Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-10-17
FROM THE 9TH.
CAxr ELKwArER. Cheat Mountain.
Western Virginia. Oct. 5. '6I.

letter BY your correspondent, wv. H. II.
H." you have heard Of the severe suffer
ing our troops endured during the pitiless
storm and intense cold Of the Goth and 9th
uk-, and IN account of the movements of
eur troops until Monday evening. from
which time resume the account.
The men. notwithstanding the-hardships
through which they had passed. were in
quies good spiriss. ami impatiently awsit-
Oh che time they should be led into battle.
On account Of our failure ia receiving the
expected reinforcements. the attack was
postponed until Thursday morning. when
shortly after midnight. we were ordered to
advance. About day break we commenced
driving in the rebel piclrrts. which we ac-
complished without sustaining sny loss
ourselves. An accident. however. which
occurred in the early part Of the day. caused
q gloom to be cast over the minds of many.
and is now the cause Of more regrets. than
any incident Of the action. Co. H.. from
Valparaiso, who.were thrown ont as skir-
mishers. suddenly came before Co. A. and
in consequence of the rather imperfect
sight they had Of them. we're mistaken for
party Of the rebels. A volley was fired
into them. and the result of this deplora-
bic mistake. was the instant death Of Ser
gesnt Smith. of Hobart Ind. and the
wounding Of Corporal Bryant. Of Vslpa-
raiso. To the "bloody Ninth" was as
signed the hazardous position of making
the. attack. and as the bugle played up
yankee Doodle" they CALAMITY charged
up the valley at "double quick" halting
sow and then to dislodge parties Of Skin
miShers who were more stubborn than 9TH
ers. and were disposed to dispute the adj
vance. BY o'clock. we had driven in all
their pickets. and skirmishers. without
losing bot one man. besides the death OF
the man. by the melancholy accident. to
which we have referred. We know that
we killed thirteen of them, by the number
we saw before the cannonading commenced.
ssd Of course we know nothing about the
number they carried into camp with them.
Loomis' battery of six guns supported by
che 18th and 18th Ind. Regiments. then
commenced throwing shells. which was re-
turned with spirit from the rebel en,rench-
ments. Although hot fire was directed
at our entire lines-Companies d. and l.
Of the 9Th. occupying a more exposed po-
sision than any other part of our army.
they being in front. and only few PAGES
IN advance of our artillery. many of the
shot and shell fired by our side passing
over them fer over one hour. and during
this time the enemy's FIRE was directed al
most entirely at our batteries. in the attempt
TO silence the belching machines. which
were dealing death and destruction to them
ON every ide-notwithstanding all this. /
cay. Doth companies escaped from their
perilous position without receiving even q
wouna. Co. D.. during this trying hoar.
behaved with bravery and GOODNESS, which
would have done honor to far more expert
enced and longer disciplined troops. The
company had one man slightly wounded
during the action, but otherwise escaped
uuharmeJ A shot struck small mound
close to US. and threw q stone or some hard
substance which hit Sergeant Arrick on the
temple. giving him trifiing wound. A
she'll also burst above his head about the
same time. q few pieces of which hit him.
Both together gave him quite severe jar
and disabled him for . time; he returned to
camp with MS. however. and is now almost
entirely recovered.
The shslling continued from our guns.
three hours and quarter. when we were
compelled to quit. for the lsmentable rea-
son that we had no moro ammunition
The rebels. once raised flag of truce. when
we CHASED firing. but we soon heard great
hurrshipg. and Cur officers with the field
glasses. saw reinforcement of about five
thousand with FIVE guns come np. which
made their force fourteen tn ,usand with
eight guns. seven having been before dis
mantlsd. We had only one gun dismount
Cd during the action. The engagement
continued something over six hours. wher
from our inability to cope with their rein
forcements without artillery. we were forcet
10 draw of. We done so. however. IL
good order, without any hurry or eoAfu
sion whatever. buryirg two or three of ca
dead on the battle field. and bringing tn
rest with our wounded. off with u.s.. w
clearly gave the rebels to understand ths
we were by no means defeated. and en-
desvosed to eutice them to follow us
when they would have received most gall
9ipgfrs fromour grape aud canister Of whic
We bad plenty. They. however. had sus
tanned as great loss as they desired. an
vesy ssnsibly declined the challenge. pre-
1ening to keep their breast works bstwes
themselves ard further harm. Our loss
only eleven killed and eleven wounded