Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-07-24

sleep their last sleep beneath the soil OF
Virginia.
Yesterday afternoon. Colonel Dumont, with
Eve hundred men, accomplished the most hazard
Gus reconnaissance Of the season. he passed
within musket shot OF the strongest defenses Of
the enemy, exposed 10 cavalry, artillery and i've
thousand infantry. He examined the works Of
Laurel Mountain Ascertained the very best
methods of conducting attack, and brought
his command safely back to camp. He has shown
himself in this short campaign (though he has
been compelled to labor against every imaginable
difficulty a chiyalric and scholastic soldier,
worthy any position which may be assigned
him.
We have been annoyed night and day, since
our arrival, by alarms from the outposts More
than dozen times the entire force of the camp
have been drawn up in line of battle. The de-
sire for general engagement is universal, and
the delay Is occasiOned only by the non arrival Of
Gen. Mcclellan. AS you are aware he passed
from Buckhann0n 20 Beverly He is now on his
way from the latter point 70 this place. lmme-
diately on his arrival he will attack and carry by
storm the defenses of Laurel Mountain. The
secessioniSts blockading all the approaches TO
their lines, by falling trees, with view of pro
tracing the march of the Federal troops until
succor can come in from Central Virginia. The
fall OF Beelington. Beverley, BuckhannOn, Hut
louisville and Phillppa, will open complete line
of communication between Parkersburg and the
mouth of the Little Kanawha, and the very heart
of the Old Dominion east OF the Alleghanies.
In two weeks all the Western portion OF the
State will be cleared Of the secession armies. and
the native Union men will be able 70 defend
themselves. The programme then of Gen. Scott,
will be fully developed; overwhelming masses Of
troops, under Mcclellan from the West. Pat:er-
son from the North, and the Lieut.. General, per-
haps, himself. from Washington CITY. will con-
verge upon Central and Southern Virginia. and
perhaps for descent. early ut least as Sep
TENDER, upon the rebelous States OF the farther
South
The losses of the enemy during this campaign.
have undoubtedly, been much heavier than our
own; but you will find that all reports of guer-
rila fighting are exaggerated. The dead, a
general rule. the side of the secossOnists, are
buried in the woods, where the graves are OBJ
secured by leaves in many instances they are
quietly carried away and handed over to friends.
am persuaded, however, that the pitc.sed battles
between the large armies of Federal and COnfed-
crate troops, which must soon occur. will present
bills of mortality startling even TO the chrOnclers
of the bloodiest wars of this century.
BruISGros, Tuesday, July 10, 1861.
| re-commence the letter which was obliged.
= few DAYS ago. TO bring to a sudden close. On
Friday last at 10 o'clock A. NJ, we received or
ders TO advance upon the enemy. The 9TH and
9th Indiana were quickly in motion. and half
hour brought in full contact with the secession
camp at Laurel Mountain. The vigilant foe had
received warning of the operations of Gen. Nc
Clellan, and every man had fed In this haste
the secessionsts were compelled to leave property
worth at least three thousand dollars. Capt. Be
musdafier, of the 9Th. took possession OF lot OF
sheep i'm the name OF Abraham Lincoln President
of the United States. About sixty barrels of -four,
unopened, were found m the qunrtermaster's de-
partment. The camp was literally strewn with
goods of every description. Tents, coats, vests,
pants, shirts, cartridge boxes, axes, pick-axes,
pocket books, love-letters, playing cards, &c,
&c, were every where to be found.
have not altered nv mind. upon personal in
spection. in regard to the defenses of the enemy.
The position. infrinsically, one of great
strength. The rifle pits were worthy Of the Cri-
mea. The main battery was of earth, faced by
log pilings. But, had the proposals of Col. Du-
mont. Col. Milroy, and Others. been accepted,
every soldier of the enemy would have been cap
tured before tent was struck.
A sword valued ut 500 was found by private
of the 9th Regiment. Ii was the property of Maj.
George Harvey Thompson, of Atlanta. Georgia.
