Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-10-30
Original 4spsrs.
FOB THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
THE RETREAT FROM CHARLESTON.
BIZ MAI. IL. LANSING BIZ RRows.

In the history OF the present struggle for
Southern Independence, there is, perhaps, no
incident less known to the people of the South
than the retreat of Brig. Genl. Henry a.
Wise from Charleston. Yet in that retreat
there occurred events, which, as well as the
causes that led to it, and the fatal errors pri-
or to it, are of great Importance. Owing to
this, the great struggle for possession IS be-
ing made by the Federal forces in the Valley
of the Kanawha; and had the intended cam
paign been carried out in the rugged noun
/ tains of the far West, there can be little
doubt. but that the powerful army of Rosen-
crantz aould sooner or later have been ami
hilated. But the retreat of which | pro-
pose to write. turned ia a different channel
the events of that portion of the army-and
/ caused the plan of the Western campaign to
be entirely changed.
The Army of the KanawhA as it was call
5 ed, was composed of a Brigade known as the
;" Wise Legion" commanded by Brig. GenL
l Henry A. Wise, and a Regiment of Virginia
4 Volunteers under the command of Colonel
e Christopher l.. Tompkins. The latter not
being under the immediate control of Genl.
t Wise, nevertheless acted with that Brigade,
t and submitted to the orders of that General.
At the time which | propose to connsnce
a this narrative, the Head Quarters of Genl.
~ " y WCIO - OlAHi IN AN AAASiP~ sS6h
of that portion of the country, situate on the
e north bank of the Ksnawha River some six
h ty miles from its mouth. The army left be-
hind it's entertainments at Four Mile Camp
under Tyler Mountain, four miles west of the
as town, CO.. Tompkins, while his regiment
10 had advanced as far as the mouth of Pocs-
ID salice Creek, on the opposite side of the riv-
ne er, twelve miles west. To cover the rear of
ny this army, a military post was established ut
on Lewisburg in the county Of Gresnbrisr, one
. hundred miles exactly to the South East.
ITS A great error was the withdrawal Of these
troops from Lewisburg. On Saturday, July
18th, a ~preremptory order was forwarded to
IS, Col. J. Lucius Davis, an officer of deserved
renown and great ability, then in command
os. at Lewisburg, to move every man at once to
md Charleston. Knowing the importance of the
OF post, and that it was highly necessary to pre-
a., vent the ingress of Federal forces from the
err town of Summersville in Nicholas county
on, Col. Davis heSitated. But the orders being
ur- ~preremptory and moreover brought by Col.
ba- Croghan, another officer of great daring, the
reta order to march was given, to be obeyed a,
RAJ two o'clock the following morning.
Precisely at that hour, Capt. Mowry's com
gy. pany from Go0ehland county, Va, started
upon the tedious march of an hundred mile,
and left the town. Close on his rear cam,
@ CdDI. 1OllOCh > mOuuL3fuESIS kno1 OapL
Pannills Orange Minute Men, Capt Wing
God fields Jackson Avengers from Sussex county
in, Va; while the rear was brought up by a com
mes. pany from the University of Virginia undo
the Capt. j. P. Crane, and q magnificent body Q
gels Cavalry from Richmond, under Capt. Mag
ring ruder. COLI. LuciuS Davis commanded, as
) all sisted by his staff, composed ofCapt. Hutto
tell of the Engineers, Mr.. Chancey as Aid, an
God the writer acting in the capacity of AdjutAn
new This dreary march over the Muddy Greek
aid. Sewell and Gauley Mountains thus commsn'
lere, ed. At noon on Wednesday, the 18th, tn
pray column halted at Gauley Bridge, an impo
i an tant post then held by our troops to th
number of 900. This bridge was over tn
to a Gauley River where its conAux with the Ne
anne form the Great kanawba. 1t was situate
f his in a tremendous gorge OF the Gauley MouI
,ther tains, slxty-mlles from LewlsbuTg, and ov'
don't it was the only one which connects the Ea
were tern and Western counties for thirty mile
bo- the rivers neither of them being fordable.
The halt here was not of long duratio
angel the march being resumed early in the NOR
ing with an addition Of two more compani,
never one being the Texas Rangers under comma
as in of Capt. Mclean. The march was kept
ngels steadily to Tompkin's Ferry, nineteen mi
lie ba- east of Charleston, where = steamboat CT
they veyed the troops rapidly down the river
sweet their destination.
d she In the meantime an engagement had
IS sit Cured d. at Scary Creek near the encampm
play of Col. Iompklns. Inns happened on
i !-17th. Col. Newton, with a great number
Annie, Federal forces, advanced on Col. Tompk
ooked who made preparations for a vigorous sta
{. and The Federalists occupied a position on a h
Iother, ridge at the base of which ran the creek alb
earth mentioned. Col. Tompkins immediaf
to go drew up his men on a lower ridge precl'
le and opposite to that OF the enemy. The ac
l saw soon commenced, and the riasd pieces of
enemy threatened our forces with annil
ton. We had four pieces of ordnance, Il
10 read l~smooth-bored six, FOUNDER field pieces,
girl, in one ten-pounder. Early in the engageu
q what the six Founders were found to be useless
account of great defect in the borss, the
lie, and falling on the side of the opposite hill
says of though within common lnusket range to
scenes eu-pounder piece there was not an oun
,Lo on;tahla hall Recourse WAC had To n M