New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-14
THE BATTLE OF BLUES GAP.
ROUTING or THE REBELS BY GEN. KELLEY:
TROOPS.


ROUTING or THE REBELS BY GEN. kELLEY's
TROOPS.
The IVAecliag Pros has the following letter from
Romney, giving tire details Of the recent successful
expedition by portion OF Gen. Kelleys troops
against the rebels at Blues Gap:
KoMSEY, Va, Jan. z, 1862
Night before last we were informed that we would
move on Blue 4 Gap during the night. Our iniorna-
ton Of the country and of the force Of the enemy
war meagre snd uncertain. At about midnight the
re meuts began 10 muster end FORM and by baf-I at
J.. tie column was in motion. The night was eX-
cessyely cold, and suffered not little from that
caus,.
About 2 oclock we arrived at hight from which
we could scc the Gap and the bridge. Col. Dun
hing, who commanded the expedition, seeing aa at.
tempt being made TO burn the bridge, ordered the
Jih Ohio Regiment to advance at double quick.
This was done with n shout, and in q few minutes
they were on u bank within 200 yards Of the bridge,
pouring In bullets a, such a rate that the attempt 10
omn md tear u tie floor was abandoned Col
Dunniug then ordered bis men TO charge on the
bridge aud over i, ard compelled negro wOman at
Blues hOure 70 slow bin tic road up TO the left.
Col. burning led the 9Th Ohio RAPIDLY into the
mountain % which the rebels had fed. There
sharp engagement ensucd; whole voileys OF mus
keity were heard, and 1t was soon discovered that
the rebels were firing from behind breastwork on
tho top 81 the mountain. AZ soon az Col Dunning
dfcoyered this, he ordered bi, men 10 fix bayonete
and charge While this was being done. the rebels
el in haste for their camp at the foot Of tie noun
tain and bacl, Of The Gap.
While tie above seton war going on. Col Mason
charged up the mountain to the night, with the ith
Ohio ard drove the rebels from the rocks
on that side. SINE sharp iring occurred in that
dir ciion. In the mean time, bnt when the firing
had nearly ceased on the mountains, the oih
Ohio led the way down tho Gap, followed
by tie l.t Virginia sih Ohio, and the th Indiana.
Col D1nning having passed ON and taken the two
piece, o. artillery with their ca0ns and horses, alsO
!. wagon apl hofs =, with tie 9TH Ohio Regiment,
returned and ordered lie cavalry TO charge. III,
orders were obeyed with Ironliress, 6ut the Eeteis
had taken TO the mountains. Tie artillery could not
be used, and not shot wa fired from cannon on
either ride during tie action.
The rebels were surprsed, and j, was "A complete
ro1i. We fouud eight dead bodies on the field, on
rather among the rocks; there may have been more,
hut they were not reported Aud, singular a. II may
appear, not man OF ours received even acratSh
from bullet | can account tos this only upon the
prourd Il a. ouT Suus were roUc OF the best IN the
world. while theirs were probably inferior arms.
Ibe whole thng was - brilliant affair, aud wa'
over in half-hour after Tie aston commenced ON
the mountain.
our f,rre consisted OF detaclnens Of the 4th, 9TH,
H. md 9Th Ohio the Nth lnoans, and the let Viz
ginia together with two companies OF cavalry and
Dsum's battery, with Il section ot liowards bat.
tery-iu all, about 300 men. oar information led
NJ 10 tNi ctt ABOUT ENAV ESteiri OUT inc tNltHs du
ueqIoer agreed in stating their force et zoo. All
we nt on " ell until crezy soldiers encouraged
by some Of the ohicer-, commenced burning houses,
and 1 an sorry 70 say that several houses were
burned along the road as they returned
The mill and Bue's house. which were used for
soldiers quarters were burned perhaps properly, as
Iney constituted q shelter and might have been used
again for n nest OF whacAers, but the burning
Of dwellings along the road was piece Of vsndal-
lem which should be punished with death, not only
Of the men who did IT, but the officers who eounie-
nanced and encouraged it. oB,rK'EG.