Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-07-18
FROM TIE SEAT OF WAR IN VIR-
EWNUA

ers, by ga overwhelming force OF the enemy,
snder command Of Gen. Mcclellan, at a place
called Rich Hill, seven miles east Of Beverley.
This account comes through a surgeon in the
Virginia army, by the name Of Myers, who
remained at Beverley and did not advance
with bis command on account Of being sick.
Re got it from a Lieut.. Bacon, who reports
that seeing Col. Pegram fail, he Immediately
put spurs to his horse, and making his escape,
with a slight wound, through a perfect storm
of bullets, be fed to Beverley, and bore the
news Of the disaster which had overtaken our
forces. This Bacon, it seems, was acting as
aid to Col. Pegram, who commanded the two
regiments engaged. Very little credit is given
to the statement Of Bacon, since leaving under
the circumstances he did, it was impossible
for him to know much of what occurred.
We hope it is not as bad even as represented
by him.
This fight occurred Thursday, the 18th inst.
If you will examine your map, you will see that
the location is remote from Richmond, and in
the absence of telegraphic communication,
news travels very slowly over mountain roads.
Randolph county, in which the fight occurred,
is west Of the Allegheny mountains, and much
nearer and more accessible to the lines of tel
| egrspA through the valley of the Mississippi,
than to those along the seaboard. Hence your
news OF events occurring in that section Of the
State will always be earlier than can be heard
here. For the truth you will still have to rely
on the report you get from Richmond, since it
seems to be a part of the enemy's tactics to
exaggerate and misrepresent everything.
Col. Psgram, whom all the accounts repre-
sent az being wounded, is one Of the most prom
Using young officers in the service, and his loss
would be greatly regretted. It j. said that
Col. Heck, who commanded the advance be-
fore Pegram's- arrival, had neglected to throw
out scouts and videttes, and that the command
was taken by surprise and attacked a very
short time after Col. PegCam joined Gel. Heck
with bis regiment and assumed command
Tie enemy took advantage Of this neglect Of
Col. Heck, and a%vailing themselves Of the
knowledge Of the country possessed by the
Union traitors, they surrounded the command
and thus cut them completely of. Of what
occurred beyond that stated above, very little
is known, since our informant left at a very
critical period In the fight, and at a time when,
according to his own account, bis services
must have been greatly needed. To-day's mail
may bring us further tidings.
On Friday last a. detachment of the Viz
GINA cavalry, numbering one hundred and
twenty men, under command of Major Hood,
while cut accommodating between Yorktown
and Bethel, fell in, at a place called Cookie
town, with a detachment Of the Yankees, out
on similar service, when a skirmish took place,
in which our men killed several of the enemy,
and took eleven prisoners. The number killed
is not known with certainty. -Four dead
bodies were found and buried, and one man
was picked up m~ortally wounded. Others are
supposed TO have been killed. whose bodies
were no. recovered. Our loss was one horse
killed, tie place Of which was supplied by a
better one, taken from the enemy. The mum
Der Of the Yankees engaged is vaIiously
stated. A letter from a very reliable young
nan who was engaged in the skirmish, written
to bis father, and which I saw, estimates their
number at sixty. Other accounts make it one
hundred and upward, and one account says
two hundred. As usual, I adopt the lowest,
which I venture to say will be found nearest
the truth. When attacked the Yankees at
once took to a thicket, which our horses could
not penetrate. So our men had to d.smsunt,
leave their horses, station a portion OF
their force at a point in the road
a short distance ahead, and penetrating
with the remainder into the very heart Of the
thiCket, they drove them out through the road,
where, as stated above, some were killed and
others captured. The rest escaped into a similar
jungle on the opposite side of the road, from
whence they made their way to Hampton. To
most Of your readers, who are familiar with
the rsOdas oprGndi Of deer driving, the ma
neuver of Maj. Hood IS a very familiar one.
And, to several Of the poor devils it was, in
deep, a dear drive, which cost them their lives.
One of the Yankees was shot from a tree, on
which be had perched himself high up among
the branches, to obtain a ' wider view Of the
circnujacent country. At the first fire he
fell, as dead as ever a bear fell before the un-
erring aim Of an Arkansas rifle.
I inclose to you the proclamation Of Gov.
Letcher, calling out the militia in ,hs counties
north Of James river, between the Allegheny
mountains and tide water. The objects and
purposes of this procedure are fully act forth
in the proclamation. l also inclose to you,
but not for publication, an estimate Of the vol
teers now in service, in Virginia, and how
distributed, which you may rely upon az being
accurate, the information upon which this is
based having bean obtained from the most re-
liable sources, chiefly official.
When you consider that the calling out Of
the militia will ada TO this force, at The very
lswest estimate, an army OF 10000 additional
men, you will see how difficult must prove the
task of Overrunning Virginia, by any force
Lincoln now has, or is likely within a year to
be able TO bring into the field, An army Of
100000 men cannot effect the @subjugation'' of
Virginia alone, to say nothing Of what will be
required to hold her and Maryland in check,
while the subjugdtors proceed to the compile
ton Of the task they will then have only be-
gan!
The conquest of Virginia, so far from end
ing, would be but the beginning of this war,
which now that we are fairly in for it, will
never end until we have received indemnity for
the past and security for the future. Such, as
far as I can learn, is the feeling and temper Of
he people everywhere. The Yankees are al
ready crying out for a short war. They begin
to feel the effects of the unnatural and unholy
conflict Lincoln has precipitated upsn the
country, in the utter prostration and ruin OF
their trade and commerce, and the ruin Of all
kinds Of business. They will not long endure
the present state Of things. Public sentiment
is already beginning to demand that this war
be brought toia close. The Linccolngovernment
must yield to this demand. We may look for the
most stupendous efforts on the part Of General
scott to carry out his splendid scheme of con-
guest and subjugation, during the intervening
time between now aE6 the assembling Of the
federal congress in December. Let as be pre-
pared to meet and defeat them.
Despite the carping and faultfnding of
those, who in utter Ignorance Of what thew
write ab5ut, are constantly and in the most
cowardly and covert manner, insinuating that
this State has not done her daty, in the present
emergency, you will see that Virginia has
come fully up to the highest standard Of pat
riotism, ard to-day stands foremost in the front
rank of those who have nobIy done their part
in the great work of this revolution. Let