New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-09-28
THE ARMY IN WESTERN VIRGINIA.
THE ADVENTURES OF NIGHT PLEAsLR RVS
THAT AN ARMY CORRESPONDENT SECRETLY
6 Of The Cincinnati G.1eiis.

ENJOYS.
Correspondence Of The Cincinnati Gazette
CARSIFEAs FERRY, Sept. is, 1861.
have dismal recollection Of dreary night, amer
the battle, and before the retreat Of the enemy wac
discovered. Every ody bad been in state of intense
excitement since long before Daylight that morning
The march self-eighieen miles, in bot day, by
nOOn-was sufficiently exhauttng; and after that had
all the narrowing scenes, all the tension Of body
and mind, ali the labor and all the uncertainty OF the
engagement. Not till nearly m hour after dusk did
our troops fall back.
Even then the horrors Of the action did not end and
il sadly Whispered that the last crashing yolley
OF musketry We had heard came from our own Mimic
muskets and was directed against own troops.
Subsegnent investigation has not confirmed this state
neDt.) The night dark that the thlnned ranks
Of regiments could hardly be distinguished Us they
sullenly filed into the fields where our reserves had
been stationed, and whence Rebel regiment bad
been routed. A few moments OF confusion followed
then each regiment drawn up In line III the po.
siiion II was 10 occupy, and down upon the ground
they lay, with muskets and cartridge-boXes by Their
sides, and thus byouacked for the night.
The enemy still inside; were outside the tn-
trenehments; much Yves known. For the rest,
there wild stories Of our heavy losses, Of the
numbers Of dead and wounded lying on the field and
Of the probability Of an attack during he night ia.
there were some Of too absolutely worn ont win
fatigue 10 keep awake longer for any consideration
The wagon train was two or three miles back we
he'd neither tents nor blankets, but sleep must
We had been in the saddle since o'clock in the
morning, Of us had run down our hoItes carrying
orders until they were actually unable 10 bear Us
longer and we were still more exhausted than the
homes. Where tue General was couldn't find OUT
and 10 we resolved 10 lie down, night where We stood
and tust 70 chances for no getting between both Iro
in case of a rebel sortie. Luckily the rebel regiment
hsd retired in too big hurry 10 take sll It's blankets
and Capt. Mallory, who was In charge Of them, was
able 10 furnish US couple Of thin once. With these
we lay the ground and in an instani were slice ng
Presently somebody shook us up, and succeeded IN
getting to comprehend that in case OF night attack
we might find il convenient 20 leave that point with
ont having TO spend tins in saddlng snd bTidng our
horses Altogether, IL was thought safest 10 attend
20 that matter AZ once, and 70 at IL we went,
Cropping about for the saddlcs getting the wrong
brides on the wrong horses. and vice vera, TIL IN
some shape we tied up the persecuted animals again,
sank down on the ground, and in moment were alum
bering.
How long we slept don't kDow--I don't suppose
ANYBODY does--but I'do know that II seemed but an
instant and very unsatisfactory instant mt that
sentry who watching the captured property sfco
us no with the cheering information that we were
some distance outside the lines. and In the very ski
of the woods through which the enemy was expected
to attack. With the profound tkepticsn that sleepy
headedness best produce We utterly secuted Tue
possibility of an attack and inssed, with much sleepy
logic, on our right to sleep where we pleased enemy
or no enemy. But the sentry wouldn't listen 70 re-
son. and 70 we had 20 get mp.
Leading our tired horses after uh we began dleaiy
stumbling walk ameng the hills TO lind the GenerM
headquarters. We might 40 well have hunted throush
those fields for the scraglio Of the Grand sultan.
After troading among whole rows OF soldiers, ana
receiving moro benedicOns than were useful coupis
of us abandoned the search and beiook ourselves 70
group Of smbulsnces, down next the WOODS ths' Wy