Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-09-11
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Times
FROM GAULEY BRIDGE.
The Armies Close Togethcr--Skir-
mishing--Smnn Engagement with
the Enemy--A Battle at Hand.
CAMP NEAR GAULEY, VA.

the Enemy--A Battle at Hand.
CAMP NEAR GAULEY, VA.
/ Editor TTmes:-0ur regiment has, for
the past sixteen days, been almost con-
stantly on the move, and could find no
+ opportunity to write. August llth, Cen
eral Cox, hearing that Floyd and Wise
were only few miles distant, on the Lew
isburg road, part of our regiment were
ordered out as skirmisherS, to harraSS the
enemy and keep him in check. Compa-
! mics G and H, numbering less than 200
men, advanced about 70 miles, when they
came upon II large nody of the enemy,
posted in the woods on the road side. \
| sharp contest cnsued, which lasted but IL
| few minutes, when the enemy retreated in
disorder, Col. Frizell, at the head of our
small party, pursued them until they en-
tered their own lines; here he found Wises
whole force eucamped; our sudden appear
ance created the greatest alarm. Their
hughes sounded the charge, and we could
! Distinctly hear the rumblng of the cannon
wheels as they moved into position. Four
OF our men were wounded in the Skirmish.
| We Immediately fell back two miles, to
Mountain Cove, where we encamped and
sent for rrinforcemeRts. We could get no
positive information as to the numbers of
the enemy; but they were supposed to
number 5000 men, under Wise and Floyd.
We expected an attack every moment, and
our reinforccments not arriving, we re-
treated in the night eleven miles to the
forks of the McChcsney road, to avoid
being cut of from Gauley. Here we were
reinforced by other companies from the
Eleventh We barricaded both roads, and
our Colonel swore that he would hold this
position if he had TO fight Wise's whole
army. The enemy advanced close to us,
and we stood two nights in the rain eX-
pecting attack every moment
On the evening of the Goth they were
seen approaching in large numbers, both
cavalry and infantry. They did not. how
evct. attack us, and, in view of their large
numbers, our Colonel deemed it prudent
to fall back n short distance to IL still
stronger position. called the Hawks Nest.
This is n most romantic spot. The road
winds along the edge of Al cliff 900 feet
above the waters of New river. The road
is cut IN the side of steep and rugged
mountain, which is covered with IL heavy
growth of timber. We stopped the pass
age in several places by filling trees, and
quietly awaited the cnemys approach. In
the evening the enemy 5 cavalry were seen
advancing The Colonel posted companies
\ and II, with Enfield rifles ut the first bar
ricadc, and when tho enemy came within
range thcv opened Il murderous Ere. Sew
rral were seen to fit! from their horses and
the balance fled in the utmost confusion.
They did not renew the attack, and after
waiting for them Il couple of days our Col
oncl became impntien. aud determined to
advance. When we arrived ut our old
quarters at the junction OF the MChesney
road we were fired upon by the encmy's
pickets.
oil in
most advantageous ground. About 800 of
;he cnemy's cavalry were seen coming
down the Lewisburg road. Col. FrizeiI
vas i'll the best OF spirits, and went from
company to company to deliver his orders
and encourage his men. AT this moment
3, heavy fire WAS opened upon us from the
woods in front, by Il concealed foe, and
the cavalry under cover of hill, dis
mounted and advanced on foot, opened on
rs with shot-guus aud rifles. neglected
to state that Mai. Hines was dispatched
the evening before with two companies OF
the Twelfth, 10 get in the enemy's rear.
The enemy continued to advance and the
firing became very brisk, but both parties
Being under cover but little damage waS
done Whenever they exposed themselves
to view we let them have it, Col. FriZclt
suutchcd IL gun from Il '.Snd&e huHter' and
shot one OF the rebels dead. They seemed
to be drawing still nearer, when suddeLly
lines fell upon them in the rear Such
CONSERVATION and utter confusion | never
SAW before. The cavalry sprLug into
their saddles and He'd like Ill had been
let loose 1T their heels. As they passed.
Hines, his men fired Il vUlley and ut least
forty horses and men were seen t0 roll in
the dust.
Oar boys raised a shout of triumph and
pursued them about two miles. The road
was strcwn the whole dIsrance with guns.
pistols, swords, coats, hats, blankets and
haversncks. Blood was seen in the road,
hut only one wounded man WAS found, al
though we have since ascertained that
;heir killed and wounded amounted TO
.tbout thirty. We bad one man killed and
two wounded. The men were strapped to
their horses by the sursingie passing over
/ their knees, which accounts for them be-
| ing carried from the field. Numbers of
wounded, no doubt, concealed themselvcf
| in the thick underground on the road side;
| but we had no time to look for them.
! We had pursued them two miles, when
| Col Frizell found an officers saddlc-bags,
containing letters which convinced him
that Wise and Floyd, with large force,
were only short distance in our advance.
Men were also seen on the mountains, ma
| king signals to each other AID observing
our forces. We were ordered to halt and
fall back TO our old position at Hawks
| Nest.
Last evening the news came that Gener-
al Tyler was attacked yesterday, ON the
Sunmersvi!le road, short distance from
here, and about fifteen miles from Gauley.
he had only 700 men, while that of the
enemy was 1000 or 5000, with 10 cannon.
lie was completely surrounded, and his
forces cut to pieces only about $50 es-
capcd-amoug the number General Tyler,
the Lieutenant Colonel, the Chaplain, and
the greater part of the band. Tyler got
into Gauley last evening, and makes this