Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-08-20
Ratt1e Of Rich Mountain Pass.

any one who was in the battle Of Rich Noun
tain Pass, which hns fallen under my eye, L
will give the particulars as well as | can from
acknowledging present from the beginning to
the end of the action.
For several days the enemy were within
two miles of us, discoursing martial music aha
making quite display, and on the morning Oh
the l1th July, about l o'clock, the camp hreS
we're burning brightly, and shortly alter
could distinctly hear the command Of the oth'
cprs 70 form into line. We were then at the
breastworks, our men at their guns momenta-
rily expecting an attack. The two Regiments
(Heck's and Pegrau's) were under orders,
nrcpsred to receive them. In the morning 4
coprier from the enemy was shot by our troops,
wa7 wounded aud kindly treated. He informed
no that ge would soon be attacked IN the renr.
| About - o'clock was ordered by Captain
Anderson, who accompanied NE, to place my
gun in ~position at the pass, and await the ar
rival Of the enemy, he confidently stating al
the time his belief that at that point the main
battle would be fought. He then left, stating
we shall be reinforced if attacked. at the
same time four companies Of infantry were
ordered by Col. Pegram to tho same point,
making in all about $50 men, not including q
small Company of cavalry. Immediately the
infantry rolled together some logs for q breast
work. expecting the enemy on our right uank
or directly in our rear.
At this time Col. PcgraIn appeared, and gave
| Cant, DeLagnel the command OF the post, and
thrn rctired to the main body. Before VIC fin
ished our breastwork no heard tho fire OF our
picket guard, under Capt. Carter Il. Irving,
Immediately on our left flank. This was about
half past two o'clock, Isuppose. Immediately
| the position Of my gun was changed, and the
infantry we're ordered on the other side OF The
unfinished breastwork, being then about so
wards in rear Of our cannon. The enemy soon
made their appearance On Tic brow ol the hill,
and commenced firing frcm behind rocks and
trees at our men at the gun. They were about
$50 to 225 yards from US, and out of range oil
our infantry. The main body Of the army OF
the enemy (six regiments) were from three 10
five hundred yards back Of the advance. t
this time we opened Gre from one gun, and al
ter ten or fifteen shots they retired for i short
time. They soon re.appeared, however, when
We opened . brisk fire from one cannon with
spherical shot, which | cut AZ the estimate Of
II to one second, and could see the bombs
burst over their heads and in their midst, and
could distinctly hear their vehement orders to
close up the column, and ordering their men
with many oa;hs, TO stand the fire.
We fired rapidly, rs many as four shots per
minute, and the enemy again retired precipi-
lately. NJ command, including the infantry,
not vet in action, raised a loud shout, believing
they had driven them finally from the field.
u to this time only three regiments Qhc
Indiana Sth and 18th, and en- Ohio regiment)
had been engaged with ua, and during all this
time, Cap. ueLagrel had given orders for our
infantry not tn fire q gun, as the enemy were
entirely cut Of range Of DIR ilint.lock muskcts (;
but while We were engaged the second time,
as above stated, their sharp.shooters, from be.
hind rock and trees, were annoying US With
their almost ~incessaRt fires including o fellow
who seemed to have tTo loading for him. |
requested DR.. Cabell, (son Of Mrs. Col. Lang
horne, Of ~Lynchburg, and a member Of Col.
Higginbotham's company to step forward to
our cannon and shoot the devil, believing that
he had & gun Of longer range than our guns
generally. Ilc came out under q Calling tire
and silcnced The fellow at once with two shots.
He acleG r most heroic part
The enemy again appeared, and fired par
t~icularly at our horses; ard our %calsson, with
the ammunition, was carried away, drivers ard
all, with the terrified and wounded horses. We
lunberei up and moved one gun, near 4 small
log stable. After uniimbcring, We placed our
four horses bach of the stable, which was not
sufficiently long to protect them fully. About
this time our men began to fll fast. the ser.
geant at The gun, Wythe R. Turner, hal both
legs broken ard was shot through the body;
private J. j. Mays hal his left arm broken;
private John 4. Taylor hnA his thigh broken
while pulling the ~lanair,l Qock.string) private
Isaiah Rider Was shot through the head; pri-
Yatc Lewis Going had a wound in the arm, and
private Via. rs. Stewart was shot through the
hand and breast. Z. II. Cursey and driver
John Madison were shot in three places each.
Capt. DeLagneIs horse was shot from under
him, and about That time Our infantry CON-
mcnccd from their hrenstworks a brisk fire
over our heads. Capt. Del. anne to the gun,
and together with benjamin Fu!tz md Wm.
II. Broylcs, fired it some four or five times,
when he (Capt. Dell VAS wounded in the
side. He showed me his wound, and did not
think it mortal, and ordered lis to make our
escape, if We could, Us the enemy would bay
onet us, but we (most of u.s. found it inpossi-
bic TO do so, az the enemy were upon US, and
VIC would have 10 run directly into the fire Of
our infantry.
In taking the last canister shot from the box
] was shot through the hand, which gave me
no immediate pain, but completely paralyzed
the arm.
At this time the firing vas brisk between
our and the enemy's ~iniantry-Capt. Curry, Of
Lexington, and Higginbotham, of Upshur, be-
ing particularly under my observation, ard
exhibiting great activity and spirit, and were
the last to leave the field.
During the fight Capt lrving's company had
formed upon our right flank, about $50 yards
distant, and fought most hravely.
Capt. Organ, oil Luncnburg, and Skipwith,
Of Powhatan, likewise fought with marked
galla7trf.
Capt. Ir7ing's company had the honor Of
killing the frst of the enemy, three Of them
falling at their first frc-Marshall Thurman,
formerly OF Lynchbprg, MORALLY wounding
Capt. Miller, OF the sth Indiana Regiment.
Discovering that they were about to be sur
rounded, our infantry r~ctrcated precipitately,
but in tolerable order.
Capt. Skipwith was killed when the enemy
was right upon him, he firing at them with bis
pistnl, while ne was rounded aud down, when
he was shot through the mouth, the ball pass
ing ont at the back Of mis- head.
But a short time before the close Of the fight,
Col. Pcgram made his appearance, but brought
no reinforcements, and tile day was then lost.
At this lime, |, with four Of my men, was
taken prisoner, and it was with difficulty that
they were prevented from dispatching US with
the bayonet. 4 gentleman from Lynchburs
was shot and bayoneltcd jnat by my side. |
was then taken to the hospital, which our
troops had previously occupied. Soon Capt.
Irving was brought i'll, and many Of our own
and the cnemy's wounded. Their officers were
kind, including General Mcclellan and Roscn.
crantZ.
The next .uorning [ hal the remains of
Lieut.. Boyd interred by our four men who
we're prisoners. Boyd was shot while g~allantly
resisting a charge Of the enemy.
The next day, |, together with Mr.. Moseley,
Of Buckingham, was invited to the funeral Of
our men TO identify and count the number
slain. In two parallel trenches were buried
49, -. ,.ol.5,-- .o-t D.-l T..