Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-29

soon aroused by streams of water rushing
down on US, wetting our blankets and
drenching us from head to foot View SO
cold and shivered so badly we could scarce.
ly make ourselves known to each other.
thought it was hard fate, but what must
not the soldier in these rugged mountains en-
dure. We made out to pass the night in this
way; but now we realized the responsible.
ties and dangers of our situation. In a mile
and half of the position assigned US, in the
midst of the enemy, here l was with my gun
in hand full of water, my ammunition wet
and not dry thing to be found anywhere
drew my load. pulled the inside lining of my
coat out, with it Wiped my only dependence,
and then reloaded, my two blankets weigh
ing about twenty pounds apiece. This morn
ing we reversed the order of march, the left
wing moving first, they contending that the
rear was much harder to march in than the
front. We moved on silently and cautiously.
After going about mile we came across a
man on horseback. Col. Sewer was beside
me at the time, and asked, "what the ID
is that fellow doing on horseback? how did
he get here!" The Colonel stopped and
asked him how far it was to the turnpike,
what he was doing there, and to which side
he belonged? He replied, ''to the other side
Col. Sewer then ordered US to arrest him,
which we did finding on him Sharp's car
bine, sword and two of Colts naval revol-
vers. He said he belonged TO an Indiana
cavalry company. He had on very heavy
overcoat which concealed his arms, and all
the companies, but the left of ours, passed
him. After this adventure we marched a
half mile farther TO the tip, top of Cheat
Mountain where the Stanton turnpike is.
This being our destination, We first cut the
telegraph wires with which Rosecranz had
carefully provided himself, and then threw
off our knapsacks, blankets, &c, in one pile,
SO as to be ready for an attack.
Capt. Fields Company was sent down the
road towards Cheat pass, FOrbes's and Hat
toms regiments down the other side towards
Huttonsyille, while the rest of our Compa-
MES were stationed where we came in the
road. The Rutherford Rifles and Maury
Greys were then sent to support Fields in his
scouting purposes. Fields advanced about
four bundred yards, when most terrible fire
was opened on him; then commenced the
firing from our three Companies which were
his supporters, but to little purpose, because
the enemy was so we'll hid by the thick am
bush they were in. Fields ordered bis men to
charge bayonets; then we moved them, but
by this time numerous rounds were fired -
They killed and wounded together &c of our
men, killed in Fields's Company, l in
Maury Greys, 1 in Ledbetter's, and miss
ing, supposed to be taken by the enemy. All
this time we were kept back as the reserve,
but hundreds of balls whistled over our
heads. During the fire we were ordered to
reverse our Company, Company A and ours
End platoon in front, which being done,
placed me in front, but was as composed as
ever before in my life; but this dreadful way
of advancing on a strong party in ambush is
murder il the first degree. After routing the
enemy, all the regiment was brought back to
where We were and placed in ambush. Du-
ring the firing you could hear moaning that
would distress any one. DIR. Quintard was
one of the first amongst the Surgeons on She
spot; the DR.. walked most of the way, offer
ing bis horse to those most needing assistance.
Truly he is called the Good Samaritan. We
took IS prisoners; killed unknown We shot
one Orderly Sergeant of an Ohio Company,
who was brought in and laid down on one of
my blankets. We were then ordered back
over the same road that we came, which was
bitter pill to us; our boys said that they
would walk up to the lannon's mouth and
die there before going over the same road;
and so we would; but were informed that we
should only go half mile on the same path.
We captured wagon just before starting,
and took the horses out, placed our wounded
men upon it, those who were slightly wound
ed about the legs, &c, but the dead we were
obliged to leave in the road unburied, which
was one of the worst features of the day
There were Others who were badly wounded
and were carried about four miles to the first
house, where we laid until next morning.
We moved on next morning in the valley be-
low where We had travelled the day before,
but our return was much better than our ad
vance. We travelled that day to Gen. Don
aldson's Brigade, which was about II miles.
We had no food for Sc hours. 1 found some
bones left by Donaldson's Brigade, which
were pretty fresh, and so made supper off
them, and so we lived until next day about
) o'clock in the evening, when we had bread
sent to US, and at o'clock we had marching
orders. We marched on until we passed Gen.
Lees quarters, about mile and half, which
was seven miles from where we started from.
We crossed that night one creek IL times,
and arrived at our place of bivouacking at
II o'clock at night, wet as could be. Gen.
Lee had moved bis quarters to the Stanton
bike, Gen. Loring advancing ahead of him.
About where we encamped Col. Washington
vas killed; he was Gen. Lees Aid, and had
Ill or most of Gen. Lees plans. Between
.oring, Anderson and Donaldson there were
,ome 800 prisoners taken, and about 100 kill |
d, while on our side there was only some
20 or 80 killed, none taken prisoners but the |
Wounded. Loring had all the artillery, be- |
ng on the only road by which it could be |
carried. But the killing of Washington has |
uined all OF Gen. Lees plans, as they have |
hem in their possession. Gems. Loring and |
Reynolds exchanged some shots from their
ield pieces, ours reported to have done much |
damage, theirs none at all; but, at any rate, |
hey have very superior Notifications and
orces. They have at Crouch's Mill twenty |
at Cheat Pass they have five or ten |
thousand. Where we had that little brush is |
ust between two well fortified places, 2 miles |
rom Cheat Mountain, five from Crouehfs |
which will give You some idea of our dan
Ter. We now say if jackson had made the |
stack, we should have all been into it like a |
thousand of brick. We started next morning |