The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-07-27
The Battles Of Rich Mountain and Cheat
River.
THE BATTLE OF RICH MOUNTAIN.
Correspondence OF the Cincinnati Commercial.
ROARING RUN, Va, July 10

THE BATTLE OF RICH MOUNTAIN.
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial.
ROARING RUN, Va, July 10
In pursuance of orders from Major
General Mcclellan, Brig General Ronsen-
marched from Roaring Run, at 3 oclock
Thursday morning, TO turn the rear Of the
rebels. His command consisted Of the
Sth. 10Th, and 18th Indiana, and 10th
Ohio Regiments, and Burd>all's Dragons
i'll all abou, 5000 men. Col. Ian er, with
guide, had charge of the reconnaissance
department The troops marched light,
taking only their arms and ammunition,
with one .ay ratons They made q
WIDE detour TO the southeast, through un-
broken thckets and ragged mountains.
and occasionally were arrested by bliud
paths, which led them into full view of
this valley. At about two o'clock they
We're within a mile of the extreme rear of
the enemys position, and had not been
distu, bed by pickets when suddenly about
thirty shots were fired into them on the
top OF Rici, Mountain, killing Sergeant
Joseph y Taggart, and mortally wounding
Capt Chris Miller, Of Company a, lth In
diana, who were i'll advance, 1t was now
apparent that the enemy had got wind OF
the surprise, and were waiting for them.
Au abortIve effort WAS made to form the
men into line in the forest, but ii was
found necessary TO advance To more open
ground. As they approached the lrink
cf the mountain, which. they found looked
directly down upon the enemy. behind
breastworsis Of logs-o an opposite spur,
the rebels fired ;lshcll which burst near
Col Lander, and severely wounded his
horse. The rebels followed with grape
and CANISTER, hTIng some twenty rounds
all of them too high, besides our men were
ordered To lie down, and advance at inter
vals; mean line Gvn. Rosecrams discover
cred the TWO SIX Founders which played
upon them Both were considerably in
advance oi the rebel entrenctIncn,s-pro
tccied on the right flank 10y log static
OcCas as.Onally thc!e was ALI Intcrlude OF
musk.!ry on both side, either party
watching an opportunity II make good
sh l. The enemy generally fired too
low. while our boys maze excellent ones
Af.er considerable difficulty PARTIALLY
oS.ng t. the impractical !itv OF the efolud
and partially TO the eagrrii,->s o. the men
I tu :u-h IN pc. .Hcll-th- General finally
formed the co!unn-thc ~: inttnrry on
the right; >tn Ia the centre. the 18th on
the lett. ana thanking toward the front
HE 18th WAS placed IN reserve, halt a
::iIle in the rear, Col Beatty commanding.
under Capt Kin gsburv, acting ASSISTANT
Adlutant Gsnelai. Alter considerable pro.
miscugUs skiruls hing, during which some
, OF our men tell ana a number wore wound
ed, the enemy also suffering .everely. \
large body of the rebels. under cover OF
their battsr.e-, broke over and charged
across the road some fifty yards towards
our column. The lIousiess laid still i'm
the graz, until they were ordered TO ire
Instantly every man vas on has feet. and
poured into the daring rebel, i nlurderous
vOl.ey. a large number I, II. and the re-
maiHder prudently retired to cover again.
Our lads agan broke line and went To
fighting Oh their own hook. The 18th
Indiana WAS returned 10 the reserve, and
the lyth OLIo advanced To It's place Lau-
ders d-rlngly i.aH.d upon q big Iock, IN
ful! view oI tLe ensE!S. sbd wanted To
>noH why in the h--il the lloJsiers
didn't form by llatoons lie begged a
lew men 10 follow III, directions, aud take
tie batteries IN Ten miuute~. A LieUt,n-
ant aud twenty men yirldvd to him. aid
d,p!o! ed IL sknmi-hcrs to pick oil he
guuu-rs The General. meantime. was
dAshiuG gallant, among the men with
their ColOutl- aud reforming them. At
length he gave tine order To Manson and
Benton to tax. the batteries The kIr-
mI,h,rs let drive and did uel execution.
upon the guuHtrS. iI- ictti and E,.lth
dashed down the hill like a thuHicrDplt,
N o.usss. and the Guns w.!- taken. The
10Th had Inc honor Of taking on gun
aud the hoGur OF captisr!n. the other Is q
dI>lut, q point, Bentnn men claiming II
Il il. lad to say who did most of the bii-
>iue>-. since they ali went in together
Ike t!-nde iu'a.I..,Ir. The lads uUn niac,-
short work Of IT, aud the i9ih Dnio. who
had steadily obeycd or,ic.s. lad chance
OF which they avaIi.d themselves quickly,
to let drive two cIrveily executed voll-y,
full upon The rebels. Who Were making
their final stand. But the work WAS too
hot ior them, and the brave rebels, after
making a gallant fight, fled over tue hill
to their main positions, our troops pur
suing them with fierce yells of triumph
and living them an occasional shot TO pro
mote their flight
The Laltle had occupied an hour and a
quarter-durIna a Considerable. portion Of
iiirh me there Was ,narp lighting. \
/ portion Of the engagement was a furious
battle. Dur !ueu went IN o the action with
/ the characteristic ardor OF American sol
diers, awd never iiucted. Many OF them
/ were is cool as >voitsmen shooting at
/ game. Ihe rebels proved themselves = Al
! liant and determined ioemen. Their mum
! Uers are rnundiy reported by themselves
; al nom 1JD 40 600. Our men estimated
! their numbers at 800 | think, from all
accounts. that they had about 90. The
disparity OF numbers was partially equal
lied by their two fine field pieces, one OF
| them rItied, and prote ted by their breast
| works.
We lost 30 killed and 90 wounded.
Tho enemy lost ut least loo killed and as
many wouaded. Eighty -as OF their dead
bodies have been found and respectfully
buried. Some of their wounded, ami per
laps lour Of our, will de But one com
mi>sioued Federal Officer Captain Chris
Milier-was severely wouuded, and it is
feared his injury will prove mortal. He
was shot through the right lung His
comrades assert that he WAS the Uest OF,
ficer in the regiment The casualties, Ii.
lar as ! lave been able TO learn were q.
follows:
killed-S"rgeant Joseph 4. Tagcart
company A, 10th Indiana; private Brnsei
limger, company f, 10th Indiana; Beck
Sth Indiana.
Wound,d-Capt Chris Miller, compan,
n, 10th Indiana, very danger Ou,ly; Scr
seant Thompson, company III, 10th, Ind
badly wounded in the thigh; privates A
Wick, VIM. Mamburn, VIM Stocks, f. NJ
Bryant, and - 'iruett, OF company II
, lUth regiment. In the Sth regiment, Cap
. Conk. lin and private McGill, OF compan.
1.-THE former slightly, the latter severe
ly wounded; company B, privates W. Sin
gleton and b Louden, severely wounded
in company L, privates a L. Powell
slightly wounded, Phllander Wi>ehar.
| rnl..llv nnrtully Muuull..l and Geo "