Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-07-26
[ For Tie ERnuirsr.
For lie Enquirer.
Another Account OF tho RIcll Mountain
Battle, and the Retreat OF Gen. Garuett.
h,Srpupy T,1, 1o,.

Another Account OF tho Rlch Mountain
Battle, aud the Retreat OF Gen. Gaructt.
MONTEREY, JnIy 10Th, 1861.
WEI you permit friend and private. from
the eng gement on R;ch Mountain, 20 OCCUPY
a small portion Of Your space, in correction Of
! many erroneous statements, that have found
their way into the newspapers. If ,he nc
counts Of the operations ol our army in other
Sections be IS incorrect as those in regard to
/! ibis, one may well doubt whether he has read
auy truth during the war. TIE nearest ap
pruymalion to The truth, which have III.
with, IS contained in the ''Ecqnrcr" of the lGh
iG>;., ard even in that there ure several errors
would b. content to await the cfic al report,
but for the fact that those tiEcerS, whose duty
it would nave been to report, are either killed
or prisoners
Tne battle vas fought on the llth inst, and
almost exclusively by The following companies /:
! the Bus klugEain Lee Guards, under C,ptaln
! Irving small portion uf the GpshlS Grays
Capt. /! :g,nbolbaui Pryor K H., Lieut.. VII
! lmIus LnncnbuIg, kuchbridgt Guards, Capt
i Curry, aided by one small piece Of artillery :;
and the fragment of company from Hardy
| The whole were under the command Of the
gallant and lamcntcd Capt. De Lagncl who,
With bis voice and by his acts, inspired his
men with 4 courage that would have dared any
thing that he would have ordered. lie did not
die BY bayonet Of the enemy, but was shot
at his gun whilst attempting, with the assist.
ance OF Lieut.. W., Of the Pryor R aes, and
another, 10 reload it, at time when his art.
lcrymcn could DO shot down as fast, as they
could take their position at the piece.
For several days il had been absolutely GER.
! tr;., fI,.t Ind nd
all attack in the way it was made, by making
the circu. of mountain, and coming in on
our rear The mountain where they had to
cross, makes an angle branching in two direc-
tious-lhc one almost inaccessible, coming
round almost in front Of our camp, and the
other leading b. an easy ridge, to the gap
where the Beverly turnpike crosses direct.
y into the rear Of our camp. On the night
before the battle the Leo Guards, by order Of
Col. Pegram, took position on the mountain,
near the point the enemy were compelled to
cross Nothing else was done until the next
morning, when the Pryor R des and the r.
Guards were ordered to station themselves at
the gap, above alluded tc, and to throw up such
hasty breas;wol Ks as the material that chanced
10 BE- by would admit, They had not finished
their work Of fixing for the fight, belIrc they
heard the vo!ley Of muskelry poured into the
enemy by our friends, the Lee Guards. Every
man was in moment at his post, and soon there
was another discharge, smaller, but nearer 10
US, and presently The Guards were seen coming
around to our right, and not far in their rear,
but more in cur 'front.' and over the brow Of
the hill, well covered to within short distance
Of Us by forest and betted trees, the Yar-
KEGS. They were firing irregular shots at the
| Lee Guards AS soan rs there vas a rcasona.
bic chance, our piece OF artillery opered on
them upon the hill, but labored under the great
disadvantage Of not being able always to catch
them in clusters, and the individuals were p:o-
tectirg themselves behind trees but occasion
ally il made good rake. The enemy, for a
| little time, Secrntd satisfied ~ith long shots,
and wasted many balls in front of Us; but pres.
emily they grcw bolder, and then we began to
pour the no, Sho! NJ them from CUR mu>kets,
until they fell back under their corer. evidently
dissatisfied with their quarters. An interval
Of calm follow"'. and tuen heavy shower OF
rain. Alter these they again made their ap-
pearancc all over The hill. and many moro
round to cur left, as If with an intention Uf
cIuaing that way ; bnt in this they were prompt
| Is met, and oga;. fell back. Ir short time
the, again came a. u!, and nearer than ever,
bringing our piece G! 2rll;-ry SO close as 10
render it useless, as i. was impossible to iosd
il. Now tho infantry care in with fury on
both s'des, and after d long struggle, the Yam
kres were agnin driven back. Just before this,
Crl. Pegrum and Maj Bacon galiopcd in from
camp, and were compelled TO pass under the
hottest Of the encmy's fire, but they went
;h:ough uni,armed, except that Col. P.'s
horse fell with him soon utter passing the range
! of their firc and one ball struck near Maj 5
right shoulder blade, cu'tiFg almost entirely
across ti:e back oi his coat. Nov again came
lhc ing Of wsr-rhc enemy again pouring down
| up,,;I u.s. Col. Pegratn came around IN our
rear ard hurric,ily informed as that he would
! send sid, BIZ. il was soon discovered 10 be t10
la'r; lhe eaemy were alreacy cutting US 1T
ir. m our irie.d< in camp, and finally came in
q. the point from which aid was expected; and
mary Of cur friends we're killed in the attempt
tn get to Us, among whom may be mentioned
| Capt Skipxith, Who at the head Of his conpa-
ny, was cndcnvOring to make his way to cur re-
| lief Much confusion, an informed, occurred
among our friends in coming up the narrow
turnpike, hcdged in on both sides by thick
forest Of underground. Retreat was never CT
dared until utter destruction stared us in the
face, and even then many seemed 10th to leave.
Now to the cDrrcctian Of some Of the errors
before alluded to. A correspondent of the
Examines" who seemed disposed to o'doj justice,
is evidently rery ignorant OF the facts. The
regiments Of Col. Scott could hardly be con.
sdercd part of our force, nor ls it known to
the writer that Col. Scott was ever ordered to
guard any road, running up the mountain.
1t is true that Col. Scott marched from, ut,
or near Beverly thst morning and came within
sight Of the enemy, and abou, the time the hr.
ing ceased returned in the direction Of 3. 1t
may be true that Col. Scott had express orders
to remain in his position, from Col. Pegram,
but have never heard it from any one who
seems we'll informed on the subject. know,
however, that Maj. Bacon gentleman and an
officer directly from the presence Of Col. r.,
did reach Col Scott, by the direct road, and
imporlunc him to march TO our aid. rms
was after the death OF Hughes, who was killed
on account of his own strange and reckless
conduct, in riding with seeming defiance up
in front Of our column, and announcing him
self 10 "belong to the Northern army" as
the writer himself heard. OF tho other mes
senger, Lipfoot, it is proper TO say that We saw
nothing.
It's a mistake that the "gallant remnant"
Of Col. Prgrar,'s regiment fell in with Col.
Scott, at the foot OF the mountain; for the mos'
of them never overlook him until late next day
Gen. Glrne,t may have approved Of his retreat,
after the battle ut Rich Mountain had decided
the fate of our army in the Northwest, ant
may have told him to fall back to Buffalo Gap
rs Of these facts am not informed. except tina
| learn from one OF General Garnett's aids that
he expressed the greatest surprise and sstonish
.nent Oh learning the state Of things Il is {
mistake that 600 Of our wagons were saved on
the retreat at Beverley either by the Colone
or anyoodT else Of the fact TINT even afte1
the fight, Col. Scott was anxious to engage hi
$50 with the enemy, but was dssuaded by hiE
officers. can say nothing, and in all have
stated do TOT mean to deny his persona
ch;valry, which has been long approved but
have ONLY corrected statements by which il