Miracle at Chilhowee

was ordered one day to take a detachment of men and go to Tuckaleechee cove, and take up all the rifles of the Union men in the vicinity. I was boarding at the time with Judge Wallace, over on the hill, east of the town, who resided in a brick house. I ordered the detachment of men to prepare for the march, with rations, and mounting my horse rode over to the Wallace residence for something I wanted to take along. Being in readiness and about to mount my horse for starting, the Judge came up, having heard by some means of the order that had been given me. He told me he had a request tio make. He said, “as you pass up Little river, through Chilhowee Gap, just as you emerge from the narrow mountain pass between the points of the mountain peaks, at the left side of the road,you will find the Stars and Stripes floating from a tall pole. Now, let me ask you not to disturb that flag. The Mountain Men placed it there; it belongs to them, and if you leave it undisturbed, you will be treated kindly on your trip; but as sure as you touch it or interfere with it, you will have to get out of these mountains. Now don’t disturb it.”

“ I said nothing to the men about it, and as we went up the narrow defile, suddenly we came to the opening, and there floated at the top of a tall pole the Stars And Stripes in all it’s grandeur. I looked around and saw a number of my men with their guns raised as if to shoot. I halted the squad and made them a little speech, telling them to lower their guns. That was the flag under which we were born, and under which our fathers had fought, ad many of them died. While we were then engaged in efforts to establish a new Government, and were fighting under a new flag, still,that was the flag of our fathers and let us honor it for its history and for the memoryof the blood poured out by our brave ancestors for it’s defense; that, instead of doing it any injury, I proposed that we salute it.

“ Then, following my leadership, they rode in single file, forming a circle around the pole, when we lifted our hats, and reverently bowed our heads. Tears streamed down the faces of a number of men as we stood in this attitude before the old flag. Silently, the circle was broken, and forming twos we went on. We knew nothing of anyone being in sight, but the news of our saluting the flag went faster than we traveled, and appeared to be known spontaneously all over that Tuckaleechee Cove. Wfthebest they hadit more hospitality and kindness by any people. They prepared us dinners of the best they had, fed our horses, took us into their homes , and were lavish in their acts of kindness. But they did not bring out their guns, and we could not find them.

“ We afterwards learned that honoring that old flag had saved us from a bloody reception, where it would have been a miracle if any of our party had been left to tell our side of a sanguinary contest, and instead led us to a most kind and hospitable treatment. As we stood around and saluted the flag, without our knowledge, we stood inside of the trap ready set, and all that was needed was for us to spring the trigger, by any insult that we might offer to that banner.”