The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-07-29
THE RICH MOUNTAIN FIG H T
srATEMENT CT COL. FULKERSOy.
CAMp AT MosTEREY, July "a. 1861.

CANT AT MosTEREY, July "a. 1851
To The Editors Of the Dispatch: As there
will probably be no off cial report of the un-
fortunate retreat of the lamented Gen Gar
nett and his comma and from Laurel Hill, and
If the events which Immediately led to the
retreat, and as untrue statements may BE-
circulated in relation thereto, feel IL 70 he
due to myself. as W. IL as to the gallant ofheer
and men under my &C mmand, to make hrief
statement of facts. If that gallant soldier
and good man. Gen. Garnett, had lived to
make his official report, full justice would
have been done to all concerned
or the morning of the Z III July, our scouts
came ir aud reported that the enefpy was ad
vaneing upon our position from the direction
IF Phllippi. The report proved TO be true,
and the enemy halted and took p, sition about
TWO miles from our camp but he drove back
Georgia company, which was on picket
duty, and with an advance party took posses
lion of a thickly- -timbered hill, near the yI-
lage of Bnrlins ton.
Colonel Ramsey, of the Georgia Regiment,
Nth two or three companies of his regiment.
was ordered down and ga lam tly drove the en-
emv from the hill, and held il till about W
o'clock. when he was relieved by the C.d Var
ginia Regiment, under the cGmmand of Col
raliaferio. The Is and the enemy kept u p
a sharp skirmsh tall near night, when 1 W rs
ordered down with seven OF nv companies TO
relieve the Esd ard to hold the hill during the
night My companI's were Capts Whites,
Graham's, Wood's, q bson's, Wni e's,
Ferrys and McElhenney s. The sKrmishing
was renewed a. soon as we got in posiu'n
and was kept up TIL dark During the nisht
an occasional gun was fired. hnt things Wer''
comparativel, quiet. The firing was resum d
again at dayignt, and continued pretty brisk
till O'Clock, when We were relieved by he
deorgi Regim mt. and they kept up me sk'r-
mish till about +. M E, when renewed hem
with six companies of my rsgime't, Captain
Gibson's com pany being lett out of the .~~'n
which were ont tnA ght prev' 'u9
We again resumed the skirmish which grew
warmer AS the q ~ adv iuCed. Oar N III were
sheltered behind trees, and near sundown
had advanced on some parts OF the iihe TO thr
skirts o. the woods nearest the enemy Some
of the enemy had taken shelter nearest our
line in a stable and in the houses OF Burning
ron, and commenced cannonadiDg our pos lion
One ball cut off tree On and near the centre
of our line, and several exp oded very near Us
little before sundoWn the enemy advanced
no the road in strong force, and capt " III
White, who had proceeden tarthest towards
the enemy, fell back 10 the line and FORMED
Capt. WhiIe had been m ch exposed AID
gallantly stood the enemy s nre. ine enemy
proceeded up the road with loud yellS, Till Il
turn in the road brought Them within range
OF the guns of Capts Graham and Wu.
White, when the fir opened on both SIDES,
and the enemy, after one tire, hastily retI eat5d
do Wn the road again.
As the enemy approached, the % Virginia
Regiment arrived, and although lot lu posi-
ti"n 10 effect much, its presence doub less
and the 23d instantly re-arranged our posi-
tioDs, expecting that the enemy might reaew
the attack; bat night coming on, he did not
appear again. We did not ascertain what
WAS the effe.:t of our fire, owing TO the night
coming on; but the enemy report soine loss 1T
that point. We remained in position till
aOnut ten O'Clock at night, Wnen, tv order or
Gen Garnet we were itn. raWn, and we did
not occupy that bill again. The next two days
a hill about midway between the two torce>
was cccupiet and held alternately by tue DIFF
fe tent regiments of Gen. Gtrnetts command.
