Appalachian Summit
37. A Geographical Pattern
Arnold Guyot, a Swiss immigrant, began exploring and describing the northern Appalachian Mountains in 1849. In 1854 he was appointed Professor of Physical Geography at Princeton University. Between 1856 and 1860, he turned his attention to the Appalachian Summit area, mapping and writing the first comprehensive descriptions of what had previously seemed a hopeless confusion of mountainous terrain.
NOTES ON THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE MOUNTAIN DISTRICT OF
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
By A. Guyot.—founded on his observations in the summers of
1856— 58, —59 and 60.
As I have shown elsewhere, the Appalachian System rises from the point of its lowest depression around New York and in New Jersey both toward the North and toward the South and reaches its maximum of elevation on its two extremities.
The Southern section is, however, by far the most elevated, both as regards the highest peaks and the general elevation of the whole country. The following remarks will be confined to the extreme southern portion, which begins near the point where the New River, leaving the parallel valleys, cuts transversely the whole table-land region. In this portion of the system, as in the northern one, we may distinguish as the fundamental feature, the Great Valley of Virginia and Tennessee, which forms, as it were, the negative axis of the whole. On the eastern side of it, separated by the high ranges of the Iron, Smoky and Unaka Mountains, is the large mountainous district of North Carolina and Georgia;—On the West are the so-called Cumberland Mountains, which are but the continuation of the western table-land to the very end of the Appalachian System. . . .
The Area comprised between these two chains varies considerably in extent. It is at first not more than 10 or 15 miles wide in the upper part of the New River Valley. It is reduced still more near the sources of the Watauga river and Grandfather Mt. It expands in the French Broad river Valley to nearly 50 miles, and preserves, further south, an average width not varying much from 40 miles. Unlike any other portion of the Appalachian System, the whole of that vast area of over 170 miles long and over 600 miles square is divided by transverse chains, running on the whole, North-west and South-east, into a series of closed basins, surrounded by high ridges and lofty peaks.
Each of these basins is drained by a main river which gathers the waters of the numerous mountain torrents and carries them through deep gorges across the Western chain into the Great Valley where they join the Tennessee river.
The Big Yellow Mts. separate the basin of the Watauga from that of the Nolechucky. The high group of the Black Mts. from which rises the highest peak this side of the Rocky Mts., separates by several of its spurs the Nolechucky from the wide valley of the French Broad River. The New Found Mts. and Pisgah Ridge separate the high valley of the Big Pigeon from that of the French Broad,—The rough very elevated and continuous chain of the Balsam Mts. the average altitude of which is seldom below 6,000 ft., and which reaches over 6,400 ft., separates the Big Pigeon valley from that of the Tuckaseegee, a tributary of the Little Tennessee;—and the Cowee chain of Mts. (from 4,000 to 5,000 ft.) divides the valley of the Tuckaseegee from that of the Little Tennessee. These two basins unite at the foot of the Great Smoky Mts. and their combined waters find a single outlet in the wild gorges of the Little Tennessee.
The double chain of the Nantihala Ridge (from 5,000 to 5,500 ft.) and the Valley Town Mts., between which flows in deep gorges the wild torrent of the Nantihala, separates the basin of the Little Tennessee from the large open valleys and plains of the Hiwassee. The Frog Mts. With their continuation the Cohota Mts. separate the basin of the Occoa and Hiwassee from the outside of the mountainous region, and are the last transverse chains which close that series of interior basin. . . .
The elevation of the lowest passages by means of which these transverse chains are crossed indicate that the communication from one to the other is by no means easy. The only passage between the Watauga Valley and Burnsville, in the basin of the Nolechucky, is a rough mule path, scarcely fit for a very light wagon, which passes over the swell from which the Grandfather Mt. rises, between it and the Big Yellow Mts. at an altitude of 4,100 feet. The summit of the road at the Sandofer Gap from Burnsville to Asheville into the French Broad River basis is 3,176 feet.
The Hominy Creek Gap on the summit of the turnpike from Asheville to Waynesville, in the Big Pigeon Valley is 2,663 feet. The turnpike at the Road Gap across the Balsam Chain between Waynesville and Webster, in the Tuckaseegee is 3,357 feet. Turnpike at Watauga Gap, across the Cowee Mts. to Franklin in the Little Tennessee Valley, is 3,285 feet.—
The Nantihala Gap summit of road is 4, 158 feet. The Valley River Gap, summit of road 3,564 feet. In the same chain, however, the Red Marble Gap more to the West, between the deep gorges of the Nantihala and Valley River Mt. reaches only 2,686 feet.
Through this the contemplated Rail Road was to pass. It will be, seen by comparison, that these altitudes nearly all exceed the elevations of Gaps across the main Blue Ridge.
In all these interval basins, the general elevation of the ground rises towards the Blue Ridge, the inside base of which is gradually being transformed into a high table-land region, reaching in some of the basins the considerable elevation of 3,000 ft., nay 4,000 ft.— This general conformation will therefore cause all the water-courses to flow from that e1evated base notwithstanding the lower altitude of the peaks, and be directed toward the higher and more continuous wall of the Smoky and Unaka Mts., through which all these internal rivers find their way by narrow gorges, several thousand feet in depth, to the great Valley of the Tennessee.
The average elevation of these closed valleys is variable. It is about from 2,500 ft. to 2,900 ft. in the Watauga basin; it reaches from 2,500 to 2,800 ft. in the Nolechucky; While the French Broad basin averages only about 2,000 ft. The Big Pigeon, further south, is over 2,600 ft., and reaches in the center, at Waynesville, 2,700 ft. These figures show that the French Broad Valley is a considerable depression a large trough, on an average 500 to 700 feet lower than the neighboring basins North-west and South-east of it. The Valleys of the Tuckaseegee and Little Tennessee both average 2,000 ft., and thus fall to the level of the French Broad. The last basin, that of the Hiwassee, is only 1,500 ft.,—
The greatest mass elevation of the whole, therefore, is found in the valleys of the Big Pigeon and of the Nolechucky and Watauga, on both sides of the French Broad. But the first on account of the general elevation of the surrounding mountain ranges and the great number and preeminent altitude of the peaks in the Balsam an Great Smoky Mts., may be considered as the culminating region of the whole Appalachian System.
The average elevation of the Great Valley of Tennessee on the west, as well as that of the base of the mountains, on the S. and E., being almost 1,000 ft., it will be perceived, that, the central. mountain region constitutes a vast swell, the solid and indented mass of which, forming the bottom of the valleys, rises fully a thousand feet more above the surrounding outside regions.
