Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-08-07
TIE RICHMOND WIG,
BATTLE OF RICH MOUNTAIN PAS.
srArrxrsr or LIEUT.. sr41HAx, or Ike rrrn

No account having yet been publfd by any one
who in the battle Of Rich Monnta which has
fallen under my eye will give the Tfuculars as well
! can from memory-being pressl from the Begin
| ming to the end Of the ecion.
For several days the enemy hthin two miles OF
US, discoursng martial music and paking quite dis
play, and on the morning Of the lh July, abuut one
o'clock the camp fires burning and shortly
: after ! could dstnctly hear tht command OF The
officers to form into line. Wasere then at The
breastworks, men Mt theirituls momentarily
| expecting attack. The twolRegiments (Hecks
and Pegram's) were under ordeh prepared to re-
| ceve them 10 tbs morning coufr from the enemy
shot by troops, was woundd aud kindly treat
ed He informed that We wouldsoon be attacked in
the rear. About IL o'clock l watordered by Captain
Anderson, who accompanied me- toplace my gun in po-
sition at .he pass and await the ahvAl OF the Enemy
he confidently stating the time dis belief that at that
point the main battle would be fought He then let
stating we should be reinjoped u Attacked Al tue
ssme Ime four companies ofinfantry ordered by
Col PegraIo to the oft making in all about $50
men, not including small empOny OF cavalry lmms-
distely, the infantry rOlle together some logs for
tresstwork expecting the nemy on our right Hank or
directly IN our
At this time Colonel Pegtm sppe ared and gave Capt
DeI9gne the OF The post and then ret red TO
the nlau body. Before We finished our breastwork We
heard the tire of our pickstsuard under Capt Carter
Irving, Immediately our' left flank. This was about
batpGst o'clock, pose Immediately the position
OF my gun was changed and the irflntry ordered
the other side Of the rnfnshed breastwork, being
then about fifty yards in rear Of my cannon. The enemy
made their appearance the brow OF the hill aud
commenced firing from behind rocks aud irees a. our
| men at the gun.
They from so to 225 yards from US and out Of
| range OF infantry TIE main body OF The army Of
the enemy sI regiments were from three to five hun.
dred yards back Of tho advance At this time we opened
fire from our gun and after ten fifteen shots they
tired for short time They reappsared, howev.
or, when opened brisk lire from our cannon with
spherical shot, which cut at the estimate Of IA 10
second, and could see the bombs hurst over their
heads ard in their midst, and could distinctly hear their
vehement orders TO close up the column aud ordering
their with many oaths, 10 stand the fire.
We fired rapidly as many ss four shots per minute,
and the enemy again retired precipl'ately. Ny COM
mand including the infantry, not yet IN action raised
loud shout, believing they had driven them naly from
the field.
Up TO this time only three regiments 1.-THE Indiana sth
and 18th and an Ohio regimenD had been engaged With
u.s. aud during all this time Captain DeLangel had given
orders tor infantry not 10 fire gun as the enemy
were entirely out Of range Of our hDtlock muskets;
hut while we were engaged the second time, above
stated their sharp shooter tehnd rocks and trees
owing with their almost iuccssant fires including
fellow who seemed 10 have two loadu for him. re-
quested DR.. Cabel, (son OF Mrs. Col. Langhcrne, OF
Lynchburg, and member of Col Higginbolhams COM
pAny) 10 step forward 10 cannon and shoot the devil
believing that he had gun Of longer rsnge than
guns generally. He came out under Calling fire and
slenced the fellow at with two shots. He acted
most heroic part
The enemy again appeared, and fred particularly at
our horses and our caisson With the ammunition,
carried away divers and all With the terrif and
wounded horses. We lmbered up and moved our gun,
a small log stable. After unlmbering, placed
four horses back Of the stable, which not su
GENTLY large enough to protect them fully About this
| time began to fall fast. The sergeant at the
gum Wytbe X. Turner, had both legs broken and was
sbot through the body private ]. Mays had his left
am broken, private John A Taylor, had his thigh
broken while pulling the lanaird (oCks,rineC private
lsanh Rider shot through the band and breast. 4.
ii. Cnrsoy and driver Iohu hshj'a sbot in three
| places each.
