Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-07-25
Marching and skIrmi.h;nc.

den nlght-march OF the Ninth Indiana
Fourteenth Ohio, Cleveland Artillery
First Virginia, Seventh Indiana, Sixteent
and Fifteenth Ohio; Sixth Indiana, an
the Guthrie Gravs, from the deserted vii
lage of Phillippi to Beelington, opposit
Laurel Hill, and of the severe skirmishin.
which followed. AT eleven o'clock Satur
day night the troops were quietly sleeping
in their tents, and by two o'clock Sunday
morning the whole column was fairly il
motion, in the order above named, the body
guard with Gen. Morris and Staff be
tween the Seventh Indiana and Sixteenth
Ohio. Wequote account of
THE MORNING MARCH.
The road wound through the valleys
and occasionally climbed the precipitou:
hills which skirt the upper portion of the
Tigart's Valley River. There came to us
on the moist morning air the fragrance o.
the laurel and the azalia. and as our horses
occasionally broke gaily into trot, to re-
gain our place in the column, one might
have had difficulty in imagining aught else
than pleasant morning ridethat had
brought US on road thus early. Gradu
ally the light began to steal over the noun.
tain tops, and in the grayish dawn our long
line of bayonett, stretching backward and
forward through the hills, seemed to ex-
pand and extend till one might have thought
the hosts of Xeixes were passing ameng
these defiles. At no time was it possible
to see the whole of our columns. At some
turn of the road you might fancy that you
had seen the advance companies, but on
looking still further ahead, you are sure to
catch glimpses among the trees of our fut.
tering banners, and were certain that where
the flag was, there marching beneath its
folds were the troops to defend it.
Our main safety in passing over this
road with its sudden curves, abrupt descents
and abundant natural ambuscades, lay in
the secrecy and suddenness of our depart
ure. At sunset not soul in camp knew
of an intended march; at sunrise our ar
my had nearly completed its movement
In many gorge hundred men could
have successfully disputed our passage, or
masked battery have moved down our
regiments like grass. But what we our
selves did not know there was no possibili-
ty that the enemy's spies could find out,
in their questioning through the camp;
and so the first intimation they had of our
approach was the driving in of their pick
cts on Sunday morning.
When the march was about half com-
pleted, halt was ordered, and the men
snt- down on the road side to MUNICH their
hearty breakfast of "hard bread.n From
this point the march was conducted with
great caution, the column moving slowly,
with two companies of skirmishers thrown
forward, and thanking companies were sent
out to scour the adjacent woods.
THE FIRST GUN HEARD-A sECEsHER.
Finally, about half past seven o'clock,
the first gun was heard. The enemy's
pickets were firing! Our skirmishers made
a rush, and away went the pickets, run
ming like quarter nags. Down went the
column through narrow gorge; it wound
rapidly around hill, and out we came in
full view of the heights we were ordered to
occupy; with our skirmishers just chasing
in the last of the pickets, and a few of the
rebel officers, who had apparently been
breakfasting with one Of their secession
sympathisers, a Mr.. Elliott, at whose house
it was at once resolved TO establish our
headquarters.
The skirmishers spread rapidly over the
hillside, on the left Of the road command
ing the village of Beeliugton. and in few
moments group of our officers was seen
on its very summit. Our boys seemed to
appropriate the territory as they went, and
it was but few moments till the whole
hill had been thoroughly explored and our
position secured. Meanwhile the Four
teenth Ohio had rapidly deployed into the
meadows on the left, and advanced to a
position sustaining the Indiana Ninth,
which was already hurrying around the base
of the hill.
In half an hour after our arrival. the
disposition of the forces to meet an imme-
diate attack was complete; our position,
perfectly cooping up the enemy, was Sc
cured and but single life was lost, that
of VIM. 7. Girard of Co. G. Ninth Indi-
ana, who had been shot through the fore
head by the enemy, while bravely dashing
ahead with his company of skirmishers in
to wood occupied by the enemy just be-
yond our advance.
Elliott's house was now taken at once
for the use of the General and staff, great
ly to the Indignation of the old man, whose
form fairly quivered with rage, as he saw
the Federal officers unceremoniously estab-
lish themselves on his premises, and hoist
the Stars and Stripes at his own rebel door!
As he had couple of sons in the rebel
army on the hill, his Indignation could be
excused.
Elliott's dooryard was soon floored with
sleeping officers and men, while on the
hillside and above Beelington the skirm-
ishers kept up struggling fire upon the
enemy ard succeeded in bringing down
three or four of them. During the night
two dashes were made on our pickets, but
a single volley scattered the assailauts in
each instance. In the morning, with day.
light, the skirrnishing began again, and
through the forenoon regular bush war
fare was waged. Finally two large bodies
Of the enemy were seen marching down
towards our encampment. Soon followed
sKIRMIsHING IN EARNEST
Descending from our position in the of
ternoon, we found that couple of compa-
MES of skirmishers had been sent ous 10