The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1861-11-07
BlTTLE OE EDWlRDS, FERRY.

Nnpb' II W. AONuB OF NbW ANlhG NlA
to Col. Baker, and who was With hlm
when be died, gives tho following ac-
count.
Gen. Stone ordered Col. Baker on
Sunday evening, to have his brigade
ready TO move at z o'clock on Monday
morning The brigade was then sta.
toned five miles from Conrad's Ferry.
At 3 o'clock In The morning, however.
a messenger from Gen. Stone ordered
the hrst battalion, under Leutonant-
Colonel Wistar, to move Immediately, so
as to be at Conrad's Ferry at sunrise,
which they did, and reported themselves
to Cen Stone.
Orders we're then sent from General
Stone to the battalion, to stand fast un
til they should hear heavy firing in
'front.' and then to cross. About an
hour after, musketrv having been heard
previously, dead and wounded began to
be brought over to where we were. At
10 o'clock the number Of killed and
wounded brought in was increased
Gen. Stone ordered Col. Baker to take
command Of the forces on both sides Of
the river at that place, and to bring up
his brigade and the Tammany regiment,
commanded by COL Coggswell, which
was in camp about three miles distant,
and to cross Immediately.
| Now we began to experience the diff
Guilty which was the chief cause Of the
terrible scenes which closed the day.
/ No adequate means of transportation
had been provided. 1t seemed as if the
column was expected to walk across on
tho water-surfaCc. Nothing but one
old scow, capable of holding perhaps
forty men, appeared available on either
side of the island. If the Massachu-
sets men had had any other boats they
were not visible ia the morning. At
length l discovered a large scow ia the
canal and two hours we're consumed in
getting it owe into the Maryland channel
1t would hold about sixty men. Col.
Baker, Lieutenant Colonel Wistar,
Assistant Adjutant Gen. Harvey and
myself, went with the first load to the
island, and thero superiutended the
/ transit of our men.
1t was IL NJ. before our 6rst company
landed at the foot of the bush covered
precipico which rises abruptly over one
hundred feet from the river bed, on the
further side Of the river. -Four hours
more had elapsed before the last com.
pany landed. Sections of the Second
Rhode Island Battery, comprising two
howitzers, two field smooth borss, and
one rihed gun, went over with me, the
men dragging them up the heights with
great difficulty aud spirit.
All this time irregular fighting was
going on above. 1t seems shat Colonel
Devens had iu the morning moved with
a small detachment in the direction Of
Leesburg, shortly after his forces had
crossed, had advanced one mile, there
met the euemy's skirmishers in feeble
force, and had retired to the brow ofthe
heights. But after Col Devan fell back
his meO we're placed in mi.circular
clearing, or natural forest opening, GOV.
ering five or six acres, with its base
resting on the edge Of the heights, and
Hanked and frontod by forest. The enc
my, becoming boldcr, advanced 10 scat
tered parties to the edge of these
woods and from 10 A. N. till 4P. NJ
kept up a random, annoying fire upon
our men. The latter sheltered them
selves as well as they could, lying Just
below the ridge, aud awaited re enforce
ments.
At four, then, our whole force had
crossed and ascended, Col Baker and
staff with the rest, and the troops we're
suffering somewhat from the concealed
enemy's fire. Many had dropped and
been carried down the hill.
We asked Col Baker what he thought
Of affairs. lie said that he thought we
had a good position; could fall back for
shelter behind tho ridge. ayes, said
we, "but what's in those woods2" He
answered: II think the enemy are con-
oealsd on our right" A private had
reported that there was no force on the
left, but a deep ravine, hidden by the
woods. We then proposed sending
skirmishers to make q reconnaissance
on the right, and Capt. Markoe, Second
Lieut.. Williams, and myself advanced
with companies A and D Of the Cali
fornia Regiment. Company A got 10
front on rising ground, in skirmishing
order, Company D following in line.
The California battalion, to make
the story clear, were drawn up on the
left of the open field; the Massachusetts,
Fifteenth and Tammany on the
right, and the Massachusetts Tweu-
tieth nearer the centor. Col. Coggs-
we'll took charge of the artillery. Only
four guns we're planted in tho field, the
riaed gun having been hOulod up at,the
wrong place, and being afterWard seized
by the enemy aud spiked.
When our skirmishing companies had
reached the edge Of the woods, sudden
ly the enemy, hitherto concealed, rose
with a yell and fired a voloy; then be-
gan fighting in their usual manner:
FIRST giving a yell and volley; then
loading and firing at will for few min
utes; then ceasing an equal time; then
giving another yell aud volley, and so
on, pouring murderous FIRE int9 our
little band for the space Of half an hour
The whole woods around swarmed with
them, They have no artillery and no cav.
airy. Our Rhode Islanders, except the
officers, deserted their guns, but Colonel
Baker, Lieut.. Col Wistar, Col, Coggs.
we'll and AdjutaDt Harvey manned the
battery, and fred the guns themselves,
aided by Company @, First California,
| led by the gallant Cnpt Boiral (The