All the rivers, therefore, which escape. from these enclosed basins, thro’ the wild mountain gorges above mentioned, do so by a series of turbulent rapids which entirely prevent navigation.
I will add a few remarks on every one of these great physical features, and on the roads and means of communication in that picturesque but still wild and very sparsely populated country.
THE EASTERN RANGE OR IRON, SMOKY AND UNAKA
MOUNTAINS.
I remarked that this chain is, on the whole, the most continuous and unbroken. The region of the Watauga in the North-eastern corner of Tennessee, however, must be excepted. The chain is pretty continuous from the north as far as the White Top Mt. (5,530 feet) at the corner of Tennessee and Virginia where North Carolina begins, with which Pond Mt. is connected. Further two parallel ranges bearing the name of Iron Mts. on the west, and Stone Mts. on the east, already indicate the breaking up of the great chain. The last which makes the boundary between North Carolina and Tennessee also divides the waters of New River from those of the Watauga and Tennessee. It almost runs out before, or when reaching the Watauga River, which escapes from the interior basin through a series of comparatively inconsiderable mountains.
The chain soon rises again towards the south-east and reaches over 6,000 feet in the neighborhood of the Big Yellow and Roan Mts. The last which seems to be the beginning of one of the transverse chains, spoken of, is partially continued towards the S.S.E. by the Little Yellow Mts. (5,200 feet.)
The main chain separating Tennessee from North Carolina, after a short turn to the North-west, soon resumes its normal course to the South-west— Here again it bears the name of Iron Mts. as far as the Nolechucky. When crossing the chain a little to the West of Roan Mts., by the Iron Mt. road, I heard River and Elizabethtown, [sic] I heard the name of Unaka Mts. applied also to that Mountain district. The Nolechucky cuts the same, and beyond that cut, the Bald Mt. the name of which is derived from one of the main peaks the Bald Spot; (5,550) the top of which is free from trees. This part of the chain partially sends at right angles some ridges which connect with the last spurs of the Black Mts. The main chain changes once more its direction, and turns around Laurel Creek, forming a group of mountains of considerable elevation (5,000 ft.). From there it sends a spur towards the west, under the name of Paint Mt., which is crossed by the Greenville road, at Paint Gap at an elevation of 2,220 feet above the sea, or, 900 feet above the valley of the French Broad at Paint Rock on the Tennessee line.
The space between the projection of the Iron Mrs., north of the Watauga, and the main dividing ridge above described, from the Stone Mrs. to the head of Laurel Creek, seems to be a bed of lower chains more or less parallel, the last of which is crossed by deep beautiful gorges along the Doe river, only a few miles from Elizabethtown, Tenn.
When approaching the French Broad the chain is considerably depressed; but between this and the Big Pigeon it soon rises again to 4,703 ft. in the High-Bluff, above Warmsprings, and 4,336 ft. in the Walnut Mt., which as far as the Man Patch Peak (4,700 ft.) form the main dividing ridge, together with many parallel ones of less elevation, and without general name. To the Southwest of the gorges through which the Big Pigeon river escapes from the mountains, the chain rises rapidly in high pointed peaks and sharp ridges, up to a remarkable conical peak called Luftee Knob 6,220 feet. This is the beginning of the Smoky Mountain chain proper, which by the general elevation both of its peaks aqnd its crest, by. its perfect continuity, its great roughness and difficulty of approach, may be called the master chain of the Appalachian System.
For over 50 miles it forms a high and almost impervious barrier between Tennessee and the inside basins of North Carolina. Only one tolerable road, or rather mule path, in this whole distance is found to cross from the great valley of Tennessee into the interior basins of North Carolina – and the road reaches its summit, the Road Gap, as it is called, at an elevation of not less than 5,271 feet. It connects Sevierville, Tennessee with Webster, Jackson Co.. North Carolina, through the vallies of Little Pigeon and Occona Luftee, the last of which is the main northern tributary of the Tuckaseegee.
Between the gorges of the Big Pigeon and Road Gap the top of these ridges is usually sharp and rocky deeply indented, and winding considerably, with a dense growth of Laurels and high trees, which travel over them extremely difficult and almost impracticable. Neither the White man nor the Indian hunter venture into this wilderness. —Several of the highest points in the Appalachian System are found on the western side, though not on the chain itself—Such as the triple mountain of Bull Head, 6,613 feet—the group first ascended and named by Buckley Mounts Guyot, Alexander, and Henry—which is according to my measurement higher still 6,636 feet.—both of which are very near the water-shed, but outside in Tennessee. . . .
—All this portion of the Smoky Mts. is used by the Tennesseans for grazing cattle. Numerous paths, therefore, run up the western slopes, and along the dividing ridge. But the eastern slope is still a wilderness, little frequented. Here the Little Tennessee cuts that high chain by a deep winding chasm in which no room is left for a road on its immediate banks, the mountains near by rising to 3,000 ft. above it, an upwards; the point where it leaves the mountains being scarcely 900 ft. above the level of the sea. . . .
The main chain dividing Tenn. and North Carolina is accompanied throughout on both sides by numerous minor ridges parallel to it and at a distance from its base In the Great Valley of Tennessee they often rise abruptly by steep ridges, to an altitude of 2,500 ft., or 1,500 ft. above their base.
THE BLUE RIDGE
The eastern border of the mountain region, or the Blue Ridge, offers, as remarked above, greater irregularities than the western chain. Its elevation north of the Catawba basin is unknown to me; but between the head waters of the Watauga and those of the Yadkin and Catawba rivers, it seems, as seen from the Grandfather Mt. to rise little more than 4,500 feet. In the neighborhood of the Grandfather, however, the base of that mountain swells to a plateau of 4,000 feet, from which that high peak ascends abruptly some 1,900 feet higher — (5,900). The Grandfather on the East, and the Roan on the west, (6,038) connected by the Big Yellow Mts. (6,000) are the great pillars of the high barrier which guard the entrance of the Sub-Alpine region of North Carolina, and mark its beginning.
From the plateau of the Grandfather flow toward the north and south, the Watauga River and the Linville River, (the latter a main tributary of the Catawba,) rising within a few rods from each other; while from the western or inner base of the mountain, rises the North Toe River, one of the main sources of the Nolechucky.
Two main ridges run from the Blue Ridge to the south, the chain of the Hawkesbill and Table Rock from the Grandfather and the Linville chain, further west. Between these spurs the Linville river flows in a fearful and perfectly impassable chasm, into which it precipitates itself from the plateau of the Grandfather forming magnificent waterfalls.
