The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-11-08

OnC vi thC guns anu Win ltn vi IOlOutl
Morton's infantry then arrived, started in the
pursuit; while | moved on with as much dis.
patch as possible with my aid, Capt Bond q
guide, and the 20 cavalry.
AT Red House, found the gun sent to Col
Irvine some days before, one company of his
infantry and few prisoners captured that
morning. Ordering forward all but eight of
the cavalry, stopped a few moments to gath.
or information and make dispositions rendered
necessary In consequence of the (since found
to be erroncous) reports that there was body
OF rebel troops yet 10 come up, | moved for
ward again with five of the cavalry, and soon
overlook Coils Iryinc's, Dcpuy and their com
mands, which were halted about six miles
east of the Red House. A council was
Immediately called, including the field off
ccrs and captains of all the companies, in
order to learn the actual condition of the men
and all other facts that should govern the ac-
iion of the command A free interchange of
facts and opinions occurred when the facts
found, and opinions arrived at, were, that the
enemy had passed Red House about 5000
strong, including from three to five guns. and
several hundred cavalry, before 3 o'clock in
the morning, the artillery covering the rear
That the very sparse. settlements along the line
of march had been, and were hcing so strip.
of provisions by the enemy, that no reliance
could he placed upon getting any kind Uf sup
plies in their track, that none of the compi.
nies that marched over the night before from
Oakland had any supper, and that very lew,
if any, in the whole command had any break.
fast, and the havcrsacks were almost entirely
empty, and wholly so with the most of the
men, There did not appear to bc on an aver
age one days rations for the men then on the
march drawn from the Commissary and TN.
consumed. For the whole, but one wagon.
and all there was in the way of means of trans
portation, provisions, camp oqupagc and cook
ing utensils had been left in the rear and in
camp. The whole force then in the column
think, did not exceed 300 men, If the pur-
suit continued, the march for many miles must
he over the ranges Of the Allcghany Noun
tains, with no known possibility of cnttingthe
enemy oil, or attacking him in flank, even
though the pursucrs could ovcrtake the pur.
sued. The mounted scouts accommodating to
the front were sent out before my arrival and
did not report To me. | cannot, therefore,
state from them the distance between the two
armies before our return, hut Coils. Irvine and
Dcpuy, in their reports state the least distance
10 have been eight miles and that while our
command was halted the enemy had reached
Stoncy River.
Capt. Keys, who after ovcraking Col. Irvine
lead the small detachment of Cavalry serving
| as part of an advance guard, told me since our
| return that he saw none of the enemy except
Il few stragglers long distance oil. The ia
iigucd condition of our men and all of the
matters above hcing considered in council.
except the distance between forces, which
was subject To spcculation) Il distinct vote was
taken upon the question whether the com.
| mand should then continue the pursuit, or re-.
turn, and every officer hut three in the whole.
numbering about twenty was emphatic in Op-
position to further pursuit, in the then condi.
tim All thn nj mud 4
| against going forward, Except one, II Major,
who declined 10 votc,) and in that vote fully
| concurrcd. What any one might have done
| under different circumstances and in the light
| Of different facts il is idle now 10 speculate.
II Is proper here TO say that on the march
east from the Red House no prisoners were
taken, nor were abandoned arms, or articles
of any Importance found 80 far n have been
able to learn.
To he in more convenient communication
with the Railroad ut Oakland, and nearer tu
| their camp cqllipagc and supplies the troops
were marched back To Red House On the
way, Col Morton's infantry and one gun were
met about two miles from the Red House. On
| arriving ut Red House il was found that there
were not provisions enough Ia give all of our
troops there assembled one full meal without
drawing from Oakland, and there being rs
yet no means of transportation, Col MOrtOn's
companies and two companies of the Virginia
troops, marched back Ia Oakland to their din
ncrs, slppers and camp cqIipagc, arriving
there about 9o'clock in the evening
Late in the evening of the llth Col r. X.
Stanley, OF the 18Th, and Lieut. Col. Turlcy of
22nd Ohio from Clarksburg, had arrived at
Oakland, and during that night Col. Dunning
of the 9TH, also from Clarksburg. arrived at
Oakland, as did Col. w. ). Smith, of the 18Th
Regiment ut Grafton, from Parkcrsburg, each
with his command cndeavoring to respond to
my orders. In anticipation of n movement
forward the next day, if means of transporta-
ton, and horses and harness for the guns
should he obtained and information should
come in, indicating probable success in fol.
lowing the rctreating enemy, orders were Civ
en that all OF the troops nj Red House and
Oakland should he Immediately provided with
two days cooked rtions and he put in readi-
ness to march. Such information did come
about 2 u. NJ of the 10th, and while II was
being considered and plan of operations dis
cusscd with the commnndants of Regiments
| ut Oakland dispatch from Department Head
Quarters at IIuttonsvllc was received dated
llth, and addressed to me, saving" Gar
nett's army completely routed yesterday, 18th,
at . Z. VI. at Cheat River on the st. Georges
road, baggage captured one gun taken, Gar
nett killed, his forces dcmoraliZcd. | charge
YOU to complete your operations by the cap
ture of the remainder of his force. If you
have hut one Regiment attack and check them
until others arrive. You may never have such
another opportunity again. Do not throw it
away. Conduct this movement in person and
FOLLOW THEM Il FOUtTdRcc, Ito the utmoSt.l-
Telegram literatim as follows'-'a I'm 1idHro'
Courers by two different routes had brought
me intelligence that the enemy. having burnt
the bridge at StonGy River, IN the II, W. pike,
early in the afternoon of Sunday, had gone in
to camp II little castlof Greenland, with intcn-
ton To remain tor several days and had burn
ed the bridge at the Gap, there To protect them
from rear attack. Learning also that Stoncy
River could be- passed without serious delay,
that the camp a little cast of Greenland could
he turned by march from New Creek sta
ton, and also by dctour to the right, in pro-
cccding from the west by way of Greenland
and believing that strong expedition mOv-
ing with cclerity, might expect to reach the
enemy AT oy before he would reach Petersburg
and return in safety, considered that such II
movement would be within my discretion,
and also within my instructions. According
", Col. Stanley with nearly 900 men of the
18th Regiment and Col Dunning with 200
men Of the 9TH Reg, were ordered TO move by
the diagonal road from Oakland over the
mountains to the bridge on the pike over the
north branch of the Potomac, there to be
joined by eight companies of the Sth regiment
under Col. Depny, companies of the 10th
unlpr Col Irvine d Comnanips ot the nth nm.