The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-18

green DuSHeS Wnat the DcSt OF same
with which they enter upon peaceful and pleasurabc pur
suits will animate them IN the hour Of danger when their
country demands from them the highest sacrifices
can make.
OPERATIONS IN WESTERN VIRGINIA.
~~~~>~>~~>~~~~~-~~~>~~~>O~~
Col. Hcnningscn's Account OF tho Opera
lions OF the Rebel Generals Floyd and
Wise, SIC.
We find the following account of sho operations Of
Fcyds and wse's forces Western Virginia. since the
battle Of Carnifex Ferry, in the Richmond Dispatch Of
Oct e. Its authorship attributed in Richmond to
Col Hsnnngsen, who arrived in the rebel capital with
Gen. Wise the 2Rih ult It is F1cBd and is
proncunced too ptal to Wise by the Richmond papers
CAMP DEFIANCE Sept rs, 1851.
On the 14th 1t September Gem Floyd and his forces
camped the summit Of the Big Sewe and ordered the
Wise Legion, which, 10 cover his rear drawn up In
order Of bath at Locust Lane to camp east Of him at
The troops OF the Wise Legion, who were In no amabs
humor at % much retreatng, and especially at being
much exhausted and annoyed athaving been kept
the road from six in tho morning till eleven O'Clock
night, mired up with an interminabs train Of wagons
belonging to the Floyd brigade for Che purpose only
proceeds few miles, and without being able to obtaia
any defkdte order as TO their destination.
On thr eastern slope Of the Big Eewel between two
small farms called Dxons and vaughans General Wise
selected his camping ground at the called Camp
DehaEe, and which undoubtedly rs, with Dogwood Gap,
the Ohio river.
ON he 18th and 1eth General Floyd was ndustriousy
summit Of Big sewei The position however was not
one tenablc against superior force and this General
Floyd appears to have found out On the night of the
10th and 18th he made very prccptate retreat from
Big Sewall, with about 5000 men, Meadow Bln de-
stroying much baggage and abandoning much provision
His troops under the Impression that General Rose
was pressing with 10, 900 men. After passing
the Wise Legion he ordered General Wise the follow
ing day to prepare to his rear to follow him to
tnfn ofinnf
advancing one column by the Wilderness road.
1t was impossible for Governor Wise to comply with
was not executed at ALL only by maintaining its
position at all hazards that tho Legion could protect tho
rear Of the Floyd brigade. The experience of Dog
by the enemy, few hours after the Wise To-
gion left Il by General Floyd's order, showed
clearly, and the event at Camp Defiance subsequently
confirmed that the abandonment of the latter position
tho enemy would Immediately occupy it in force Foyds
brigade was much demoralized since its retreat from
Camp Gauley and the following retreat The Wise Le-
gion willing enough TO fight, would have been equally
demorazed by retreating further. Meadow Blur af
since been made the Wilderness road did there
exist any reason why there should be- since the enemy
could more conveniently II in force sufficient strike the
turnpike further eastward for instance the Little
Sewell.
If the Wise Legion had retrcated and been followed up
by superior forces, its existence imperiled and
thereby the rear of The Floyd brigade left unprotected
But at all events that impossible execi
without the abandonment of baggage because Cen
era Floyd had detained many wagons belonging to tho
already insufficient transportation of the Wise Legion
and because the roads had been much up by the
vast train of the Floyd brigade.
The writer counted twenty eight wagons belonging to
and following the last regiment Of General Floyds brig
ade which WAS just twenty than accompanied tho
regiment which closed up wise's column.
Under these circumstances, General Wise resolved TO
make stand where he encamped, and where, tho
morning after his reaching the groand he had begun to
throw up ntrenchmens. Here it impossible for the
enemy to bring more than two guns a thousand
bear on any part OF his position and overy point,
within few minutes General Wise could bring six of his
eight pieces and twohrds of his play besides
the advantage OF ntrenchments In addition most Of the
officers OF the Legion Of resgnng compelled
to retreat any further.
