The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-08
OAnP NRAR POCsD GAP,

I.IAMS. COLONEA u. S. A., COMMAND
ING.
OAnP NHR POCsD 0AP,(
November 18th, 1861.
GeRsrsl: Since my last report to you, have
been compsned 70 abandon Pikston by an
overwhelming force that advanced upon me
in two colulmns-one directly mp the river
from Prestonsburg, sixteen hundred strong,
with q battery OF six pieces, and the other
from Louisa, mp Johns's Greek, = branch Of
the Sandy. numbering eightecn hundred men 1.
with battery OF sid-pIeces. Both OF these
columns convtGged up0n Plketon. MY whole
force CO insisted Of ,0l0 men, including sick,
teamsters and roen ON extra duty did not
believe that the advance OF the enemy Would
be SO rapid, aud hoped that the artillery
and Yeinforcsm@ts promised wohld arrive
before they could disturb ms 1t Piketon.
Under this conhdent hope, l commenced
gathering supplies. explored the leather re-
sources Of the country found them abuu-
aant, aud organized corps OF shoe osmakers
and had them 1t work. Major Hawes had
purcaased q thousand fat hogs and AUinosr
Of beef cattle, and WAS making preparation
IL Eslt them. MY men were badly clad an
badly armed, with not knapsack, haver-
81, q, or cantee they carried their powder
in horns. gourds, and bottles. This was our
condiuon when the enemy commenced the
advance upon us. Retreat was Iuevitable )
but there was too much puolic property ~
be abandoned without an effort to save il.
1T oLcs ordered all the trausp0- lation
pOkEi DI0 70 % CollcCteu, 0HU beQt the SlGK, the
wounded aud the live stock, to The rear, Oh
the pound Gap roud, for the Tazswsll route
was NO longer safe. l sent small armed
force Immediately on the Tazswell rOu ute.
lsry and iil public wagons TO point Of safety
in Virginia.
then sent p&aln Holiday with q small
mounted party On the JOhns's OresK road,
road TO Presteusburg, to observe the mo ys-
ments OF the enemy. This was on the night
OF the Sth. UaptaIn Thomas discovered ths
advaL ced guard OF the enemy about Is miles
May and Hawkins, with tneir companies OF
Infantry, anu Lieut.. Van Hoox, with 70
mounted men, to the position Of Captain
Thomas, near Joy Greek. found that Gap
tain Tn numas had burned the bridge there.
The men were allowed to refresh themselves,
and The horses secured In 4 deep mou Lai u
cave, and the whole party Of $50 men mo vsa
on foot to u strong position halr u mile Ia
we supposed TO be the advanced guard OF the
eneny's force.
returned TO our camp at daylight and 70 ct
ths report Of Capt Holiday. who had been
enemy OF about $50 map- He gave them n
gallant fight, killed eight vf them, having
only oae Of his number wounded and one
nurse killed.
dispatched Capt. Shawhan with his own
and Capt. Cameron's companies, 10 observe
the movements OF the enemy on Johns s
creek, with instructions to engage any party
not more than twice his number, but NOT TO
attack tn enemy's full force.
AT halt. past one O'Clock, on the 9th inst .
the enemy moved up to Capt Mays posi- ZION
with force OF sixteen hundred rnSu and Il
battery OF Sax pieces and were received BY
$50 rifles and snot guns. in point blank range,
every one OF which took effect. heir ooium "a
Wav0r0d and fell back but returned III GOOD
order, and attem pied 10 carry the pass by
assault under cover OF their can non, but were
RRRNulA wufr {ts<.
then withdrew beyond the range Of our sa aot
guns, and threw thelx infantry up the hiils.
soon outhanktny our little band ana c. 10 pel .
