The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-11-08

oil l required with great promptitude After
this preparation, / marched to Cheat River
bridge and arrived there about 81 O'Clock p
NJ, same day. Mr.. Shaffer sat down with me
in my tent and made q rough and hasty draft
Of the county between Laurel Hill and Oak
land and the Red House." showing q main
road running from d Nouhward point from
Laurel Hill TO the IN. w, Turnpike" inter-
secting the same at the " Red House :" also,
showing many roads approaching the same
also, a road leading to ST. George northward
to my Camp, with various approaches. In the
opinion of Mr.. Shaffer and those who were in at
tendance with him awaiting orders to act as
scouts, the rebels must pass along the first
mentioned road leading to the Northwestern
Turnpike so as to strike the turnpike at the
lied House With the light | had before
me, ] concurred in this opinion and was
about To take the available force of my COM
mand with the two Companies of the Isl Vir-
gina regiment, and Immediately march to tho
rond described as running from Laurel Hill to
the n; w. turnpike, so as to take position on
INC said road south-wcstward from West I'm
ION aDoul seven miles, about the same distance
from "Hed House." and some fifteen miles
from my Camp. But rejecting over my ms
tfuctlohs' Thought you had scarcely author
lzcd me so TO do, abandoned this Contcm-
plated march, and concluded to send out
mounted scouts well armed, in the direction
last mentioned, as well as in and around ~.
Gc1rgG: Accordingly at about 10 o'clock p
NJ. dispatched Tour scouts well armed and
mouhicu with directions TO reach the Laurel
liill ana y. w. Turnpike road as soon rs pos.
siblc westward from " West Union, and 10
rcconnouTc inc approaches thereto. This duty
Woulu taRc them ovcra very rough road tmost
OF INC Way) some sixteen Or eighteen miles.
directed tlltln To llrsl report to Col. IrylnCs
command, then AT West | uipu- If tlpX slpull
make important discoveries nearer TO him
man TO mc-lDcn hasten on 10 me. also
scht II ulsGulsc 10 take observations about ~.
George ana tllc roads leading from that point
TO my camp; also, many scouts, mt MoHHtCd
III various directions. The first named
mounted scouts, reached the road they desired
~ anout O'Clock y. NJ, Sunday morning,
ana soon discovered the enemy in large num-
hers, and to get out of his reach, they were
obliged to sccrcle themselves for short time
This was Southwcstward from West Union
about seven or eight or eight milc>--ol course
much nearer Col Irvine than to my command,
and IN obedience To my order he was notified
before the messengers came to me. This
notice, am informed, was given between
! three and Tour O'Clock y. VI. s.mc day. the
horses OF those scouts gave OUT by which
means did not receive their report until 10
o'clock y. VI. Little before II o'clock y. NJ.
'''''N. W" "', 'tC '''NC 'uuiu HP".' WIN
| one days cooked ratiOns, together with parts
of the Two Virginia Companies, making alto.
gether about 4j0, and arrived at the Red
House. passing through West Union at halt.
past three T.. NJ, distance OF eighteen or
nineteen miles. When arrived. found Col
lrwin's forces. part of Col De Puy's 18th o.
and II few Of the 90th Ohio under your own
personal command, with two pieces ot ord
nance, and had been in hot pursuit several
hours before. Nol gaining on the enemy, and
our forces being considerably out of strength