Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-09-21
our War FOR INDEPENDENCE.
ZEE cAmFA1aN M v1ReINIA.
FIoyd,s enlargement with ROsecrans.-.A
Gallant DeEense---aeRvy Less of the
From The Richmond Dispatch, Sept. IS.

From the Richmond Dispatch, Sept Is.
Surgeon Clark, Of c5l. Wharton's Regiment, in
Gen. Floyd's Brigade, and Adjutant Otey of the
same regiment reached the city Yesterday evening,
from the camp Of Generals Floyd and Wise, at the
foot Of SsWsll Mountain which they left on Friday
noon They bring dispatches to the Government
The former gentleman relates to us the following
particulars OF the engagement at Carnifax Ferry.
Gen. Floyd had warning of the approach OF Rose
cranz and had thrown upa small earth work in the
centre of his line which was formed across bend
in the Gauley just at the Ferry. Some logs, rails,
and brush were also thrown up here and there be-
fore the regiment forming very imperfect protec-
tion not deserving the name and anything in the
world but the powerful fortifcation spoken of by
Rosecranz For the centre breast-work there were
six smOoth-boPe guns, possibly tenpounders, and
one rihed cannon. These had just arrived, under
Capt Guy, Of Goochland, and but for them the Cen
eral would haye had none. These seven cannon are
magnifed in ROsecraDzs report to sixteen! Out
of 1--WE Regiments Gen. Floyd had seventeen hund>
red available men; RosecrEnz estimates them at
five thousand ast - tssr *
sRosecrans haa eleven thousand men under his
immediate command below Sumnierayille. Five
thousand OF these he ordered to the attack of Foyds
line at about o'clock on Tuesday, the 10th instant
Six thousand were held in reserve The attack was
received firmly, and the fire Of the enemy was Wig
orously returned. Three attempts were made to
flank our little army, and each was repulsed with
severe loss. One bold charge was made to take the
battery I; but such terrific fire" was directed
upon the assailants by Capt. Guy, that they were
| swept back, and did not renew the attempt The
Last charge was made on the extreme left by Ger
man regiment, which was driven back with heavy
loss; and this is the regiment said to have been
&C alled off, It was not until after dark that firing
ceased and the enemy retired.
General Floyd, ascPrtaIning the number OF his adj
yersary and moreover that four thousand besides the
eleven thousand in front Of him. had been sent above
SummersVille to cross the Gauley at Hughes Ferry,
and to march by way Of Meadow Bluff to get be-
fi,ofn
and ct once proceeded 70 do so. His means of
crossing consisted of one small boat, that could
hold only one wagon at tune, and small
foot; bridge, very iDgeniously built by Engineer
Frostburg Swede, attached to Col. Wharton's re-
Riment Every soldier, WELL sick and wounded,
was safely taken across before light but owing to
/ the absence of large number of wagons, trans
porting stores from the railroad depots, there were
not enough to the entire of the baggage pro-
Visions etc, A portion Of these were unaVOidably
left behind including some tents cartridges, etc.
i A part OF Gen. F1oyd's private baggage, and also
J that of some Of his officers, was with the aban-
doned effects 1t is proper TO notice that to the hui
manity towards the sick, Of whom there was large
number much of the loss is attributable. Some i've
horse and twenty thirty cattle also fell into the
I hands of the enemy. So
General Floyd lost not single man. This result
is extraordinary The battle lasted four hours, and
the enemy's loss was heavy, while on our side there
were only SiG men slightly BOUNDED, and nos one Sc
riously. General Floyd himself was amongst the
| wounded. A musket ball, at the first fire of the
enemy, inflicted flesh wound just below the elbow,
| but il occasioned no inconvenience to the General
/ The enemy's loss was certainly heavy. Rose
cranz's first report said Is killed and 20 wounded.
His second raised his figures to 20 killed and 100
wounded. Gen Floyd took six of the enemy pris-
! oners By their account the killed and wounded
were from 300 to 500 One man said that sixty
were killed in his regiment alone.
