Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-12-14
VIE ESCAPE or FLoYD.
How it eame.that he was not Ragged
- on THO ISanaNKha.

THE ESCAPE OF FLOYD. ~ d
How It same;that he was not Ragged
ON the KnnayVhG.
4 (From the Ohio state Journal OF ysiterday)
i have just succeeded in, getting. per-
feet map Of the vicinity Of the late exploit
lot Floyd, aud the ground which should
have been made immortal by his capture.
fbut upon which he tgtis not caught send
/ It 10 you with such facts as may be OF great
value, 70 those interested, iu forming a
just opinion OF the merits of the case.
am the more Inclined to take special pains
to pfeseht the whole affair in detail, since
| 1t is probably the last one OF much lmpor-
tonce which I will be called npon 70 report
f2nn here this winter. l,...-.7 ~. sd5
On the last day of oefob her, General Roses
ef,tts ord iefed q enerai RsEsh ta move his
eaup > froqi the New River, hSe miles Above
| its Junction with the Ghuley at Gadtey
Bridge, to Cannelton, ten miles below the
Bridge On the morning of the LIST Of Mo-
yem6er, Floyd commeneed firing from
bRttertes he had planted on the. hill OPP
posite General Oox's camp, extending
| from the bridge downthe KAuaWhn to the
falls, Gen. Benham, on his way 70 Can
Melton, as per order of the day, before hear
ing ofthe nttnCk on Cox, halted above the
bridge, and out of range of Floyd's batter
les, until night. Here he received orders
from Gen. Roseonnsi in consideration gf
the unexpected presence of the eueny, to
halt at the ferry just below the falls, aud
beyond Gen. Cox's camp, and from there
| to march upon FloyHyer the mountain. As
he passed Gen. COX's camp he examined
his position and pronounced it uutenRble.
So dangerous was the occupancy OF this
very important post that Gen. Beaham
thought it would be shelled out in one
hour, ON th6 resumption of the Ere on the
I'd. As the pOiHt to which he was order
ed was only at the lower end of General
Cox's camp, be, therefore asked permis-
sion to proceed to Loop Greek, three miles
further down the Kanawha. and. cross the
river. from which point he hoped to get in
FIoyd's rear. The permission being given,
he occupied his new postum on the bank
of Loop Creek, and ready 70 examine his
route to a point where he could cut of
Floyd's retreat by the road from Fayette-
willie to Raleigh @. H., his only way of es-
cape, =
The distance from here to the point
where this road crossed the Fayetteville
road, around the mountain, is about Is
miles. II he found It passable General
Schenck was to march from the camp on
Mill Creek, upon Fayetteville and attack
FIoyd in his retreat if driven back by
Gen. Cox, who WAS left TO oppose FlOyd's
front Gen. Benham's scouts found this
road favorable for at least lOlmiles up, and
reported a willingness To push on the
whole distance. During the next nine dayl.
Gen Cox stood before and replied to the
fire from the batteries of Floyd, silencing
them -s0InetiInas;s sIIEId again e1Posea to
them, until the 10th. On the 9th PlOyd's
guns ceased and were Withdrawn, Gen.
4 . In
remained at Loop Greek. His orders were
TO move as soon as possible aud bY all
means 10 effect his original purpose. de
had, however, moved one regiment within
four miles of Fayetteville, whose eager
ness to bag Floyd would have led them TO
attack the rear of his retreatiug force,
weak as they were, hut this the General
very properly would not ALLOW.
On the 10th, Gem Cox becoming anxious
to knoWths pOsition.nf FlOyd's force, and
not knowing when Gen Benham would
move bis whole command, crossed the river
at the bridge and Rt the ferry with about
1900 men, and marched upon TIE enepy's
then quiet batteries. Floyd had fallen
back, aud Gen. Cox followed him six miles
towards Fayetteville, fighting the whole
distance from Floyd'a first camp To Laurel
creek Here Gen. Cox placed his Outposts,
and as his men had been out thirty-six
hours they were rested. t
AT midnight, on the ilth, Gen. Benham
being ordered again to move to the rear to
prevent the escape of Floyd. who was then
retreating before Gen. Cox, he declared il
impossible to proceed up Loop geek With
his men until morning. He was informed /
that 50 late ngmovement would defeat
the plan of surrounding the enemy, aud
as the only thing remaining was TO re
turn to the ferry and advance upon the
ensmy by the same rohd that General Cox
had taken. Accordingly, he moved on rap
idly and soon supported the w1rnOut for
ees of Gen. Coz. He reached Laurel creek
about O'Clock p. NJ, onsthe 12th. Here
he met the advanced force on Loop creek,
and had n skirmish with the piekets. After
driving them in, he enchmpe,l and called |
for reinlOrcements. Gen. SehenckwSs or
dered to reinforce. but as the New river
had risen iu tile mean time, he was COM
PEELED to march down toithe ferry instead
OF going across at Fayetteville He left
his camp on Mill creek. on the l3th. But
Floyd fed on the night of the I2th..A
theee eeskirmish with Gen. Benham at g en-
eIny's second camp. Gen Benham followed
hun as sOonashe discovered his flight, and
Schenck followed up Benham'5 rear close
enough to support him IN cnses of battle
But the enemy could not be reached. he
was followed some distance beyoud Fay
etteville, where the last fighting. was done,
with u respectable force in EiOyd,s rear
covering his retreat. Benham then Aug-
gested to Schenek. his superior officer. that
be should order retreat, and thus it was
that FLOYD escaped. ~ 75 ai
L do not propose to say who was to
blame tor this hlst and most singular es-
cape Of great bait. ouething is certain.
If5 Gen BenhHm had been bold ;euough 10
push forward on the Loop Greelrroad, cut
ting the Fayetteville road, Floyd would
have beeu company for Mason aud SIldvlt.
Gen Cox certainly did his dnty, and If
Gen. Rosecraus did not DO all that should,
it WIS in not giving BenhAm n positive or
der 70 move mp Loop Ctesk sooner. Al
though he undoubtedIy eoastdered his or