Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-10-24

tiis fl tni also two tie q pieces had already beer pla, ed in battery, eniading the HunterSvie
 road, which runs at right angles, if indeed
 these terms can be appli,d to srrpentine noun
 tan roads from the turnpike. These guns were
 under the mm -date charge of Capt. P. B. An
 derson, and the ., skill and determination ot that officer, leave no doubt that they would
 have done great execution had the enemy ven.
 tured to call them into action.
 Capt. Shumaker's battery, consisting of f0,1
 pieces, (six ppunderS,) one of them rih d, and one six pounder under Capt Rice, were held in
 readiness for the front and right htnk. The places occupied by these various corps you will find specified upon the map.
 Our pieces were all in position. when, al ab ut 8 o',lock, the enemy opened heavy fire fom SIX pieces of different caliber, placed in a
 field upon the right hand side (to them upon the turnpike road, and bearing upon our front and center. This number was subsequently, in creased by two other pieces placed on the oppo- site side of the turnpike, one near 1t and the other upon the side of the hill. This fire (of round shot, spherical case shell, and occasional ly upon our left wing, of canister,) was con tinued with extraordinary rapidity and without intermission for upward of four hours; the eight pieces constituting the well known field batteries of Home and L0oms. The hill occupied by Col. Tallaterros brigade, inyitinglT exposed 10 all o these batteries, received the greater share of their attention, and but for the protection afforded by the ditch and embankment, running along its brow, and constructed under the i'm m .diate supervision of Col. Tallaterro himself, we should doubtless have had inflicted upon us very severe loss indeed. This fire was return ed with great energy, and, as the result has proved. with signal effect by the guns of Capt. Shurnak CT and Capt. K ce, and by one piece de- tached from Capr. Andersons battery, and placed upon the hill occupied by Lieut. Col. Jacks ,n, Lieut.. Massin, its proper chief, being quite iudisposed, although he maintained h!S position near his piece, 1t was placed under command of Capt. Deshler, adde-camp to Col. Johnson. From the fact that the rifle gun of Capt. Slumaker soon became useless to us, (for the cause of this great misfortune see his own report addressed to myself at no time could we bring more than five pieces into action to return the fire of the enemy's eight; yet that fire was returned, and that with so much spirit and energy, as to make this "GrtUie1y duet' r-udered particularly interesting by the charac ter ot the field and its mountain surroundings, ever memorable by those who beheld +. That the casJaIiueS among our cannoneerS should nave been so few, IS subject 0f sincere con era u'atipn, and is very much ascrbabe to the sound judgment of Capt. Shumakcr, who re- peatediy charg d the po>itioG 0. hs guns when tnose of the enemy had obtsined his range. Fur mjnuer description ot the action in this. is most striking phase. l rake great pleasure in referring 10 the rep ,rr of that consanmately cool and skilltul officer From it v0u will learn why II wa, that our pieces, al the close of the four hours interchange ol fire were porariy with drawn, inducing our irieud. upon our extreme Jeff, and evidently the enemy, to suppose that they had bren silrnced.
 At about ha!t past nine o'clock, strong col nmn of infantry was seen to move .oward our Jeff flank Having crossed the so-called river n fact shallow stream, of about 20 yards il width near 1he point de,i gnated on he map by tie capial letter "A, it undertook to turn our position in that direction. Soon. however, 1T ncountrrrd a D lrton of he 3d Arkansas regi- m nt which drove it percpitatrly back, with a de tructiye fire. The enemy subse1 turn ed two of his pieces upon this sportion of our l-tt wing, pouring o II canister and shell in 1 rge volumes; but ,rtunatply, on account of the prot cton afforded by the woods, with but IEilr execution.
 Smultane usly with this movement toward our left, another column of infantry aScended tn" wood d hill. before onr right wing. at the point designated upon the map by the capital letter "B. Having become at its head involv el in a slight skrmi>h with one of our picket guards it WAS i'm -datelv an strDn gv rein forced Subsequent 10 the repulse of the col ann from our left flank. it pro eeded in the s ime general direction, ascending the hull at the point des gnaled by the letter 'C. swelling the force. which now began to othrea en seripusl our front and rght, to some four thousand men. They moved along the side of the hill, opening upon our line a de8uIatory fire of rife musketry So soon as the designs of this column were fully developed l ordered the l2th Georgia regiment to take position near the stream, where a small detachment of it, under Lieut.. Dawson, had already been posted, with instruction to en- gage the enemy whenever he should attempt to cross it.
 From the fact that this movement was made in full ftce of largely superior numbers, armed with superior weapon, and protected by cover of the forest, 1t was made with an aacrity and regularity which deserve high commendation; as does also the cool determination with which this command, protecting itself, as best it might, against the euemy'6 fire, received 1t, but return ed scarcely a shot. Not long thereafter order. cd Capt. Shumaker to open upon the same col umn, directing his fire to where lie supposed the head If it to lie. This he promptly did with two ot his pieces and so effectively, that in short time tue uumiStahahle evidences of their rnut became apparent. Distinctly could their officers be heard, with words of mingled com maud, remon>trances and entreaty, attempting to rally their battalion into line and bring them to the charge; but they could not be induced to reiOrrl their broken ranks, nor to emerge from the cover of the woods n the direction of our fire. F. billy and in disorder they returned into the turnpike, and soon thcr after the entire force of the enemy-artillery, infantry and cay alry-retre;e ed in confusion along the road and ad lace at fields, leaving behind them at different points, numbers of their killed, gnns haver- sacks cauteens, etc.. etc. Among other trophies taken were stand of United States colors. which are held subject to the command of the com handing general.
 This en agement lasted from seven in the morning t. halfpast two o'clock in the after noon, at which tune the enemy who had come with artillery to bomLard and denoralize us, with Infantry to storm our camp, with cavalry 10 rout and destroy Us, and with four days cook ed ratiolls in his haveTsacks, to prosecute a rapid march either toward S3auuton or toward Huntersvie, was in precipitate retreat back 10 his Cheat Mountain |, rress. And 1t is certainly a matter not unwor hv Of mention, that, while his first insolent advances were received with defiant cheers, running from one end to the other of our llne, he was permitted to take his depa tnre under the simple reports of our pieces, f,ing upon him SD long he continued within theIr range. he relative weakness Of Our force, and the entire absence of cavalry, pre- vented our pursuing him and thereby realizing lbe legitimate fruits of our triumph. His loss in killed and wounded Is estimated at from two