Capt DeLagnels horse was shot from under him. and
about that time infantry commenced from their
breastwoks brisk fire our heads. Capt Del. see
ing crippled condition came to my gnn, aud together
with Benjamin Fultz and Wm. II. Broylss fired IL
| tcur or FIVE times, when he Capt. Del wounded
in the side. He showed me his wound, and did thius
il mortal and orde red to make escape we could
a. the enemy would bayonet IA, bVt tmost Of u.s.
found It impossible 10 do CO. the enemy upon US,
and would have to Kun directly into the FIRE OF our
infantry.
Ia taking the last canister shot from tie boz was
shot through the hand which gave no immediate
| pain but completely paray zed the arm.
| At this time the firing brisk between ours and
the ep,mys infantry Capt Curry Of Lexington, and
Higguboham, oil Upshur, being particularly under my
my observation, and exhibiting great activity and spirit
| aud we're the last TO leave the field.
| During the fight Capt Irying's company had formed
upon right flank, about $50 yards distant and fought
| most brayely.
| Capts Orean, of Lunenburg and Skipwith, of Pow
hatan, hke~ise fought with marked galantry.
Captain Irypg's company had the honor Of killing the
frat Of the epemy three Of them falling at their frat
fre-Mashall Thurman, formerly Of Lynchburg, NOR.
tally woundug Captain Miller, Of the sih Indiana Reg
ment.
Discovering that they were about to be surround ed
our infantry retrsaed preciptatey, but 10 tolcrahle
order.
Capt. Skipwth was killed when the enemy was right
upoa him. be firing at them with his pistol while he WAS
| wounded aud down, when he shot through the
mouth the II passing out at the back of his head.
But short time before the close Of the Gsht, Col
fegam made his APPEARANCE hut brought no reinforce
mants, and the dag was then lOat.
Al this time with four of 10Y men, taken pri-
soners, and it with difficulty that they pre-.
vented from dspatching with the hayonet. gentle.
man from Lpuenhurg shot and bayonend Just by my
de but il still living. was then taken to the hospital
which our troops had previously occupied. Soon Capt
living brought in, and many Of our own and the
enemy's wo1ndef, Their officers kind, inoludr Z
Gen Mcclellan and Ro 'enorans,
The next morning had the remains Of Lieut. Boyd
inferred by my four men. who we're prisoners Boyd
Wa shot while CALAMITY resisting charge Of the enemy
TIA next day, l. together with Mr. Moseley, Of Buck
ingham was invited the funeral of our identi.
~ and Govt the number slain. In two parallel trench,s
were buried Of men, not including Lieut. Boyd.
ln lew days sne eight or nine Of the wounded died,
a"e ou' 'o ,, - amounted 10 ABOUT 10, leaving
about rs still wounded, some mortaly-making about
one-fourth OF our nunssr killed and wounded.
vi the enemy We eoal. not accurately ascertain their
loss as they buried ther asd mostly ia the voods and
between 500 and 400 i s oo, eSl's'' n'
Among the wounded was L,stt ACol Er,,n, of tia
sh Indiana Regiment, BY bomb and Lieut.. Saunders
was killed inetsntY in the came nav We know that
our gun was making sad havoc Aa'ug them BY sAe:r
The BATH from b ginning 10 end lasted about two
aud half hoHrs, ending about o'clock. had not
much idea Of the time myself but learn tsis from the
enemy.
Captain De Lagnel, who commanded the post al.
ways the hicksst Of the fight acting most httoicay,
and riding from point 10 point under the most galpg
fIe-as many 600 balls being fred at him aid our
men at the gun time and when be gave orders for
to make our escape he ran through shower 81 bpl-
lets and is now in safe hands.
Why il was we got no reniofoea erts, either from
Coils. Scott or Ptgrams commands the future must d.
termine but unfortunately, by order Of Capt De Lag
mel, We fred round ball ut the advance guard Of Col
SCOTS regiment he believing, after examining with the
gkss that they the enemy; but he then ordered
White flag to be raised VII Gu was done by putting
small white handkerchief the point &C bsyohei but
the four horsemcn 10 did not appear to zee il fro
the long distance. Alter the close Of the battle, Scots
courier came up with white flag and taken prison'
b. the enemy.
We weretept as prisoners for sI daya, and released
on PAROLE
Capt Curry, who acted so CALAMITY p still in Bevsr
ly being unable q mo9. on sc'ount Of severe hesh
wound OF the thigh.
Capt Irving was alec left, but fast improving, eng
/ / hope will soon recover.
| We we're sent by Gen. Mcclellan, with wagons aud
provisions enough TO convey Us TO our own army aod
our prisoners were treated generally With kindness ~
Can't Anderson escaped ky going around through