New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-11-25


morning, when we again halted 10 allow the men
aud borses TO refresh themselves. Soon after day.
light the order to march was given, and we pushed
on over rosds rendered almost impossible by the
heavy rains and cut 10 Iieces by the recent passage
OF Floyds artillery and wagon trains. Our skir.
uisbefs, under the command Of the gallant Capt.
Gardner of the 18th Ohio, were in advance OF the
column on both sices of the road, and pro-
oeeded cautiously. just as they reached bend
in the road one Of thecompany (prvate Sieg Of CoD'
pany ~ crawled over and espied two sq JadroDs of
cavalry under Col. Croghan Of Kentucky, and here
commenced the battle Of
| Moor MILLS.
| A volley wac instantly opened on the enemy, who
were, as their wounded aiterwsrd acknowledged,
taken completely by surprise. AT the first re, sew
eral saddles We're emplied and Col. CIoynan ieii,
MORALLY wounded in the abdomen. The rebels,
though surprised, showed tght, aud re'Ifed slowly,
firing as they WENT but our men having possession
Of the elevated ground on both sides, exposed them
| to calling cross. fire. aud forced them back The
main body then advanced, having, as before, strong
parties OF skirmsheIs. Col. Crogbaa carried to
tie nearest house, and cared Tor well as the
state of the case would admit of, by Surgeon Chase
Of the 18th Ohio. lie was q gallant mau and an
accomplished officer, and though eTemy, the eight
of bis dying agonies drew tears from tue eyes of
men unused 10 weep The Ccioners father and
Gen. Beuham Were old acqua.ntances TN fact, be-
lieye classmates at West Point and the interview
between them was, OF Course, unusually painful.
We md ali we could i0f the unfortunate man, but
human aid was vaic, and he expired the came alter
noon. We brought down the body on our return,
and Gen. Benham intends forwarding II 10 his
friends at once.
At I2:20 our advance reached McCoy's Mills, and
sharp action at once ensued. The enemys foIcee
contested OF the cavalry engaged IN the former tklr
mish, anS at least one-l tniDk two-Iegihehts OF
inlaCuy. They held their own against our sklf,
r4lshers and, having the advantage OF groInu, oiu
! . frouItIe and DELAY. Tor
zone time al least IN pursu OF their man force
! Gen Benham al once ordered the Seventh, under
Col Creighton and half of tho Thirty. seventh Ger
man. TO take possession OF ridge ON the right o. the
road. The advance, coneistlI Z OF the Ih'r'eshtn,
] Col Smith-whO did the work as well Ms man oouId
do it-oecupied the LETT and Capt. Schiieidefs bat
efy being brought the extreme frcnt, We prepared
/ 10 dis.od &c them.
Col smith discovered large body Of cavalry On
au exposed yart Of the bll within fair range, and
the gallant German, only too glad VI q chance 10 let
| bis taikers speak, took Deliberate aim, and bang
went the gun, wbz went the bail and-away went
the cavalry under cover. rode By tho ride oil the
artillery, and distinct saw the shCs, strike among
| them We now poured Il IN hot aAd heavy and they
scattered 10 all oIeetiors. h.d ills tine troops
Oh The night were hring .fneneyer they had fair
chance, and constantly advancing At before this
tine portion Of tie 18th took up position Oh their
extrep.e leit threatening 20 get III their rear lie
Rcbefs fndiug the climate becoming too warm Tor
even their Solthern constitutions and The therm0We-
ter constantly rising, fed in Notwithstanding down
through "a oorn-hcld, our men popping away at them
! In the most lively and pleasant manner. They did
not seem to zee the point Of tie Joke; and from
what we Jaw aiterwsrd, IL is my deliberate opinion
| thai thew are running yet-at least we never got
within gunshoi of them again. IL IL difficult TO cor
rec,ly estimate the lOss OF the enemy, as We were
| too much hurried TO make search Tor them, but it
could not have been less than 10 killed and wounded
I-nrobaby much more. We did not lose man.
This all sounds rather hshy, but they hsd no aIteiy,
and MI of cor men within reach OF Their musketfy
.re kent fully under cover by their command
INC officers whose caution aud skill cannot be TOO
b.bly commended. From this point we had abundant
evidence Of tho utter rout ana nasty night OF Tue
enemy. They were BADLY scared, and though, in the
course OF our march, rsssed PORTIONS which COM
potent officers assured were almost impTegnable,
they did not attempt 10 take advantage oil one Of
/ them. Floyd WIS bind drunk the night he came
through Fayeie Court House, and, think has been
ina state Of chrouic nioxicaton Tor time be
family is much better adapted for perng than fight
IL having not the hast s;omach Tor soy hing The
share Of danger. All along The fOad We found -four,
clothug knaI sacks canteels, tents, &C, scattered
AZ short intervals. Nos commenced our baTdslIgs.
We had been much delayed By the action; and,
KNOWN thst the Virginia ehiyalry are perfect race
iortes IN running from an enemy, however diiatory
they phy be when advancing ON one, We hurried our
movements much - posfible, hoping, II nothing
Gle 10 CAPTURE the wagon tui1, which wac in the
near: bot we fought against insunlonnable difficult.
ties Fr1ui the GeuoFol down, 4 ere never was n
more Gallant body OF men. They struggled on mile
aiier mile through the most wretebed apology for
foads that the imagination ever conceived Of. Some
worn out by fatigue, Dipped down by the way (sl
were Fickeo NJ u erwaIdl, but those who could by
any "..,y keep their feet stfutglee ou. Col
sa'' noticed particularly wadng through the mire
Kuee.deep, having cismoaDied 10 give his horse 10
eick Cspiain az Jolly II he were on four horses
FROM information received from our guide lwho,
ly The way is a raTd 0ViS III ths county,, true
blue Virginia Inonlstl, We thought We should
oyertake the wagon train ut Three Mile Hill. seven
mites from Raleigh. On reaching the Blake farm,
one mile from the foot OF the mountain, cent Tor
ward mornted scouts who returned with the dis
hearterng ncws that the Aforesaid veaculaIy con-
yeysnces ike the lleland laddis Of musical Doto
rieiy, were "o'er the hills and far awa.' What
could dol Our men We're usco up; we had
neither tents, provisions anbuances, nor heavy ar
tillery ihHying been Obliged 10 leave Schncider's
pieces some distance behind, and we C deep in an
encny's country, with chance of retreat being
cut oil Il We advanced further. Gen. Bonham wisely
received TO proceed further that night We
liyouacked in tie open fields, and if had loved
Weeien Virginia before with all the ardent affection
Of one of her own gallant bushwhackors that night
would have turned my love to bitter hate. l
strongly advise all who read this and who may be
afflicted with mania for this part OF soldiers life,
o. do il on paper for, take my word for 1t, it don
pay, Sir, can't be made TO psy. That night at
10 clock, the General received orders from Gen
Schenck-whO had crossed the river al Gauley, but
none OF Whose Te-eniorcements had rs yet reached
us-to return. We took up our line Of march at 2
o'clock H. H.. and reached this place at about p. m
where both brgades are now stationed This ends
the campaign in Western Virginia. Floyd is driven
clear out Of the country, and swears he viii never
return. / adnile his taste, though l cannot say Ms
much for his courage. And here, before closing
let me pay wpll-merted tribute TO the army which
had tho honor 10 accompany.
Gen. Denhsms plans were laid with skill and car
Lind ont with hia LEnal nrOmptLees aud energy. IL