Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-11-05
Rattle of LeesbuIg.


a correspondent of the Richmond Dlspas0n' y
rr;tiup from Leesburg under date OF oc'. 1''D. 81
tho following account Of the battle fougn' S
,ear that place on the 2lst of October: G.
Monaav morning our small force was pear
Nrsek some five or elk miles below tn's
,,sca Capt Dutf's company, from Tue ,at aa.A =
Ps,ss;ss;nn and Capt. Welborns from the io'n'
...aro on ricket duty between here ana lne
Another portion OF our force was at Eu"alue
Ferry. and still another shcrt cls'aEce oeio" ~ :
the bnrnt bridge over Goose creek. rlo,li noe
hnro RI the river the distance is about thles
ouis ;,s Tho FIRST half is over level, cultivated
,latesn and the remainder of the way IS covered
with a dense growth OF oak and pine. Eariy ~
tho morning. the enemy crossed the river, anu
nroceedinp towards the town, took posltioIl ~
Fha last covert of woods. The two companies "
Mississippans seeing them there, SEM ou, sooa'0
=, evam;ne them. The enemy then deployeo
nartion Of their force as skirmshers anu CON,
! ptoanced an advance. Capt. Duff called seVerai
t;mas to halt them, and asked VINO COMES
there9y They replied friends, Out con'lnusu
4 .nerss Capt. Duff fell b.ck and brought
W. " o,nnann - halt, and gave the command
,' 80 .r;aht ~ abont- sace,'' and then ordered MS
man te Ineel and fire upon the advancing com
pany. @ The enemy was m Vcbing up orlskIy, anu
/ in as pretty line of battle ofs couiu WIS., SIR
| They were about one hundred J ~as a"ay Va AZ
| the volley was fired, and its effects VAs - W.
| tinctlys seen. 1t caused great conus'o 'on, anu
4 they retreated few hundred yards to Whefe
five more of their companies were stationed,
II At this time a party of the Loudoun cavalry
came up and dismounting joined Capt. w elborne
and Capt Duff and all advanced upon the regi-
ment now drawn up in the edge of a wood, dri-
!. wing it back little from its position Up TO
this time the advance here was considered feint
merely, to cover the advance of a larger body
across Edwards Ferry, and consequently no re-
inforcements were sent up from the regiments
O below Finding, however, that there was no
!. sign of the enemy at Edwards Ferry, one COM
pany from the 18th and one from the 18th Mis-
sssippi were ordered up to their support They
:. charged the enemy again, and drove them back,
J, bat, discovering large body OF men, were Tor
70 ced to retire. During the time tl.is sklrmlshlng
"a was going on, the l3th Col. Barksdale, was or
: dered to Edwards Ferry, and the 17th ordered
'' to support it. At the same time the 18th was
4 posted to check the advancing column. lhe 9TH
8 Virginia now up on the extreme left and
,e commenced firing at the enemy, who was well
; covered by oak thicket :,
This was between three and four O'Clock. All
20 hopes OF an attempt to cross by Edwards ford
had been given up, and the 18th Mississippi was
,e ordered up to the lett. SupposiDg the enemy
!. designed a flank movement, the 18Th was also
- sent up Both these regiments marched at dou-
10 bic ou for two and half miles, through woods
ID and marsh and ever hill and valley, until nearly
= wearied out. The 18Th joined on the right flank
u, and the line of battle was formed on the 9Th
J. Virginia The whole was under the command
K of Col. Featherstone, the senior Colonel Just
an st this time the 9Th Virginia made gallant and
We as brave charge as was ever made in the world
y and Which attracted the admiration OF the whole
da force. The regiment was accompanied by the
TO nPetus Rifies;" Capt. Upshaw, OF the 18th MIS-
~ sissippi. The 9th dvanced upon the enemy
@ @asr djscbarging their pieces retired to the Wooc
d. = -, This was Immediately repeated but
arins been skrmisnn "nee early yn ~ f9s a,ata, aay
- the powder began to fall short.
u then turned back and said, 'sFor Gods sake
:, charge them; am out of anu nunition."
- This was the turning point in the fight. The
~ regiments were formed and had advanced to the
{, edge of the wood opposite the enemy in front
y OF them was cleared field of some six or eight
. acres, in the centre of which was a small ravine
= or depression, making the lot nearly cup-shaped
~ The Federals had drawn up their ar illery, and
:, large rifed gun in position to play upon the
= hill opposite. As soon our men came out OF
.e " the weeds, Col Featherstone, in a loud voice,
cried out, ''Mississippans charge those Yankees;
= take their battery; drive them into the Potomac
- or into eternity" With most terrific yells the
!. men charged 0p the Dill, driving the reuefals
- terrified before them. The Virginians took the
: = Two howitzers, end the Mississippians the rifle
The river was about one huh1Hfeo ARCS rom tne
battery, and between them was steep pre-,
:, fully ninety feet high, and nearly perpendicular.
9 2 Over This they Were tumbled or impaled upon
: the bayonet. Perfectly conquered, they begged
our meE not to shoot, and surrendered them
. selves prisoners. The few who reached the rv-
: er threw off their clothes and attempted to swim
across, but the majority of them were drowned.
! The boats were crowded to their utmost, and
:. were frequently so heavily loaded that they sunk
- under the weight of the frightened human beings.
One hundred and fifty were thus sunk with a
SIM lie fat or raft 1t was now very dark, and
our men retired to Leesburg with their prisoners.
The force of the enemy has been variously es-
. tinated. Col. Lee says it was not above eight
cen hundred, and that he thinks few returned to
{ the Maryland shore uniDjured. This believe to
be not far from correct. Taking the killed.
/ wounded, drownded, and prisoners, | should say
i, the loss wonld foot up to twelve hundr ed.
2 Fiaht at ErPdericktOWr. MiSSOnri.