Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-10
BATTLE OF CROSS LANES.
COMPLETE DEFEAT AND ROU 4
OF THE ENEMY.
FULL AND AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT.

Correspondence Of the Lynchburg Republican,
| HEADQUARTERS, FLOYD BRIGADE,
August 10th, 1861.
| l reached here last evening just in time to
| participate this morning in our first engage
ment with the enemy.
| When / arrived yesterday, at g. P. NJ,
| found the Brigade drawn up in beautiful line
of battle, and General Floyd and his staff
upon the field, in momentary expectation of
\ an attack from Col. Tyler's command, which
bad driven in our pickets, and was in mile
| of OCT lines. Our artillery was posted on
the brow of the hill, which we occupy, COM
| manding the main road, while to the right
/ and left our infantry lines extended, protect
ed by some hastily thrown up rail breast
works. The enemy did not attack us, how
| ever, and at nightfall our men were ordered
| to stand upon their arms all night, while our
| horses stood under their saddles. and their
| riders slept in their boots and spurs.
| During the night our scouts brought us ac-
curate Information as to the position of the
| enemy, and Gen. Floyd determined to attack
| him near the dawn of morning. 1t was ar
| ranged that Col Heath should advance in
| the centre, Col Reynolds to conduct the right
| wing, while Col. McCausiin was to cut off
| the enemy's retreat by a circuit to the left.
At O'Clock A. NJ, the Brigade was in mo-
| ton, and the clear ring of the Generals stem
torian voice was heard along :he lines in the
fresh morning air like the blast of trumpet.
We were ell instantly to our arms and to our
saddles, and advanced rapidly, at double
quick. A heavy fog hung over the hills and
along the valleys, and we approached almost
upon the enemy's pickets before they saw u.s.
They fired aud ran, distinctly in our view,
and not hundred yards in our advance.
Our men gave shout at the sound
of that sort of music, and dashed on with &C
celebrated speed. la a few minutes we dis
covered the blue coats of the enemy, as they
stood drawn up near church by the road
side while to our right and behind fence
stood another column of the enemy. As soon
as Col. Heath's regiment emerged from the
woods into the open field, which commanded
the church, they opened fire, and after few
rounds, the enemy hastily retreated across a
corn field and to the brow of precipitate
and commanding hill. In the meantime,
Col. Reynolds regiment had opened on the
enemy upon the right, and they too were
soon made to beat precipitate retreat, as
shout on shout of our men rent the air. Gen.
Floyd then gave the command to throw down
the fence on the right of the road, and charge
the enemy on the hill. In an instant, and
almost at single stroke of the arm, the
fence went down, and our men, led on by
their gallant Colonel, (Heath,) dashed across
the eOrnfeld and charged to the top of the
hill, driving the enemy to still higher emf
| nence, completely commanding the first.
Here the sharpest part of the conflict occur
| red. The enemy maintained their position
| with considerable obstinacy, wounding sever
| al of our men and killing some
| Our fire becoming too hot again for the
| enemy, they retired to an adjoining wood.
| Again our men dashed on to the charge, as
cendlng the brow of the second bill, and
| shooting as they went At this stage, Capt.
Jackson's artillery was ordered to the front.
. 1n1h 90 hi Il Al L
| letting fly two rounds, the enemy disappear
| ed through the woods. In the meantime,
Capt. Harris artillery had crossed the field
and assembled an adjoining hill, but not in
| time to give the enemy few of his grape.
| The Hessians were now in full retreat on all
hands, and as they descended from the hill to
| the ravine and road on the other side, Col.
| McCauslin pitched into them with his force,
| when the whole broke and took to the woods,
every man for himself. Had not the Yankee
| Colonel ran before his men, he would doubt
less have been captured by this part of our
| force.
Pursuit was Immediately determined upon
| by our General. On our gallant men rushed
| in more than double quick time, and eontin-
ued the pursuit for some eight or ten miles,
| but with no other result than the capture of
| a number of prisoners, four baggage wagons,
an ambulance, and several guns and other
| tured, which is now in the hands of my
| friend, DR.. Gleayes, from Wytheville.
We attacked the enemy so early and unex-
pectedly that they evidently had to leave
without breakfast, for, as we passed their
camp, bushels of stolen roasting ears, quanti-
ties OF beef, pigs and bread. were found on
their fires.
have not learned the loss of the enemy,
but it was several killed, many wounded, and
still greater number taken prisoners. Ali
OF them were Ohioans, and we learned from
them that Colonel tyler, his Lieut.. Colonel,
Surgeon and Preacher, all ran soon after the
engagement opened. They cursed them
soundly for their cowardly conduct in desert
ing their men SO early in the action. They
had LETT their main provision train Thirty
wagons) some fifteen miles to the rear, or we
should have captured the whole of them.
All of our men and officers acted with the
greatest gallantry and courage. Colonel
Heath led in front of his men and was shot
through the coat. A minnie ball wounded
the horse of Major Hounshell. Col Reynolds
was also shot through the coat, and came
near loOsing his life.
Gen. Floyd, who is as brave as a lion, fol-
lowed with his staff. and in his red hunting
shirt, upon the very heels of his troops, fire
quently in their very midst.) encouraging
them by his example and commanding voice.
Capt. Snead's company, of Amherst. was
actively in the fight, and performed admira-
bly,; and CaptHenry, of Amherst, though not
properly belonging to the fighting depart
ment of the Brigade, shouldered his gun and
was in the thickest of the fight. Our friend,
Captain Peters, was also with us in the
lhickest of the fight. ! make these special
mentions, merely because they are our home
people, and their friends will feel deeper
interest in them than Others who acted
equally as well.
Colonel Tompkins'. Regiment was held
in reserve. and did not, / think,
get actively into the fight. The Colonel
and his men, however, was hotly in the chase,
and took many of the prisoners, the Colonel
himself taking Captain Shurtleft, and others.
have heard the conduct of Lieutenant
Colonel Kinney and Major Marbone highly
spoken of.
Our scouts are still bringing in prisoners.
Among the last is q strapping negro, who
has excited much curiosity among our dar-
kies.
This battle will be known as that Of
Cross Lanes, and is of tar more significance
than The number killed and wounded indi-
cate.
Col. Tyler's command was one of the very
best of the enemy; he one OF their crack ON
GERS. Il has for long time been prowling
through all this country, holding IL In COM
piete subsection. Tyler it was who has
boasted that be would march to Lewisburg
at all hazards, and would catch Floyd and
Wise and feed them on beans. 1t has now
been defeated, routed and disgraced, with all
is prestige gone.
The people in this section have confidence
fu our strength again, and will rally to our
standard ct onoe. I think, too, the rente
will alarm General Cox, as Gauley Bridge,
and ehould not be surprised II ne beat 9
hassy retreat to the Ohio river.
General FloyFs advance 70 this aide OF