Cumberland Gap
a passage a through the Cumberland Mountains; on the line between Kentucky and Tennessee and at the W. extremity of Virginia. It is a place about which clusters many a Civil War incident. It was occupied by Zollicoffer in his retreat Nov. 13, 1861. On March 22, 1862, a reconnoissance in force was made from Cumberland Ford to this place. The Confederate pickets were driven in, and firing began early in the morning, which continued all day, without any definite results. The Gap was occupied by the Union forces under General Morgan, June 18. Skirmishing was of almost daily occurrence.
In an engagement Aug. 7, the Confederates lost in killed and wounded, 125 men; Union loss, 3 killed, 15 wounded, and 50 prisoners, large quantities of forage, tobacco, stores, horses and mules. General Morgan destroyed everything of value as war material, and evacuated the place Sept. 17, and, though surrounded by the enemy, he succeeded in saving his command, which reached Greenupsburg on Oct. 3. The Gap was occupied by General Bragg, Oct. 22. On Sept. 8, 1863, the place. with 2,000 men and 14 pieces of artillery, under the Confederate General Frazer, surrendered, without firing a gun, to General Shackelford; 40 a wagons, 200 mules and a large quantity of commisary stores were captured. A three hours' skirmish occurred Jan. 29, 1864, on the Virginia road, 13 miles distante Colonel Love, with 1,600 cavalry, 400 only of whom were mounted, with no artillery, held his position til dark and then fell back three miles to camp.
On April 28, 1865, 900 Confederates surrendered, and were rendered, and were paroled here.