ing them TO -all back behind tho buInt
brloSe. Here our force made q sand: nm Z
the enemy advanced NO farther. / .hsn
ordered three more companies OF fnfan
Try TO sustain captain Mays command. or
TO cover his retreat If necessary. At twelve
O'CLOCK at night captain Snawhan report
ed to me that the enemy were advancing in
full force ON the Johns's Greek road vi m
great rapdity. then ordered Ua ptains M n "
and Shawhan and all the outposts in
made display OF the forces IN Piketon,
sent the exhausted infantry in The direc.
tion Of our retreat, ana waited with the
balance Of The command the arrival
Of the enemy. They came up slowly
and cautiously, but were detained for
an hour by captain Thomas's companv Of
sharp-shooters, stationed nenr the foro
which prevented heir artillery from eettiux
into position to rake the town. As they an
pIoached, moved the rear guard of 400 men
of in good order. They opened upon us a
tremendous fire of artillery and musketrv.
and were replied to by our sharp. shooters
We had one killed and three wounded, while
the enemy nad eix Killed. In the Joy fight
and forty missing-some Of the missing m an
have gone back TO their homes. and others ioin
MS daily. We lost Lieut. Rust, who fell gal
iantly Ia the discharge OF his duty. My firs,
belief was that the enemy had lost b1t one
hundred and hfty men; but from subseo uen
Information received from SPIES Union msp
escaped prisoners who have Joined US. anu
otners VINO nave examined their burial
ground, am satisfied the enemy lost over
three hundred H. killed, with the usual mr. \.
portion of wounded.
cannot spesk in terms Of commeuda ton
too high Of the gallantry Of Captains May
Van Hook and Sam. Clay-indeed, the oficer1
and men behaved with 50 much courage and
GOODNESS that to discriminate at all would bs
invidious. II we had have had one thou.
sand men more, and q battery of six pieces. We
could have whipped and des troyed both col.
umns; but with the small force i had. 1t wa,
impossible TO hsht both at once, and to have
opposed my whole force to one would have
exposed my rear 70 the other. Our cartridge.
boxes arrived the day after the light. W.
had powder and lead, and made our own car.
tridges and moulded our own bullets Ths
enemy have six thousand troops near Pike
tOn-0ne thousand OF them advanced tan
miles this side Of that place. They have MOI
more than COO At Prestonsburg what they
have below, as reeer YES, know but little OF
| for all communication IL cut or and the who'll
country IL frightened out Of its wits, and bu,
| few men Will act as scou.s or Euides. am
! satisfied that this large force was not moved
| up the Sandy merely for tho purp-se Of ..
| persing tho unorEanized and half.armed
bare tied % aad under my command.
They intended to move upon the Virsinis
| and Tennessee RMilroad, ] think, by way q
Tag well Uonrt- Honss They torttfy their
| The Sandy Is now nAyiesbls for steam boa {,
/ to q point above Ptkston.
We want good rifles, clothes, great coats
knApsAcka, hAversacks, aud canteeus- indeed
! everything almost, except . willingness tC
| aght. Many OF onr men are barefooted, and
have seen the blood In their tracks. a. thsy
| marched from Joy to this place. You know
what W want. General; send such article
| - We need to Abingdon. There 10 little sub.
| sistspce here, and I fear shall be compelled
to ia,l back 70 point whore can subsisl
until our orgenisation is perfected, We have
| been 50 constantly lighting that we have
not had time TO complete our muster rolls =
| have now over twelve hundred men. II
could make forward movement. the effect
would be good upon the country
0r. Thomas has just received, from the
ds.Oamp" with rank Of Colonel. canno,
! insist on retaining him from such increased
rank. Send somebody else. II the enemy
| should move by way Of the Pound have
/ not Sufficient force to resist them-no aStil.
| lery-no sntrenching tools. nor axes, spades
| nor picks. II they coma,we will give them 4
| night; but this will do ~ NO good but 70 do.
|. .stroy II = Of them. have Just learned from
4 q spy that steamboat arrived at Ptbeton
/ yeGterday With supy11ee 70 the enemy. Major
| Howes wants more money; he has bough,
| hogs. horsea, WAGONS, - &c.