Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-09-24
The Army OF Kanaxsha

BY TYLER. WISE K ALLEGRE.
SATURDAY MORNING, SEPT. 81, 1861.
The Army OF NanaxSha.
The events Of the last ten days in the depart
ment Of Kanawha, hare been frsught with such
peculiar interest that it is with great sat!stac'
tioa we lay before our readers, reliable infor,
nation from that region.
The friends Of Col. J. Lucius Davis, will be
eratihed at his brilliant dash into kanawha
Valley, an authentic account Of which, en-
bodied in his official report to his commander,
| Gen. Wise, q correspondent was kindly Per
mitted copy and enclose to as. Those who
know Col. Davis, will be able TO appreciate the
genuine uodesty, only equalled BY his chival
rous courage, which places himself in the back
ground, and awards the chief place 10 Col
! Olarkson, the brave Lieut.. Colonel Of the Isl
Cavalry. They are both we'll known to the
| enemy, and the more dreaded, the better they
become acquainted.
General Wise dispatched the Eve cavalry
companies, spoken Of by Colonel Davis, under
| command of the latter and acting Lieutenant
| Colonel J. N. GARRISON, or the 9Th September,
from his own camp, near Hawks Nest, with
instructions to penetrate the Kanawha Valley
at any and all points practicable, and strike
with his utmost vigor wherever and whenever
they could do 50 with effect. Scarcely had
they crossed New River, when dispatches ar
rived from General Floyd that his cntrenched
position, at Camp Gauley, Il short distance
above Carnifax Ferry, at the junction Of Mea
dow River with Gaaley River, was threatened
by a concerted Increment between General
Cox upon one side, and a large force from TO-
wards Summersville on the other. General Wise
was himself threatened BY a force, believed tt
ba su perior to his own. on the main turnpike
between his camp at Hawks Nest and Gauley
Bridge, the stronghold Of General Cox, and the
gate of the Kanawha Valley To keep this
foe in check was absolutely essential to the
safety Of both commands; consequently Gen
eral Wise moved to the relief Of General Floyd,
with such cautious circu1nsnection as his OWL
security and the protection Of the rear OF the
former demanded.
Upon the evening Of the 10th, at dee nj
1utes pas. four, the enemy, led BY General
Rosencranz in person, descending from his
command opposite Valley Mountain, attacked
Gen. Floyd ~ Camp Gauley. The battle
ragged until seven, when the enemy gave up
the contest, with, as is believed, the eSpec-
tation of rsnsntipg Hs:next morning. About
mlsssa;;skt.k IL iusal lloyd quietly, but hurried
y Withdrew, and crossed the river with his
whole force, and the most of his baggage ;
some Of the latter, camp squipage, tents, etc,
and nnuuber OF fat cattle were unavoidably
abandoned. So quietly was tho withdrawal
conducted that the enemy, it is reported, fred
with great vigOr upon the deserted breast
works Of Camp Gauley at daylight in the
morning. The enemy are conceded to have
acted with great spirit in their attempts to
force General Floya's position, but ihey We're
met By a Zoo more than worthy Of their
steel, aud suffered, It is thought, more severe,
il than they acknowledge. Gen. Rosencranz
puts his loss il MS official report at twenty
killed and one hundred wounded. General
Floyd's loss was from eight to sixteen wound
ed-none killed. Gen. F. himself received a
slight flesh wound in the right arm between
the wrist snd eiboE.
Gen. Wise, upon learning that Gen. Floyd,
inssesd OF crossing the river ct Carnifax, ss ne
had hoped, had determined to maintain his Pc,
sition upon thy Summerviile side, and he'd
been attacked by the enemy in numbers dou-
bling his forcs, marched rapidly to his relief,
and had, On the morning OF the 18th, nearly
reached the river, wheu L messenger from
Gen. Floyd met him and informed him of tho
movement: Of the latter upon the main turn
pike. This left Gen. Wise 20 alternative but
to unite forces at Dogwcod Gap or some
neighboring point on the turnpike.
FROM Dogwood the united forces have fallen
back to II more eligible position upon Big
Sewell, where they await the advance of the
enemy under Genls. Cox and Rosencrsnz
whose united force is Eeriously estimated at
frcu eleven to fifteen thousand.
It will be seen that the same untowaTd cir.
cumstance which caused the REIMBURSEMENT of
the Kanawhs Valley in July last, has occa-
stoned the retreat of Gen. Floyd from Carnifax
upon Big Swaziland that is, The an!oos:ag OF
n vast horde IKE al avnlanane GsoIn the depart.
mena Of the North, Wess proper, by way Of
Sutlon, Bulltown and Gun,meIsville, and oblig.
ing The remoya: Of the basis Of operations
further Esss co.. the protection Of Lewisburg,
and kce.Eas open communication with the
Capital, If possible, reinEorcements should be
forwclaed to the Kanawha department to meet
this new addition to the enemy.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF col. ]. Luc1us DAVIS.
BIvouAck on Bic Coal RIVER, l.
Sept. 18th, 1851.
General FSss:
SER: In obedience to your orders, i proceed
ed TO Fsyette G.. H., with Eve companies ofmy
regiment Of cavalry, and left that place with
six, Caskie's being added. On the 18th crossed
the Cotton Mountains and marched to this
place, thirty.ive miles, having forded the tor
tuous Coal river, ninaty-two times.
Finding that two companies of the enemy
were 10 our vicinity on a n%arauding excursion,
rapid chase was given, by our whole force under
the immediate command Of Col. Clarkson.
The enemy was oTertRken and the sharp
skiroish of Toney's creek ensued- IL it the
enemy were totally routed, with the loss Of
about fifty killed and wounded, End the same
number Of prisoners.
Il The latter are en- route for your camp, under
charge Of Lieut. Tucker and thirty men.
Sixty fat cattle we're captured; also siS sad
dies, a lot Of boots and shoes, seven horses,
several carriages and wagons-the latter of lit
tie account, being broken end injured by rough
roads. Fifty or sixty stand Of valuable arms
mud a lot Of ammunition was the most valuable
nart Of our capture.