Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-12-25

few moments como lIttle confusion prevailed,
bts no enemy being visible, We egain advanced.
IN this dime, the peculiar tinta denctlng tse ap-
'0ScaCh Of day, made their appearance In the
east, and We moved steadily on toward the
Ecamp.arss offhe enemy. which newplain-
ly seen, not more than one mile ahead and to
the right WFF( kRlgb ~ III
At lhis junoture, firing should have been
heard on the right, as the Ninth and Second
Virginia had plenty time to come up, but not q
gun was heard, nor q sound deuoting that they
were in the neighborhood. .,
Nothing daunted, however, we took the hill
leading to their camp, and scrambled up one OF
the longest and steepest peaks Of the Allegheny
range, without stopping to take breath OF rest
until the summit was gained. Just before
rising the peak, the command, " FORWARD,
double -auick,' was, passed along the line, and
up over the rise we went, as rapidly as our jaded
condition would admit Of, and along the slope,
which at this point was sparsely wooded to-
ward their entrenchments, which were in full
view, srd not more than aiS or eight hundred
/
yards distant. ;7lisa d9 ,.ss sl.r 7t erA
Long before the rear of the column had gain
cd the eminence, the enemy we're discovered
drawn up in line Of battle, and not more than
two hundred yards in advance. At this dis
covery our column was brought to halt, and
formed in line of battle on the left. Scarcely
had the several, companies time 20 take their
positions, when the enemy opened fire, and
whiz, bang, came the bullets. and the report Of
q thousand guns thundercd forth on the still
morning air. We received their i6re, and re-
turned the compliment, IN true Yankee style,
our Enfield rifles aud musketo making sad havoc,
in their ranks 'Io = ''''''N - ''''' ~"
After exchanging a couple OF rounds, they
precipitstely retreated toward their entrench-
ments, dropping their guns and blankets in their
aight, and disappearing like magic from our
view into ravine between their batteries and
four position, while the Twenty fifth Ohio, head
ed by her; gallant and intrepid Colonel, ringing
forth cheer after cheer, rushed in hotpursuit.
By the time we had come in sight Of them,
they had rallied, and poured. whitening storm
of lead upon our front, which was returned AID
repeated with interest by our brave boys % The
contest at this point was hotly maintained for
near an bour, giving and taking the death-deal.
ling bullet in the most approved style known to
modern warfare, until finally we, in turn, we're
compelled to fall back, the enemy by this time
having been reinforced. Again we drove them
from the wood and made them a"hunt their
Eholes." ~ IfR f'- - -9"--s
From this time until we were Withdrawn, a
continual volley, Of rife and musketry was
Kept up. During the fight the Thirty second
Ohio and Thirteenth Indiana behaved nobly,
and made "their mark, as full many "secesh'
can testify TO-, Up till the very moment Of our
running out Of ammunition and consequent
Withdrawal from the scene Of action, no firing
had taken place on the side where the Ninth
Indiana and Second Virginia should have been,
and il was not until our forcea had gained the
road that we were aware Of their whereabouts,
when smart sprinkling Of infantry was heard
on the right of the encampment. Had the
Ninth and Second been able to "make the con-
nection at the proper hour, which they claim
they were not, we would have had the enemy
in full retreat within one hour from the com
mencement Of the action. As the matter stands,
however, all was done that could be done IN.
der the circumstances, and firmly believe that
had not our ammunition, after FIVE hours hard
fighting, given out, the boys would have been
"peppering away" at them as long as they re-
mained in sight. l3 - sT
The returns Of the killed and wounded from
other regiments than the Twenty fifth, have
not yet been made known; that of the Twenty.
fifth being sixty-eight in all, which is doubtless
the highest figure to the regiment that will, be
reported. i s.l.g {. ;s.I ls s-sa sssi j sai.V
Tonight the news has reached here, that the
rebels. have abandoned their works, after
setting FIRE to and burning all their quarters,
etc. land have fallen still farther back toward
Stanton, but how far, and where, is not stated
r We captured ffty-one prisoners, q portion Of
whom are on their way to Columbus. t,lu
Many instances Of individual exploits and
heroic daring could mention, but as this is
already lengthy, must close. ii ~ b5jr =
bib s1Youra, a,rsspectfullyy sEsss ntuisi
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