Between the Grandfather and the High Pinnacle, which touches the southern end of the Black Mountains, the Blue Ridge is again considerably depressed — . It can be crossed at the head of Brushy Creek, near the origin of the Linville chain, at an elevation of 3,425 feet, the chain rising to scarcely more than 4,000 ft. — But it swells again towards the High Pinnacle near the Black Mts. at which point it reaches 5,700 feet.
Leaving the mighty cluster of the Black Mts. the Blue Ridge runs nearly south for 25 miles, then in a winding course for 35 miles, to the south-west, and again turns at right angles, at Caesar’s Head Mt., to the north-west for l6 miles, as far as the Great Hog Back Mt. — In this long semi-circular course it nearly surrounds all the head-waters of the French Broad.
From the High Pinnacle the Blue Ridge gradually descends to the Swananoa Gap, 2,659 feet, and continues at a moderate height seldom exceeding 3,500 feet — until it reaches Cold Mt. 4,631 feet and its neighbor the Great Hog Back, 4,792 feet — at the main sources of the French Broad.
Owing to that general depression, it is this vast portion of the chain which offers the most easy access, from the low country on the east. Five or six gaps, with roads, show an elevation only varying from 2,200 to 2,400 feet. That is they are very little more elevated than the average of the inside basin, and only show an abrupt side on the east toward the lowlands.
Between the sources of the French Broad and those of the Hiwassee for a straight line distance of 45 miles, or from the Cold and Great Hog Back Mts. to Tray Mt. in Georgia, the course of the Blue Ridge, though trending on the whole to the south-west, is extremely irregular. It is said that the Engineers charged with the duty of determining the boundaries between Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, despairing of finding the watershed amidst this labyrinth of mountains and forests, gave up the task, and struck a straight line from a projecting rock Ellicott’s Rock, near the Chattanooga river, to the most southerly projection of the Blue Ridge — near Caesar’s Head — at the head of the French Broad which line is now the boundary.
INTERIOR BASINS.
The Interior Basins comprised within the two main ranges just described, and the transverse chains which divide the vast area between these high mountain barriers, have already been mentioned. — They are those of the Watauga, the Nolechucky, the French Broad, the Big Pigeon, the Tuckaseegee, the Little Tennessee, the Hiwassee and the Occoa.
I will here add a short description of each basin, indicating its general character and resources, the nature and elevation of the high chains which divide it from, and the roads which connect it with the others, and with the outside regions, the Great Valley of Tennessee and the Atlantic Slope.
THE WATAUGA VALLEY.
Having traversed only a small portion of the Watauga Valley, I am unable to say much of it. It is divided from the basin of the sources of the New River, to the north, by only inconsiderable hills.
To the south, however, it rises the first great chain of the high mountain region, the Big Yellow Mountain, which is composed of a large cluster of ridges, filling all the space between the Iron Mts. and the Blue Ridge. Its western end connects with the Roan Mts., and the eastern nearly meets the Grandfather Mt. The main portion of it has an altitude of 6,000 feet.
Between the east end and the Grandfather Mt. a space intervenes, where, as said before the sources of the main branch of the Watauga and Linville rivers are found, at an altitude of 4,100 feet. The valley of the upper Watauga runs north-east nearly parallel to the Blue Ridge, and gradually widens until it meets, at Shull’s Mill Pond (2,917 ft.), the other branch of the river, coming from the Watauga Gap, in the Blue Ridge. — Thence the river turns at right angles to the N.W., crosses the first chain of the Iron Mts. 12 miles further, and then enters the region of the lower chains bordering the Great Valley, which it leaves only a few miles from Elizabeth-town.
The upper portion of the Valley as far as the hamlet of Va1le-Crucis contains very little of alluvial flats — whether more may be found on the part which I did not visit, I cannot tell. The lateral valley of Cove Creek on the north side, which I followed up to the State Gap Mt., is rather open, and contains many fertile spots, the surrounding mountains are no more so close.
The Watauga Valley, as well as the whole County to which it gives its name, and of which it makes the south-western half, has a very sparse population. — There is not so much as a village in the whole County, for Boon, the county-seat, in the region of the sources of the New River, contains but a few dwellings clustered around the Court-house.
Two good roads traverse the county, one from Taylors-ville Tenn., (2,395 ft.), crosses the Iron Mts. at the State Gap on the State line (3,400 ft.) — descends Cove Creek — crosses the Watauga near Valle Crucis, and the Blue Ridge at Watauga Gap (3,470 ft.) and descends thence to Lenoir and Morgantown, (1,140 ft.), in the Catawba Valley. Another branch from Taylors-ville crosses the head waters of the New River and the Blue Ridge at the Deep Gap, whence it descends in the Upper Yadkin Valley, to Wilkesboro. The other road follows up the Watauga from Elizabeth-town, and joins the stage-road of the Watauga Gap at Valle-Crucis. A very indifferent road, scarcely fit for a carriage, connects the Watauga with the Nolechucky Valley. It starts from Shull’s Mill Pond, passes at the sources of the Watauga between the Grandfather and the Yellow Mts., into the upper Linville River Valley, which it leaves before reaching the Linville Falls; crosses the Blue Ridge at the head of Brushy Creek (3,425 ft.) reaches the North Toe River near Col. Childs farm, Childsville, and descending the Nolechucky, arrives at Burnsville at the foot of the Black Mts.
With regard to the roads it is well to be aware, that those marked on Cook’s State Map, are not much to be depended upon; I was frequently deceived by them. — Some do not exist, as that down the Linville Valley, which is so deep and wild a chasm as to be completely impracticable. — Simple occasional paths are often marked as carriage roads.
Throughout the roads are very rough, either rocky, or almost impassable from mud, and much furrowed and dilapidated from rain. Bridges over streams belong to the rarities of the country, I traveled for a month not seeing one, and often the fording of the larger streams is not free from difficulty and even danger. This applies to nearly all the roads, with the exception of a few turnpikes, constructed within the last six or eight years, among which the road to Asheville and Duck- town on the boundary of Tennessee, is the most notable.
THE NOLECHUCKY VALLEY
This basin is bounded by the Iron and Unaka Mountains from the west end of Big Yellow Mt. to the Bald Spot; and by the Blue Ridge from the Grandfather to the High Pinnacle; The Big Yellow Mt. Separates it from the Watauga Valley, the north-west branch of the Black Mountains, and the spurs which connect it with the Bald Spot divide its waters from those of the French Broad. It forms Yancey County, the boundaries of which coincide with the water-sheds just mentioned, except on the north- east where the county line starts from the west end of the Big Yellow Mt. and runs straight southeast, to the head of Brushy Creek in the Blue Ridge, thus leaving the whole of Big Yellow Mt. within Watauga County.
