Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-12


panles, sent orders to Col. Hansrough who was in
command here, 10 have them ready to march to his
assistance at moments warning Two measen>
gers arrived here late this evening from Heck's
camp, who stated that the enemy are marching upon
his position.
BsvEsI7, July s--Hs are all excitement, Five
hundred men, under command Of Major Taylor,
PASSED through this place this morning from Laurel
Hill to join Col Hacks command at Camp Garnett.
They left Laurel Hill at O'Clock this morning unou
Iequlsition from Col Heck, who IL menaeed with
an attacd from the enemy from the direction Of Bu-
chaHan: am in command Of a volunteer company.
raised here last night for the defence Of the place
shall 90 over TO Camp Garnett this evening with
portion OF my command; deeming it more important
TO be there than here, at D7eeezL
Three O'clock p. M-The only news that has
come to town since the writing of the above u.s. that
small scouting party from Laurel Hill were driven
in this morning BY the enemy. They were imme-
dlately reinforced and sent back, and nothing has
been heard from them here since
THE FIGHT AT KEILEY's ISLAND.
From The Winchester CVa.) Republican, Jays
When the history of this war shall have been
written BY the impartial historian upon none of its
i-lumined pages on which will be chronicled the
many glorious victories of the gallant sons Of the
oouth, VIII be recorded one brilliant than that
achieved by Gel Turner and Capt. Dick Ashby,
with the thirty-one heroic men under their COM
mand on Thursday last. Decoyed as they were by
miserable traitor, and led into ambush. where
they were surprised by more than four times their
number of regular United States dragons, nothing
but the special intervention of heaven, and their
own heroic daring, could have saved them from in
| slant determination.
From Mr.. H. G. Pickett, member of Captain
Ashby's company, we have the following particu-
lars of the fight, which can be relied strictly
correct.
! On Thursday morning last, Col. Turner Ashbv
left the camp at Col. George Westinghouse IN Hamp-
| shire county, five miles North of Romney on q
| scouting expedition with eleven men under his
command and proceeded in the direction of Pat
! terson's Greek Depot Near the Same hour Cap
| tain Dick Ashby left his quarters Pattersons
| Greek, some ten miles from Patterson's Creek
4 Depot with nineteen men under his command,
and proceeded in the direction of the Depot
| On reaching the railroad opposite kely's Island
| he divided his command into two parties, taking
seven men with himself, and proceeded up the rail
road, whilst the other twelve, under DR.. Temple
man, Of Fauquier proceeded in the opposite direc-
ton. Soon after this division of his forces Capt
Ashby's party was decoyed, by some treacherOus
seOundres citizen of the county into an ambush near
deep cut in the of the railroad where he found
himself completely surrounded by what would have
! been considered by any, save q second Leonidas a
completely overwhelming force They were i'm.
medately charged upon by this awless band of alb
clifton eGtthrOats, when Capt Ashby gave the or
der to retreat, with the command after retreating
short distance, thus deceiving the nps) to sud
denly wheel to the right and give the scoundrels a
raking fire as they passed their ines this wheel was
mace DuL snort distance from an unseen CulVert
or COW stop, upon the railroad; but one man. j. r
Backmore, succeeded in making the turn the rest
were all with one exception, precpitated into the
culvert, where OF course, they endorsed but,
strange to say, unhurt, save q few bruises The
brave and chiyalrOus enemy of course seized upon
this moment to charge upon them with reyolvers
sword bayonets and other side arms. Then it was
that Dick Asaby had hand to hand encounter
with three men, killing the corporal and badly if
not fatally wounding the other two.
Whilst ID with rh5sa tvro an av "a
| blow from an unseen hand that felled him to the
earth, where he was left for dead by his men, Who
after his fall, made good their escape and returned
to camp. E. D. Kenehels, r. B. Templeton, and 7.