Early on Wednesday morning, the enemy appear
4 ed on the river and fired few ahOts Gen. Floyd
| formed junction with General Wise, and the COM
bined force returned to SeWell Mountain. Amessage
| from Gen. Lee met them there about noen Friday,
| snd Trey went into camp. What tia mefslge was
| is not known; but we may hope It indicates rem
! forcements. ts
Thursday, Col Hownshell, with 700 men, returned
| to the Gauley river to bring away fifteen OF our
sick and twenty-five wounded Yankees of the battle
Of Cross Lanes. This he did but finding the enemy
/ preparing to cross, he ordered fire upon them,
| which was oOeyed by his men from the heights
with effect ne doubt for the soldiers Of the South
4 west are good marksmen.
FloYd's defence was most gallant and his crossing
Of the ferry under the circumstances deliberate
and well directed. His men fought with signal
bravery, and their fire was admirably directed.
Floyd and Wise together have not SiI thousand et~
| feetive men. Rosecranz has eleUen thousand with
him. while four more thousand are marching by the
Meadow Bluff to enter the turnpike between the
| Sewell Mountain and Lewisburg Cox has fUe lols.
and fue hundred in all tloey thousand Ue hundred
| men against g. little more Bnh1 JUG dtOUSuJtu. II
this estimate Of the eneys forces be correct 1t Is
| indispensable that achievements must be rapidly
concentrated beyond Lewisburg, or our army there
will be compelled again to fall back at least to that
point We hope that General Lees message TO Gen.
Floyd indicates the intention of that officer to carry
his men where they may find active service
From the Richmond Examiner, Sept "a.
We have succeeded in obtaining some authentic
particulars of affairs in Western Virginia with
special reference the late action near the Gauey
line and the subsequent disposition Of forces.
| The action was opened by Floyds artillery. Col.
Tompkins' infantry regiment was also engaged.
Our men were defended by breastworks and By the
Jungle on some of the lines of their position The
/ enemy were mostly posted in the road, which may
account for their terrible loss; while we are assur-
| ed that FlOyd'S command only lost two men, one
killed in the action and the other drowned IN cross
| ing the river: The ground is said to have been
] literally strewed with the enemys dead. The ex-
tent Of his loss must have been several hundred.
The locality of the battle was near the banks of
| the river about mile and half below ColfaX
Ferry. On Floyd crossing the river, Rosecrans had
also fallen back. 4 junction had been effected be-
tween Wise's Legion and Gen. Floyd's command, on
the Lunday road, some six miles from Hawks Nest,
Wiss's former position A portion OF our forces
were occupying the Big Sewell mountain and erect
ing fortifoatons 1t is said that the junction of
| Gen FIoyd's and Wise's forces, an advance move
| ment was contemplated, but orders had been re-
ceived from Gen. Lee that they should fall back and
/ hold their position at Dogwood Gap.
| The present force under the command of Rose
Grams was estimated at ii 600 men. A detachment
| of 900 Federals had been left at Sutton, with
orders it is said burn the bridge to protect their
| rear. Gen. LoFing was reported to be pressing on,
and at last accounts had advanced to within twelve
| or fifteen miles of Sutton.
| Reinforeements were on the way to Join General
| Floyd. A Georgia and North Carolina regiment
| and q number of State militia were passed last
\ week on their way to him, within some twenty
miles of his lines. Wise's Legion comprised three
full regiments of infantry one of cavalry and four
companies of artillery. d.
| The Federal Troops surrounded
| The Riccemond Enquirer of the 18th says: "a
letter received in this city yesterday, from Lewis
burg, Va, dated Sept. 10th, states that Generals
FLOYD, WISE and LoRISG, had succeeded in bringing
their forces together in such manner as to sur.
round the Federals, under the command of Gen
| Cox near the Gauley River and decisive battle
was expected to come off on Tuesday the 18th. We
had no means at command of ascertaining the reli-
ability of the statement" a
News from Gen. Lees COmmand-The
..s March upon Cheat Mountain.
| From the Richmond Dispatch, Sept. II.
/ A gentleman who left the camp of that part Of
Cen Lees forces stationed on the east side Of Cheat
| Mountain under the command of Gen. H. Il. Jack
SON. of Georgia az late as Saturday night brings US
intelligence of the movements this eide the noun
tain to the time of his departure and also some lat
| er news from Gen. Lees division. M