In this position the enemy, with III, long
range guns, annoyed us from house and barn
IN f-Id, bat were made 10 sc ,mper away by
Il iew snot from Capt. Shoemaker battery
On the II b, General Garnett received infor-
'uatlou tnat the enemy had gained tolon"l
Pegr1In s rear at the R.ch Mountaln, Whlch
placed him in orr rear.
The General determined to abandon Laurel
Hill at once, and We marched about twelve at
night. My regiment WAS assigned 10 bring
up the rear, ana With Gen. Garnett and Cap
battery we remained at tn
trenches Till the balance OF the command had
gone some distance u the mountain On get
ting within Il few miles OF Beverly, the Gen
erai was informed that the road had been
biockaded. aud he then deiermlned to proceed
through Tucker and Pres ton aad into Hardy,
aud having passed the road that led that way,
we reversed The order OF lnarcn, wnlcE threw
my regiment the front, Ehlch order was
preserved during the day, except that Coione,
Battalion passed US 10 the
front. That night we camped on Cheat IlVec
and nex morning CJl Ra- sbr ,uA II, ,Col JACK
son, and my self were marched III frJnt Oh the
train.
Gen. Garnett, now anticipating an attack
from Gen. Hill, (as undersioodD aiao placed
Capt. Shoemaker with MS battery in front OF
the train. We were now upon narrow,
noun tainous country road, and with long
train OF wagons our line was necessarily ex-
tended for a considerable distance. Coi.
Tallaterro's Virginia and Col. Rams-y's GeOr-
gia Regiments were in the rear OF the train.
During the day, Gen. Garnett, being in front,
received information that the enemy was at
tacking the rear. My regiment was crossing
the river, (wading it, and when 1t was nearly
over Gen. Garnett ordered me 10 draw up on
the far side and await further orders. lie
then re-crossed the river, and did not see
nm after wards l drew up my regiment, as
ordered, and waited for some time, when l.
was informed that Gen Garnett had been
killed, and in a short time Col. Tala!erro's
and Col Ratn sey's mmands pas sed US. leav-
ing my regiment again in the rear Wer
m iined in line for a considera ble time, but the
enemy not appearing, and receiving Ho orders
from any one, we marched oft, Col. Jackson
preceding my regiment
1t was the determination OF Col arkson
and my self to fight the enemy at that ford OF
the river, If he made further pursuit AL the
time of the attack the Georgia Regiment was
in the rear, of which seven of the companies
were cut off from the balance OF the comm md,
and made their way through the noun talns
10 this place. Ine OGnec inree com pdnles icll
back upon Colonel Talaferro's Regiment, at
which point one OF Capt Shoemaker's pieces,
in charge of Lieut. Lanier, was put in posi-
tion which, together with TWO or three OF
Col. TallateIro's companies, poured de-
structive fire into the enemy's ranks, and
kept il up till retreat was ordered Toe
cannon wagon being brok, n by the fall or a
wounded horse, the piece was abandoned
All speak in high terms of the gallant con
duct Of Lieut.. Lanier and men, and OF Col.
Taliaferros companies.
My regiment kept the rear all that night
and Till some time next day; while thus sit
uated, with our wagons several miles III
front, an officer had our bagg ge thrown out.
Next morning found US i'll the State of Mary
land, and from thence we marched u, the
South Branch of the Potomac TO his place,
the enemy being in front or rear or On our
flank most of the way. The march was an
exe eedingly difficult and arduous one
l cannot close without q word relative TO
our late commander, General Garnett That
he was brave, the very manner OF MS death
that he WAS q cour teouS, high
minded, honor tble gentleman, all who h ad
intercourse with him b ar witness; that be
was a cool, calm, sagacious commander, IS
amply shown by his being able to ho!i MS
position against a far superior force, hetded
by an accomplished officer, for several wee n,
IN a hostile country that he was COED and
true man, is known to all Who knew hun at al
He will long be iamen ted bv the brave and
the good. SAM'L V. FULHsRsoS,
Col Comu'g S7tn Regt Va. Vol.
(For the Richmond Dispatch ]
MT he hnro IN Qrd