The southern half of this area is occupied by that remarkable group, the Black Mountains, which by its great elevation directed the attention of the scientific to that southern mountain district of the Appalachian System.
The Black Mountains are composed of two chains joined on the south; the main one running nearly due north, while the lesser one curves to the west and north-west. They thus form a vast semi-circle open to the North-west, within which the mountain torrents are gathered in the Caney river. On the south end at the point of junction of the two chains, which is the summit of the convexity of the semi-circle, the Black Mt. touches the High Pinnacle of the Blue Ridge, from which it is separated only by the elevated and narrow Toe River Gap, 5,188 feet.
The high craggy chain which stretches itself from the Northwest chain and runs to the south-west — nearly parallel to the Blue Ridge, belongs to the French Broad basin, and is not usually understood to be part of the Black Mts. proper. . . .
A path has been cut thro’ that wilderness, along the east branch of the Swananoa to the top of the Black Dome, and thence down to the settlements in Caney River Val1ey. Every where else the traveler has to find his way thro’ dense woods and laurel thickets and over the precipitous rocks among which Dr. Mitchell was lost. The place where this melancholy event occurred, is just beyond the highest peaks in the wild ravine, on the western slope. The visitor who reaches the summit of Mitchell’s High Peak, stands on the stony soil and scant grass which now cover his remains. . . .
The amount of level country fit for agriculture in this unequal and broken soil is apparently very limited. The two valley’s of the North and South Toe rivers, in the upper basin, have a good deal of comparatively level land, but in the South Toe Valley it is still covered with wood, with very few clearings. Large farms are said to exist in the upper part of the North Toe river toward the Yellow Mts. ; — the middle region along the road has a good deal of wet and swampy meadow land. If I should judge from the environs of Burnsville, a more extensive agricultural land is found to the west down Caney river.
From Burnsville Village, the road crosses the Green Mountain Ridge at an elevation of 3,139 feet — joins the river road at Jack’s Creek, and there divides, one branch going down the valley of the Nolechucky along which it crosses the Mountains to enter the Tennessee Valley at Jonesboro. The North branch crosses the Toe river, 2,131 ft., reaches Rock Creek, crosses the Iron Mts. by a good turnpike lately made at an altitude of 3,750 ft. and thro’ the Little and the Big Doe rivers reaches Elizabethtown.
The road up the Toe river branches in the upper basin the north branch, which is but a wood road, crossing the Blue Ridge at the head of Brushy Creek, to the Watauga, as has been already mentioned. The south branch crosses the Blue Ridge to the North Cove and the headwaters of the Catawba, and another to Marion and Morgantown. A tolerably good road leads from Burnsville through Big Joy Gap to Asheville and Marshall, in the French Broad Valley.
BASIN OF THE FRENCH BROAD RIVER.
The basin of the French Broad River, is, with perhaps the exception of the Hiwassee, the largest and the most open which is found in this mountain region. It expands to the south much further than the preceding ones, where it is surrounded by the projecting semi-circle formed by the Blue Ridge around the head waters of the French Broad.
It extends about 40 miles from north to south, from the extreme sources of the French Broad to Asheville, and for 30 more to the North-west, with an average width of about 25 miles. . . .
The general elevation is little above 2,000 ft. and the fall of the river, remarkably small, for Asheville which is situated on a hill a mile from the French Broad, at an elevation of 225 or 250 ft. above the river, is higher by 100 feet than some passes in the Blue Ridge. The fall, for instance, from Gap creek 2,119 to Asheville 2,000 is scarcely more than 100 ft. It is that upper portion of the valley, especially around Flat Rock, with Asheville and its lovely environs, which are the favorite summer resorts of the wealthy Carolinians, whose fine residences give to the country, an aspect of civilization not found in other portions of the mountain region.
From Asheville down to the State-line, at Paint Rock, near the Gap of the mountain, 1,264 ft. the fall of the river is over 700 ft. — the river flows thro’ a series of rapids, and scoops out its bed, which is considerably lower than the general level of the country. It is, therefore, deprived of alluvial flats, and flows between high and rocky banks, which in the lower parts assume even the aspect of mountains. The surface of this lower part of the basin is hilly, especially on the west side, where the high spurs of the New Found Mts. form several valleys, with a considerable amount of cultivated land. The valleys of Hominy Creek, descending in two forks from the Pisgah Mts. of the New Found Creek, the Sandy Mush and Turkey Creeks, whose head waters are in the mountains bearing the same name, and the deep basin of Spring Creek, which empties into the French Broad near Warm Springs, are the principal ones. On the east side the Swananoa and the Big Joy carry to the French Broad the waters of the southern and eastern slopes of the Black Mts. — the first flowing thro’ a lovely valley reaches the French Broad just above Asheville — the other some 15 miles lower. The wild valley of Laurel Creek between Walnut Mt. 4,000 ft. and the main western chain, corresponds to the Spring Creek Valley, and opens on the French Broad, nearly opposite the Warm Springs.
The area of the French Broad Valley contains three of the mountains counties, Henderson with Hendersonville, at the south — Buncombe with Asheville in the center — and Madison with the hamlet of Marshall, in the north.
The generally mild character and moderate elevation of the Blue Ridge around the head waters of the French Broad renders this basin more accessible from the eastern low country, than any other. In fact, the Blue Ridge can be crossed almost any-where—from the upper waters of the Catawba,, the Broad River, the Saluda, and the Savannah rivers — by Gaps seldom exceeding 2,300 ft.
A tolerably good stage road from Morganton to Asheville crosses the head-waters of Broad river, by Swananoa Gap 2,657 ft. Another good road from Rutherfordtown to Asheville crosses th head waters of the French Broad by Hickory nut Gap. A branch of it crosses the Reedy Patch Gap 2,219 ft. — From Greenville, S. C. and the upper waters of the Saluda Mt. which makes the boundary between north and south Carolina, at Saluda Gap 2,340 ft. descends into Green River Valley, which still belongs to the waters of the Broad River, and crosses the Blue Ridge, at Butt Mt. Gap 2,168 ft. to Flat Rock, Hendersonville & Asheville. — Another road passes thro’ Jones’ Gap, north of Caesar’s Head, from Greenville and Pickens, to the upper waters of the. French Broad.
