Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-10-02
The Army i'm Western virginia-Ope-
rations in Cheat Mountain-Report
of General Reynolds.

rations in Cheat tain-Report
of General Reynolds.
HEADeUARrERs FIRST BRIeADE /. V. M
ELK WATER, Sept. II, 1861.
TO George L. HIrtsatg, assistant AdjasGht 6eaerai
Department Ohio:
SIR: The operations of this brigade for the
past few DAYS NAV be summed NJ as follows
On the 18th inst, the enemy, nine thousand
strong, with eight to twelve pieces Of artillery,
under command of General r. 4. Lee advanced
on this position by the Huntersvie pike. Our
advanced pickets-portions of the Fifteenth In
diana and Sixth Ohio gradually fell back to our
main picket station; two companies of the Sew
enteenth Indiana, under Col. Hascall, checking
the enemy's advance at the Point Mountain
Turnpike, and then falling back on the regiment
which occupied very advanced position on our
right front and which now ordered in. The
enemy threw into the woods on our left front
three regiments who made their way to the right
and rear of Cheat Mountain took a position on
the road leading 10 HuttonviIle, broke the tele-
graph wire and cut off our communication with
Colonel Kimbalps Fourteenth Indiana cavalry on
Cheat Summit Simultaneously another force of
the enemy of about equal strength advanced by
the Staunton pike on the front of Cheat Noun
tain and threw two regiments 10 the right and
rear of Cheat Mountain which united with the
three regiments from the other column of the
enemy. (The two posts, Cheat Summit and Elk
Water, are seven miles apart by a bride path
over the mountains, and eighteen miles by the
wagon road uia Huttonville. "Cheat Mountain
Pass" the former headquarters of the brigade,
being at the foot of the mountain, ten miles from
the summit.) The .nemy advancing toward the
pass, by which he might possibly have obtained
the rear or left of Elk Water, was met there by
three companies of the 18th Indiana, ordered up
for that purpose, and by company of the
18th Indiana from the summit These four
companies engaged and gallantly held in check
greatly superior numbers of the enemy. foiled
him in his attempt TO obtain the or left of
Elk Water, and threw him into the rear and right
of Cheat Mountain-the companies retiring to the
pass at the foot of the mountains.
The enemy, about 5000 strong, were closed in
on Cheat Summit and became engaged with de-
tachments of the 18th Indiana and oath and 25th
Ohio, from the Summit, in all only about 300,
who, deployel in the wood, held in check and
killed mary of the enemy, who did net at any
time succeed in getting sufficiently the field
redoubt TO give Dunn's battery an opportunity of
firing into him. So matters rested at dark on the
18th, with heavy forces in front and in plain sight
of both posts, communication cut off, and the
supply train for the mountain, loaded with pro
visions which were needed, waiting for oppo--
tunity to pass up the road. Determined to force
a communication with Cheat, | ordered the 18th
Indiana, under Col. Sullivan, to cut their way il
necessary by the mail road, and the greater part
of the Sd Ohio and I'd Virginia, under Colonels
Manon and Moss respectively, to do the same by
the path; the two commands starting at three
o'clock A. NJ. on the 18th, the former from Cheat
Mountain Pass, and the latter from Elk Water,
so as TO fall upon the enemy, If possible simulta-
nedusly Early on the 18th the small force OF
about 300 from the summit engaged the enemy,
and with such effect that notwithstanding his
L.. IL al
haste ard disorder, leaving large quantities OF
clothing and equipments on the ground, and our
relieving forces, failing to catch the enemy
marched to the summit. securing the provision
train and re opening our communication. While
this was taking place on the mountain, and as
yet unknown to us, the enemy, under Lee, ad
vanced on Elk Water, apparently for general
attack. One rified ten pound Parrott gun from
Loomis's battery, run to the front three quar-
ters of mile, and delivered a few shots at the
enemy, doing fine execution, causing him to with.
draw out of convenient range. Our relative po-
sitions remained unchanged until near dark, when
we learned the result of the movement on the
mountain, as above stated, and the enemy retired
somewhat for the night.
On the 18th early, the enemy was again in
position in front of Elk Water, and a few rounds
supported by company of the Fifteenth Indiana
were again administered, which caused him to
withdraw as bef0re-the forces that had been be-
fore repulsed from Cheat Mountain returned and
again driven back by a comparatively small
force from the Mountain. The 18th Indiana was
ordered up the path to open communication and
make way for another supply train, but, as before
found the little band from the summit had already
done thework. During the afternoon of .he l4th
the enemy withdrew from before Elk Water, and
is principally concentrated some ten miles
from this post, at or near his main camp. On the
18th he appeared in stronger force than at any
previous time in front of Cheat and attempted a
flank movement by the left but was driven back
by the ever vigilant and gallant garrison of the
field redoubt on the summit. To-day the enemy
has also retired from the front of Cheat but to
what precise position j am not yet informed
The results of these affairs are, that have kill
ed near one hundred of the enemy, including
Colonel John A. Washington ABIDE Camp to
General Lee, and have taken about twenty pris0-
ners. We have lost nine killed, including Lieut.
Junod, 18th Indiana, two missing and about six
ty prisoners, including Captain james Bense and
Lieutenants Gilman and Shaffer ofihe 9th Ohio
and Lieut. Merrill of the Engineers. / append
the reports of Col. Kimball, 18th Indiana, Capt
Higgins, Oath Ohio, and Lieut.. Col. Owen and
Col. Wagner of the 18th Indiana.
J.J. REYNOLDS,
Brig General CONG 1st Brigade
Geo. S. RosE, Asst Adj't General.
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