Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-10-01
xyhna the virginia Militia Can Do.
1aI4a EIitors Of Tie EHqN1Tfr:
WINCHESTER, Sept. 81, 1851.

Ia !it E3it0fS ~ tHe EH9H''"
WINCHESTER, Sept. 81, 1861.
GENTLEMEN In Yesterdays dispatch |
noticed on extract from some Northern paper
p;yiu, n brief account OF IL sk'tmiSlI, near
Prilchard's Mill, on the 18th ut.
Allow me, II, i~;l-tire Ia the militia Of TINS
Stat. f., ,iy. you briefly tir. IN" details OF
that action.
On the morning Of he 18th, e party o; about
100 w-r,. ordered to ~lIArper's Ferry TO remove
several pieces nf heavy ordnance left there ny
Gen. johnston. About ) +. NJ. the enemy
opened II fire with Enie'd rifles and Minnie
muskets, from acres: Tie river, OH the WORK,
ing party. Lieut.. Cui. :ASiioy Tin command OF
the lnrcrs in that nrighhDrhood,) ordered Gap:
tain Bragg (Uho had, snne days before, been
sen, dnwn irr;l Manchester with " "eiael
mr.,t, III charge o. a - pound gun, monn'c''
IN a rna,i r9rrrs T.. :" ~I'ivan': with his gun
an! ,tl,ncc .i.n rncmv's fire. This deticlI
l,ent consisted ii e:s!r. Rockingham militia
NONE Of wl,um ind ever been under tire III
their lives. The gun had ~ be taken down a
long hill ii lIrr railroad. and then some hah-
nit ~ thu riyrr, n gait; the position captain
Bragg wished !" utciipy. During Tic "il"'e
OF This !nnyrmc.! . lr.a"r lire was Kept up
Upon them ~ i number OF EnIicld riii2S anu
rifle! muskcts, and for 4 great portion OF the
dis,ancc. Nv a rihcd cannon, which opened hre
inst rs our gun nearcd the railroad. On gain
ing the position desired, Captain Bragg opened
FIRE as folicSa: :.
First shnt-rmnn;l sint--directed at the ri
fled cannon; completely silenced the riacd
gun.
S.,,nd shot-.aGi>icr--into tic Yankee
,sru, s,,ue 800 or 800 Yards distance; the
screaming FAD scattering was wonderful.
Third shc. round Shutdown the tow.path
Of the canal, after tue flying enemy.
Fourtl, shot--ruris:rr--into Il group in the
r,is.. Of 4 Cur field, who immediately va
mos,d.
Filth .t.ul- ranni slI0t--inlo Il house sup
p,-rd IL BE- ~lirary's headquarters; dlslndg"i
4 number Of Yankees.
Sixth slr"t-srherirGl case--thls Shell burst
precisely over u canal boat, at which it was
fired. TIE boa: Was coming down the canal
with rcinI1r2cmrrla, vas iull Of Yankees. and
In, Slaughter misl have been nearly as great
lis their fright
By ,his lllne it Was TOO dark to see, so the
yiec. was lilnbcrc,, up AMI driven oil.
The enr.ny'S force consisted OF near l,2Oo
tronps, under command Of Col. Geary (ex-(io'
vernon Of Kansas infamy).
We learn, with certainty, that fifteen Yam
kar deal w,r: buried III Wednesday,, aid &c.
yrinl since, anil that p;le officer Of rahh lsup
posed u ~: Gsnry hims"!D Eel! in liz action.
Ui the behavior Of Our man Lieut.. Col. Ash
y ,:i,rak5 in high praise. They stood (lheir
irS) lire Like veterans, and laughed ut the
whiatling Of tho Eatiell ard Minnie balls, AID
the screaming Of the Iilrl shells. No; "ir
H.,n Of our artillery was hurt, nor So tar a4
could learn, We're any of Col. Ash'y'S ra@al-
ry. nor uf the working party.
So the border is sale ia the hands Of the hi.
litia, certainly 50 long az tli4 presence Ct Cot.
Ashby encourages thr;n t. rIu1laic DIS noble
damn: lDCrs. truly, MiII'm.