The communication with Tennessee takes place by a single road which from Asheville follows the valley of the French Broad, close to the river — to the Gap of the mountain at the state line of Tennessee; there it divides, one branch keeping the banks of the river to New-port Tennessee; the other starting from Paint Rock, on the State line, crosses a western spur of the mountain called Paint Mt. at the Paint Mt. Gap, at an altitude of 2,220 ft. an reaches the Rail Road at Greenville, Tennessee.
The main communication westward, is the new and good turnpike road from Asheville to Waynesville, Webster, Franklin, Murphy and Ducktown, Tennessee. This road crosses all the transverse chains and is the great thoroughfare of the mountain region, which unites all the interior basins. It enters the Big Pigeon Valley, at Hominy Creek Gap, between the Pisgah Ridge and the New Found Mts., about 16 miles from Asheville, at an elevation of 2,668 ft. where it is nearly on a level with the Big Pigeon Valley, and somewhat below the village of Waynesville, 2,752 ft.
Two other less important roads cross the New Found Mts., one from Turkey Creek Valley to the Forks of Pigeon River;— the other from Warm Springs up the Creek to the valley of Fines Creek and the lower course of Big Pigeon. This last crosses the chain just at the north-west foot of Sandy Mush Bald, at an elevation of 4,009 ft.
South of Hominy Gap, the Pisgah Ridge is too high to admit of any good road, which would only lead to a wilderness. The Tennessee Ridge has but a few paths into the valley of the Tennessee Creek, one of the main headwaters of the East fork of the Tuckaseegee.
THE BIG PIGEON VALLEY
This basin is remarkable on account of the great elevation of its surrounding mountains, as well as the general elevation of the ground, which is full 6 or 700 ft. above the Valley of the French Broad, and rather superior to that of the Nolechucky or Black Mt. basin. The Pisgah and New Found Mts. bound it on the east, the last sending considerable spurs into the valley, the most remarkable of which runs from Sandy Mush Bald, and terminates abruptly in the noble pyramid of Crab-tree Bald, 5,336 feet.
In the south-west, rises the great chain of the Balsam Mts. which is by far the most massive and continuous of all the transverse chains —among these it may be called the master chain, as the Great Smoky, its close neighbor is the Master-chain of the longitudinal ridges.
The Balsam chain preserves everywhere an average elevation, which rather exceeds 6,000 feet and is only somewhat broken in the central region at the Soco Gap 4,3 41 feet and the Road Gap 3,357 feet. It starts from Luftee Knob 6,220 feet — the first great peak of the Smoky Mts. at the head of Ocona Luftee River — thence it trends to the south-east to the Cataluchee Balsam Mts., from which it takes a general southern course to the Central Balsam chain; further, it turns to the south-east again, to the Tennessee Bald, at the head of Tennessee Ridge, and there ends at a distance of about 10 miles from the Blue Ridge — At this point it is met by an equally powerful chain from, the north, which begins with the Cold Mt. 6,063 ft. a beautiful broadly conical and conspicuous land-mark, a little south of west of Great Pisgah Mt. — From Cold Mt. the chain presents an unbroken high wall of 6,000,ft. — It meets at the Devil’s Court-house the continuation of the Pisgah ridge, and two miles further at the Tennessee Bald, the south end of the Richland Balsam chain. This is the most southern point of Haywood County, the boundaries of which are entirely misrepresented in the State Map.
Besides this high chain of the Cold Mt. which separates the deep valleys of the East and West Forks of the Big Pigeon, another chain parallel to it and almost as high, starts from the Richland Balsam at the head of Richland Creek also running to the north. It is the Double Spring Chain, the continuation of which forms the Lickstone Mountain 5,747 ft. and the dividing ridge between Richland Creek and the main Pigeon river.
The central Balsam is another, and runs at right angles to the general direction of the main Balsam chain, that is, north-east and south-west parallel and close to the Smoky Mts., terminating abruptly in a high sharp feet. — It is that chain which is more especially called the Balsam Mts. and it is on both sides of, and parallel to it, that the Road Gap on the south, and the Soco Gap to the north, break the general chain.
Another high and massive ridge called the Cataluchee Mts. also run parallel and close to the Smoky Mts.. terminating abruptly in a high sharp peak — called Mount Starling not far from the Pigeon river. The altitude of the main peaks in all the chains just mentioned, will show, that the Balsam heights around Big Pigeon River, really deserve the name of the Master of the transverse chains which I gave to it.—
The broad top of Big Cataluchee Balsam has an altitude of 6,160 feet. The south peak, 6,041 ft. — The north peak Mount Starling 5,852 ft. — the longitudinal chain of the Balsam proper reaches in its north-east peak — Eno’s Plott’s Balsam 6,097 feet.
Its maximum, Amos Plott’s Balsam, or the Great Divide 6,278 feet is found at the point where it crosses the main transverse ridge. Black Rock, the last of the great peaks to the south-west measures still 5,815 feet — Between these points the peaks a exceed 6,000 ft. and the Gaps 5,700 ft. . .
From the foregoing short description of the surrounding mountains, it appears that the Big Pigeon Valley is the most shut up of these mountain basins. It is the only one which has no communication open to the south, where it is shut by an unbroken wall of 6,000 feet. The surface is much broken by the high ridges just described. In the central part, however, beautiful and rather extensive flats exist around the forks of the Pigeon, and up the Valley, which extends from that point to the foot of the New Found Mts. —
The Valleys of Richland and Jonathan’s Creeks have also a considerable amount of level and fertile land. In the lower or northern portions as in the French Broad Valley, high mountains fill the basin; the flat bottoms nearly disappear, and the main river scoops out its winding bed much below the general level. Good farms, however, are found in the Valleys of Crab-tree and Fines Creeks. It is also to be remarked that the soil on the hills is as fertile as on the flats, and when not too precipitous or too high the mountain slopes are favorable for agriculture.
The great resource of Haywood County as in most of the mountain region, is the raising of cattle, which find an abundant and rich grazing ground in the surrounding mountains and forests, and are eagerly bought up by Virginia and Tennessee traders, to find a ready market in northern cities. I have been told that this County, the boundaries of which coincide with this basin, sells alone 3,000 head a year.
Waynesville the County seat, is but an inconsiderable village, on a hill near Richland creek 2,752 ft. above the sea – The whole valley is perfectly healthy and free from fever and summer fogs.
