Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-09-05
Corre.pondence Of the wing.

THE ATTLE3 OF THE 4TH AND l7fh JuLi oN
THE KANAwHA, AT TIE MOUTH OF SOARf
CREEK, PUTNAM COUNTY, FULL, DETAILED
AND AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT.
To tie Editor Of the Wig
You will please pardon me for asking the privilege OF
column in your valuable paper that the many false and
imperfect reports given of the late battles 10 hf
nawha Valley may be corrected. allude TO the TWO
late battles Of "Scsry Creek" Putnam County, va
was present and participated In both battles and was
coeuizant of all the Incidents aud facts as they trats
pred.
The Confederate troops, numbering about eoo were
camu,d one mile from Goals Mouth, Kanawha County,
Va. on verify Tompkins' farm, under command
Of O. Tompkins, a2nj giment Virginia Volunteers,
and sevsp miles above the mouth Of Poca, in Putnam
County where on the east side OF KanaWha h'er ana
In the residence store house ard outbudings OF Zap
tain Bsrbee were quarered 200 Federal troop imme-
ei .tely opposite which, the west side oil AAna~ha
River, and on the farm of Dr. Thompson, were camPed
sbout 900; between which two camps in the Ranawha
River lay FIVE steamers, heavily freighted with ammu-
milton, cuns &c drought along for the Union men Of
the yey-of whcn but few have as yet been disposed
of 1t was evident from all the information We could
gather from scouts and other sources, that the Federal
troops at Poca, they call it, designed moving upon
us. Lieut. Col. Geo. s. Patton, then In command at
camp Tompkins, had had for several days two COM
pani, esmped Al miles below on Ksnawha River and at
the meu b of Scary Creek Sunday morning the l4sh
inst our scouts came in and reported that an advance
guard of 500 or 600 of the Federal were esurey
and cautiously advancing upon US, via Bills Greek road
Two piec,s of artillery, commanded by Lieuu Wsicn
and Quarter, were Immediately planted and loaded
The several companies present Border Raemen," Car
tain Barbee "Ksnawha Raemsp," Lieut. F,tzhugh, and
Fayetteville Rhemep" Capt Bailey, at once de-
poyed on the upper banks and along scary Creek num-
beripe in all about 100. Soon the enemy upon u.s.
we opened upon them with the 2sxpouuders with grape
shot and followed by partial round from our rhemen
They returned tho fire, when they Immediately ITO the
right about faced" and in "double quick made tracks
back to Camp Pocs, distance Of q miles, with loss
of killed aud nine severely wounded. Thus ended the
irst skirmsh at Scary.
There were two companies left at Scary and picket
ted around and about for mile in every direc-
ton that the enemy could come, while the other
forces returned to our camp. The cavalry, imme-
diately under the command of the bold and
daring Albert Galletin jenkins lEI Mem. Corg)
secuted below us aud in fair view and guushot Of the
emy's camp. Thus things went on till Tuesday even
ing late 18th inst when all the troops from the west
side OF the river crossed over 10 the east side at the
mouth OF Poca river, small picket; all the steam
era were landed on the east side Of the river save the
smaller one left supposed to ferry the picket should
Osps jenkins aud Carr get alter them again during the
night This upon the part OF the Federal troops
greatly confused US, and close watch was kept over
them during the night. Early Wednesday morning
lI.h ns scouts came in and reported an active str
among the enemy, but could not tell from their move
ment whether they designed forcd march up KanaWha
river on the ess. SIDE via Camp Tyler Mountain"
and Scamp Two-Mile", IA and l6 miles above US, TO
surprise and attack Gen. Henry A. Wise and bis Legion
which we're at those points, or whether they would
not suddenly back to the west side OF the Kan"ha
river, and via Bills Greek and Coal mountains roads,
flank us, and come down upon our camp near Coais
mouth, thereby cutting of Several companies were
or iered Immediately to Coal mount'n and Instructed 10
guard and defend the road and prevent the enemy from
crossing over it, Col. Anderson with Capt Wason's
COMPANY was ordered to Aink out and guard another
road at Horten's Leading, Coal Mountain Some OF
these companies we're ordered from Scsry aud some from
our camp Not long after however, another scout came
IN aud reported that two or three thousand OF the
enemy had crossed back 10 the west side OF the Kama
wha and were on forced march directly the river and
BY the circuitous Bills Greek road It was now evident
tha; they designed making attack upon US smutai
eouy from both roada and TO flank with their right
wing, leading via Bills Creek Bills Creek road inter-
scots the river read about 200 yards below the mouth Of
| To-. nola nd for2 varda narapl
with Scary Greek to the top ola high bill upon which
are number of buldings, dwellings, log shops, b'u',
rocks trees together with heavy lane fences at once
showing the advantages both in ground and means for
that the enemy would have over us in fight
full knowledge Of these advantages, which the enemy
would soon have US, now but too late known
to our little handful Of Coufsderates Yet, under
all these circumstances, mastering but one hundred
and ninety four men, going into battle with
two thousand superiority armed and equipped,
not a Confederate despaired-not single nerve was
uuseadied but with stout hSrts our men began to de-
poy themselves with the full confidence that ia the
justice Of their cause they would corquer else If the
God Of Battles ordered 1t otherwise, they would all
eoriously perish together the battlefield, proudly
Welding up their lives willing sacrifice upon their coun.
try's altar to Freedom and to Liberty.
Two companies Immediately creased "scsry," Deep
mesndcrng miry and agunic creek lover which, but
few days before along and high bridge had been buru
and began deploying themselves Capt. SWeeuy, with
so men, crossed and deployed at the mouth Of Scary
about some dwellings and store-house, and about the
banks of the river Captain Barbee, deploying second
patoon of his men the upper eide Of the high banks
of scary, and leaving II in command OF Leuts Bryan
and McOanahau crossed himself with his first pla
.oon of select Shots and dpOyed to the left Of Captain
sweeny up the meanderng stream Of scsry and at the
edse of a low bottom wheat field. The Ksnawha Rifle
ueu depoyed to the left of the second platoon Of Border
Ria on the upper side of Scary, and connected with
the pieces Of artillery on the hill Lieutenant Colonel
George g. Patton commanding, was stationed near tie
artillery, on the topmost brink Of higd hill (which was
near level with that Of the enemy and amid bis own
brave boys, the ,nawha Raemsu whom he 80 loved,
and to whom he had so long devoted himself drilling
and preparing them as their captain for the great and