Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-08-13

|
der Of the Greenbricr cavalry, posted ct that
place, to come to him Immediately at Rich
Mountain; but the messenger brought bacE
word that the artillery had been removed te
Laurel Hill, and that the commander of the
cavalry refused to come, with his company as
the order was not in writing.
Neither the letter Of Dol. PegranI, nor the
order of Ccn Garnett left Col. S. any discTe
ton. He was requested by one and Or
dered by the otaer in the most positive terms
not to go to the relief Col. Pegram, Gin general
terms, as has been suggestedD but to take po
sition on that road indicated by Col Pegran.
That road, according to Col. Pegram's letter,
enters the turnp he II miles from Beverley, but
understand there is sign board at the fo' (,
which says II miles to Beverley. As have
been informed by one who resided, or staid Tor
Sometime at Beverley that it is about eight
miles from that place TO Col. regram's camp,
and as the latter is said to have bUen about one
mile this side Of Pegram's camp, Col. Scotts
position at the entrance Of the said road into the
turnpike was about Ct miles from PeSram S
camp and consequently about 81 miles from
the place the battle was fought.
The battle lasted, some say an hour and !.
half, some say hours, and some say g hours.
1t was bush fight, and like nearly all other
bush fights; it was irregular; sometimes inter-
vas Of some minutes intervening between the
fires, and sometimes tho firing struggling,
though sometimes more rapid.
Ool Scott several miles off heard the firing
but could not tell its character, nor the number
Of men engaged.
| understand from undoub,ed authority, that
there had been skirmishes around both Pc.
grants camp and Garnett's camp, in which
companies, and sometimes portions, If not the
whole Regiment were engaged, and it is fair
TO presume that Col. S. knew what was gen.
orally known to the surrounding country. lie
did not knoT--hc could not know whether
there was an attack On Pegran's camp, or
whether there was skrulish around II, or
whether there was al actual battle with no
ulteror oil jccl-
He had right to believe that Il Tie enemy
were working their way" around pegra:n's
right flank, to come into the Turnpike by the
ruad on which he Col. Scott was posted, there
would be all attack on the post, or an attack
around it, With the view Of drerting The atten
ton of Col. Pegram from those who were work
ing their way to get into his rear by that road,
Would he hare been right, therefore to have
Quilted his position on the road, on which he
had been ordered TO take position without some
intimation from Col. pegcam, that his presence
VAS wanted .l5ewhere? II he had done so,
and gone several miles up tho mountains, aid
fallen in with Uu- own men, and fired into
them, as il is very probable, il his Ignorance,
he would done, or if it had turned out tha. j.
was only fcint Of tho enemy, by way oil .t.
tracing attention from their real uhjec!, ard
if the cn,my had, in the mean time, gotten in
the rear Of Col. pcgram by tho oal on which
Gel s. had been posted, and gone TO Beverley
and burnt all our lGuni;iogS OF var and millt2-
tary stores there, Wha. excuse would there
have been for Uol. Scott? Ii he had said,
suspected 4 baltic Was going on. the answer
would have been ready, you were informed
that it was almost certain" the enemy would
come into tire Turnpike hy that road no dis
cre;i,n was given You, but you were ordered 10
take position Oh That road, and drlcuu it to
the last; you were Informed by Col. Pesram
that nc had Cavalry scouting between his
camp and that road, and you ought to have
known that be would have sent for you by
that Cavalry, II he wanted you.
repeat, tnat il Col s. had abandoned his
position on that road, without request from
Col. pegram to DO so, and the enemy had come
along il, his conduct would iayc been utterly
indciensiblc.
Yet Col. Scott did not wait for that cavalry,
but did every thing in his power to con-.
municato with Col. Pegrau. lie sent Mir.
Hughes for that purpose. That he was killed
By our own men, whom he mistook for the cne.
my. was certainly not Col. SIS fault. As he
was ignorant of Mr.. Hughes fate, Of course lie
waited for his return, or, at least, for some IEes
sage from Col. pegram. Was he not right i'll
dong So
At length some Of Col. pesram's cavalry did
come, and one of them stated that COL Pegram
desired Col. Scott to 60 with his regiment to the
top Of the mountain as rapidly as possible,
without fatisuing his men.
liz did not hesitate moment, but started
off instantly ct c rapid pace. 1t has been
stated that he had been previously importuned
to 20, but did not. This, am satisfied, from
the testimony o! all tho officers and men OF
the 44th Regiment, with whom have con-
yersed, is not SO. On the contrary, that whole
regiment will testify that he put it in motion
the moment he saw and conversed with the
first man who had come from The battle. lie
marched at quick timc-hc could could not 60
at double quick as his men had to go between
five and SIX miles, and up mountain the
whole way, and he frequently desired them,
when they seemed fatigued to walk faster
Bu. it takes time-probably al hour, or an
hour and bali, to walk up a mountain hc.
tween five and six miles, even at what wona
be regarded as rapid pace. And the battle was
over, onr risn driven from the field, and our
artillery taken before his regiment could get
up.
In going up the mountain, Col. Scott had
been Informed, by some Of those who had been
in the battle, that the enemy had turned Col
Pegram's left and not his right Gank, and
we're on the left, and our friends we're on
the right Of the turnpike; that our !visnd
had one piece Of artillery which had
been used, and another piece which had not
been used, in consequence Of its carriage being
overturned, und that Mr. Hughes had been
killed
| have said that the battle was over j short
time before Col S. regiment reached the top
Of the mountain. Not q gun was fired !; yet
hc continued his march until he came to an
open field on each side Of the turnpike, on
reaching which he beard loud cheer in the
woods on the right of the turnpike. On en-
ouiring Of Lieut. Cochrane, Of the Augusta
cavalry, whb had been in the battle, and whom
he mad kept by him as his guide, what it
meant, he was informed it meant that the enc.
my had driven our men from the hcld and
taken Our artillery. He halted his regiment
and. expressing wish to know the situation
Of afTlirs, Mr. LiAford, Of Fluvanna, volunteer
ed bis services to obtain the necessary inforEna.
ton.
Taking Lieutenant Cochrane'; horse. ard
one of Col SIS pistols lie dashed ofF, but lad
gone but short distance after reaching the
wood, before ''liill him kill him. we're dis,
tinclly heard, and three shots were fred in
rapid succession, after which there was cheer,
and all was silence again. Col Scott made
enquiries as to the number Of the enemy, AID
was informed that they were between 5000
and 5000. None had represented their
Numbers at less-somc had represented then
rs much as 5000 or 10000. As several of the
,oo;,ort b,d eoop mon dcdpino from hush m