H Paine lost their horses in this engagement DR..
| Templemands party were also surrounded by a
| largely superior force and compelled to fall back
but of the engagement could not learn the par
ticulars, although it Is known that but of his
| party, Mr.. a. Ganson, was wounded, and he but
slightly, the ball having first passed through his
! horse and then striking him on the knee.
! Near one o'clock Col. Turner Ashby arrived with
his command of twelve men, and being informed by
a woman that there had been fight below, ne ad
Yanced toward kelleys Island, where the enemy
were secreted, in hat numbers he could not tell,
| as they were behind the drift wood bushes. &c,
with which the isaad which is half mile in length,
| was covered. Seeing his brother Richards horse
quietly grazing without rider and fearing the fate
that might have befallen its noble rider, he imme
diately ordered his to cross to the Island he
| taking the lead Whilst crossing they were ex-
posed to the raking fire Of the enemy, who tOOkde
Iberate aim at them from behind the drift wood
piled up this, the upper end of the island. At
| the command to fire, not less than ferry balls
| were discharged at them but far all of our
| boys escaped uhhurt although Colonel Ashby,
| II. G. Rust and Granville T Smith had their
horses killed under them. Immediately upon land.
ing, Col Ashby gave the command 20 beat the bushes
and drive out the miserable towards. He, flushing
a COvey of four, killed two. who had the temerity
TO offer fight and taking the other two the wing
they fed after having discharged the contents of
their revOlvers at him. One of them as he fell be-
fore him begged him not ride over him. and Ashby
turned aside, telling him that be had done him all
the harm he desired Another, after having ex~
hausted his revolver in attempting to kill the Colo
mel sad whilst fleeing for dear life, entreated him
Bot to kill him, but Turner's reply was, "Sir.
anourn the necessity, but spare no invader of the
soil of Virginia" and down went the poor wretch
before his unerPing ann. T. B. Smith, after having
been knocked down by the DuttOf rifle arose and
shot his man. The poor, miserable creature whist
wetering in his blood, asked Smith if he was a
Christian. and he replied, Il trust so' then, said
the man, "for Gods sake, bring me drink of wa
ter" This Smith FASTENED to get from the river
closely, but whilst in the very act Of attempting to
dr0k, he fell back and expired. Near the close of
the engagement, whilst nobly contending against
the fearful Odds DR.. AufODtain, of Baltimore, and
Oswold Foley, of Fauquier, fell mortally wounded.
John Ladd, of Missouri, also received severe
wound the arm, near the shoulder, breaking the
bone; he will, however. recover.
At this point Col. Ashby, in loud voice, gave
order for the to be brought up, (bt they
were fifteen miles off and not expected they did
not Gomez to dismount and charge with thu bowie
knife Scarcely we're the words uttered before
general stampede took place, leaving as as
could understand, from seventeen twenty of their
dead behind, and the island left in the immediate
possession Of the immortal little band of nine Col
Ashby, mot knowing the fate of his brOther) and
his command Immediately returned TO camp for re-
Inducements, and again returned to bring away the
bodies of the two noble patriots who had fallen in
the fight. Upon his return he found in a culvert
where he had been left for dead. Capt Dick Every
thing Of any value, his spurs, had been str
ped of his person and carried away by the thieves
He was found to be badly wounded by a sabre cut
over each eye thrust in the bowels. deep cut in
arm Immediately above the elbow iRjuring the bone
near the Joint; he was also shot through the psm
of one hand, and two fingers of the other mutilated
by the passage of ball of rather incOnveniei
size As may be supposed, when found he was
much exhausted, but he soon rallied at the sight Of
his friends, and was taken to the house of Mr..
Wagner near by, where he remained for some time.
He was then removed to the house of Col. George
Washington, where he lack nothing that kind
ness can bestow. He " Ill, soon as he can stand
the trip. be removed to this place, where every
house will be thrown open to him, and every tongue
will bid him welcome.
Thus ended the great fight at Kelly S Island whtre
the two Ashbys with seventeen men, completely
routed seventy T. S. Dragons.
THE WAR.