THE BASIN OF THE LITTLE TENNESSEE
The basin of the Little Tennessee bounded by the Smoky and Unaka Mountains on the north-west — by the Blue Ridge on the south-east — by the Great Balsam Mts. on the north-east — and the Valley River Mts. and Long Ridge to the south-west — forms a great square of about 40 by 4 miles — the total area of which is about as extensive as that of the French Broad. It is by far the most complicated in structure. Unlike the French Broad basin, which is one single valley, it has within itself, besides the limiting chains, two of the main transverse chains, the Cowee and the Nantihala. It is divided into five secondary valleys, the waters of which all unite in the central artery of the Little Tennessee, before they escape into the Great Valley of Tennessee, thro’ precipitous and winding gorges between the Smoky and Unaka Mountains.
These five valleys are symmetrically arranged around the central one, the flat valley of the Little Tennessee. This forms a broad and deep channel thro’ the mountain region, the upper part of which is much lower than the neighboring valleys. It begins at the Rabun Gap and is bounded by the Cowee chain on the East and the Nantihala on the West.
Between the Cowee and the Balsam chains lies the valley of the Tuckaseegee. On the other side between the Nantihala and the Valley River Mts. is the low and narrow Nantihala Valley. In the North-east corner, the main Smoky and Balsam Mts. surround the Ocona Luftee Valley, whose waters reunite with those of the Tuckaseegee. . . .
The central valley of the Little Tennessee, in the midst of which lies the little village of Franklin, the only one in the whole County — and the County seat, runs from south to north for 23 miles and north-west for 20 more. It begins at the most remarkable depression in the Blue Ridge, called Rabun Gap, where the range is fully interrupted. Here the road leaving the Gap and level bottom of the Valley, immediately descends the rapid eastern slope towards the village of Clayton. This gap is one of the lowest in the Blue Ridge being only 2,044 ft. by R. Road Survey. It was therefore the natural point selected for a railroad from Charleston S. C. to Knoxville Tenn. across the high mountain region.
The construction of the Blue Ridge railroad has been in progress for many years.
The amount of agricultural lands is considerable, though some portions of the flats are wet meadows. The Valleys of the Tennessee, of Sugar Town and Watauga Creeks, on the Cowee side, the valleys of the Catoo-gajay, and Wagah, in the Nantihala range, also contain a good many thriving farms, but most of the valleys are still covered with an unbroken forest.
The new found copper-mines are situated in the ridge which separates the Cullowee Valley from the main Tuckaseegee. In all the Tuckaseegee basin, or Jackson County, there is not a single village, Webster, the county- seat is but a cluster of half a dozen houses around the court house and store.
The Ocona Luftee is mostly a wild mountain torrent. Its two main sources rise at the Road-Gap in the Smoky Mt. and at the Luftee Knob, in the corner formed by the Great Smoky and Balsam Mts. A third of some importance descends from Soco Gap. The whole basin is a bed of mountains which are the high spurs of the Great Smoky. Below the junction of the two main prongs, beautiful and fertile though narrow flat bottoms are formed which are mainly occupied by severa1 hundreds of civilized Cherokees, who were allowed, to remain after the general transfer of that nation to the west of the Mississippi— Near the junction of the Tuckaseegee, the country though more open is partially hilly.
The Nantihala Valley is for two-thirds of its length, a narrow, precipitous and very wild gorge almost without a settlement and covered with the native forest. Bears and other wild beasts abound, and are very troublesome even to the settlers on the east slope of the Nantihala Mt. The lower portion alone, which I have not seen, tho’ still narrow, within high mountain walls, is said to contain some fertile land.
The Cheowah basin is divided by the Cheowah Mts. proper, running south-east and north-west, into two parts, the Cheowah Valley proper, and that of the Tennessee, which includes the several valleys which descend from the Smoky mountain west of Forney Ridge.
In the Tennessee Valley the valleys which descend from the Cheowah proper, are the only ones settled. Those in the Smoky Mt. as the Hazelnut and the Eagle Creek Valleys, are still a wilderness. The Cheowah Valley is partially settled along the main creek, the mountain slopes are well adapted for grazing cattle and sheep.
The principal road communications which unite these valleys among themselves, and with the neighboring regions, are, first the great transverse turnpike which from Waynesville crosses the Balsam Mts. At the Road Gap, 3,357 ft. at the head of a branch of Richland Creek and descends through Scott’s Creek to the hamlet of Webster, the county seat; it crosses there the Tuckassegee, ascends the fine Valley of Savannah Creek to the Watauga Gap, 3,280 ft. where it crosses the Cowee Mts. And descends to Franklin, in the Valley of the Tennessee.
Another road but very rough crosses the Balsam chain from Waynesville, through the upper waters of Jonathan’s Creek, at the Saco Gap, 4,342 ft. and descends to the Store and Indian district, called Quatta-town, 1,979 ft. in the Ocona-luftee Valley.
In the rest of the Balsam chain there is not even a path to cross into the Tuckaseegee, save perhaps at the Old Bald, near the head of Richland Creek.
From Franklin the western turnpike ascends the Wayah Valley (often wrongly called Warrior’s Creek) and crosses the Nantihala chain between two high Balds, called Little Bald (S) 5,240 ft. and Great Bald (N) 5,494 ft. or Wayah Bald, by the Cherokees, at an altitude of 4,158 feet. — At an isolated inn near the Nantihala River, it reaches the bottom of the valley 2,931 feet and thence traverses the Valley River Mts. by the Gap 3,564 ft. at the head of the south branch of the Valley River, which it follows to Murphy on the Hiwassee.
A tolerable road leads from Webster across the Blue Ridge (4,000 ft.) to Cashier’s Valley 3,600 ft. One branch, the longer one, follows the main river; the other passes through the Cullowhee Valley, where, at the head of the Flats at Bomgardner’s farm, it is 2,300 ft. — There by a very steep ascent, it reaches the summit of the spur which shuts Cullowhee Valley, at an altitude of 3,988 ft., and descends only a very little on the upper table-land, into the Fine Creek Valley 3,600 feet — soon uniting again with the other branches of the road. The same road goes from Webster down the Tuckaseegee and meets, at its junction with the Tennessee, the road from Franklin to Marysville and Knoxville, Tennessee. The Rabun Gap road crosses the whole Valley of the Little Tennessee to Knoxville. It is in many places very indifferent, and when crossing the gorges of the Smoky Mts., it is forced by the precipitous character of the banks of the river to leave it, and to wind on the dividing crests of deep ravines to nearly 1,000 ft. above the river. It comes out of the mountain at Hardin’s 900 ft above tide-water by Rail-Road Survey.
BASIN OF THE HIWASSEE
The Hiwassee basin forms an irregular square of 40 miles by 35, on an average, and is thus one of the three great mountain districts. The surrounding ridges, however, are not only somewhat lower than in the other basins, but they are nearly open on the south-west side, where it is said the Blue Ridge or the water-shed, is reduced to a mere swell which ceases to have the appearance of a mountain chain.
