The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-24

OF Virginia, for the year ending 3oh September 1861
gives some interesting Information OF tho military ioe
Of the state. The report Of Decemhes g. 1890, whicl
WAS made upon imperfect, and T. some eAtont, incon
plote returns, gave aggregate OF cavalry artillery, 10
antry Of the line light infantry and riacmcn Of 143 25
officers, nonoommissioned officers, musicians anu phi
vates-ncaFy COO less than full and accurate retrn
would th.n have shown Bot tho subsequent defectio
and treaehefy OF portion Of the State land in that chief
ly wore Tho defective and delinquent returIs must b
taken into the estimate now though it is confidently IS
serted that i cannot be much II any less than 1880 O0l
or lao 600 men subject to militia duty.
Az the Gate 81 the last report there in comnss ION
w troops o. cavalry 70 companies Of artillery, ~ com
pahies Of light infantry and 1l3 companies OF remeh
NOW thare are in cemmssion including those "a active
service lsl troops Of cavalry los companies o. artillery
4oa OF light infantry, PIT OF rilome; ana me state mas
in the service of the Confederate States about 6S reg
menls OF volunteers, incia1ing cavary s,asry hsn,
infantry and remen battalion OF enlisted men, and
ono brigade Of militia Of the line
Cen Richardson ntrndsccs into his report review Of
the past condition of the state IN regard TO her military
decnccs appropriate lesson for the future Prior
tho March 2 1858 providing for rcorganizng tho
militia tho State by mistaken course of legislation
had boon reduced TO condition entirely defencaess
that oganzed and armed force Of 00O could not
have boon assembled anywhere to mect the EXTREMIST
emergency md although the reorganization Of totally
dsbnidel militia presented in the outset many difficulties
not easily overcome yet, under the operations OF the
act referred to- was a rapid and complete success
the public feeling and military spirit OF people By
rigid and indexbe enforcement OF the law in regard
tho organization Of the elite OF our mathe volunteer
Corpsthc state was enabled whom sho seeded to throw
promptly into the field force which, with our gallant
% until our independence is achieved.
Referring to the exhibition Of spirit and readiness
SHOWN by Virginia In the present war General Richard
From the day that Virginia seeded the late Union
and resumng her sovereignty, casting her lot with tho
Confederate Staes she has been CALAMITY noby
tanned by her and by the chvarc sons or the
SOUTH and although not 30 we'll prepared for the war,
which has boon upon u.s. as she might have been
tho event had been foreseen the result has shown that
sne was better not only than any OF the States
o. tne conioderacy, but than any Of those which COM
TuiOn liz tha Gtnta M No,v
York. WV 'A'' oA0n' 0A'sp' p0s's THO 'A's o. view
The report Of General Richardson from which we have
collected the above interesting information document
not only exhibiting the characteristic industry Of the ye
esran General, but breathing pure and lofty patriotic
It's sincerity in this old and honorable public officer Of
gnia We heartily concur with the position taken by
Genea Richardson that mono can deny that the State
mas acted up to her whole duty or believe that the Virgil
MIA OF 1861 has degenerated from the Virginia of 176r
Tho report which General Richardson has lnado does
him measure Of credit which would bo glad see
awarded him. faithful officer OF the commonwealth
nonored by all who know him for industry sincerity and
day Of ITO as II alike honorable ana useful Ia the emer
eencioe OF the present
Tho Dispatch Of yesterday says Of the fight in Poca-
nonias county, vAwe received last evening, through
sne kindness OF gentleman from Western Virginia. some
further incidents Of tho battle fought Friday last on
the Allegheny Mountains.
The report which reached the city Sunday that the
Ioroes OF Col johnson were surprised by tho enemy
we arc assured, entirely The action in fact
commenced on Thursday evening between tho
pckets and this contradcts the statement previously
maze that the enemy approached from the
and Trout turning both Hanks As near as we can
ascertan tho Unionsts who doubtless guided BY
Union mon OF tho vicinity. upon Colonel Johnson's
camp soon after daylight from the North their strength
oeing Tour regiments Of about 900 men each They
tackled forces consisting three regiments or an ave
rage Of 400 EACH two battaans numbering together
xO men ana two bate ries OF four guns each Tho fight
treated. '
s great advantage the federas possessed position
Denind some !ellcd timber at convenient distance from
our camp whore theyere well protected from our Are
2nd mad good opportunity Of picking Off our men when
ever they showed themselves. They were however finally
snoed out by our batteries and forced make rapid
retreat They carried OF their wounded down the
the field ''O1sA ''"0 "''' '''' "
Captain Anderson, Of the Lee battery, was sho. dead
from MIS- horse at an early period OF the fight
letter to Judge Camden mentions the death of an or
ooer OF the Twelfth Georgia regiment but gives no name
We also learn that Lieutenant Regain killed. There
Lieutenant Lewis Thompson
The Northwestern boys behaved CALAMITY and de-
served much praise for their heroic conduct They ad.
