, 1861-10-11
The War In Western Vir0fnfSs
4 FIGHT IN TIE EOVNTAINX..
4 Reconnaissance Of the Nns,nv ~
6Eeeabt3nT.

a FIGHT IN THE 4OUHTAIES..
4 Reconnaissance Of tho 1n.mv ai
! GEeeah11aE.
Charge On Rebel Infantry in Ambush,
| From the Cincinnati Tfmesl
| CHEAT MOUNTAIN suxx7, F1idav. oet. 4.
We have had fight, and splend,5 m.
Although Intended only as reconpoIssancei II
torce, 1t resulted In handsome achievement.
EARLY yesterday morning Gen. ReVno]ie M
staff, escorted By Bracken's Cavalry. arri1ed
IN camp, and shortly after an order to prepare
Two da5s rations created excitement and
cheert1luess in camp. The men were cnnf.
dent they we're to have fight, and 1t put them
In the best Of good humor. KnapsaekK Wera
rePackeo, haYersaekB and carttil pe.boxe4 flied
and asms oyerhau1ed and frightened TO the
highest polish. Each regiment to be usea On
ne s;e occasion received marching orders, all OF
cered to retire early, and get sleep-but little
sleep was there In camp that night. Officers
and men shared alike in the exciteuneut and
the gladness at the prospect Of fight.
| THE REBEL CAMP AND HOW TEE Ar74cK w4s
TO BE MADE.
The rebel camp is situated On a hIe1- steen
elevation, known as Buffalo Hill It E locste1
at sharp turn Of the road, and 80 e;tusted
that an attacking force had to come directly
under the guns and intrenchments Of the r;T1t
q e the camp TO obtain even view Of the left.
| ihe formation Of the ground is part;cularjV
favorable for The formation of terraces, and
me rebels had made good use of the advant
| ~. 1aeI oeienses rose one above the other,
lar up tAe hill, extending even into the fasrst
above the camp. It Was estimated, from The
humber OF tents, that ten thousand men held
me posfe. Ihe sole attack contemplated was
directly in front, with artillery, tho Infantry to
| De used merely to protect the batte1iez.
TEE FIRST DAsH-A GALLANT CHARGE.
| 1t Was discovered that the rebels had p.aced
| large infantry force three fsurths Of 3 mile
amho.5 ~ hoeb 10 oipute our approach They ia. il
Lfees to the right Of the road, and in the tim
| her on the bill side to the LETT, On mIkiop
ths 61aeosery, Col kiabaIl was ordeTtS
70 clear the way for the artillery with the
g aaggea Indiana Fourteenth. The boys re
yo1iey into the ambush, rushed upon It Wit6 a
Wild cheer. ~ WILL
The concealed enemy instantly took to tbc5r
heels. some rushing across the valley, and 9Th.
en- up the mountains On our left. Tie r.1i*n+
Fourteenth, Its ragged breeches flannin1 ~
me aar. started up the mountain with cteer.
popping over the rebels at every crack. Thn
Ninth Indiana, its co1ors Haunting beautisalIT
AnoYe TIE green grass, rushed altar those
sG1ossi the valley. A cheer went from he
whole line: as the ambushed rebe.s took TT, to
flight, the Hocsiers In pursuit: "
ne Fourteenrh mads sad work Wi.h the
IeoeiR On the mountain. Eighteen Of than
we're taund dead in one pile, and seyea in
enetner They also captured several prison
sle, and took care Of 3 few wounded. TIE
Seventh came near the retreatiue rebe1s IN the
opposite side Of the valley, and poured =
raking fre into them as they sought laurel
cover. How inlay were killed and wounded
lEere the enemy must tell. for cur hoys did
rot search the laurel >'Ae
TIE ARTILLERY IN PosrT1oS-DASG, BANG
BANG!
IN less than ten minutes the rebels vera
driven to their entreuchmenfs, Loornis i'm.
lmee1alely moved rapidly forward, unlimbered
MS pieces, and gave them an Invitation in the
shape Of shell. The enemy immediatelY re-
sFonded With ten ponnders, ell OF which fell
shoFt o. our battery. In the mean time, HoWe
nag discovered favorable position yery near
70 me eaemy's first line Of fortifca:iop, and.
poid aa lion, dashed into it with his tuii bat.
ts1J. The flcst shot from his battery va.
greeted by shout from sur infantry,
Down with his single gun followed Hore
ana IN lev minutes, bedure, in fact The re
treating rebels had fairly reached the intrench-
meA!s, our whole thirteen guns were banging
responded With seven guns. Loom;s nem
asceila.ned that be could do better execution
2 little closer, and took position square in
lhe valley, in full view cf the whole Opposing
I at first took position On an e1nineace inst
i, front Of the reserve, and nearly = mi,s 1n, IN
the reaf OF Cur batteries; even there coald
plainly perceive the white tents OF the enemy.
ard kee the shells Hhlzzing through the air.
