Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-12-13

what aYAIl tnen 10 WulIiPiy aultio' lie us
irving their sole force from this element =
The doctrines these cases maintained do mol
deny. They are simply inapplicable.
Very truly, yours, "A. II. >
RICHMOND, Dec. 2, 1851
can Authentic Account Of General floyd''
Operations on the KanaIvha.
To the Editor IF tie Wig:
An officer Of General Floyd's Brigade, in 6
letter published in the Examiner" Of yester
dav, attributes the defence Of Western Virginia
to the m~agterly movements Of Gen. Floyd
and is rather severe on lsosecrans, whom 1t
calls "a poltroon," which he says was proved
by tho way in which he allowed himself to bt
iisulr-d by your six. ponaders from Uottor
Hill, and the cowarily manner IN which ht
abandoned mis- position on Big Sewcll. Now,
with regard to General Floyd, it must be al
lowed that he had great difficulties to contend
with, both in respect to the nature Of the
country in which he operated, end the (per
haps necessarily inadequate means furnished
for its defence. But with every disposition
under suclI circumstances to make due allow
anccs fo- ell short comirgs, and 70 give extra
credit for anything accomplished, We cannot
but de2reca.c the ;njudicicus yea! With which
General FloJds !rieuds arc (no doubt without
his wish or co5n;sancr) claiming for him itnagl
rary achievements, awarding 10 HIN the credit
due 10 others, and abusing an adversary, whom
it would bu in much better and moro sGldicrly
TASTE TO beat than TO censurc. The letter IN
question makes no mention Of Gen. Wise and
the W:sc Legion, none Of General Lee. The
substance Of Gen. F!oyd'i last operations is,
that hc marched down to Cotton Hill with
nine regiments, where he placed some a:tille-
ry and attempted TO annoy the cncmy's camps
that the enemy thereupon sent / torce across
the river to cut him OFT, and that he retrcated.
Now from officers we'll yersed in the history
Of the caripaisn, and in the topography OF
Western Virginia, We learn that Cotton Hill
was considered of little Importance by the
Confederate. forces, and Of less by the Fcderals.
Whenever General Wise (who, with his SINAI!
L.e.ipr:, penetrated much farther down the
kanawha Turnpike than Gen Floyd has ever
done) was wilma twenty miles Of Gau!ey
Bridge, the Militia always occupied Cotton
Hill though sometimes numbering only q few
companies, thence they kept up u desultory
fire on the FcGurnls or the other side OF the
riycc. The FcderalS once or twice crossed
over and dislodged them, but never retained
possession more than a few hours, thus clearly
showing that they neither valued the position
nor dreajeI .ny serious annoyance from it
General Wise once contemplated placing o gun
Or two there, because o diversion might here
ku made without any danger; but, on exami-
nation. * proved that sufficient real annoyance
could not b. rntniiei on the enemy to
warrant the trouble or waste Of ammunition.
We cannot see, therefore, anything very bril-
liant i'll this occupation Of Cotton Hill, either
as regards the strategic value or heroiSn OF
the achievement. The next best thing to letting
it alone was no doubt to retreat from it In
the course Of that retreat, We arc credibly in
formed that much baggage was lost and de-
StrOyed, and that three regiments threw away
some arms, although it was gratifying to know
that the Yankees were doing the same thing
phile retrsating on that OCCASION ih an opIo-
site Direction. General Floyd, indeed, started
Colonel GARRISON with the cavalry. who made
q brilliant raid on G~uyandottc. But for this
there was no necessity to advance to Cotton
Hill. General Wise, several weeks before this,
sent 4 part of the cavalry Of the Wise Legion
across Miller's Ferry, and this same Colonel
Clarkson, whom he had advanced to Lieut..
Colonel of his cavalry, penetrated to within
twelve miles Of Charleston, killing or capturing
and destroying two companies OF the enemy.
1t was, too, chiefly the dacatry Of tho Wise
Lsgion which that gallant officer led in his
daring foray on Guyandottc.
Previous to this advance and retreat from
Cotton Hill, the whole military career OF Gen.
Floyd lag been consigned to surprising an Ohio
reg iuient at Cross Lanes, and taking about
ninety prisoners, without loss. He then re-
tired 10 Carnitax Ferry. and fortified himself
in Il place called Camp Gauley-which must
not be COMPOUNDED with the Federal Camp
Gau!ey--st tisulcy Bridge. llOrc he was at.
tackled by Rosccrans for four hours. During
tho nigh, Gen. Floyd abandoned hiE er,trcnch-
ments. crossed the r%iser, AID r~rtrcatcl Ii
miles, with q considerable less in baggage,
stores, &c.
In all these fights, which his friends describe
AZ "tsrryfc contests" his total less was six
wounded, including himself. From the Big
Srwrll, when Rosccrans subsequently, ap-
preached, it is well known that Gen. Floyd re.
treated precipitately thirteen miles to Meadow
Bluff, alledging that Rosecrans was advancing
with Is. 900 men. Gen. Wise, on the conirar;;',
who had not half the force with which Floyd
retreatcd, made a stand at the foot Of the Big
Sewcll with no. 100 men. tc there with
tue Wise Legion arrested The course Of Rose
Grams, who had really about 5000. For two
days he skirnished successfully with the enc
M, when Gen. Lee came up with rein
forccrnen:s and;Gen. Wise was summoned to
Richmond, and Gen. Lee being reinforced to
II, 0s0,,meD, Rosccrans retreatcd. Now from
his entertainments at Camp Gaulcy, Floyd re-
treated. and Rosecrans occupied ,he'n. From
Cotton Hill Gen. Floyd reirea!ed, and Rose.
Grams occupied it.
In this mma of facts, We fail 10 perceive
any brilliant result evolved by Gen. Floyd's
campaign. 1t may be, and is doubtless true,
that the occupation Of these positions was Z
very barren triumph 70 the enrLnr, because all
of them we're worthless but where then the
consumnate strategy Of occupying Them at ali?
Where the good taste cf charging RosecTanz
with prlirouncry in retTeatinS from Big Sc
well, whence be retired not before General
Floyd, but before General Lee, who mad a third
greater force, and an imprcgnable position p
Whence the historic justice Of emitting all men
ton OF Gen. Wise and his Legion, who rightly
| claims that he never did retreat, except in
obedience to orders, aud who, for nine days,
did, With his Legion alone, bar the advance Of
Rosecranz at Camp Defiance, a point beyond
which the General never passed I: But al
though this marching and counter marching
has been marked by hardly any casualties Of
battle, what has been the effect on the health
Of the troops, and 10 what effective figures ara
the numerous regiments reduced, that were as