Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-11-07
THE ROUT OF TIE REBELS, Al
CAMP WILD CAT, KY
SEVERITY OF THEIR LOSS.

The Louisville correspondent of the, Chi
cago Tribune gives the following graphic de-
scription of the defeat aid flight of Zollicof-
fer and the rebels at Wild Cat:- r.
The retreat of Gen. Zollicoffer has proved
to be most disastrous and bloody. A letter
from Camp Wild Cat. dated Friday last,
says he had left his dead and dying strewn
along the road from that point to Barbours-
vile. 1t is estimated that 1000 men per-
ished in the rstreat alone, and that his loss
in the battle and the retreat will amount to
! 500 men. The retreat began early on
Tuesday morning. The dead were left on
the field to, be buried by the Union troops.
The field was literally strewn with them.
They must have fought like fiends The
execution was terrible, and the wounded were
few. The effects of the long balls-:he
Mipie--are represented to have been most
terrible. Bodies were perforated and skulls
were broken into half dozen pieces. Many
features it was impossible to recognize. i, The
grape and canister of the artillery had also
found many victims. They were found lying
on the hill sides in groups. 1t appeared as
If the bodies on falling bad rolled down the
steep sides Of the hill, and thus piled up one
on another The road was blocked with
item, and the Tennessee regiments in pur-
suit rushed over the bodies of their former
friends and acquaintance. Two pieces of
artillery and all the camp equipage, with
many arms, knapsacks, and. other matters,
were left BY the rebels in their precipitate
fight. ,,.
But the retreat was the m ost trying ordeal
which the rebels had to undergo. The farm
ers, whom for weeks past they had oppressed,
aroused by the report of the victory, gathered
along the road to give parting blow, and
from Wild Cat to Barboursville the rebel
army run the gauntlet. From every tree and
rock upon the roadside the sharp crack of
the farmers rife greeted them and sealed
rebels fate 1t is said that the retreat was
one continued fight, in which the poor devils
had no chance whatever; ambnscades opened
their fires upon them from every side and
quarter, and they felt what it was to retreat
through hostile country; like the English
who came to subjugate at Lexington, Mass,
they pushed on in haste, flying from the storm
of bullets that beat in upon them at every
step. They needed not who fell. They
pushed on, each man for himself, seeking
CO., -, tba h;l1c IF tho CAV Tho hnI1nt
of the famous rife sped on its mission. The
doomed man sunk without murmur, as if
exhausted His following fellows stepped
over his body and hurried on, nor stopped to,
pluck his weapon from his dying grasp
They lightly sprang over the fallen body OF
steed that but moment before with dilatcd
nostris snuffed danger to its master, and
then fell UNDECIDED by him who had ridden
him. The retribution for our retreat Of three
months ago had come. On the 21st of the
month, three months ago, our men had re-
treated to Washington on the 21st of the
month, they also retreated. But this retreat
was far moro terrible. The shame Of our
arms in Virginia has been wiped out in Ken
tacky. ...... ... ,.-
1t is not improbable that Gen. Zollicofler
has fallen, though there is no information to
that effect. He was well known in the
mountains. His features and form are not
likely to be forgotten by those who have
seen him, even when they have less incentive
to remember him than have the mountainecrs
Of Kentucky. -.
a letter in .ha Taiianapo'.s Journal, from
an officer who took part in the # % ss So
Letters w-ge lou94 u sEras5 - d..s3 II