Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-07-27

he rear
shortly after taking lis position, as directed BY Col
Pssr,m desulsory Gre was heard, either ~ OF A0"u'
Camp Garrett, some ave or siI miles distant Vi 'nn
NO did rot know the meaning We did not know
vh.ther the fort was attacked In front or rear We did
mot know but that the enemy were attacking In 'front.'
viii view Of allowing another detachment to getin the
rear By the road whish Col Psgam had requested Col
Scot 10 guard.
Dol. Scott expressed great anxiety 10 oommunio's
nth Col Peeram. bat was afraid 10 leave the position
t,lsn b, him. for fear the enemy would get into our
,..r and the rear of Camp Garne this being the only
r.y BY which was supposed they could get into ooi
rsyram's rear.
For the purpose Of communicating With COL fegr.m
and Of .scertsiripg how matter stood, he sent Ar'
Hughes who had been with our regiment Tor .severA
ds,s 70 Col Pegam for ORDERS and 10 ascertain the s
,,,on Of s,r Having waited for an answer at length
message came from Col Pegrsm requesting Col s'op
10 hasten up the mountain rapidly a. he GOULD Wtno''
f.svu,ng b,s men. The same messenger, being Joneo
nv one or two others frou tie battle, Informed CoL
SCOTT that our forces were on the right and s enemy
an III. left Of the road leading up the mountain and tna
our men bad one piece Of artillery on the right Of that
road.
Fifteen or twenty minutes before arriving the top
of the mountain the firing ceased and loud cheer was
given on the right ofthc road.
Colonel Scott halted his regiment and inquired Of the
guides what that meant and told that 1t indicated
that the enemy had driven men from the held and
taken our piece Of artillery.
Colonel Scott expressed his anxiety to know how mat
tiers stood, and Mr. Richard Lpford from Fuvana, Of
fered his services to acquire this Information Having
mounted the horse Of Lieut. COrSoran Of Augusta and
narrowed one Of Colonel Seos pistols he dashed of up
the mountain; but he had not proceeded more than
half milo before three shots fred In rapid sue
oession, apparently at him, and he never returned.
Dol Scott then inquired Of the guides, who had been
in the battle the strength Of saa enemy engaged and
vas informed that they numbered between three aud fT
thol,,rd
II being the unanimous opinion Of all the officers who
expressed their opinions and also Of the guides that
our regiment numbering only abou. SIX hundred and
twenty. but I.tle drilled and worn down By long
march would stand but poor chance IN contest With
one piece of artillery and knowledge Of the ground BY
which they could choose position, Col. s. concluded to
retire. Having spent hour in Beverly collecting bis
wagons stores prisoners 81, he conducted his retreat
in good osdsr that night and next morning took break
fast at Hu,tonsvile where be was svereken by de-
snatch from General Garrett directing him to retire and
take position beyond Hu.onsvie and draw his supplies
from Richmond. Here our regiment was Joined by
norton of the Goth regiment under Ne, Or Tyler and
number Of ether fugi.ives from Camp Garrett He
Colonel 81 conducted his retreat in good order uat he
reached Greenbrer river at the foot Of Cheat mountain
where DO met Governor Lstchsr and Colonel Johnston,
Of the Confederate Army.
It has been said that Colonel Scott should have stop
ped and fortified the top of Cheat mountain. Now it Is
only about ten miles from the top Of that mountain to
Greenbrer Ire its eastern base and from the time
that Colonel Johnson. OF the Confederate Army left
Saun.on With Georgia regiment. We had every reason
to believe be would be at Gresnbrier river, Of the
regular stsnds for our troops on Friday night Colonel
Scott therefore concluded TO unite with that regiment
that night and them II should be advisable to fortify
Cheat mountain to do 80 with two regiments instead OF
ope
He did meet with Col. Johnston and hls regiment at
that river but Col Johnston, the commanding oiicer
of the two regiments dsemed IL advisable to retire still
further and was shortly afterwards met by Gen. Jack
son who concluded 10 retire to Monterey, steps wh,h full
" Justify COL Scott in retiring far Grcenbrer River
a. tho base of Cheat Mountain where the command pass
ed ont of his hands.
Il has been stated in the paners that on arriving near
the Geld of battle after bad been decided Co., Soots
men begged him to allow them to engage the enemy,
but tia, he would not permit If such had been the
case Il would have only shovn Col. Sootts good judy
ment but was not So POr every one Who expressed
an opinon at ALL considered it would be folly TO engage
the enemy With such disparity OF numbers, especially
when they bad one piece of artillery.
Again has been stated that Col Pesram sent mes
ssnger to COL Scoot requesting him to to his
sstance after COL g. had taken bis position the road
s requested and that Col Scott refused to do So This
Is equally fslse
COL Scott frequently expressed great anxiety 10 hear
from COL Pegrsm and obeyed With proRptness the frs.
message to 90 up the moun,aio, and in gorg up tas
mountain COL s. frequently hurried bis men, and CON-
manded them 10 20 up rapidly the nature Of the
ground would permit
Col. Pegrsm was entirely mistaken in supposing that
tn. enemy would turn his right & INK by the road in
which be placed Col. Scott.
They turned his ef. aluk by road they had cut the
nj ,bt before Had Col Scott received Col Pegrams
der to come up half hour e.rer and been furnished
with guide TO show him the different positions Of friends
and foes he might have rendered material assistance
It was, he was utterly unsblo TO do so.
10 the first place. hs would have abandoned the posi-
ton in which he had been placed by Col Pegraw and in
the ncxt had he CONS without guide he would have
gone up the mountain road aud subjected his to the
FIRE of both friends and enemies.
a, al IL hat.
tina. II we had gone up without notice, would have
been fred into by them.
Colonel Pegrsm could have communicated with Col
Scott. but Col S. could not with Col p and In attempt.
log, had his messenger killed. ss It afterwards appeared
II has been said that Mr. Hughes drunk when kill
co. If co. he must have gotten drunk after be left
regiment for none Of US discovered that he 10 the
lsss. under the influence Of ardent spirits We presume the
reason he stated he belonged to the Northern army Was
because Col Pegram letter stated the enemy max
Ing their way around his right faux, and the men be cav
being on bis right flank he misook them for the enemy
|. has been said that Col Scott posted only four
hundred yards from the battle whereas It not lefs
than four or five miles.
Upon review Of all that has occurred We are PEI,
s.cy satisfied that DOL SCOTT sc:ed properly throughout
his whole matter and that had he acted In any other
way than he did, under the circumstances in which he
was placed his whole command would either have been
destroyed taken prisoners and al his wagons lost AZ
i wa, he has saved his whole command, all his wagons
III the arms munitions Of and military stores at Bcv
srly and all the prisoners confined there In jail
F. Farrar, acting Msjor 44th Regiment.
J. L. HUBBARD Lieutenant Colonel 44.h Regiment Viz.
yinia Volunteers.