The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-01-16

e of the left, Col. Williams, of South Care
: lima, was stationed in the road in the centre
though withouta separate command.
Whilst the Tory lorce was forming. Shei
by and his men were not idle. lmmediatel
alter taking their places in line and secur
/ ing their horses, they commenced making
breasiworks Of logs. In half an hour the
had one breast high. So soon as this wa
completed, Shelby sent Capt. lnman with
company of mounted men in advance Il
make false attack on the enemy. Th
ieint was well executed. lnman and hi
men charged on the enemy, fred their piec
es, and then, as directed, fled in apparen
confusion. The enemy's centre on whom
the false attack had been made, seeing the
flight oil this force, Immediately pressed Tor
ward IN pursuit, in considerable disorder
shouting, "Huzza for King George" On
approaching the breastwork they were unex.
pectedly met by deadly fire. The superb
oriy oil the enemy in numbers emboldened
them 10 press forward their attack, notwith>
standing the advantage which our troops
possessed by the breasiwork. Alter an hours
hard lighting. the left wing Of the enemy,
composed Of the Queens regiment, drove
our right wing under Shelby IRON their
breastwork. Our left wing, which was OPP
posed by the Tories. maintained its position.
The battle was maintained sometime longer,
the right flank of the right wing gradually
giving way, whilst the. left flank retained its
connection with the centre at the 5reaslwork
At this juncture Col. Clarke sent his reserve,
consisting OF forty men, 10 SheIby's aid.
Shelby ihereupon rallied his men, and ord =
cred charge, which was well seconded by
officers. and men, and The enemy were brok-
en- and fled in confusion. The route now
became complete along the whole line, and
the enemy were pursued 10 the Eroaee river,
with great slaughter. Above two hundred
Of the enemy were killed, and two hundred
prisoners were taken. On our side, Cant.
lnmaa, who had conducted himself most gal
lantly, and thirty men were killed.
The broken forces Of the enemy having
crossed the Eronee, il became necessary 10
follow up The pursuit OH horseback. Shelby
called back his forces and mounted with the
intention Of pursuing the scattered Tories,
and then turning against Fort Nineiy-sx-
While consulting with Col. Clarke, a mes
se9ger arrived from Gen. Mcdowell. bring
ing letter from Governor Caswell 10 Nc
DOwell, informing him of Gates's disastrous
defeat at Camden on the 10Th ofAugusf,and
advising all officers commanding deiach-
mHns 10 retreat, or they would be cut of.
Col. Shelby, perceiving the hazardous po-
siiion in which he was placed by this unex-
pected calamity, with CORVALLIS in front,
and Ferguson on his flank, Immediately ord
cred a retreat. Taking his prisoners with
him, he travelled all that day and the ensu-
ing night without rest. and continued their
march The day succeeding until an hour by
sun, when they halted and fed their lrorses
they had thus been marching and
lighting necessarily for iorty-eight hours, ihe
energy Of their commander per-
mlted his troops no rest, when there was
danger Of losing all by delay. Hating there
fore no longer Than was required 10 feed
their horses, The line of march was resumed.
II was well ii was 80 for The news OF the de-
leat oil the tories at Musgrove's Mill had
cached Ferguson. who had despatched a
strong detachment, 10 intercept Shelby and
release his prisoners. BY making a hard
forced march this detachment reached the
spot where Shelby and his men had fed their
horses within thirty minutes after they had
left it. But not knowing precisely how long
Shelby hadbeen gone, and the detachment
being entirely exhausted, the pursuit was
relinquished, and Shelby reached the noun
tains in safety with his prisoners.
The tine Of service Of the men having ex-
pired, and there being no opportunity OF do
ing, any immediate active duty by partisan
corps, when they reached the road which
led 10 Col. Shelby's residence, he and the
men from his neighborhood returned home,
the prisoners being left in charge Of Col.
Clarke. After going some distance, Col.
Clarke in like manner returned home, giving
The prisoners in charge 10 Col. Williams,
who conducted them 10 Hillsborough. Al
this place Col. Williams met with Gov. Rut-
ledge who, finding him in charge Of the pris-
oners, supposed he had commanded The ex-
pedilnn in which they were taken, and rs a
reward for the gallant achievement gave him
a Brigadier Generals commission. With
out deIracting from the merits OF Col VIII
liams, who was n gallant officer. is il not
right TO say that this is an example too IRE
quent in military history, where the rewards
of bold achievement fall on the wrong
shoulders?
Col. Shelby described the battle al Mus
groves Mill as the hardest and best fought
action he ever was in. lie attributed this
10 the great number of officers who were
with him as volunteers. Considering the
nature Of the march, and the disparity oil
numbers, the action at Musgrove's Mill mast
be considered as one Of the most brilliant al
fairs fought by any partisan corps during the
Revolution.