September 30, 2005 I thought that since there was interest in the Limestone Cove Massacre (or Bell Massacre( or Witcher's Massacre) that I would post some text from Daniel Ellis's book as referenced above. I will post the second part tomorrow. Gloria Chapter XXXVIII pages 329-335 On the 19th of November, 1863, a most notorious and miserable scoundrel by the name of WITCHER landed in Carter County from the State of Virginia, having under his command four hundred men, who were as mean and reckless as the devil himself could have desired them to be. I think that their leader's name was either James or Samuel WITCHER, but I do not know which was his correct name. I wish his name to be correctly known, and justly execrated, for a more blood-thirsty and desperate villain never disgraced the world's history! They camped the first night they came into Carter County near the Carter Station, and the next day they moved on up Buffalo Creek to the Greasy Cove, and camped near the residence of Benjamin SWINGLE the next night. Witcher said that he and his men had come to give Carter and Johnson Counties a general overhauling. They were led on by a parcel of very bad rebel citizens living on Buffalo Creek, and also in the Greasy Cove, among whom I will mention Nathaniel BROWN, Alfred LESLIE, William PEOPLES, and his son, Madison Tennessee PEOPLES, whose infamous conduct inflicted a foul stigma upon the state whose name he bore.These men reported the people in the country as being all Lincolnites. The evening they reached the Greasy Cove, and the night following, several men were killed, and the next morning, still being conducted by these r! ebel citizens, this regiment of murderers set out for the Limestone Cove. They arrivedfirst at the house of James and David BELL, who were strong Union men; and, to add fuel to the already furious flame that was burning so violently in the hearts of these rebels, a man by the name of John BRYANT, from Wilkes County, North Carolina, had just stopped at BELL'S house with fifty-seven men, whom he had enlisted as recruits, and was endeavoring to pilot them into my neighborhood in order to engage me to conduct them through the lines to the Federal Army. These men had traveled all the night before, and had stopped at BELL'S house for the purpose of enjoying an hour's rest, obtain something to eat, and also to get information how to proceed in their journey, as they were all from North Carolina, and were strangers in East Tennessee. They were sitting under some trees in BELL'S yard not dreaming of any danger, while the family were preparing breakfast for them. The rebels, commanded by the aforesaid WITCHER, suddenly came into sight, and the alarm was instantly given. The poor fellows tried to save themselves by flight, being closely pursued by the rebels, who were shooting at them and charging on them with their hourses at a terrible rate. There is a small valley leading from BELL'S house to the mountain, and the fugitives ran into this valley, and would doubtless have succeeded in getting away in a piece of woods near the valley, if the rebels had not cut them off from it. The chase lasted about three quarters of a mile, and all of the men got away with the exception of eleven, ten of whom were killed, and one wounded, as they ran up the valley. The first man who I shall mention as being killed was Calvin CARTREL. He was shot in the breast; and as he lay upon he ground, writhing in terrible agony of pain, he begged them not to kill him; but seeing that they were determined to take his life, he requested them to allow him a little time to pray. They abruptly denied his request, and at once commenced beating him with the butts of their guns until they had knocked his brains out, and then thrust their bayonets through his lifeless body. John SPARKS was shot in the head with a musket ball, which completely tore the top of his head off, leaving his brains perfectly exposed. Wiley ROYAL was shot in the should and back, and when he fell to the ground, one of the rebel demons took a fence-stake and beat his head into the earth, breaking his arms and bruising his body in a shocking manner, while he continued to beg as long as he could speak for them to spare his life. Elijah GENTRY was shot in the breast, which killed him instantly. He had no time to implore for mercy at the hands of his murderers, which, of course, they would not have listened to, in their hot pursuit after his blood. Jacob LYONS was shot in the breast, which immediatley extinguished the flaming light of life. He fell into a creek, where he soon breathed his last, and his murderers left his bvody lying in the water. B. BLACKBURN was shot in the shoulder, and being badly wounded, he fell to the ground. The rebels then beat his brains out with clubs, broke his arms, and bruised his body in a terrible manner,. Preston PRUETT was shot through the breast, which wounded him severely. He begged them to permit him to pray, and requested them to send word to his wife and children, and inform them in regard to his death. But he might as well have talked to the winds, for while he was speaking to them they knocked his brains out with the butts of their guns. Second part tomorrow.......