The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-12-19

no place for US to be-" All our men had
come in and there was nothing to do but
10 fall dack.
We marched back. our resr protected
by our artillery and billions men. Az
ter marching mile We stopped for sup.
per, and then resumed our way 10 our
old camp. at tho creek. We have since
learned that before our supper was over,
two regiments had crossed the river to
take US. However, they did not pursue.
There was 10 defensible position along
the road till We gained our old point, and
nothing would have been easier than Tor
their cavalry to surround US. but that
wouldn't have done them any good, Tor
we were ready for them No more order.
ly march was ever made. We intended
after falling back four or Eve miles to
blvouao for the night, but our teamsters
thought their horses and mules would
pull over the Fishing Creek hills more ca
silly that night than they would in the
morning when the slopes would be slip.
perry with ice, and so we came on. reach
ing "home'' soon after midnight. That
day We marched Iwent eight miles. We
had accomplished the FIRST object Of our
expedition, had narrowly escaped great
danger, and had returned in safety. Not
man was missing nor a knappack thrown
away.
Friday morning the Thirty fifth, Col.
Vaudivier arrived-a gallant regiment.
Saturday we rested in quiet. as fortuna
tely we had no cavalry pickets out where
they could alarm US by their stories. On
Sunday Capt. Hewitt came with the First
Kentucky battery-four guns. In the
afternoon | had just laid down for COM
Portable nap in our camp. mile from
here on the Stanford road. when the sound
of muskctry was heard. and soon the re-
port came that the pickets of the Thirty.
fifth on the Columbia road were engaged
with the enemy. The long roll beat, and
We came at double quick, followed by the
38th. Col. Hoskins' fine regiment had
taken position in the morning, iu ad-
vance, on the road from Somerset to their
old camp. In a little while we found out
that this time there was some ground for
alarm. billions men, skylarking down
the road toward Fishing Creek. had been
attacked by a force of rebel cavalry, about
twice their number. Without dischar-
ging a gnE, according TO the best evidence
we can gather, they fled at full speed fol-
lowed by The coufederates.
Coming to where the 35th pickets
we've posted. the latter hailed them and
endeavored 10 rally them for fight.
But mol a man of them would halt.
They came into Somerset the worst flight
ened set Of men l ever saw. leaving the
road behind them strewn with caps, blau-
kets, coats and even guns. In the mean
time. the infantry pickets endeavored to
make a stand. There were only thirty oI
them, and, trusting too much 10 the cav
airy ahead Of them, :hey had left their
cover and were out in the middle of a
large field. They fred three rounds, and
then finding that they were on the point
of being surrounded, broke for the woods
One was killed outright, another badly
wounded. Ofthe whole number fourteen
are still missing, though, from the nfcr
nation we have been able to gather, the
enemy retired with but eight OF them
as prisoners. The loss of the ene my il
as yet not Rscertsined. Several were
seen to fall from their horses, aud it il
pretty certain that among them was Col
Stanton, who led the charge, They re
: tired with their captives unmolested.
Yesterday morning Lieut., Col Moore
of the Seventeenth, and Phelps Of th'
Thirty eighth, made reconnaissance will
four companies TO Fishing Creek NJ
signs of the enemy were found till the!
7 reached our old camp, when small par
ty of cavalry fled up the opposite hill a
1 at their approach. We regard it as rea
8 sonably certain now that the enemy ha
!, meyer crossed the river with tho inten
' lion Of attacking US, and we expect I,
hear of his retreat to Tennessee. Gu
East Tennessee brigade arrived last even
ing, and this afternoon are advancing t
: a position two miles in advance. In
!. day or two, il the enemy does not retreat
g we will be strong enough to attack him
}, and if the plan now in course of execu
g tion is not foiled by his precipitate hight
: we hope to bag bis whole force.
Q Our men are in good health and flo
s spirits, Our Seventeenth Regiment Ia
;, now marched three hundred and twent
n miles since our arrival in Kentucky, owe
d most wretched roads, and for the moi
J. part by forced marches, yet has not lost
i single man by death. l doubt whethe
70 any equal body Of troops in the world, Ell
e gagged in such active service in the 6el,
10 under similar circumstances, could sho
n such bill of i'm mortality. \
d F.