Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-07-20
Incident. orthe RIeh Mountain Fight.


have obtained information which enables 70 comprt
bend the Affair and the extent Of the disaster.
Rich Mountain Is about miles of Beverly on Ii.
BOckhAnnOn road. Psgrams camp Was on the western
slope The top Of the ridge just in the rear Of the camp
was occupied BY Harris house. few miles in sdvsnc'
Of the camp was the enemy. Is Or 10000 strong. The
vaole country ideusely wooded. IL supposed TIA
the enemy could only approach our camp in frOntanG
such vas thepuupose Of Gen. Mcclellan. Had he exc.
cased that purpose he and his whole command would
have been annhiAtsd But treason bis assistance
The wretch Hart, who proesssd to be devoted Viz
gnia and her Independence, secretly advised the
my Of route to bis house the top ofthe ridge Gd
just in orr rear, and t IS said road cut for the
vance Of the enemy in that direction.
On the morning Of the llth Col Pegram heard, tkai
the enemy were preparing to pursue the route which
Hart bad pointed out He Immediately detailed the TO-
losing companies:
Buckingham Lee Guards, commanded by Capt Irving.
PoWhAsan Rifles, commanded by Capt SkipWith.
fgor Rines Lsut Williams, (CaPt Organ, siek)
Virginia Guards, Capt. BAyly.
One Gun, Capt DLAgneL
At the head Of this force, amounting to ESQ, Col P,
proceeded TO the top Of the mountain and made very
little progress ItOwards throwing up enirenchmeDts
when the enemy appeared in grea, force For two hours
our small force maintained their ground against tines
their numbers. Col PegrAm displayed the courage Of
LsonidAs and the skill Of a great Captain. He was
everywhere in the thCkes Of the agh encouraging and
directing bis He had bis horse shot under him,
and escaped almost miraculousy unhurt
The Buckingham and Powhataa companies were the
foremost in the fight, most eKpOsedl and aecOrdiI
suffered most Many Of them were killed; but not SO
many have been repor.ed-ss our total loss in killed
does not exceed thirty. The gallant captain Of tie
POuhatAn Rifles, Captain Skipwith was killed he told
his men be would Dever retreat He pitched into the
enemy with dauntss courage and fell gOrOusy de:ehG-
z the freedom Of his country.
Capt. Irving, Of the Buckingham COMPANY. who Ike
Capt iSkpwth ddnt know how to retreat, fell danger
Oasly though il is hoped not MORALLY wounded Dr.
Wake, who dressed his wounds left him doing well, and
with hopes Of his recovery.
Lieut. Boyd, Of the same company, covered himself
with glory He roamed the field ike roaring lion, DE-
flying and denOuneing the eowsrdly Yankees in seno-
ran tones which heard above the roar Of artillery
aud dealing destruction on every side He was killed
while making charge with his bayonet upon the Hes
siAn leader Roseucrantz. In instant if be had rot
been shot down BY numberess bullets he had made good
his attack upon the German mercenary That individual
oote Valcr.
Though riddled BY bullets he survived twenty hours
and met death without a trsnor.
The tate OF private in the sane company, Allen, de-
serves cOmmemoration- While dealing destruction on
the enemy, be became surrounded by sorie 20 or So
Who offered him quarter. Seeing the hcpelessness OF
the odds, he threw down his nrske and was immedi-
Aely blyonetted BY the eoWsrjy aud nurdercus enemy
But after be ie be drew his revolver and shot the
ssoundrel who murdered him.
The Pryor Rides, under Lieut.. W iIams, and portion
Of the Virginia Guards, under Lieut. Brander distiu-
ingushed themselves for their gallant bearing and he
. Foie deeds.
Mention has already been made Of the more than Do
re hsroism Of Capt. DLagnel After his men were all
killed or disabled and he himself wounded be loaded
and hred his place SIX tines and when attack
ed at iis gun killed two Of the enemy with bis
revolver.
Gen Mcclellan bore testimony to the TAor and ndom-
table pluck Of our men BY the expression of his a.
tonishment, when he learnt how small the foress
force that had maintained lie ground 90 long If We
have lost brave men, their country viii reap the bene-
ht Of their deaths They have taught the enemy that
before they Conquer this land blood will Gov Ike water
A TO the loss Of the enemy 10 accurate information
could be obtained Il supposed be not less than
4Oo-sons estimate ID singh 600. Our raemen shot
with great accuracy, and Capt DLAgnes piece moved
down whole columns