The Blue Ridge at the south, — The Valley River Mts., the Long Ridge and the Unaka Mts. on the north, — and the Little and Big Frog Mts. on the west — form its surrounding walls. The northern half together with the Cheowah Valley, Cherokee County, North Carolina, with Murphy Village for its County-seat; the southern and larger half belongs to Georgia below 35 Lat. — and the extreme north-western corner, with Ducktown, belongs to Tennessee.
The general slope is, as usual, from the Blue Ridge towards the Unaka and Frog Mts. viz. toward the north-west, as indicated by the direction of the main Hiwassee River, in its upper course, and the general direction of its affluents. . . .
The Hiwassee Basin has a great amount of fertile land. The Valley River flats in the middle course of the valley, from half a mile, to a mile and a half wide, and from 15 to 18 miles long, on the whole are very productive. So is the greater portion of the Area south of the Hiwassee. The whole region is also more populous than the other basins, excepting perhaps that of the French Broad, and contains many villages or large settlements, though none of these can be compared to Asheville which is the queen of the mountain region of Western N. Carolina. One of the main sources of wealth are the rich copper mines of Ducktown, which have already been considerably developed. Gold mines are also profitably worked near Brasstown, on a line which passes from the gold region of Dahlonega to the North-east according to the general trend of the Appalachian System.
The road accommodations are comparatively numerous. Murphy is an the great western turnpike above mentioned, which reaches Ducktown Tennessee, across the chain of the Stansbury Mts. From Ducktown a good road leads along the gorges of the Occoa to Cleveland in the Great Valley of Tennessee. Another road follows the Hiwassee — A third crosses the Unaka to Tellico Plains. The passes through the Blue Ridge are many. The road through the Little High-tower Gap,10 2,686 ft. to Tallulah Valley and Clayton has been mentioned. A good turnpike leads through the Unaka Gap, just west of Tray Mts. at the sources of the main branch of the Hiwassee, to the Valley of the Chattahoochee. Another passing from Murphy to Blairsville, the chief town of Union County, Georgia, crosses the Blue Ridge near the great peaks of Tessuntee, and reaches through the Nacoochee Valley, the gold region of Dahlonega.
Another from Dahlonega to the upper Occoa crosses the Blue Ridge at Cooper’s Gap. — At last from Ducktown as well as from Murphy roads leads to the Southwest to Elljay, Ga. on the west side of the Blue Ridge.
A railroad communication, strange as it may seem, across all that high Mountain region was in contemplation in 1860; and I found the Parties of Engineers busy in finishing the location of it, under the direction of Chief Engineer. Jas C. Turner. This is the Western North Carolina Railroad, already built to Morganton and which is intended to run through the Swananoa Gap to Asheville, thence through the Hominy Gap to Waynesville. Crossing the Balsam road Gap, it reaches Scott’s Creek, the Tuckaseegee river, follows it down, turns the north end at the Cowee Mts., thence up the Valley of the Nantihala and through the Marble Gap 2,6876 feet between the Valley River and Cheowah Mts., reaches the River Valley and Murphy. From Murphy it crosses the south end of the Stansbury Mts. to Ducktown. A continuation of it in Tennessee was to reach Cleaveland through the gorges of the Occoa, which point is already connected by Railroad with Knoxville, Chattanooga and Dalton Georgia. The road is perfectly practicable, and if it is ever made, will reach at the Balsam Gap, a higher elevation than any Railroad now existing in the United States.
The other railroads in contemplation are the branch from Asheville through the French Broad Valley to Newport and leading by Cumberland Gap to Kentucky, and the Blue Ridge Railroad already mentioned, which follows the Little Tennessee to Marysville and Knoxville. This last partly constructed on both ends, in the Great Valley and east of the Blue Ridge.
CLIMATE
The climate of this elevated region is truly delightful. In the summer, the temperature scarcely rises above 80 degrees. The nights are generally cool, and the mildness of that healthy and bracing air is both invigorating and exceedingly pleasant. The seasons are well marked, and otherwise similar to those of the regions much further south, but of a considerably milder type. Snow begins to fall sometimes in Nov. but not often before the end of year. Even in mid-winter it remains but a short time on the ground, and the summits of these high mountains are never covered throughout the winter with a lasting cap of snow. From time to time the warm south wind will melt the whole, until the next storm whitens them once more.
The extreme temperatures of the winter are usually moderate, though the cold north-west wind often brings across the mountains a frost of some intensity. The leaves on the trees begin to fall in November, and reappear in March and April — Peaches blossom in the end of March — Apples about 1st of April — Indian Corn is sown from the middle of April to middle of May. Wheat harvest in the first week of July. — Hay crop in the end of August. Cattle graze in the forest until December, and in many places, (furnished with so-called winter-grass,) throughout the winter.
Except some cases of fever along the river bottoms, no epidemic malady is known to exist in that favored region.
A remarkable rainy season, apparently confined to the mountains, usually extends from the end of June or beginning of July, to the end of August. During that season through the night and the first part of the day are very clear and beautiful — towards 11 A.M. or noon, thick clouds suddenly rise to the zenith, or gather around the highest peaks, and thunder-storms follow accompanied by copious rains, falling for an hour or two, and abundantly watering the ground. By 4 P.M., or a little later perhaps, the sky is clear again and the night cloudless. Protracted dark, rainy days during this rainy season are not altogether unfrequent especially at the beginning. During every one of my visits which always took place within those two months, I never could escape a thorough wetting in nearly half of the days during which my explorations took place, while June, September and October are usually clear and dry.
It is to be noted, that when coming out from the mountains into the Valley of Tennessee I learned that during the same high summer season, the drought is almost a rule, and that while during nearly two months the mountain region was abundantly watered by almost daily showers and thunder-storms, not a drop of rain had fallen during all that time with the Great Valley or in the eastern low-lands.
Another phenomenon rather characteristic of some of these basins especially the deeper and more flat ones, is the frequent occurrence, during the same Summer season, of frequent morning fogs, which settle in the bottom of the valleys, like a thick leaden mantle, which is only gradually lifted up when the increasing heat of the sun is powerful enough to dissolve them. These fogs are nearly absent from the highest basin that of the Big Pigeon in Haywood County, not frequently in the Valley of the French Broad but particularly abundant in the flat Valley of the Little Tennessee around Franklin. In the Hiwassee basin they usually cover the whole lower bottom, but scarcely ever rise to the level of the middle portion of the Valley River, which remains free from them, though it is elevated but a few hundred feet above the main Valley of the Hiwassee. A morning view from one of the high summits of the Nantihala presents the wonderful spectacle of a broad sheet of vapor covering all the low grounds up to a well defined line, above which the hills and mountains rise like islands, and the high shores of a continent from the level surface of a vast ocean.
