Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-09-07
RArrLn oF cRoss LANES.

f. II. Brown, Chaplain OF tie Tth regiment CIV
ing clear and satisfactory account of this battle
about which so much interest has been felt, and
which resulted in the death Of Capt. Dyer, OF
Painesville and the capture by the rebels of
Capt Shurtlilr Of Oberlin, and, doubtless hers
of our Northern Ohio friend and neighbors
In my last letter from the mouth of 90
Mile Creek, l told you of our being ordered
there in consequence Of a threatened attack
on Gen. Cox But the eucmy retired after
n brisk skirimiSh in which their advance
guard was severely repulsed, aud in a day
or two we were ordered back again to
| Cross Lanes to gnard the Ferries in that
neighborhood, and prevent the enemy cross
inr over Gauley River, in accordance with
the general plan as arranged by Gen. Ro.
sencranz We moved Oh Saturday, and by
4 o'clock p. NJ. were at Peters Creek, with.
in 5 miles Of Cross Lanes, where We learned
that Cen FLOYD with a large force had
already Gre s;cd the river, ard was in posses
sion OF our old camping ground at the Lanes.
Believing it to be unsafe TO move forward
| that evening, we retired 2 miles to a more
projected place, aud there remained for the
night In the morung-Snnday morning
"a counsel of war Vas held, at which it
was determined to leave the baggage train
there in charge of one company and ad.
vance with the remainder of the regiment,
numbering in all about $50 men, against
the enemy. AS no company was willing
to volunteer 10 remain behind, and as the
Colonel did not like to make the selection
himself where all were anxious to 60, lots
were cast. The lot fell on Company f,
Can't. Clayton'S commanded by 1t Kimball.
About o'clock the other companies
and a company Of independent Virgiuians,
Can't. Bagg, called Snake Hunters, began
the march We moved slowly aud cautious
", sending out scouts and waiting for their
reports. At Peters Creek the road to
SummervilIe divides, the northern branch
running direct, the southern leading south
ward and being two miles longer in con-
sequence. Half way along them, and where
, they are separated some D miles, they are
. crossed by the road leading up from Carni.
fax Ferry The crossing Of the southern
branch is called Gross Lanes Thither we
J. were bound. One company, however was
/ sent to rcconuoiter up the Northern branch
Y 5 were left at the southern branch to make
j. a forced reconnaissance. With these
., companies, under command Of Lieut.. Col
Creighton, Col. Tyler also accompanying
e part Of the way, went. No opposition
o was met with, and no enemy seen, until W
L. arrived at Cross Lanes, where were 40 0
tn the encmy's cavalry, whom Capt Crane at
90 tackled, aud diSpered like a flock Of frighter
ed sheep. Floyd himself, with the body O
Nv his forces, was encamped miles and ha
ed, down the cross road leading to the Ferry
its Immediately word was sent back, and OF
or. whole force was moved up the Lanes, Lea'
-, ing the Snake Hunters in charge of I'll
-" Ford and watching the north road
''' Ii was now dark, and we encamped f,
+ the night But as we had no tents
der blankets with Us, and were not allow
fires to cook food or warm ourselves, o.
camping was disagreeable enough. +
myself slept, with many others, on a bu
the die of hay in the middle of the road.
at were not all together, but dispersed, all t
Y companies being on picket guard Co.
nine Capt. Crane, on the road out toward Su
and mersville, but near the crossing Co.
-rc.s Capt. Shurtlif, at the corssing Co.
tho Lieut.. Nitchem, some distance down
,rnd road toward the enemy and Companies
w or ID, Il, g, II and J. commanded by Can
Grgt Aspen and VIM. Sterling, in the order ne
,ado ed, along the road we had come, aud on S
iaht @ roads leading into it within short distar
,or, The orders were in case Of an attack,
Companies A, G, and X to fall back on
roro others and contest the road TO the Fl
onG along, which, if compelled to give way,
,ras must retreat towards Gauley Bridge.
rnor All these arrangements made, exc
IN is those in each company actually on gu6
we lay down and tried to sleep. Col
wing Ter and Adjutart De Forest had their ql
lars ters in a little church on the road to
the Ford, in the midst Of the companies
The charge oft, about 200 yards from the C
tect sing Liut Col Creighton, Maj Casem,
was Sergeant Maj King DR. Salter ant
cad. were at the Crossing with Co. c. Thos
two us who had horses kept them sadded
,oint night, and at hand. The night pa;
flag away without any alarm, and the morn
broke cold aud misty AS soon as poss
was fires we're Linded | am told that tow
hin a midnight many fires we're kindled in the
I'd of ferent companies by the men who were
is as tering from the cold and were kept bl
united ing brightly all night but, excepting
shells n'e AT the crossing, where it was thOugl
camp ure would do no harm, being at the Gel
""u u'e'"uL from The picketS, l saw no
clock, none were burning when | went to see
Vgor and know that Col Tyler ordered
l, the there should be none-and the men bu
z the themselves, roasting green corn gath,
and from the fields about for breakfast w
teras thus engaged, some at the fires, some
u the ing, the pIckets down tue road towards
azine Ferry commenced firing Instantly
had word was given to fall in In one mil
ID by the companies were in line and ready
,rmal march, COL Tyler took command
the men on the road to the f
who and Lieut.. Col Creighton, assisted by NJ
-sday Easement and Sergeant-Mojor King,
: aud companies A, @, and X. These last
Yards started down the road 10 the Ferry to |
) i'm the enemy the others were formed in
along the road to the Ford. / accomI
-ehief cd Maj. Easement. But before we