Every crack Of gun rolled through the yal-
1eys' and re-echoed upon the mountain sides,
line reVetbe, aticns were terrific, AID the
scene even ut the distance one Of exciting
grandeur. After t.ccmls changed his posi-
h9n, could see nt.shirg but the white s1noke
Ioll1ng up sgains. the breast Of the laouaeains.
nor bear any thing but the incessant rear Of
lily repestorial iDquisitiveness got the bat-
Ter OF my tiEa1dity, and determining to have
closer and better view, I mounted and rode
nearer 10 the scene Of strife-iu fact, before
ZEE" 1t, Was up on tie road nearly opposite
L:onls' battery, with shell and aho. flying
shelter Of q high, rocky bank, / stood nv
items. SoN> "f - -"
TEE FIGHT
The enemy's camp was In full yiew, His
terraeed battery WAS belching forth fire and
up the gronnd all through the encampmenE.
6urirg death. ~s1o'N ~'A1
There vas no cessation Of tho Internal 1oar
.! me artillery Sometimes half dozeo Of our
pieces would send farth a simultaneous roar.
making the earth t1emble, and the return Ira
seemed spltefnl, IS it whzzed the shot most1y
over our heads. Far thirty five minutes ever;
gun on cur side Was worked without c.sss-
uon. th NOV shell would 60 ringing through
ping on the spot intended, burst, and dastog-
60 everything for yards around. Of all tue in
1e.nsl inventions of war, it il these shel!s.
lney tear men and horses to t2tters in an in-
stsnt, as they fall Nh:zzing among them. And
, ~ y9a near their 1nnansical hiss, ccmtng to-
Wafn ycn, you, II as green as I in military
effite, will try to dodge the ecreechiue devil.
Wlth the shell flew the round shot frto the
eIem5s camp, and all about our batteries.
WIN Whack they would strike the earth.
ahG pore themselves into the earth like iron
moles operated by steam.
The ambulances were not long idle. First
came man carried On blanket, Yrithi1g
with pain. He had received 8 shot in III
stomach. Next, smother who had lost nm
At am, aud W3s fainting from loss Of blood,
;casi hnen came Three OF four slightly wounded,
caring On the shoulders Of their comrades
Not tdf from me, in little rayine, Law three
lEoels, one dead, another dying, and a third
6iightly wounded. The latter nas pIaced IN
an ambulance and carried to our hospital.
Away up the read, scattered on Its sides.
sen1e s s1tt1hg, come lying, were exhausted in
1antry men, most Of whom seemed totally m.
concerned az to the strife; and at other points
Of = viewing distance, groups Of nnenra1e3 ]
cavalry we're viewing the strife with deep in
ter-st. 'N IVY IL
For thirty five minutes cur batteries kaptnn |
an unceasing fire. First one and then another
fenel gun Wae oismounted, until only one re- |
malned. This Has perpered with sheu and |
shot, but we were nnakle to do more tbor
s1acken it's fire.
It vas the only well served piece in The /
t;n tHnel tofaneations, It's shots doing a th2 a.
tfliefy mischief to our side. When our shot
became too hot for the gunners there tbey
would load the Piece rapidly, fire, run unA.r |
coFer, remain there few miuutee. und then |
repeat the performance. The thirty. five min |
a!es' hIlng vas magnificent artillery due1 |
VIC soldiers, who have been in m8uy font |
sala they have never seen any thing equal to /
= While this Was going on the Fourteenth In-
dlana, under the gallant KimbaiI. t1,e dssh,ng
harrow, and the enthusiastic BlSnp. and the
lively fourth Ohio, under the veteran Am.
mon, Gilbert aud Butler, had been scoarfnp
the mountain on our left, to prevent a fianE
movement. They we're much exposed to shot |
ana shell, but were successful in dodgi1g
ihem: The other regiments, except the Eff. |
teenth Indiana and the Twenty fifth Ohio, held I
as a reserve, we're protecting our right and the |
RE1sFoRcEMEHrs-
After the enemy had been driven from their
lower intsenchments, and their bstterv ref,r1ead
10 one gun, our art115rists e1ackened thair
fire, and took It more easily. The infa2trY
Enlightened up, expecting orders to charpe tha
wo1ks- But tie General, who was mo9a ah. eIs
servant, did not give the order. When the
nfe o. our batteries Has raging most faarfuiiv.
Z! Lae Fsoeb sent up two or three rockets, EIich
the General supposed Was signal to hurry m
expected feinf0rram en4c fro,,ee q. ~ - a1AtJ W