It is easy to perceive, that these conditions of climate coupled with a deep mountain soil, the result of a rapid disintegration of the surface rocks, is highly favorable for the production of a powerful vegetation. The forests, which, with the exception of a few spots, cover almost the totality of that mountain region, are truly magnificent, especially near the foot of the hills, where humus has been accumulating by the action of the water. The trees there are from 80 feet high and upwards, and trunks of 8 to 11 nay 12 feet in diameter are no great rarity. The Oak, the Chestnut, the tulip-tree (or poplar, as it is commonly called), the wild cherry, over 60 ft. high, with, beautiful straight stems, the Magnolias and the Hickory compose the bulk of these immense forests, and clothe with a foliage of perfect beauty the Mountain slopes up to 5,000 and 6,000 ft. Beyond 6.000 ft. the dark Balsam Fir or its allied species the Fraser Pine crown with black caps all the summits which rise beyond that limit. This explains the name Black Mts. or Balsam Mts. which is given to the highest peaks of these regions.
A few mountain tops more or less flat, are deprived of trees and are called the Balds. — a name often repeated, to designate many of the higher peaks. These Balds are largely covered with an abundant grassy verdue. The level space between the two main peaks of the Roan Mt. a mile in extent, I found to be a beautiful prairie, covered with grass, a foot high and interspersed with bright colored flowers, and an abundance or ripe strawberries. Many of these high prairies are the great summer pastures for cattle and horses, and therefore very valuable. The grounds for the absence of trees on such summits are not always apparent. Their elevation alone is not a sufficient explanation – for on still higher summits nay on the very summit of the Black, Smoky and Balsam Mountains, trees unless checked in their growth by a too great exposure to the wind, are still found to grow and there to attain a height of 60 feet.
A last feature in these forests, and a rather important one, for the traveller, I wish to note — it is the extreme abundance and dense growth of the so-called Laurels, or Rho-do-dendrons, Azaleas Kalmias and other evergreens, which form a second forest growth under the large trees, especially in the moist and rugged ravines, or along the peaceful streams, as well as on the very tops of the mountains, where their tough and interwoven stems form thickets almost absolutely impenetrable. A bed of Laurels in the ravines (or a patch of these stunted evergreens on the top of the mountains, is a far more serious obstacle to the traveler than rocks, steep slopes, or streams which can be more easily overcome. The only resource in such cases is the bear trail, which almost always exists along the top of each ridge and allows a kind of narrow passage, provided the traveler consents to move along on his hands and feet as his predecessor in the trail does on his legs.
These natural obstacles, together with the general roughness of a large portion of this vast tract of the Appalachian highlands, very much impedes the intercourse both between the outside regions, and the various interior districts. They actually reduce for the present, the available communication to the very few lines above mentioned.
MILITARY IMPORTANCE OF THAT SOUTHERN
MOUNTAIN REGION
From what has been said — it is obvious — that the advantages which the possession of that high mountainous country of the neighboring Valley of Tennessee offers in a military point of view, are very great.
It rises like a vast citadel from the surrounding platform which constitutes the larger portion of the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky.
An Army settled in the large and fertile Valley of East Tennessee where it can be abundantly provided, can easily be occupied by very moderate forces, all the mountainous region, and all its valuable passes, across the Blue Ridge, and thus keep as it were the keys of the doors to each of all the Southern States just mentioned. It can thus threaten from within, every one of those States and their Capitals, keep at bay any opposing forces, in the low country, and prevent their being concentrated. — It cuts in two the Confederacy from east to west.
It can easily become master of all great Railroad communications between the south-east and south-west Southern States. The possession of the central artery of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, had to be completed by that of Dalton and especially Atlanta, which is the point of intersection of the Railroad, from Charleston and Savannah to Chattanooga, Tennessee and Montgomery, Alabama. This occupation would be all the more easy from the fact; that though Atlanta lies beyond the last spurs, and outside of the Blue Ridge, and the mountain region, the way to it is entirely open from the Great Valley of East Tennessee. The Frog Mountains and the Blue Ridge are not connected with the Lookout and Raccoon Mts., — which are the Southern end of the western table-lands, — by any mountain ridge. The Great Valley continues between the two Great Mountain Masses without obstruction into the undulating plains sloping to the Gulf (for such cannot be called a light swell) and hills dividing the waters between Cleveland, Tennessee and Dalton Georgia, through which the Georgia and Tennessee Railroad passes. This is there- fore the broad natural exit of the Great Valley much more than the comparatively narrow valley thro’ which the Tennessee River escapes.
From Dalton to Atlanta there are, along the Railroad line, no serious obstructions.
At the same time the central artery—the Tennessee and Virginia Rail-road is cutting its way into the very heart of Virginia itself — The way is entirely open along the Great Valley which continues without the slightest interruption into the basin of the New River as far as Christiansburg. The occupation of that long and open valley from Abingdon to Newbern and the New River, could be secured by keeping the defiles of the Alleghanies near Christiansburg. This with the occupation of its parallel Valley of the Clinch River, would secure the entire of South-west Virginia and the Cumberland Mt. Gaps.
The only thing requisite for the efficiency and safety of an army thus located, in East Tennessee, would be to keep open the line of railroad between Nashville and Chattanooga to Central Tennessee, and that of the Cumberland Gap or any one of the Gaps south of it, in the neighborhood, communicating on the north-west with Kentucky and Ohio.
For this purpose the immediate construction of a good Military road leading from Central Kentucky, with a branch road from Ohio through one of the Cumberland Mountain Gaps should be considered a matter of first importance, if not absolute necessity.
It is no mean part of the importance of that elevated region for military purposes, that the climate is such as to allow an army to remain throughout the year without fear of a sickly season.
The army which will possess and safely keep that central strong hold, must keep at bay the forces of the surrounding States.
In fine should the Rebellion be ever overcome in the lower country, the occupation of that mountain region will, to a great extent, prevent its leaders from the possibility of taking a refuge in it, and from thence indefinitely prolonging a defensive if not an offensive war.
A. GUYOT.
Princeton, N. J.
February 22, 1863 [1]
[1] Myron H. Avery and Kenneth S. Boardman, "Arnold Guyot's Notes on the Geography of the Mountain District of Western North Carolina," North Carolina Historical Review XV (July, 1938): 251-291.