Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-07-31
Our Army COrrespOndence-the FIT.
tcenth Indiana in Virginia..

CHEAT MOUNTAIN Pass, Va, July 90 1861.
Mr.. EDTroR:-The short account sent you re-
garCling the battle of Rich Mountain was writ
ten before full particulars had been obtained of
the sick and wounded on each side Official docu-
ment now state that over $50 of the rebels were
killed, with the loss of twenty men killed and
sixty wounded on ourpart. Five guns, twelve
colors, 500 stand OF arms and 900 prisoners,
with their baggage and camp equipage were
taken. OF these prisoners, more than forty were
officers, including one of the rebel commanders,
who occupied their intrenched position, the other
commander being killed in the battle. The
fallen rebels we're buried by our troops, and our
Chaplain gave an impressive and appropriate dis
course the occasion. Some who witnessed
this scene tor the first time pronounced it Tin con-
nection with the sight of the wounded near by)
the most awful spectacle they had ever beheid
The prisoners, except the officers, were released
Oh parole, and many OF them marched past our
encampment, night before last The IMPRESSION
made our men various; some thought
them fine looking men, while others, after re-
serving few from the general condemnation de-
nounced them, to ourselves, Gerry far inferior to
the material composing our ranks. They were
however, treated with the utmost cvtr, ou-
Brigader General, Schleich, of Ohio, seeing per-
sonally that this was strictly carried out About
the time they reached the most advanced detach
ment of the 18th Indiana volunteers, situated
near the summit Of Cheat Mountain news was
brought that four dragoon scouts of the Cincin-
natl cavalry, some of whom had been sent i'm ad-
vance, were killed and others wounded by an am
buscade of rebels, who Immediately after firing
from the timber were seen rapidly retreating. in a
position inaccessible to cavalry. The prisoners
are retained until the affair is investigated
l.. = .xI al. VI.
10Th Indiana, who was shot through the lungs, is
recovering, and that not much hope is entertained
of the life of Col. Bryant, who labors under con-
cussion of the brain from the passage of a cInnon
ball close by him without his having received the
slightest wound The 9Th and 10Th Indiana vol
unteers suffered the most severely of all in the
engagement. The Ohio troops under General
Rosecrans, doubled the enemy's flank and made
the attack i'm the rear. The 18th and 18th Ind
ana served to complete the victory, and the 18th
Indiana was held in reserve, sleeping all night on
their arms.
The 18th Indiana now occupies the advanced
post in the mountains which they will probably
iortily; our being in the valley at the foot of
that mountain. This, as remarked before con-
stitutes the limit of this geographical division, as,
OH descending we are all in the valley Ct the AL
leghany range.
This section of country is diversified by fine
mountain scenery. The small valleys afforling
good small grain and grazing, but the grain and
provisions chiefly ran out of the country before
our arrival so that it is very difficult to obtain
grain forage for the artillery and cavalry horses
baggage teams, officers horses, &c.
The mountain sides clothed with chestnut,
beech, oak. some pines. sassafrass and an under
growth of some laurel and vast quantities of
winter green, ferns, black5errics, gooseberrics
and whortleberries.
In Rich Mountain are several coal seams, over
lying the milestone grit, some of which seams
are worked: in one of these pits the wounded
rebels took refuge, and were found piled on each
other, dead.
On the route from Rich to Cheat Mountain, we
passed kiln which burns lime from the subcar-
boniferous limestone. Here, at the foot of Cheat
Mountain, we again chiefly in the milestone
grit, with adjoining siliceous and alumnous shaes,
bearing fossiliferous evidence Of the subcarbon-
ferrous epoch, and sloping at a high angle from
the Allegheny range.