Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-09-21

TIE ENEMY THREE TINES REFUSED WffH
,. HEAVY LOSS-0NLY A FEW WOUNDED ON OUR
sIDE-GEN. FLOYD AMONG TIRE WOUNDED
hAsTkRLY MOVEMENT OF GEN. FLOYD.
HEADQUARTERS HrAR Doswoop Gar
,.,- September ii, 1861.
On Monday ast We received intelligence cf the sdvsnce
Of the enemy 10 heavy force from the direction of Su.
ton, along the Summervle road On Tuesday morning,
Col. hcCausins rel smen which had been down az Sum.
mervie our advance, driven in, and de enemy
encsmpsd "a miles distant from u.s. We exoscted him
10 drive In plckes on Tuesday night and attack a,
Wednesday morning. but contrary 70 tbess expecs.
toes, be forced bis march and drove in our plckes
at o'clock Tuesday Our line Of battle va, A. once
formed behind our bress.voks and scarcely had N
forces been placed in position, before the enemy
was seen swarmug In tho woods from one end Of
our lines to the other. he approached with
great deliberson and 6rmness and bis central cocmn
EN- rged from the woods and above the hills, two
hundred yards In 'front.' just Is minutes after o'clock
He approached from this point in double quick time
evidently intending force works at the point Of
tho bsyons At the 6rst crack Of rAss the gallant
Colonel Who led In front Of his splendid black
charger fell dead TO the EARTH while the head Of bis
column recoilsd In utter confusion The Coole horse
Is II unconscious OF the fall Of bis rider dashed up to
our embankmene and around them into cur camp and,
from tho inscriptions the mourtirgs OF his pistols,
proved TO be Col VIM II. Lyelis, Of Cincinnati Inw
the daring officer fall from bic horse srd he GER
t,nly one Of the braye Of the brave for be sought hs
Tho enemys columns opened upon ~ alocg the
whole Of centre and right and for hour the rat
tie of musketry ard the thunder Of artillery in
cessant and terrible.
The enemy vas driven back and sierced for moment,
but came again the fRht supported With Eve or six
pieces of artllery-tvo OF which were riaed
For another hour and half the battle rsged with terrific
fury and again the enemys gups were tnenced and b
driven from our view.
The sun vas now fast sinking beyond the distant mou-.
ts;r ard In hnr ,h.tst haH
bis Hpa repuse for the evenii e. but few minutes
dspeled our illusion. For the third time the enemy
back TO the conflict with violence aud deter
minaon than before. He sssald this time from one
end Of oes to the other and tried his hes, fink
For another holr and half and until the dark
faus Of night closed in upon the fight ragged with In
tense fury.
At rs the range both Of their small arms and artillery
very bad, shooting entirely over our heads. The
rsrge ofthe cannon was especially bad for while their
balls cut of the tops and split open the giant oaks In
encampmsnt their shells, with few exceptions burst
high 10 the air and full City yards In But when
toey the las charge they had 90 ten the range
far better and their balls began to pillow up embank
mens vhc their shells broke directly oseI in every
direction and with terrible fury. The enemy seemed 70
be perfectly enraged at obstinate resistance end
determined pour out the full vials Of his wrath upon
rs.
The battle ceased at Is minutes past o'clock tavng
continued almost necessarily four long hours Our
Ct0OQ 70 tneif pOste Win tktOllSnnK coOlDess anu
soursgs The only fault they committed during the bat
tie, wa that Of firing upon the emmy At too long
range aud while securely posted behind the dense
forest trees which sklrted our entire lines
We did not lose single man killed, Nor more than
ten wounded The enemys los could not be ascertain,
3D. but at one single spot where Colonel Lyts fell ss
counted 50 dead bodies The prisoners inform that
their Ioss heavy aud from the fact that senced
their guns three times confident that this report
entirely true. The prisoners informed Us that another
Colonel, whose name do not remember was badly, II
not fatally wounded and his horse killed under him.
Our officers acted with great GOODNESS and bravery
The battle had ragged but twenty minutes when our gal
LIANT General very painfully wounded Ia the right
arm the ball entering near the elbow and passing ont
near the wrist without breaking any bone We retired
him shor. distincs under the hill and had the Wound
drees'd by Sourgecn GIeaves, and In ten minutes be
was again moving along our lines, encouraging bis men
by his presence aud his voice. At later stage Of the
6ght MIME ball through the lapel Of bis coat and
another through the cantc Of bis saddle. Indeed IL
the wonder Of all Of us hov be escapd death. Mono
but his staff and surgeon kuew be vas wcudded until
the close of the fght He IL nov sufehrg much piin.
do not know the Of all our wounded, but Iro.
Stone and Thomas W. kartip Of Captain Hepleys con.
psny Amherst we're the most severely hurt None other
Of this company hurt and only one In Capt Sneadb
company Bryant
AZ the close Of the fight, council Of war vas beld,
and upon kaoWedge Of the enemy's strength, to-
gether with the information received from prs.
ouers il was determined to retire all forces 70 the
south side Of Gsuey and not ha4Ard an attack the pess
morning.
We learn from the prisoners that the enemy was nj
regiments strong with six pieces OF artillery, and Ii
they would be reinforced by Gen. Cox In the morning.
with two more regiusnts aud two pieces OF artillery
They also informed % that Gsr Rosecrans commanded
In person.
Our force was only 200 men, and while We had strong
reason TO believe that could maintain position
even against such terrible Odds We did not think pru
dent to hazard 80 much.
We had dispatched Gen. Wise, In the morning. for re-
Inducements and he bad declined to send them for fear
Of an attack upon him by Gen. Coz We had slso cent
cquriers for the North Carolina and Georgia reslmentsto
come up, but it impossible for them reach Us In
time 10 support Us
At 10 o'clock, last night, therefore, forces pro-
ceeded 10 retire from the petition they bad heoicsy
defended during the day, and By light, this morning.
they we're all saley and in order across the river With all
their baggage &c except some few things which were
lost from neglect and want Of transportation.
had the misfortune TO lose my horse and all my bag
gage, except my bed saddle bride, pistols and ssosd.
Al O'Clock, last night, dispatched to Gen. Wise.
for endorsements, add my friend Capt Peters, very
kindly mounted me fresh horse OF bis OVID, rhbe
left mine Ia the camp When returned this mofnlng,
found my horse and trunk bad been le BY the ser.
wants. who heightened across the river In advance
Of every body else. AN, consequently without horse
and without clothes pc what have on Had been
present, should have lost nothing.
Ny young friends, Adjutant Peter Otey, Capt. VIM.
g. Cook, and Capt. San Henry slso bad the misortune
to loss their baggage tents and beds-s from neglect
Of the servsnte.
We are now pitching our tents at this place, on the
main Charleston road, about Is miles ffsm Ganley
Bridge, and 50 miles vest Of Lswisburg.i
Gen. Wise Is encamped at D,gEood Gap,'a few miles
above US. while poroa of his force holds the Hawke
Il may not be prudent TO cay what our next move
will b. Our mon and cfi,ers. however, are In fne