The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1861-08-08
Full Particulars of the Scary Creek Fight
In ,.-hich Col. Nnrtnn rs MnnnLcL.

Of the battle of Scary Greek on the 18th July in
this issue, we publish the account as we have IL
from an eye witness. On Sunday, July Ii, Col
Norton was ordered by Gen. Cox to take a portion
of his command and proceed up the Kanawha for
the purpose of ascertaing The position and strength
of the rebel force at or the mouth of Cole riv
or, 12 miles from Charleston where ii was reported
the enemy were in camp and had thrown up some
defences. Col. Norton started with companies f.
G and II of his regiment by three different roads
all terminating at the bridge crossing Scary Creek
Taking the center road himself it being the shortest
route to that point, in order to be in advance of the
remainder of the command and rcconnoiter before
they should come up. Having marched to within
half mile of Scary Creek, our approach was sig
nailed to the enemy by the firing of five guns in
rapid succession. The Colonel Immediately order
ed halt of the advance guard, until the main body
of his force should arrive. He gave them orders
to proceed carefully when the others came UP, and
hc with five mounted rode forward to exam
inc the positions of the enemy more closely. On
examination he found picket guard eC the enemy
had been posted in an old church, and on his APP
proach had fed, leaving behind them their dinner
already cooked their blankets, knapsacks and other
accoutermcuts. When the company came up, a
careful examination was ordered of the woods ad-
joining and the hill side. scouting party Of six
teen under Lieutenant Prcblo went forward with
orders to move with great caution aud discover, il
possible, the enemys precise position. On nearing
the brow of the hill at point where the road be-
gins to descend towards the bridge and creek Lieu
tenant Prcblc discovered the rebels drawn up in
line of battle to the number Of about one thousand
men. At the moment the enemy perceived our
scouts they opened right and left and fred at the
party two six-pounders loaded with grape. The
entire force Of the enemy then fred by rank at the
scouts, but without doing any injury. The men
prostratng themselves the shots passed over them,
BY order of Col. Norton our men then retreatcd
out of range of the fire of the encmy, there being
but 60 of us all told-the other two companies not
yet having reached us. We marched back to the
junction of the central and valley roads, where we
were met by Capt. BlNckman, of company II, who
having heard the firing, pushed forward on the
double quick to join us. We then tooka cross-road
and marched to the river road in order to Join Capt
Walker with company +, he having been ordered
to take that road. On arriving at tho junction of
the two roads we found Capt, Walker had passed
about 80 minutes before us. Col Norton ordered Il
halt of the two companies, and himself set off with
! Sergeant Major Price and Hornman of Capt.
Georges company, to overtake Capt. Walker, and,
| if possible bring him Off before ho came upon the
rebel battery. After of three miles with the
| horses on a dead run, Col Norton came up with
! Capt. Walker just as he had come within an easy
range of the rebel battery, but before they had
thought proper to open fire. Company + then
countcr.marched, and joined the other companies
at the junction, where they all encompcd for few
hours until dark. AT dark march was ordered of
three miles down the river, where we went into am
bush, with the expectation that the rebels would
! follow and attack us. In the meantime Col Nor
ton wrote dispatches to Gen. Cox, who was but Q
miles distant, and sent the same post haste by Ser
geant Major Price. In these messages Col. Norton
stated to Gen. Cox the number and position of the
enemy, the number and size of their field pieces
and that he himself had been twice in full view o
their entire force, and asked for endorsements in
Guiding Captain Golfer with his section of rihcd
cannon. Gen. Cox upon receipt of these dispatch
es, sent tho balance of the 2lst regiment and five
companies of the lst Kentucky, but did not send
Capt Cotton and his guns requested, and We
were compelled to stay in the woods without fire
or rations all night not deeming it prudent to atacl
a force nearly equal to our own, and who had thC
advantage of position, and battery Of two six
Founders, we being without artillery. At dayligh
on the 18th, we marched up the river again to tht
junction, and there remained until afternoon, with
out food until the steamers came up, when we wer;
ordered into camp the opposite side of the river
: We remained in camp until Wednesday morning
the llth, at which time Col. Norton received an or
der from Gen. Cox to prepare to march with tw,
Capt. Golfers battery with Col. Lowe in command
for Scary. We got of at II O'Clock M; and a(te
Il careful march Of two hours, came upon the enc
mys pickets, driving them in, and in few minutes
drawing the fire from the rebel battery and thc
entire line. We approached carecssly, with an at
tempt, however, to form in line which proved en-
tirely futile-Col. Lowe failing to give command
: The rebels had planted their battery in positio
commanding the road by which we were approach
ing, and our men being in column in the road, in
stead of being in line as they should have been ha
Col. Lowe given the proper command, were in i'm
, minent danger of being at any moment swept fror
the road by the cnemys guns.
At this juncture Col. Norton oodered the le
. wing, consisting of five companies including til
two from the 2lst regiment, to fall in line in a
e.. vine. He then ordered them forward to the bro,
of the hill and then gave the order to open fire.
Col Norton then designated Capt. Golfer his pos
ton upon the brow Of the hill in full view of til
enemy's battery, which position he took, and mmt
dately prepared his battery for action, and opene
fire with astonishing effect One shot from OF
: guns struck gun of the rebel battery directly i
h the muzzlc, breaking out piece of the metal pas
d ing through and taking Off wheel from the gu
carriage and the head of the lst lieutenant in Il
artillery. We soon found that the great distance
our position from the rebels prevented our doir
much injury with our musllets, and that thcy beir
= armed with Sharpos rifles, had no difficulty
" reaching us, and were woundng and killing o.
- men with impunity. Col. Norton then order,
three companies OF the 18th Ohio and the two COZ
panies of the 2lst to flo down the hill on our le
- with the intention of driving them out at tle poi
" of the bayonet from behind fences, trees, logs al
- number Of log buildings of which they had talk
;" possession upon the bank of Scary Creek. The
.e various objects formed defence for the rebel Shar
shooters, from which they were firing upon 0
men with deadly certainty, and with perfect sec
- rity to themselves. The men filed down as diret
: cd and formed three companies on the outside
:, the fence next the river, and the two companies
=, the 2lst deployed skrmishers in the field, /
- tween the base of the hill and the fence. The col
| paues on both sides of the fence were then order
= to move forward cautiously. When within 2
p,ft loo l,,;I 4 q