We were all astounded at the resources of the
rebel forces. Gen. Garrett, however, who was
in command, deemed IL advisable not TO encum-
Der his men with provisions, and the wagons, OF
which there was an extraordinary number. laden
with tents, arms, and all the indispensable ele
ments of battle.
We marched on Friday twelve miles, 10 Lead
ing Greek, and stopped for the night. The next
morning at 4 O'Clock we left the Beverly pike,
and moved on in pursuit of the fugitives The
rain fell in torrents, and the march-eighteen
miles-was one of the seyerest On record. Some
two hundred large trees were cut across the road;
but our troops overcame every opposition. The
trees were cut away and rolled from the road,
and the artillery and baggage wagons dragged
through mud from nine TO twelve inches deep, up
and down the PERCEPTIONS sides of the loftiest
mountain in Western Virginia. By IL o'clock
we reached the banks of Shaver's Fork Of Cheat
River, in Tucker county. Col. Steedman's men
18th Ohio-in the advance, plunged into the
stream and waded 10 the opposite side. In few
moments the enemy were discovered, drawn up
in line Of battle ana occupying strong position,
three quarters OF a mile distant. COL DeuiIam
announced to Col. Steedman that he would sup
port him, should he choose to make an attack,
but suggested that il would be hazardous to en-
counter a force so superior in numbers rs that Of
the foe. In a short time the 9TH Indiana and the
artillery came laundering down the mountain.
and orders were given 10 the skirmishers 20 re-
connoiter the enemy's position. The rebels at
once commenced rapid retreat, firing before,
during, an6 after this passage of the river. The
fire was returned, and several ofthe fleeing crowd
were killed.
Our troops pushed forward, waded the river.
and soon came to the third crossing where occurred
THE BATTLE OF HACKERS roRD.
The enemy were in the act Of passing the
stream; several Of their wagons were still in the
middle of the swollen waters; the 18th Ohio was
drawn up in battle order on the left bank: the
artillery, [Col Barnett. was Immediately in the
rear Of the 18th; low rail fence and few trees
formed the only protection enjoyed by the Federal
troops; Col. Stedman's regiment l4thl soon be-
came engaged with the enemy, and poured gall
ing fire upon their lines. Col Dumont. Of the
18th Indiana, at once received orders TO cross the
stream. and his regiment, in the face of over
whelming numbers moved ca the opposite shore.
Two and half companies of this body in obedi
ence 10 orders, Immediately charged up the side
of the mountain for the purpose Of operating
upon the left flank Of the enemy. At this juno
ture, Col. Dumont received directions to withdraw
the troops he had sent up the mountain and
"charge the Ford" In few moments his whole
regiment was under way; the right bank of the
stream was from twenty % twenty FIVE feet high
and az there was no room for marching on the
shore the soldiers struck out into the river, down
which, waist deep. they marched two hundred
yards, exposed at every step 20 deadly fire from
the enemy. Upon reaching the Ford, Col Du-
mont took the road on the right bank of the
stream, and passed through laurel thcket into
MI UNI uctu anu ultauoN DtNODus where ne came
into direct contact with the principal forces Of the
rebels. In short time, he captured a iiied gun.
and drove the enemy across the fourth ford At
this period occurred, perhaps, the most sangunsry
fighting of the battle. The river separated the
combatants; some distance from the stream. was
a rebel cannon admirably posted for operating on
Col. Stcdman's regiment. Between this cannon
and our troops, was located Gen. Garnett. This
officer, who WAS in command, did everything in
1 L LII
ing his forces, by word and example, he received
ball which penetrated his right lung, causing
almost immediate death. Col Dumont was
standing in sight Of him, and reached him just in
time to witness his last gasp. He ut once di-
rected Major j. W. Gordon, Of Indianapolis to
take charge OF his personal effects. and see that
his body should not lack the cOurtcsies due 90
fallen enemy. Upon his person were found a
sword, military map. and opera glass, pocket
book containing S5l and variety of letters.
Gen. Robert A. Garnett was a brother in law of
Henry A. Wise. He n brave and gallant
gentleman and cminputlv worthy IN have rprra