Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-07-24
Tt}E RAFTs6NANss JOURNAL,
SUMMARY OF WAR NEWS.

SUMMARY OF WAR NEWS.
RoxNEY. Va, July 15.-This morning do
tachment of fifty men, under Capt. E. A. 1r-
vim, of the Kane Rife Regiment, encountered
a body OF retreating rebels on the banks Of
New Creek, near the Baltimore aud Ohio Rail-
road, which were probably portion of the
rebels routed by Gen. Morris. The rebels
were double the number of the force under
Capt. Irwin, and were intent on marching
through the pass which Irwin and his men
were detailed to guard. In this attempt bat
tie ensued, which resulted in the death Of
three Of the rebels, and the wounding OF
large number of others. Capt. Irvin's men
in this affray conducted themselves with the
utmost cuolness and gallantry, receiving the
fire Of the enemy without the loss of a single
man, and after having returned the leaden sa-
lutte of the foe, rushed on and dispersed them
in every direction, capturing q wagon filled
with plunder, which the secessionists had sto-
len from the defenceless people in the neighbor-
hood, and which they were unable to carry OH
in their retreat. A large amount of camp
equippage was also left on the field, which
was'taken possession of by Capt. Irwin and his
men. This skirmish and victory has diffused
great enthusiasm among the ssbuck tails, - who
are anxious to follow ii up with other achiev-
ments Of u similar character.
july 16.-The following is detailed sc-
count of the defeat of the rebels at Rich Noun
tain and Laur,l Hill :-On the night of the
llth the rebel army evacuated their camp at
Laurel Hill, apparently hoping to pass Beverly
before Gen. McClellan's arrival, and thus es-
cape the trap for them by passage through
the Cheat mountain pass. Pursuit was imme-
diately ordered. The whole road for twenty
miles was strewn with baggage thrown from
the wagons to facilitate their retreat. The
rebel army went within three miles of Beverly
and there met the rebels flying from Rich
IN nd aDAt 70 unff Ia
impossible, all united and returned toward
Laurel Hill, and took the road in the direction
of st. Morris. Gen. NJ Morris's division pursed
them for mile or two beyond Leedsviie that
night, and halted from ii till in the morning,
when the advance resumed the pursuit and
continued it all day. in spite Of an incessant
rain pouring down. The rebel army left the
pike and struck Cheat river and pursued the
mountain road down the valley. Our advance,
pushed on, guided through the mountain gull
lies by tents, camp furniture, provisions and
knapsacks, thrown from the rebel wagons to
facilitate their fight. As our troops forded
Cheat river the fourth time, the rebels opened
a furious fire on them with small arms and RI
fed cannon from a bluff on the opposite side,
but their fire was too high to be effective.
The fire was returned with spirit by the infan-
try meanwhile two pieces of artillery came
up and opened on the rebels. During this fire
the l4th Ohio crossed between the two fires
and came in on the enemy's flank. The reb-
els then fed in disorder leaving two Of their
finest cannon. AT the next ford, quarter or
a mile further on, Gen. Garnett attempted to
rally his forces, and another brisk engagement
ensued. Gen. Garnett was finally shot dead,
when his army fed in wild confusion towards
St, George. The results of tho whole affair
lis the capture of the rebel camp at Laurel
Hill, large amount of tents and camp equip
page, forty baggage wagons, field camp
chest, two regimental banners, one Of them
that of the Georgia regiment, from Georgia,
captains and lieutenants and large number
of Virginia officers, the death of Gen. Garnett
and twenty of his men, and a much larger
number wounded. All along the line of re-
treat the woods are filed with deserted rebels,
and our men are ordered to stop arresting
prisoners because we cannot take care of them.
Our loss is wholly in the Fourteenth Ohio Re-
giment, two being killed and two mOrtally
wounded. Our forces are now engaged in
burying the dead.
WASHINGTON, July 17.-Our skirmishers
reached Fairfax Court House at half past e.
levcn A. NJ, and the advance guard entered
the village exactly at noon. Trees has been
feled across the road at three points to OBJ
struct the march, but they proved feeble i'm
pediments. Half mile this side of Fairfax
an embankment had been thrown up across
the road, a halt mile In length, with embrasures
but no guns had been mounted. There were
no pitfalls or masked batteries. The pickets
this side of Fairfax retired this morning about
one hour only before the head OF the column
came in sight, leaving the grain bags out of
which their horses were fed, and the Federal
troops fed their horses out of the some bags.
This morning the Confederate troops at Fair
fax were drawn up on the west side of the
town, and the people expected that battle
would certainly take place, but at 9 A. NJ,
they made precipitate retreat, leaving five
quarters Of fresh beef, shovels, spades, tools,
camp furniture, etc., behind them in their
haste. The entry of the Federal troops into
Fairfax ia said by those gentlemen to have
been inspiring beyond description. The main
street was filled, as far as the eye could reach,
with the soldiers marching with fixed bayon-
cts and loaded guns, cheering for the Union,
and the bands playing the Star-Spangled Ban
ner. AS soon as the 5000 infantry In the
column had passed, the cavalry which were in
the rear-the artillery being in front-dashed
through the town on gallop, and endeavored
to overtake the retreating Confederates.
They followed the road four miles towards
Centreville, but the great heat preventing a
forced march OF the infantry they returned.
A few builings were burned by the federal
troops a mile beyond Fairfax on account of
rumor that soldier had been fired on by them.
No buildings had been burned at Fairfax.
A dispatch from Hudson, Missouri, says that
"Eight hundred federal troops came up a.
head of the passenger train this morning as
far as Millville, thirty miles above St. Charles,
on the North Missouri Railroad, where the
track was torn up. The federal troops were
fred into, when an engagement ensued, re-
sultlng in tho loss of seven rebels killed and
several taken prisoners. One man, who was
caught with gun in his hand was immedi-
ately hung, and another who attempted to e.
scape was riddled with balls. The fighting
still continued when the passenger train pas