Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

Early in the year 1862 the Federals had taken the defile of Cumberland Gap, the principal door to East Tennessee; but, drawn into the pursuit of their adversaries in other directions, they had very wisely renounced proceeding beyond the gap, and shortly thereafter the Confederates had retaken the defile. In 1863 the role of liberator of East Tennessee was reserved for General Burnside: it was an honorable compensation accorded to the unfortunate but gallant soldier vanquished at Fredericksburg. Two divisions of the Ninth corps designated to undertake this campaign having been, on June 4th, sent to the aid of Grant, it became necessary to commence new preparations. The scattered troops in Kentucky, several regiments recruited in that State or composed of refugees from East Tennessee, and a part of fresh levies made in Ohio and Indiana, formed the Twenty-third corps, under the orders of General Hartsuff. At the end of June, as we have said, this little army was in readiness to move, when Morgan started on his raid. Six weeks were lost. It was the beginning of August. The Ninth corps was coming back from Vicksburg. But the men, worn out by the climate, had need of rest. Burnside could not wait for them. As soon as they had got near the limits of his lines he determined to obey Halleck's pressing injunctions. The forces of the expedition were composed of two divisions, Hascall's and White's, forming the Twenty-third corps, and of Shackelford's division of cavalry, comprising Carter's, Wolford's, and Foster's brigades — in all, some twenty thousand men. To these forces the Confederate general Buckner, who had been sent to Knoxville some months before after the death of General Donelson, could oppose about the same number of combatants. Between Knoxville and Kingston were two divisions of infantry, a part of which, it is true, was ill—armed and poorly equipped. Besides, General Frazer occupied the intrenched post of Cumberland Gap with about three thousand men and fourteen pieces of artillery, while General Samuel Jones, commanding troops of all arms, was guarding the most elevated section of the railway between Jonesborough, Tennessee and Wytheville, Virginia. In the latter days of July, Buckner had received from Bragg an important reinforcement of cavalry. Forrest's corps, after having rested and been remounted near Chattanooga, had taken up a