Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-12-19
OUR ARMY IN wBsTERN VIRGINIA.
Incidents Of the CampaigEss
BY SURGEON ]. W. GRAY.
NUMBER Two

TONED, soon arrived and halted near the house
Just at the same time We were informed that the
enemy were advancing from below to meet u
whereupon our brave old Generals voice rang over
the field, and in obedience 10 its tones the line o.
battle was formed across the vale, but here when
the beys were all up in arms and eager for the
fray" they were doomed to disappointment, foe in
stead Of formidable foe, it aurned out to be only
4 small squad, which were esaily chased down the
/ valley By Capt. DoNALD's company who could rot
however, overtaks them. BAH Run always gsts
into their heels upon charge.
It should have been mentioned ere this that Capt
A. N. Hall, since promoted to Regimental Surgeon,
performed good service, proving that he was among
those who could be easily screwed up to the strik
ing point.
Gen DoSEIsoS, not wiahing to add to the burthen
Of his own soldiers, o bserYed the precSntion to
have water first poured into the tubes ofthe guns,
and then caused them to be placed in the hands OF
the prisoners who were yet under guard between
the two regiments, snd after marching hence about
half mile, the guns we're al hid in secure place,
and the army, with the prisoners, marched over 8
long rugged mountain to Becky's Run, upon the
waters OF which al arrived about O'Clock P. NJ,
and were halted at the Rcscrans house, and re-
NAMED one hour and half for = council Of war to
be held. In the meantime dispatch arrived from
Gen. LES, and about three quarters Of an hour .be
fore sunset all proceeded in the direction Of AN
DRAW CROucz's. Night soon Overshadowed rs, but
we travelled on, most Of the way through gloomy
forest along s ANAL, slippery, Eerpentine trail
winding up the mountain. When we reschsd the
top, snd began the descent on the enemys aide, Col
FuLGoss regiment in front suddenly discovered that
they were marching their smsll force on the very
bresstworks, and into the very mouths Of the can
mons Of about from six to ten thousand Of the enemy
their camp fires blazing up and showing their ocsi-
ty. Gen DoNELsoS, taxing discretion for the better
part of vAgr, ordered them to fall back, the left
wing in front until the right rested on top of the
mountain, tAe left extending more than half way
down the side which we had just ascended; here
weary and worn we lay down on eur arms in line
of battle, in the deep darkness, and in rain which
poured down in torrents during the night. About
midnight tie stnlness Of the hour was suddenly
broken-there was 3 noise in camp, mingled with
confusion from the top of the height. The excite
mont being caught up, ran along down the lines In
under tones Of Up up there's something to do."
Capt DILARD sprsng to his feet and gave the pass
ing countersign and al stOod, wrapt in silence
as profound as the night gloomy. and in reGdi>
ness for whGteTvr fate might befall them when, in
s fsw moments, TO their utter surprise different
eountersign came do wn the lie conveyed by mer>
rier voices, Bear Bear !!'-the matter solved
and the alarm false, so far as the Yankees were
concerned but really, an old bear had impolitely
placed his lubberly foot upen the face and eyes Of
some one of our boys, who perchGnee had fallen
asleep Aa he was prOwling along bis nocturnal jour
ney.
II WAS not known until morning that Gen. LEE
was 20 close after the brigade. In company with
Col. WASHINGTON, Col. TAYLOR, his Aid, Asj JAMss
MLHrrx, Aid to Gen. DONELsoS, Mr.. FOsrRE CHEAT
HaK. and ten Of the Marshall Rangers, or the so
called ''HeI Roarers " he unable to follow our tran
by night eamped near the ROsECRAxs house, but
striking our path the next morning IS soon as 1t
was light enough proceeded to the top of the noun
tsin. The soldiers we're not a little surprised at
seeing him come upon the mountain so early in the
morning a. 'twere to represent the sun, which Uss
attn obscured by clouds. This was the first time
our soldiers had ever seen Gen. LEF.
Hei,a fine portly looking man. about six feet
ona inch high, well propOFtioned, with round limbs
and Arm muscles. His eyes are black Eud pene-
trAtiuR, hair black with traces of gray. His mus
tache which he keeps cut even with the margin
of the lin that supports it, is heavy while the bal
orca of his face is kept clean shaved. There is
nothing gaudy in his apparel yet it shows nestness
and stVle while at the same time it bespeaks COM
fort We cannot say tha. he particularly Fesem~
HES the Frenchman, but he, at the same time, re
minds us Of some of the finest personages we saw
il France. We're you to survey hls e9un'ensnce,
Won would ct once arrive at the conclusion that
he vas reflective cool, calm, deliberate, stern aud
Arm as the mountains upon which he stood. In
deed. he strikes you. at both the first and last
glance as q gentleman and general be Is not
only man OF sterling moral character, but, We
are informed, is very pious, reminding US OF Gen
Washington, and the halo wed mantle which hung
sround and shielded him in the old revolutionary
tempest attending he does regularly 10 private
devotion. In fact il will be remembered that ne
belongs regularly to the line Of our revolutionary
faheTs heroes Rad statesmen, and that while be IL
thus entitled to such lineage rising far back IN the
twilight of our national history, there may be
found in his composition much Of the best blood of
the Southern Coufederacy.
Gen. DoneIson here took Gen. Lee aside and in
formed him what had transpired the day before;
/ ubereupon he replied to Gen. d. that the enemy
vos nsver more surprised in the world, and asked
| him how far Gen Anderson's brigade was away;
and upon being ans aered ave miles, he said we
| will send for them ana attack tne enemy Ius
\ nausing moment he asked come questions reia-
\ tive 10 the quantity of provisions on hand. Here
\ Cen. Donelson hesitstngly said, my soldiers are
4 hungry and without food" Then it must not
csn not be DONE" rejOined Gen. Lee, for continued
/ be- it would not only be unmihtary ous nhumas
- r,sLe the attack You may consider yourself
4 ordered back to Snider's, where the men can be
| sunnIied with rations from Gen Lorings line.
| Cen. Donelson had, IS we have shown, success
| fully reached in due time the point IN the rear OF
the enemy as designated for nlm N toe
\ "a 1yos waiting in obedience to his Ordsrs for
Gen. Loring to make the attack at daylight N the
\ csntra when he was to make Simultaneous
4 charge in the rear. The enemy was supposed to
\ be at this point {Croueh's) about seven thousand
s,rono and il wss known that be was wen fortified
4 After waiting impstiently until O'Clock fer the
artery's deap toned signalto roar and reverbsrate
through the mountains, snd seeing that the tuna
\ for Cen. Loring's movement had PISSED, and evi-
1 IDENTIFY would not be made, the rerogade move /,
1 ment which Gen. Lee had ordered, was commenced
when intelligence came up from the front OF the ad~
1 ysnced guard, now nearly the base Of the noun