Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1862-01-24
BATTLE OF FISHING CREEK
DEFEAT OF GEN. CRITTENDEN'S
COMMANDi
DRATH OF GENERAL FELIX *.
f ZOLLICOFFER e be-

On Wednesday evening last General A. y.
JOHNSON, telegraphsd to Gov. HARRIS, from
Bowling Green, that q Louisville paper Of
the goth, that he had received, announced
that our arms had met with reverse In Ken
tucky, and that Gen. zoLiIcoFPsR had been
killed and asking II the Governor bad any
information on the subject This was the
frat lntimation which had been received here
Of an engagement between Gen. Crittenden's
command and the enemy. After II trans.
plred yesterday morning, confirmation was
received through passenger on the steam
boat Commerce, which arrived from the up
per Cumberland, and also by despatch from
Loudon to Orville Ewing, E'q., and aubse-
quently by the following despatch from Capt.
G. II. Monsarrat; commandment Of the post at
Knoxville, to Hon. Neill 8. Brown:
KsoxvrLIE, January %, 1862.
Crittenden ordered an attack 10 o'clock,
Saturday night. supposing the enemy only
fifteen hundred strong. Our forces retreated
Ia confusion across the river, losing horses
baggage, tents, &c. The Mississippi and
Battles Regiments fought bravely aud sus-
tanned heavy loss. Zollicoffer mistook Ken.
tuckians for our men, and was shot dead ;
Crittenden wounded Carroll rallied the
troops and fell back to entertainments. Rut
ledge's battery lost, my battery aud men re-
ported safe. G. II, MONSARRAT.
Later In the day, Private MoRms Of COL
McNairy's Battalion of Cavalry, arrived 10
shis city, direct from Gen. Crittenden's com
mand, aud we ascertained through him some
ofthe particulars of the engagement. II
seems that Gems. Crlttenden and Zollicoffer
learned on Saturday last shat the enemy had
thrown force of three thousand men across
Fishing Greek, leaving the remainder OF his
forces on the opposite slde. The creek was
much swollen BY the receut heavy raias,
and was dificult 10 cross. Gen. Crittenden.
who was In command, determined to attack
and cut OF the euemy's advance, II possible,
before they were reinforced. He accord ng.
ly ordered Gen. Zollicoas Or forward with his
brigade Saturday night, following himself
with the remainder Of the army. At 8 o.
clock, Sunday morning, Gen. Zollicoffer dis.
covered the enemy In large force estimated
at twenty thousand, the whole having sue.
ceeded In crossing the creek--snd immedi-
stely 10 bis front. The engagement was
shortly commenced, sad, In short time, be.
came general. II lasted for several hours,
terminating 10 the defeat Of our forces, who
were driven back to their entrenchments,
from which they we're forced to retire at 8
O'Clock In the afternoon. After this the
army fell back across the Cumberland under
the lead Of Gen. Carroll. Gen. Zollicoffer
wss killed early In the action. avg
Our informant states that Gen. zollicofier
mistook Kentucky or Ohio regiment which
had opened fire upon our forces for one of
orr regiments firing upon others through mis-
take, aud galloped forward, with his stat, TO
order them to desist, not discovering bis err
TOR till he was in their midst. He immedi-
ately drew his sword and dispatched the
Colonel 10 whom be was about TO give or.
ders, when he was fred upon and fell pierced
with many balls. Maj. Henry M, Fogg, Of
his STAFF, was wounded in the thigh; and 1t.
T. B. Shields, another Of his staff, was killed
by bis side. Maj. Fogg was borne from the
neld. His father received dispatch yester-
day that he had been left at Monticello, and
was doing we'll. Mr.. Morris does not believe
that General Cri.!enden was wounded as
stated above by Capt. Monsarrat, as he was
with him after the fight, saw no wound, and
heard him make no complaint. 6alig M
Col. Battles 10th Tennessee, and Colonel
statham's 10Th Mississippi, bore the brunt Of
the Eight, and suffered severely chief
loss being In these noble regiments. We can,
Of course, from these meagre data, form no
accurate idea Of the loss which we have sue-
tained In this battle, which, we think, from
present accounts, Is the heaviest loss which
hasyet befallen our arms In addition 10 the
dead above mentioned, we hear Of Csptaln
podson Of the Hermitage Guards, Lieut..
Peyton, Of the Hickory Guards, Sergeant
Gray, Of the Scwanee Rifles, and Lieut.. Col.
Carter The dead were left on the field Of
battle and fell into the hands Of the enemy.
Rutledge's battery OF artillery was lost,
,cgesher with the horses, tents, provisions,
camp equipage, wagons, &c. The loss Of
these things was Of very serioas dissdyan.
sase to the army, as the country which they
must fall back upon Is almost entirely destl.
tnle.