Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-07-31


The 18th REGIMENT INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
Report of Col. DumOnt to Gen. Morris
of the Battle of COrrick,s Ford of
Cheat River.
CAMP AT kDIASAroIIs, July IS, 1861.
Mr.. EDIToR:-The officers of the 7th Regi-
ment of Indiana Volunteers earnestly request
you to publish Col Dumont's official report of
the battle of Corrick's Ford.
JAS. GAVIN, Adjt. It'll Ind. Reg.
GEN. T. A. MoRRIs-I have the honor to sub
by my command 9th Indiana Regiment) in the
battle of Corrick's Ford of Cheat River, the 18th
day of July 1861. About 10 o'clock, A. NJ of
the 18th mounted scout, coming with the
most speed on the road leading from the enemy's
camp, informed me that the order that Col.
march without moments delay. by the Beverly
road, on the enemy's camp. That was all was
told, and, as the enemys camp was but short
mile distant, and TIE emergency seemingly such
as justify no delay, with the assistance of Lieut..
Col. Spooner and Maj. Oyler, formed my regi-
ment, and was in rapid march in FIVE minutes
from the time the order was delivered. Col.
MilrOy's regiment was formed and on march with
Lieut.. Col. Dunn at its head (COl. Miroy him.
self having advanced with small party toward
the enemy's camp to reconnoitre) with as little
loss of time, and, being encamped nearer the
envy than the 7th Indiana, took the advance.
The men marched with will and speed, and
never did a body of foot pass given space in
quicker time, or with greater desire TO meet aud
fight the eaemy. But when we arrived at the
ground, enemy therc-they had precipi-
lately and ingloriouSly fled. Being Joined by
Col. Barnett, of Cleveland Artillery, with two
companies of his command, to-wit: company G.,
commanded by Lieut.. Leave AMI company L,
commanded by Capt Hickman, who took posi-
ton IN the rear of Col. Milroy and in front of
my command, Capt. J. n. Bemusdafcr's COM
pany of my regiment being in advance of the
whole column as the advance guard We gave
immediate pursuit, the particulars of which is not
perhaps necessary for me to detail at any great
length. We found the road blocked with heavy
trees in great many places, felled by the enemy
to retard our pursuit. We found the bridge at
Leedsville broken up, which repaired and
made passable by Lieut.. Waller with detach-
ment of men from company A, of the 9TH lndi-
ana regiment, of which company he was in COM
mand, being detached for that purpose, from his
own company owing to the sickness and absence
of all the commissioned officers of company A.
believe that | had no more reliable officer in
my command and his subsequent conduct and
daring i'm the battle proved the correctness of the
belief At this point which is some ten miles from
the point of starting we were directed To halt,
and my men being wholly without provision, di-
recteI Captain John NJ Blair of Co. c., Gan
efficient and meritOrious officer; ever ready to do
duty aud encounter dangeTl to take small
foraging party and seek provisions at some of the
adjoining farm houses. While on this duty he
came upon small party of the enemy and took
them prisoners, to-wit: Lieut. John W. jackson
of the both Virginia regiment, and private Robt.
Anderson, and Samuel b. Murphy of same regi-
ment-all of whom gave up their arms to him.
AT near night fall we were joined By Col. Sted-
man, 18th Ohio regiment who had made very
hard march to overtake us, and who informed
me that he had been directed by you. at such
time as we might be ordered to take up our line
of march and renew the pursuit. to take position
in my advance. When the line of march was re.
newed he took position accordingly, and main
tanned it until the crossing of CorTick's Ford by
my regiment, during the battle, when nv COM
mand crossed the river took the front and engaged
the enemy OH that side of the stream. What |
know about the battle itself, and what part my
command took in the same, will now proceed
to relate, and to do which Understandings, will
state, that our forces were pursuing the enemy
fork of Cheat river, and we came up with them at
Corrick's Ford, so that when the fight commenced
were OH the left and the enemy Except to
few wagons in the act of crossing) on the right
side of the stream above the ford in large
meadow. The meadow begins IA half a mile
or more above the ford and terminates in woods
few hundred yards before the ford is reached
The road at this point passes between the meadow
and the river near the bank, and parallel to the
To tba vl,i
in the road, / was marching my command
through the meadow, and when the firing com
menccd had nearly passed through it. Just be-
fore the firing the order of march was Colonel
Stedman i'll front, then portion of Col. Barnetts
artillery. then my command. (the 18th Indiana
then Col. Milroy's command, (the 9th Indiana
will not state the order of march rs to the troops
still to the rear. for the very good reason that
do not know it, starting in the night rs we did on
the day of the battle. As soon rs | heard gun
put my me1 upon the run, double quick, } and
soon after emerging from the meadow was met by
Capt. Blake of Col. Milroys command, acting |
believe temporarily aid to Capt. Benham, who
ordered me to cross the river and ascend the hill
above the enemy wind around it down the stream
to his flank and rear and charge upon him. The
right of my command was ut that time near the
rver-without hating | gave the command to
file right. marched straight the river and in
I
from my horse, gave him to a soldier-no horse
could Chamber up it-as it was almost perpendic
ular, and proceeded on foot to ascend the hill.
soon found that the top of the rugged hill could
only be reached by the men marching in single
| file and Selling hold of the trees, bushes and
lodges of rocks to aid them and prevent them
from falling backward. Co. A, commanded by
Lieut.. Waller, Co. b, commanded by Capt. Nor
gan, a sturdy old man as tough as whaleb0ne
f,~l. l. h. e ..
gritty and resoute stranger to fear, the brsvest
of the brlve) and part of Co. G, had already
reached the summit when Lieut.. Col. Spooner to
whom had con6ded the task of bringing up the
rear, callel to me, Il being Mt that time the
top of the hill ) saying that Capt. Benham direct
ell me to bring the men back.
The order had been delivered By Capt. Ben
ham to Adjutant James Gavin who cOmmuII-
Gated it to Lieut. Co. Spooner at the foot of the
hill, and by him communicated to me as above
stated. | filed my men quickly down the hill
and ordered TO charge the enemy at the
| ford and guns. The space between me and the
| right bank of the ford was some 800 yards Il
would Judge but for the greater part of that dis
tance there was not foot of ground between the
river and the rough battlement of the hill upon
which the men could march or even stand They
could not march alongside of the hill because il
was perpendicular battiemcnt or parapet
Neither the ford nor the guns could be reached
| but by putting my men i'll the river and marching
/ down. The bottom of the stream is covered with
large, loose, rolling powders, and its depth and
rapidity such that number of the weaker men
/ lost their footing and were submerged with their
guns i'm the water. Still when | gave the order
to charge down upon the ford no one hesitated.
not man faltered. Notwithstanding their position
in the stream necessarily exposed them to the fire
of the enemy. The necessity of going down the
stream at ALL resulted from the fact that until the
ford is reached the bluff is so high to present
an impossible barrier. The ford is where il is
simply because there is ut that point II narrow
| egress from the water to the right bank. The
enemy's guns were above the ford, that is to say
between the place where | took the water and the
ford. We reached the ford without loss of time,
will he readily believed when the danger of the
| position is appreciated. Here encountered a
difficulty resulting from the fact that the narrow
passage gorged with the wagons and horses
| of the enemy, and that many of the enemy were