Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-09-22


Letter from a wheeling Boy In the
second Vlrginia RegimenS-A Son-
HEAD QUARTERS, INDEP'T. BRIGADR,
Near FIT. ETHAN ALLEN, Va, Sept. IA. !
Editors Intslligsncer;
| have been putting off from day to day
| writing to you an account Of our late action
on the Rappahanock andth battles of Aug.
goth aud 3Oth. Though am perfectly
aware that the papers have been filled with
little else for the last eight or ten days
thought perhaps you might feel an inter.
est in hearing from one who was an eye
witness and an active participant in the
late engagements.
After leaving WoodTille on the-the night
of August 9Th, we reached Culpepper
@. H., about Z o'clock the next morning,
having marched the whole night. We
were permitted 10 rest at that place until
about O'clock, P. NJ, when the order
/ forward" was given, in the direction as
we afterwards ascertained of Cedar Aouu-
tain, where Gen. Banks was battling with
superior numbers of the enemy aud barely
4 holding his ground. When within about
two miles of the late action we found the
road completely blocked up with wounded
men aud "skedaddling" wagons, cahsed by
the rebels having during the darkness
succeeded in-planting a battery and open
ing fire on the wagon trains, thereby caus-
| ing them to stampede most disgracefully,
aud for more than four hours completely
STOPPING the further advance OF the whole
of Sigel's army corps.
After considerable exertions and much
daRning of fteamsters the road was at length
cleared and Wepursned the even tenorofOur
way this brigade having the advance of
the whole corps) aud took position close
to the ground which we had pushed the
rebel batteries from, formed line of battle
and patiently awaited the appearance OF
daylight. Your correspondent hitched his
horse to a tree and laid down for the pur
pose of getting a few moments of sleep be-
| fore commencing the earnest business of
the next day, which we all thought was on
hand. About daylight was aroused from
sound sleep by the quick, sharp reports
| of four or five guns, which, upon inquiry,
proved to be that Gen. BIilrOy had gone
out alone aud was driving in the enemy's
pickets. In the hurry aud confusion OF
the moment in drawing his pistol from a
holster it WAS accidently discharged, iu-
\ aicting severe wound to his own horse 10
the neck, bnt shooting one of the rebel
cayalrymen below the knee and killing
| his horse. The rebel infantry soon after
made their appearance in our front, and on
the right ut the edge of a piece of wosds
when several we'll directed shots from John
sons battery drove the enemy into the
woods with some loss Our skirmishers
were Immediately advanced, and brisk FIR
iug from both sides Immediately commen-
ced. which continued some four or five
hours, when the enemy finally retired, car
rying off their dead and wounded if they
had any. utle II
On Monday the 1lth flag oftruce came
from the enemy, aud the day was spent in
| finding aud bringing in our wounded, and
paying the last sad rites to those who had
fallen in defence of their country's honor.
After this task was done, which occupied
fall of the day, Sigel's army corps aga 10
4 took up the advance towards the Rapidan
river, the direction that the enemy had been
supposed TO have taken, where, after re-
manning at Robertson river for seven OF
eight days, we were ordered to Warrentou
White Sulphur Springs, and were engaged
on the Rappahannock in the skirmishes Oi
Freeman's Ford, Waterloo Bridge, and Sui
phur Springs after the skirmish of Water.
loo Bridge we went to Warrenton and
Gainesville, at which latter place we arri.
we'd just as the army of jackson had pas.
sed by; here we gethered up about three
hundred stragglers from his half.starved
army,
Oa the 2sth of August the army left
Gainesville for Manassas JuHction, atwhict
place We arrived about o'clock, p. II.
4 aud fopnd the place iie.) the cars. about
one hundred in number, 2 mass OF moul.
dering ruins, clothing and provisions
were scattered in, every, direction-ths
lloss TO the Government amounting to Al
least two millions dollars Of property, ant
the end was not yet.
In the evening brigade of McDowell'i
corps engaged the enemy, when spirited
action was kept up until after dark. Gen
Milroy advanced his brigade ahead in thI
direction of the fight, but could not arrive
in time to aid in the action. On the morn.
ing of the 29th Gen. MiIroy's brigade open.
ed the fight with his battery of artillery
and steadily advanced his columns forward
TO the railroad, behind which the enemy
were posted, as We have since learned, ID
force of about 20, 900 men. The fight here
became furious with musketry, and con-
tinued without intermission the rest Of thl
day, without any perceptable advantagC
being gained BY u.s. when night closed ID
on this scene Of carpsge and death. Nil.
roy's brigade lost 395 killed, wounded and
missing in this fight. -
Toe morning of the soth opened quietly
and continued so, excepting an ARTILLERY
duel that would occasionally occur during
the forenoon of the day, but about 2, o.
clock, p. AsIss che enemy eommepped \ fnri.
Gus eannonading on our right and eeptre
\ and almost tsimultaueousiy with this move
Imeut the enemy commenced an attack on
our extreme lelt, enaeayorihg 70 turn tie