The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-07-19
AssslaR NEWS.
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L RIcnxoSp, July 18th. 1891.
~ Ae Editor Of the Whig;-It 10 y ss}<]
pleasure to communicate TO you state e.
efiAifs ID. Nosfhruestcrn Virginia that
hrst sight. may appear disastrous, ~
which upon clossr examination shedS
many q ray Of satisfaction and encour-
agenfent to -our, future career--satisfsc-
ton that our late ill-success has lost
TO our State thatr portion wf111d -Sl1UV161
never have been defended, and encouf-
Adenieft from the fact that our gallant
boys fight with SO much success against
thousand odds. NJ .s,ss .s-sss..s..a
Camp Garnet Is situated in q gorge
Just beyond the pass that runs between
Rich and another mountain. The low
slope Of this latter mountain retreats
from the camp, and consequently does
not command III but the more perpen-
dicular slope Of Rich mountain Is ada
cent to the position, and upon it there is
An eminence that Is considered the very
key to camp Garnet. On Tuesday last,
Col. Pegram, knowing the Importance Of
this point, detached three companies
Buckingham Lee Guard, Rock bridge,
Guard, and Pryor Rifles, and one gun
from the Lynchburg Artillery, TO secure
the position at all hazards. They gained
the height and about ten O'clock had
built the breastwork to the height oftwo
logs; meanwhile, the enemy, guided by
the Union mountaineers, had by squads
and companies reached o point beyond
the breast-works and q little more tleva-I
| ted. Immediately they commenced an
attack upon our unfinished breastwork
from the distance Of fftern .4uifdred
yards. They ADVANCED sd frsd with
| minnie rifles incessantly. No execution
however was done with these arms. Our
| loss was At shorter distances from the
deadly fire Of our BROTHER 'vrRoINIANs.--
Approaching within five hundred yards;
they began to feel the fatal shots from
our boys. At this and shorter distances
they were moved down like wheat be-
fore the blade. At every yolley from us
they fell back in confusion, but Their
overwhelming numbers pressed forward
until they discharged their pieces in our
very faces; then we thought retreat bet
ter than fool.hardy death, and each one
sought safety in flight down the. other
| side of the mountain. .Hh6 "
The whole force Of the. efemy was
said to have been eight thousand. Three
thousand advanced to the attack, while
the rest were held in reserve. Part Of
the reserve occupied Rich Mountain,
while part descended that mountain,
crossed the pass and occupied the side of
road-thus being on both sides of the
road, in order, suppose, to cut off Col.
Pegram, IL he should attempt a retreat
to Beverly. Our whole force in the en-
gagement was about two hundred and
fifty. We held the enemy in check with
this little handful for an hour and a half.
Leonidas with his three hundred Spar
tans could have done no more. Our loss
was, considering all the circumstances,
comparatively small, sixty will cover the
whole. The Buckingham Lee Guard suf-
fered most severely, having thirty men,
together with Capt. Irving and Lieut..
Boyd killed. Capt. Curry, of the Rock
bridge Guard, and Capt. Anderson, of
the Lynchburg Artillery, were also among
the killed. Four hundred of the enemy
found q merited doom in death. 1'
The'battle began at half-past one and
ended at three. At sunset report says
that Col. P. led six companies out from
his camp up Rich mountain to retake his
position, but installing his way he missed
his mark, and told his men to save them
selves as best they could, he wouldreturn
and bring out the regiment. In this
latter attempt he was taken prisoner
Many of his men cut through the enemy
and came up with our regiment on its re-
treat. This is the lastknown of the affair.
Now for the movements of our 1.-THE 44)
regiment. That morning 1.-THE llth) we
resumed our march at Beverly from
Staunton to Laurel Hill, and had ad.
varced five miles, when Col. Scott receiv-
ed dispatch from Col Pegram urgently
begging for assistance Col. Scott faced
about, marched back to Beverly and took
a road almost at right angles for Rich.
mountain. Within three miles of Rich
mountain he heard the firing and advanc-
ed at quick time to the scene of action
Arriving there at three O'Clock when the
firing had almost ceased, he halted In
the mountain path. And upon his six
hundred unconscious men, the reserve
Of the enemy were looking down from
each mountain. They must have mis-.
taken us for friends, or our destruction
would have been certain. Col. s. was not
aware Of the proximity of the enemy I'M
til he sent forward scout, (Lipford, Of
Fluvanna,) to reconnoitre. This scout
being shot he Immediately ordered re-
treat. Sending on the baggage train he
returned to Beverly. Here he halted an
hour and resumed his march towards
Cheat Mountain. After two nights and
q days march, we reached Greenbrier
River, at which place, Saturday morning,
left the camp, on special detail for Rich
mond.l .H. ~ aI-lo 'u7uafrrqmi 80
During the retreat, o sad accident hap
pened, by the turning over of a loaded
wagon. Lieut.. r. II. NJ Connel, Of the
Richmond Zouaves, and Lieut.. Robt. T.
Brightwell, of the Randolph Guards, and
Private Pleasant, of the Zouaves, were
killed, and some Others were crippled. iIf
'Hi ,a,asu' Truly. 9ig LIE ZoUAvE.
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