Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-07-22

THE AFFAIRS IN RANDOLPH COUNTY.
We obtain from officer Of General Garnett's COM
mand the following statement
OF the recent events at Laurel Hill and Rich Noun.
tain, it appears that General g. occupied the Western
slope Of Laurel Hill, distant about fifteen miles from
Besely, with about three thousand End & 70 lieces
Of artillery. Col Pegrsm OF Rich Mountain with
his note on the morning OF the fight stAes lees than
twelve hundred effective and -four pieces OF art r,
his whole force being lass than sixteen hundred. Gen
ersl Mcclellan Of the o. g. forces, bad in front Of Ls
rel Hill seven Regiments about six thousand men, ard
six pieces OF artillery, in front Of Rich Mountain
Regiments, thousand men, and not less than
twelve pieces Of artillery Tbs statement Of the force Of
the cuemy is taken iom the statement Of the two pis
oners, one taken at Laurel Hill the evening OF the
l0:h Instant aud at Rich Mountain on the morning
OF the 18th Instant. ..
The prisoner taken at Rich Mountain further stated
that General Mcclellan had arrived 10 camp ia front Of
Rich Mountain, ndhad ordered attack for the ncIr
day. that General Rosepcran'z bad the morning Of
the lh, started With division Of the army by crcui
to attack Pegram in The This iuforms-
ton sent by Col Pegram TO Gen. Garrett With a
further statement that he had requested Col Scott then
near Beverly with bis Reginean to occupy point on
the route by which General Rosepcrautz expected
to advance
Az soon as Gen. Garrett received the Communication
from Col. Pegram, he directed Col. Scott by written
order, to move 10 the point indicated BY Col Pegram
and defend it 1t all hazards. Fearing tina. this order
might be misunderstood General Garrett had diagram
made OF the different Positions win repeated or ers TO
Col Scott 70 to the point indicated by Colonel Peg
ram, hnd block the path By which the enemy must sd
vance and if forced back TO block the road behind him
aud dispute every inch OF it, In the Iaean ne Pegrsu
had station 800 and oHe piece Of arteryo0 the
top of the mounsin de vas attacked " thin po
siton by General Eosepcraniz the Rght listing nearly
three hours although the eneIay numbered fen 10 one ii
our but IS HIst Rave been expected the enemy
at last iu&phei little band of heroes who oe
cuped the bill and the command at kch Mountain feun
itse surrounded by force OF 5000 in rea, end 90
in 'front.' and about half the nunber vs,s compiled 10
surrsnder-ths remainder seesPsd, aud now a. Non
terey.
TOO nusa a.nast be said 10 praise of Col Pegrau
Captain D.Lsgnel, and the officers and men under
them FIN every contest our men are actuasd BY t1e
same spirit there can be no doubt Of tbs result.
1t was generally believed by the officers OF Gene,a
Garrett that il COL Aso,t had gone TO the rescue Of
COL Pegrams l.stis band, the result would have bsep
dGsrepi His reasons for not doing SO msy hereafter
Prove solid and his course justified but there can 10 no
doubt Of these facts-hAt be did not support Colont
Pegum, that he dc not depute TIE possession Of lie
road With TIE srsnY. end that 10 did not block the
road, go .l
Rich Mountain made known 10 Gen. Garrett be at
once determined retreat 70 Huttonsvie sia Beve
On the route he learned that Col Scott had passed B..
ery and was 81 ron 10 Hu.tons lille, without having
locked ,he road TO k.ch hoanta by which the enemy
j must advance He at orcs sent forward party o.
mounted men to perform that work Tits oder wss
misunderstood and the road blocked from Beverly
towards laurel Hill and from Beverly toward. Huttous
VILE On arriving TO within about four miles of Beverly
and once past that poio with tic road open aud The
whole command would have been sac Geptral GArnstt
heard for the frat Of the Misunderstanding Of bic
order and that the road from nch Mountain only seven
miles from Beverly, uss epen. Afpr moments con.
sderaiion r., assermined 70 avoid Beverly, and by cir
cusss route, enter Hsrdv county by the Northwestern
Turnpike, and thence to PNersbarg Franklin and Mon.
tereY ..r., :,
Of Wess Union, near oakland, end within seventeen
miles Of the railroad At the point where the road We
took struck the Northwestern Turnpike 1t was
" ex pected that would be attacked; but Gen. "
nett Wis., " considered it better 10 this fsk by
attempting to pass by Beverly and cut ous the road to
invite an attack from Mcclellan, With four times our num-
Der. 49,, "a
! On the second day Of retreat, In the morning
about o'clock, GU the 18th met, the emmy, aeoa'
5000 strong and several pieces Of artillery. attacked our
rear a. ve VIC re leaving camp. The skumshiDg In eui
rear lasted from that time til half ras. one o'clock
when Gen. Glrdett was killed. The enemy did not q
tack at I'll aer bis fall Our loss consisted Of four com
paniss Of The Georgia Regiment psng-suppo.sd 70 %
prisonsrs-And about twenty killed and wounded. W.
piece of artillery absndonsd the horses having oes.
killed and the tongue broken vas spiked tn' liz lie
About htsen Of tbe baggage wagons were useo, ~
approval Of Gen. Gzrnsts % block the mountain Iosa
and prevent the passage Of the artillery OF ths spsmy
Tbis II undoubtedly did, more tgbo vsrs areo
fvon thsr srtsry and tksr nhnsy I'D NOT pufse. ~
shers dsssnes In thb ssirubs ~ sneny nss ~
20. Had 4 - bssa ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ bro = ~