Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-11-08
From the Cincinnati Gazette, Nov. 5th1
Important from the Kanawha
Valley.

Important from the Kanawha
Valley.
Particulars of the Recent EngaEerz1ent
at Gauiey Bridge.
Captain Golding, of General Rose
Grams Staff, and Quartermaster John
Mackabee, of the Eleventh Ohio Regi-
ment, arrived in this city yesterday af-
ternoon from Gauley Bridge, which
place they left Saturday morning.
From these gentlemen we gather some
interesting particulars of the engage
nent reported by telegraph to have
taken place at that point Friday, and
which many persons were apprehensive
had resulted disastrously to our cause
for the reason that nothing additional
could be learned from the same source
For the benefit of those not familiar
with, the topography Of the country in
the vicinity of Gauley Bridge, it may
be proper to state that at that point the
Gauley and New rivers come together,
forming the Great Kanawha, just as the
Allegheny and Monongahela rivers unite
in forming the Ohio. Gauley Bridge,
er rather what was the bridge before
Wise burned 1t in his precipitate retreat
last July, spans Gauley river about two
hundred yards above its confluence with
the New. The country is very noun
famous, the hills on all sides looming
up fully five hundred feet, and the wa
ter courses almost entirely covering the
valleys, SO that there is not room in
many places for even wagon road
Our forces are encamped at the bridge,
and at several points on the east bank
of New river, extending up that stream
twelve or fifteen miles. This brief ex-
planation may serve to. make Capt.
Golding's statement more n;elligible.
On Friday morning, detachment of
scouts from the Second Kentucky Reg
iment, under Capt Wheeler, returned
to Gen. Rosecrans' headquarters, and
reported the rebels in considerable force
on the west side of New river. This
intelligence created no uneasiness, for
the reason that the country there is an
almost impenetrable wilderness, and the
enemy had no means of crossing if he
were so disposed. Our skirmishers oc-
casionally penetrate this benighted re-
gion, but we believe it has never been
deemed necessary to throw out pickets
in that direction.
Shortly after Capt. Wheeler's return,
two batteries were opened upon our
troops in the vicinity Of Gauley Bridge
from the hills on the opposite side OF
the river-one directly opposite the
bridge, and the other two miles lower
down, at the falls Of the Kanawha, op.
posite a large brick house, in which
our Commissarys supplies were stored
These batteries played away nearly all
day, the Commissary's quarters afford
ing them fine mark, but so bad was
their firing, they did not strike the build
ing once! In almost every instance their
balls and shells fell short. The upper
battery, after wasting good deal of am
munition, succeeded in driving the
Eleventh Ohio from their camp on. the
hillside opposite, and in sinking a fiat
boat, which served our army as ferry
This was the extent Of the damage done
Not man was killed and the fatboat
was raised again the same evening, and
made to do good service that night, az
will be seen.
1t was not till the day had far ad
vanced; that our Artillery could be
brought to bear upon the rebel batter
les Our rifed guns were all at the va
rious camps, up New river, but wher
they were once placed in position, il
was not long until both the rebel bat,
teries were sienced The loss of the
insurgents, if any, is not known.
A train Of wagons on its way from
Gauley Bridge to our encampments
above, was fred upon the same day
when five or six miles up the river, by
rebel infantry, and two of our men were
wounded. Three companies from Gen
Benham's S camp, at Hawks Nest, came
to their relief, and soon drove the enemy
back of the hills.
Friday night Gen. Benham's brigade
moved down the river to Gauley Bridge
and were ferried across the river on th'
fatboat which the rebels had previousl,
sunk. They moved along the base O
the hill upon which the rebel batteries
had been planted, intending to go dowl
as far as Loup creek, three or four mile
below, where there is a gap in the noun
tains, and road leading to the rear o
where the rebels are encamped. Anothe
brigade, McCeok's or Schenck's, woul(
probably cross above, and it is conf
IDENTIFY believed our troops will be abl
to surround the insurgents on thes
mountains before they can make thei
escape. On his arrival dt Charleston
Saturday evening, Capt. Golding Learned
by telegraph that the firing from tn
rebel batteries had not been renewed.
LATER-Since writing the above, tn
steamer AAen Collier has arrived from
Camp Enyart. which place she left Sun
day morning, but brings nothing addi
tional of Importance from Gauley Bridge
We learn, however, from the officer
of the Collier, that battalion Of Piatt'
Zouaves had left Winfield and gone tt
Mud Bridge. on Guyandotte Creek
where they Saturday night captured
twenty five prisoners.
Col, Mulligan Released.