Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-08

The following letter from Phipp, bearing Gate h'e
DAYS before the fight which occurred there last Monday
appears in the Lexington Gazette, and gives some idea
Of the condition of affairs there previous to the engage.
ment
PHILIPpI, Va, May 29.h, 1861.
We arrived here abou. dark last night, having been
thrown on forced march OF 80 miles, by despatch for
US to proceed to Grafton last night. But when we
arrived at this place, found that our troops had
retreated from Grafton ana were arriving AT tn5
place.
Early yesterday morning, the scouts found out that 10
or twenty hundred men from Wheeling were coming
down to attack them Our men, 0diug that the Federal
troops outnumbeed them by 800 and that they had
the most improved arms, while our men were armed
only with mu-kes, they thought 1t would be best to
retreat The situation Of the town is very low, and
they had been ked with heavy they could not
have sustained the attack.
We do not know whether they will fory this place
make an attack on Grafton may be stationed at
Webster which is eleven miles from here and five from
Grafton.
Fifty of our company have gone down to Pruntytown
Tonight to arrest man, and guard some grain and
flour.
Your correspondent would have gone, if his duties
would have permitted him. Our all well and in
fac spirits More anon. N.
The Charlottesville Review of yesterday has tho fol-
lowing statement by eyewitness of the fight:
We are informed, by gentleman who present,
that 5000 Federal roos Saturday last surprised 1900
Virginia troops at Phipp, Barbour county, capturing
their baggage and 500 stand of The enemy had
60 or 10 killed, whilst our loss only six.
The following appears in the Staunton Endieator Of
yesterday:
The latest intelligence from that quarter informs
that our little force Grafton have been compelled to
retreat from that place to Pbipp before superior
bers of the Northern forces thus leaving the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad from Wheeling nearly to Harpers
Ferry in undsputed possession Of the enemy and that
on Monday morning last our men were surprised and
driven from Phipp with the loss Of several lives many
arms and all their stores, and that they have
treated to Beverly, in Randolph county. This is
somewhat mitigated by the intelligence that by brave
stand of Capt Moomaws company, aud perhaps others,
in a wood some two miles from Philppi the enemy
were surprised in turn and driven back with great loss
Five of our said to have been killed and about 90
or so of the enemy in the conflict. But have lost
position, and the loss of and provisions must have
left little force in bad condition. There is old
saying that holds good in all the affairs of life but
pecialy in war; that "whatever is worth doing at ALL is
worth dong well" If our northwestern border is not
to be given up the Northern enemy, surely eff.
Gent achievements should be there at We
are informed that the condition of our little force there
has been hitherto most disheartening. With no artil-
lery and not than ten ROUNDS of powder for the
small arms, men, too, raw and undiscipined, and
badly differed. One of the brave men who brought
the news of the retreat from Phippi expresses the
conviction that q welLappointed force OF $500 men
could in their mountain passes any number that
might be sent against them.