vanced and attacked the enemy three separate times and
thus exposed suffered more heavily than any other
Only two companies Of the Fifty second Virginia regI
Men., Coi. Baidwins were engaged in the fsht-Capt
sneSe companies, but only one was killed
UNION PRISONERS IN RICHMOND.
'The Richmond EDaminer Of the 10th says:-Three mon
aud two boys were brought this city on Saturdaysy
msnt prisoners Of war They were Captured on Mon
Day last just below the batteries Evansport while in
fOLOmac ~ me
belong tho New York Fire Zouaycs attached 70 The
command OF Sickles, and arc named John Ayres John
Bare and Jesse Jackson The smallest lad Charley smith,
y son Of tho Lieutenant Of Company F. Fifth New York
STATE Militia The other slightly larger about fourteen
years Of ago apparently Of tho Captain OF Com
pany o. the same regiment They were put with the
other military prisoners their arrival here The 70
vernment may, perhaps, send the boys back to their
FEDERAL pHsERrKRs JOIN THE pnnR1 AMY
Tho Richmond Examiner Of the 10th says:-Two men
Who lately belonged to the Northern army and deserted
and confined In Of the military prisons here have
boon released and permitted 20 to Kentucky whore II
understood to 30 their intention to join tho Confederate
army under General A. s. Johnston They are both Ger
mans and vol informed Their names are Lieate-
nsnt Barron Van Fluscthauson Of Company Forty firth
regiment New York State Militia, and Sergeant Major
brigade. s-' 1's>'''
ssSs 9s T EE1REAT
VERY DARK SHADOW FOR WESTERN VIRGINIA.
correspondence Richmond Wing, Dec. ILL.,
RICHMOND, Dec. 10, 1861
been referred to by his friends proof OF his mastery
sk as taetSan invite your attention to the follow
VIynan giving in brief the salient incidents of that
retreat On this letter tho editor of the Virgnian OBJ
q a. aoao not ' an honest and truthful
that our armies have suffered during the war This
Fortunate affair eclpses all the rising fame Of General
Floyd and ends the III fated campaign in Western vir
ginia p blaze of glory for the Yankees" Yet the
dssenaes General Floyd the hero Of ir,v
engagements. Well may General Floyd cxoI.i;n, q N
more 2. kDst, uhl, an u i ioves. Gss. REDAN
lcorresp9Gn.aSn n CO. .! 'ae ,yncnburg virgnian.l
SAaf Il-.sroyMENr yERIvA, Nov. 20, 1851
Mr.. Fsrss-Perhaps you have not had cor.
rect detailed account Of General Floyd'e retreat
from Cotton Hill, although you may have heard
various accounts about it. j at Meadow
Bluff at tho time Of the retreat, but soon after
left there joined the brigade two days ago. and
have carefully taken notes from accounts of the retreat
furnished me by various officers. II is another dark
shadow in tho campaign Of Western Virginia. II is
event that gives encouragement and embodens the
my on all sides Iregrst that 1t has to be related, but
must be honest and give correct account Of failures
well as triumphs; though this is not the policy Of the
enemy who never give correct account Of their defeats
but magnify hem into victories Our policy Is TRUTH let
the consequences be what they may
On the evening OF November 10 tho enemy made
strong demonstrations, near Cotton Hn of an attack
on the next day and General Floyd ordered the army
TO fall back three miles, to Dcknsons encamp
mont, where the Notifications Ncxt morning
II was reported that the enemy were advancing to
Fayetteville 10 cut of retreat and our brig
ade. This caused General Floyd to order q retreat
which took place about eight O'Clock night when the
brigade back to Fayetteville two and half
miles, and matted to guard the road which the enemy
expected to come In 10 attempt TO cut of
treat Here the brigade remained until just day light