Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-23


fight At Rich Mountain. The letter was written 81
Monterey, in Hiblgand county, Va, July 18th,
1851:
sNo doubt you have heard of our defeat Our
company was not in the fight. We were placed at
the breast works Gust eommenced) where it was
thought the hardest Of the fight would be; but the
enemy did not attsck Us there After the defeat in
rear at the top Of the mountain, Col. Pegram sent
Tor the balance OF our regiment. and said If we
would fo-l5 hin &c 5c1li give them all bstie, if It
cost hin The last sTSp OF blood IL TAD We Toll him
90 wouli &c. and 80 he started CGr company ia
front, and went around under the side Of the
mountain and approached the top of it near
the enemy. Finding their numbers 50 large. he
and be would 90 back and save the others if he
could. So Msj. Tyler led, US down the noun
tain m very small path but it soon got very dark,
and the rain came down in torrents-it was so dark
you couldn't see your hand before you. and we lost
the path and got very much scattered. but many Of
us got together again after awhile and got into
path again in & deep Tavine, where great deal of
water had collected and had to 90 through mud and
water from ankle to knee deep. We reached Bev-
eriy before sunrise, but proceeded on 10 Huttons-
ville where we overlook Col. Scott returning east
We continued our march night and day, till we got
here on Sunday night not stopping long enough but
once. for the herses to eat enough. Cur men are
worn out; bat the wonder is, that they got here at
all.
II WIS certainly q SESdL lnlsldke 10 eenu y Illus
handful Of men away up nmong our enemies. with
in q few hours march Of Yankee railroad. when it
took us ten or twelve days TO reinforce. repeat,
the wonder is, that any Of us escaped. We had
l 500; they had 10 900.
/ came off with nothing on my back but shirt
and my gingham jacket and we had q cold and
rainy tine. am well with the exception of cold
Captain Jones' company, from Brun wick, got lost
from the night of the battle and most of Captain
Bruees company also but they are safe and will be
hprp t7-daV PeOrarn loft AZ NIGHT with
some six hundred and we hear they are taken pris-
oners DR.. Atkinsons company Hampden Sidney,
with them. Twenty~seven Of our men are still out.
| heard from man who twas taken prisoner and
got away, that they were with Pegram, and are /
suppose, taken prisoners. The present understand
ing here is, that General GaFnett is killed his men
killed, scattered and taken prisoners. We lost all
we had.
The Enquirer also publishes the following extract
from letter from gentleman of high standing,
who holds position in Gen GARSETr's army, to 8
relation in that ctr:
MoNTEEEY, July lon Sunday, July eth, the enc
my appeared before our camp about 5 900 strong,
and sharp skirmishing continued from that time
until Friday-though with slight loss on our side.
On Friday last was seEt with dispatches to Col
Lee at Buffalo Gap, and on my return to Monterey,
learned that after battle of three hours in
which $50 of our men kept in check from 5000 to
1000 of the enemy-they succeeded in getting to
the rear OF COL Pegram's command, and thus hem
med in his small force of 1900, between 5000 or
1000 in the rear and about 900 in front with eight
pieces of artillery, consequently nothing was left
them but to escape the best way they could. IN
derstand Col. Heck. with about 1000 men, made his
way to Gen Garrett who is reported to be retreat
ing through PendletOn, and is expected here sOOn
Our men were betrayed by some Union men who
led the enemy across the mountain to the rear. Co..
Pegram commanded in person and had three horses
killed under him-was severely injured by fall
from one of them Some of his men who have
made their way TO this village think he has escaped,
others think he has fallen into the hands of the
my. ! sincerely hope he is safe for a more noble
hearted and gallant fellow never wore a sword.
This will be severe blow to the General, whose
situation fear will never be properly appreciated
in the East-surrounded with Union men-with
force too small to inspire any confidence in the few
who manifested any disposition TO join or aid him
having to wagon all of his supplies for distance
of l20 miles across the mountains, his situation
seems very trypg-but he has managed, despite all
difficulties TO gain the entire confidence of his
and officers. and but for this misfortune whereby
the enemy have gotten to the rear different state
of things might have been looked for soon. Gen.
Mcclellan is reported rapidly advancing across the
mountains. He is now said to be near Greenbrier
river.