hearing of the disaster, turned north, passing Clinch Mountain, through Little War Gap, coming down Poor Valley until they struck the Cumberland Gap and Morristown road, and joined the regiment at Morristown the next day.