Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-07-25
Incidents of the Fight in yir-
giniR.


spondent with the army in Western Vir-
ginia. from whose recent letters we extract
some interesting incidents of tho sharp
skirmishes which pre- ceded the battle at
at Rich Mountain. They show that our
Indiana boys took q prominent part in
those affairs. and were the most reckless
and daring of all the troops in that quar-
ter.
scENH.
When the march Ito Laurel Hill) was
about half completed. a halt was ordered.
and the men sat down on the road side
to MUNICH their has.y breakfast of "hard
bread" Meanwhile the General galloped
to the head of the column and hasty con-
sultation was held. The group was
worthy an artists pencil. Captain Ben
ham produced his maps of the road. and
the approaches to the rebel camp. Care
fully examining these stood the General
and his invaluable Brigade Inspector. Ma
jor Love. Atsheir feet lay the brave Col
onel of the Ninth, worn out by some sixty
hours hard service without sleep. He had
wrapped himself in his cloak. and actually
fallen to sleep while the consultation was
in progress At last he was aroused, "Col-
onel, you are to proceed according to or
ders in this direction" said the General.
ut shall be done." was Milroy's reply.
and almost instantly his regiment was
moving,
col. MILRoY.
Descending from our position in the
afternoon. we found that couple Of CON-
panies OF skirmishers had been sent out to
meet the advance of the bodies we had seen
marching out the road from the enemy's
camp. The skirmishing. which had been
kept up briskly all day, was beginning to
be much more lively. and it was evident
that the wooded hill opposite our breast
work. and just beyond the village, was
full Of the enemy. Their fire seemed di-
rected not only against our skirmishers,
but against artillery men standing at their
guns. and the troops within the breast
works. Going down to the artillery,
found the balls whistling overhead apd
striking as far back as the Indiana Seventh.
Several soldiers had been struck by spent
balls. Finally bullet struck the saber
of an artillery officer. This was getting a
little too warm, and rapidly sighting the
gun, he dropped shell in the woods in
the direction from which the bullet came.
For little while the enemy seemed re-
pulsed: then they returned. and began q
sharp fire on our skirmishers. To aid the
latter. another shell was thrown toward
the rebels. Our boys instantly sprang
forward the moment the she'll burst, and
poured in CALLING volley upon the enemy.
n'cking off particularly the mounted Of
fcers.
Assoon as their pieces were. discarged
the boys hurried back to the trees and
fallen logs, behind which they concealed
themselves. In their charge they had dis
covered that it was the Georgia regiment
with which they were engaged. backed by
a strong force OF cavalry.
For few moments all was quiet. then
the rattle of musketry began again. our
men apparently giving and taking in about
equal proportions. An occasional shot
from the enemy was still whistling around
the artillery. when Colonel Milroy. with
utter recklessness of personal danger char
acteristic OF the man. sprang upon the
breastwo,k, took off his hat and waved his
men in the woods back. shouting. "Fall
back boys. we're going to fire another
she'll" Standing there on the breastworks
his stalwart form and full Colonel's nni-
form. ma le him splendid mark. but he
seemed to have no conception that he
could be shot at The skin iImishers made
some reply from the woods two or three
hundred yards distant). which he could
not understand; and there he stood, drawn
up TO his full height. with his head in
clined forward. listening intently till he
distinguished. amid the din of the small
arms. the shouts of the boys. Fire more
to the right" The gun was changed to
the direction indicated. and another bomb
sent flying in the midst of the rebels. In
stantlv our boys sprang forward as the
Georgians ran from the bursting shell. and
poured in a deadly yolley. For a few mo-
ments the fire was incessant. and our Eel.
lows were seen pushing farther up into the
woods. Suddenly they came flying back
and took refuge behind the logs and trees
The artillery threw another shell. and the
boys sprang forward again, charged upon
the scattering Georgians. drove them be-
yond their own entertainments on the TOP
Of the hill, and actually chased them with.
in . half milo Of their camp
woULDN'T T BELIEVE THEY WERE VOLUNTEERS,
The enemy had every advantage. They
were in possession of high hill covered
with dense forest; they had their breast,
works erected on the top Of the hill, and
their cavalry was ready to charge upon on,
skirmishers whenever they ventured out
from be hind the trees. and attempted to
advance in anything like military order
II was our shells that did the business
The Georgians couldn't stand bombs. and
after the first explosion it was impossible
for their officers to rally them. ao,
Our boys stood FIRE nobly. In fact.
during the skirmish. but before any shells
had been thrown. Georgian who was be-
| hind tree some distance from one of on,
men, called out to him. "what troops are
yoag.' One soldier squirting around his
tree, replied. "Ohio and Indiana volun'
teers." "yolunteers. hell" exclaimed the
Georgian. lyon needn't tell me that volnn-
tssrs stand FIRE that wayl" s >aI