The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-07-29
FROM rHE KANAWHA VALLEY.
WISE LEGION, CAMP Two MILE, \
NEAR CHARLKsTuN, Knnawha Co

=.
NEAR CHARLEsruT, Knnawha Co
July 18Th, 1861 }
The fight which was imminent and expect
ed when wrote you on Sunday last, did not
come off The enemy advanced mp the river
until within range OF Major George 8. Pat
tons Artillery at the mouth Of tloal river
when one well directed salute warned them of
the probability of a warmer reception than
they had anticipated, and they retired. They
landed, however, on both sides OF the Kama
wha, in number estimated at about 3 900 men,
In addition. IL is supposed they haye a con-
siderable force, perhaps as high as 1900, on
the Guyandotte Road, as I informed you in
my last letter.
Some brilliant skirmishing has taken place
between the enemy and ourselves, and one
engagement, in which our victory was decided
On Tuesday last, the 10th inst Col. CLARK
son, Aid de. Gam to Gen. vi ise. made dash
A. them, with troop of cavalry. equalling in
d ring and success the most brilliant achieve
tnents in American border warfare. They
had occupieo the noun tain on the X annwha
ne"r the mouth of Pocatalico, when Colonel
Clarsson voluntee led to lie I'd scou ting party
trjm this mp, composed of two troops If
cavalry Uron arriving in sight Of the enc
my he observed them in an advance party,
coming down the 81 pc Of the m0ln tain along
whose top their main line extended. Taking
one troop he ga Hoped full speed the distance
OF ahout mile, and di vidiug his party, taking
thirty with him, and leaving UP wards of for
Is under Capt Brock to watch he foot of the
mountain he charg d up the almost insur
mount"be e mountain side, and drove them
iato the very main line, killing as he he
lives, ) OF whom ha rode over lying dead; h.
ninsHlt dis charged Iva shots wi b his brsach
attached revolver, three Of which took fleet
though but one of those whom hs shot was
instantly killed Of his own little party one
was very Ightly wounded one horse killed
aud several %ounded 1! is proper 10 state
tn tt the enemy only admit one killed and sew
eat Woun ted.
Bat this brilliant little dash is but
which took place on the other side Of
the kinaWha, at the mouth Of Scarey
Greek About O'Clock z. NJ, on Wed .
needy, the I'm lust, tha Federal troops,
numheting from 900 to 1900, and consisting ct
'ne II b Uhi5 Regimen. and four companies
OF tne 2lst under command OF Col. Low
IL tacksd NJ j3r Geo. 5. Patton, at the mouth
Of SraIey Greek deep ravine, through
hostile armies Our boys were thrown into
m" confusion i'll the early part of the acti IN,
out rallied again and fought gailantly Maj
Patton, who distinguished himself.
%onud dand JUNIORS ed duris & the battle, and
the command then devolved On Colonel Frank
Andersen, or the Wise -gion. " hose NAM,
as associated with Grneral Walker and hi
Nicaraguan c1mpt'gn, is historical. Captain
a Jenkins with his cavalry troop was
early on the field, aud greatly distinguished
himself l mentioned HIM in my last; the
brave fello is still trying TO get even for the
destruction of his pr perty. which sat like a
The enemy had two pieces of artillery, and
we the same uuInber; but theirs were much
supe Tor, and were managed with etfsct and
precision. Lieut. WEIGH, in charge of one of
our pieces, was killed, with one Of his gun
ners, and several severely wounded, while
the piece itself was dis tbled, and then spiked
to prevent its falling iuto the hands of the
enemy. The other piece was taken OFT the
field at the same time, and never worked effi
GENTLY afterwards. Notwithstanding this
loss, the infantry rallied to the brunt charged
the enemy up the ravine, and, in due, drove
them off the fi-ld and the cavalry pursued
them a short distance, with a loss to them
estimated AT 80 killed, while 10 wounded rris
oners fell into our hands including Col Nor
ton himself He was i'll command Of the tour
companies of the 21st Ohio, and was shot
through both hips-aud, TO the honor of the
western hills be 1t said with an old mountai
+ fl. II il WIS who comm anded Camp Car
riugton, q hop1!ts, Oaio, and prepared these
regiments for our invasion, capturing and i'm
many loyal citizens from Mason
county. and seuding them 10 Columbus
II adii ioa u Coi Norton. we have as pri-
soners 'hree other field officers, two captains,
a one lieutenant 1t Sc, ms, after the ba tie
was over. these tiaid Uttcels, Col. WOOdruT
Lieutenant Col Ned, OF Inc =. 2nd Kentucky
Reginent," and & De Viiiier, French
man 1f the 1cth Ohio Regiment, saIntered
q >wu &c survey the battle neld-the sceno, rs
tneY supposed, tthe regiments not being en-
saged> f,a recent Re er Il victory when 10
upon s,tlu ting the victorious pos essOrs of the
fl Id as friends, they We're politely told to d.
DIVER mp th'l swords as prisoners of war
Ttey, and e other Off lers mentioned, are
no " held as prisoners on parole
Maj. Pttton'G wound is with the Minnie
ball hrc ugh the light shoulder, and is serious
breaking the ne, and, it is feared, rendering
amputation necessary Or the forces under
him there were engaged thirteen com panss
and a fracrion over, beng less than the force
Of the enemy at i S minimum estimate.
After the battle, the enemy crossed the river,
and are now encamue and strongly entrench-
ed at the mouth of Pocatalico; another at
tack is expected. They also menace US from
Siss )nvle, where they are in possession TO
the NUMBER OF four or five hundred, and from
Walton on the Elk, supposed in an equal
number
Sad reports. clouding the sunshine of our
vi tory, reach us from Gen. Garnett. The
CORES Dondents of the Cincinnati papers up to
feat AT Rich Mountain, the death Of General
''arnett, and surrender OF Col Pegram with
600 men We await calmly the truth Of
the matter. l..
a private letter from member Of the Rich.
mond Blues, after detailing the circums tances
OF the fight on the 18th, goes on to say:
l. st Light Q7th,j at 10 O'Clock we started
for the enemy camp to take them by sur
prise they having from 8 200 to 4, 900 men and
We i 900; but when We arrived they had slip.
ped II to the other side of the Kanawha
River and for, flied themselves. We had not
men e"ough 10 attack them, so we return
ed Their camp was l6 miles from us, but
now they are over 25 miles slant. rode
with tne Colonel OF oar ptrty to within about
half a mile of their picket guard, and there
we had good vie W OF their camp They have
q splendid position, IS there Is only one way
to get in, and that is a small place about
fourth of & mi'e in width, which is well for
titled In the fiEht yesterday our men took
tue Colonel C, mmardiag, Lieut.. Colonel, two
Captains and two LieutenanLs.
Dglr hfNxy lsArl oil tha nf hnnl
spirits.