Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-06
From ZOIlicoffer,s Brigade.
SKIRHISFI AT LONDON.

4
| ter from a member of McNairy's Battalion
DIVISION HEADQUARTERS,
Cumberland Ford, KY, Oct. j, 1861.
Last Thursday about dinner
time, our Battalion, in company with Col
Rains Regiment and the right wing OF Inc
18th Mississippi, started upon tour into
Kentucky from this place. 1t ralned lhces-
sanity all the evening and towards nign'iah
the atmosphere grew quite cold We reach
ed Barboursville Just before dark, where we
| stopped for the night and as we nau no
camp eouipage with US, we were quar'eleu
in bouses that had been deserted by the cii-
gems. on hearing of our approach. our COM
| pany capt. HARRIs') were quartereo Id the
late residence of Col. GREEN ADAMS, former
l. uarnber of Congress, and now Colonel
of IincoIn regiment and commanding OIL
Ger at Camp Dick Robinson, where there are
nou according to our information, seven or
e;obt thousand Hessians. The house was
snIendidIy furnished throughout, and when
first entered, its tidy appearance and the Or
der and comfort which were so apparent re-
minded ne forcibly of home. Everything
seemed as If the female portion of the family
had Just went out as we went in. but was
told afterwards by a negro belonging on the
premises that the family had been absent two
weeks The parlor walls were hung with
portraits of various members of the family,
and the centre-tabIe was covered with fine
old volumes, rich and rare. On this reposed
also. large and excellently finished photo
graph of Miss Adams, whose personal charms
and elegant accomplishments rendered her
SO attractive in Washington society last win
ter If she be really what the picture repre-
sents, she is exquisitely beautiful.
The next day friday the rain continued,
and the weather grew colder, and we remain
ed in quarters. Saturday morning, bright
and early. we were in the saddle and on the
road to London, the county seat of Laurel
county, within two miles of which there was
an encampment Of the enemy. When within
three miles of their camp our advance en-
them, one being armed with musket, the
other with fine Sharp's rife, and both
mounted and equipped in q. S. Cavalry
style. As we were several hours in advance
of the infantry, we posted pickets, retired
about mile and waited till the Infantry and
artillery came up. While thus waiting the
enemy sent out his pickets again, but they
were driven in by ours, who followed them
nearly to their camp. When the entire force
came up. numbering about 800, altogether,
we set forward for the attack, our company
leading. We retained this position until
within a mile of the enemy, when Captain
PITTs' skirmishers were placed in front, and
to the right and left in the fields. Every now
and then we would hear the yell of a Skin
misher as he dumped up" man out of the
bushes. At length they "got up" a whole
company, and we were ordered to charge
down the road to ''head them off," What
charge was there AS we set out full tilt
the Colonel of the 18th Mississippi, shouted
to us $50 on, boys, they are in the road
Just ahead of you" Whereupon we raised
yell, which was caught up by the infantry,
and echoed from front to rear, until the very
trees seemed to shout again and again
Down the road we went, for two miles pell-
NELL, helter-skelter, every man trying to get
ahead. They soon scattered, taking to the
bushes in all directions, and firing upon US
from The woods at every chance they got;
but none of US were hurt. 1t was now dark
and we gave up the chase, and the search.
We then took possession of their camp, and
with it couple of wagons and teams, lot
of guns and large amount of ammunition,
and then "stayed all night"
The next morning our pickets were fired
upon from the other side of town, and we
were in the saddle and battle array in dou-
BILE quick. We learned, however, that they
had a force ''Out there" strongly posted and
and much greater than onrS and
thar Iney mad sent few worthless rascals up
to shoot at US and decoy US into their tolls.
We then tried the same game, but it was "no
co." We then packed our trunks" and
came back to this place, arriving yesterday, |
about one O'Clock. And that's the way the
thing was done.
Very, &C., &C., JAP.