On the 18th General Wise addressed tho troops Of his
Legion, stating substantially that hitherto he had never
rereated but in obedience superior orders That here
he determined TO make a stand. That his force
the enemy was alleged to be is 900 strong That this he
did not believe, but that his men must be prepared
fight two or three or several to ene and even the
my were in the full force stated the position admitted Of
successful Defence and he determined to abide tho
issue He warned them that they would probably be
tackled front and for successive days called on
any officer soldier who felt doubtful OF the result or un
willing to stand by him in this trial. to step forward
promising that they should be marched at to
Meadow Bluff. This speech, delivered successfully to
the three regiments of infnany and to the artil-
ery, was received with the widest enthusiasm Not
one solitary individual In the Legion failed to respond,
and the spirits OF the corps were raised and maintained
to the highest fighting pitch. The provision and baggage
wagons were withdrawn into safe positions ana the camp
on all sides strengthened In this attitude the Legion
manned till about the Goth, when strengthened BY
the arrival Of Captain Romers artillery company with
gum and by that of Virginia North Carolina
and three Georgia companies which sweed the force OK
the Wise Legion to two thousand About this
time Gen. Lee arrived IN Gen. Noyds camp, at Meadow
Bluff and wrote to Gen. Wise, advising him TO fall back
If executable without delay. Before acting this advice
Gen. Wise requested Gen. Lee to inspect the position in
a u .ne "a nea Leg srfved al camp Denancs'
Wise tomaintafhis position until further orders.
The enemy had meanwhile, advanced to within three
or four miles and several skrmshes had taken place be-
tween outposs and the remaining cavalry Of the Legion
under Maj Bacon formerly captain Of mounted rangers
in Nicaragua, and Afterwards aid to Gen Carnott and
wounded by the side os that General when he fell The
rest Of the cavalry still under its gallant Colonel j.
l. Davis and Lieut. COL Carkson, south Of tho New RI
ver where they had pushed daring successful foray
up to within twelve miles of Charleston.
One night General Wise, with few picked companies
including the Richmond Blues and Mississippi Rangers OF
the Second regiment under Captain Imboden attempted
to feel and anbuscade the enemy drive in their out
posts killing three OF them, the General himself lying
down for several hours in ptlees shower. Notwth-
standing all that could be ascertancd Of the enemy was
that he Was on the turnpike. probably from 900 10
COCO strong On the afternoon OF the 23d while the in
fanxy artillery OF she Legion were rehearsng their
part on tho contemplated po1rts OF attack the enemy
suddenly appeared, driving in our rickcs. The next
morning the summit OF the Big Sewell whitened
with his tents and slrmsang commenced andooutinued
ell the evening.
On our eide two gym detachreuss of the artillery and
three companies Of the Second regiment Of ne Legion Il
which Colonel Hennngsen is Colonel but in consequences
OF hE having charge OF she infantry artillery under
the immediate command Of Lieutenant CoAo.eI Frank
Andorson-whe disting himself by the daring cx
plot Of capturing Castillo Nicaragua with forty eight
men, after Lockridgc and Titus had failed with
so0-CaTtan Imboden's, Captain Lewis and Captain
>rane's University company were che companies
engaged with six FOUNDER and one ho,yzer unde-
MAJOR Gibbs Of South Carolina, Captain hcComas and
Pairo, of Richmond. i
The casualties were but tring side, though we
have TO regret the death Of Lieutenant Howell of Mssis-
spp (of Captain Mconnels company and that Of one
y oaptann mboden's gallant Rangers Captain Lewis |
was shot through the breast but Is doing we'll Three
pns es were wounded in the above named companies
ny 1 very severely. The only loss in the artillery was
-, Iaros horse, shot under him. The enemy was
hossiy only feeling for the TANKS OF our position and
,ey eouu make nothing Of it, and ono wonder" as
resor snead remarked "since Il has no tanks at aln
ine guns were only advanced to ayenge the casualties