, 1862-11-14

the woods, ready to move at moments no.
tice, while the 6th Pennsylvania and two
pieces Of Pennington's battery, under Col.
Gregg, took the roae southwest, towards Up
reryillc, where the enemy are IN force. Tais
coon drew cut the rebels in such number
t:at after an engagement Of half IN hour,
Col. Gregg retired upon Philamont, with the
loss Ut two men killed and eight wounded.
Ont battery Of six guns, placed in splendid
position near the village, now opened sharp
artillery engagement, which lasted two hours
and half On both sidEs. with but little effect
On elthtr side.
Meanwhile large parties of skir1nIshers,
mounted and disruouatea, had been seat into
The woods mile and a half to the right and !
lett, across the valley which lay between the
opIosipg forces. The enemy, however, was
III superior force, aud our 1ucn were generally
driven back down the side OF the mountain
till they we're covered by our lines, when they |
made Stand aid kept uD sea.hing fra Tor
several loufs, until dark. Standing upon an |
in tull view for miles down the valley, it was /
paintn1 aud interesting sight to watcl the
opposing forces. Several thousand men lined |
Every fence and stretch Of woods for two or |
ing shot at every head or other indication Of !
humanity that sho Ted ITSELF Here, behind q |
1illle stretch OF Eood, stood squad of mount |
ed men waiting for . chance to charge on q |
stray party er fire stray shot. Yonder, Oh |
the opposite side, lay = bali mile 0: stone |
fe1c ce, stonE which appeared every HOW aud
then black heads and pulls Of blue smoke,
while il the fer Corner, just opposite us,
stood group Of officers watching the scene |
ikt oureelYts.
rebel h:'ss:ihan loaciug behind 7 hill,
then very cooily advancicg1o The top, picking
1tt mis- /, TIL, and III cooaiy returning to Eepea5
lhe operation some dozen times, while our
zaen cauia evidently get 10 clue to his where-
abGuts. 1T last We sent down couple Of good
shots to creep 17lLhln Ills range, and his aald4-
ci.lis rifle practice was soon exchanged for J.
lui',un Ealop to the lear. As Nc Stood
watching this, q EhiEking shot struck the
ground within few tect Of us, aud
bounced o'c!hcad behind, and grey
coated lorse1nau can'ered down the road BE-
| los :nt into the woods across tho river.
This is ekirMishidg, and amounts To lite,
except to feel position. In the whole OF
| this affair there were hut two lnen killed on
! our side, though several were wounded, and
! the rtEult Was about the same on the rebel
| side.
| Tc-uaurrcw VIC advance on to Cpperyil:e,
| and there will be somc hard Gghsiog, unless
| the rebels give up the ga'le aud are TOO quick
Tor us.
TrpEEr1t4E. Va. Nov Sd, 1869.
Tonight the cnyirons Of Upperyilie pre-
| sent gay scene, illuminated by tbs thousand
calnp fires uf the Union troops. Il was but
| this morning that the gallant southern chivai-
rs y as liy1ug their regards 10 the fair dam-
sells Of Ills little town with good Euccess, if
! ono night judge by sour taces and closed
tcnses; and to right they sit On The side Of
ycpoer mountain, at A5hb3's Gap, sulle11y
watching their more successful rival-suecess
ri least in tae LITTLE duel which has been In
| progress during the last two days.
| All tny 1o-GGs, aid all day yesterday, We
haxc been keeping up q running fight, driri5g
tic enemy back surely and srea1ily
ct everq poirt. Oa Saturday they had tn.
adyar1a::c III tho afternoon engagement, but
this seemed rather to be piece Of strategy on
Gen. Pi.asanton's part, to draw them tsairiy
out, ard weaken the delenses of Snickcr's
Gs.' preparatory TO the expected move OF
| Couch upon it. La fact the ndvauce OF Pleas
| anton's command from the Potomac sse1ns to
have betu O weil-"xecnted ftiut 10 tbr3w the
retcls III their guard, and induce them TO
show their strength, while large forces of in-
ttantry, cavalry aud artillery were silently con-
iDg up to our aid.
On Sunday morning, at S o'clock, General
Pleasanton moved from Phdamout, where he
hnd taken quarters Tor the night, mile and q
half southwest, on the road to Union, where
he Immediately opened sharp d1fe upon the
1ebe1s with all his guns, supported By the cav.
airy, after throwing out. mounted and dis
mounted cavalry to sklsnish. The eueny re-
piled well for some time, but about noor
their firing became slack, and upon the expl,
sion ot one of their caissons BY oul
guns, they Numbered up and moved back. The,
W.1e FASTENED By tie arrival OF Doubleda. ::
brignde, consisting Of four regiments OF in
tantsy and 8. battery. Il was Only, however
to d position farther back; and as the I'll
| 1ndiala frrmed in line, q mile In advance 0
, rebels poured 2 yoliey into their ranks, Kill
D irg two ard wnuudirg ten or twelve, ant
= causing them to fail back to the protection .
: a b1u1i, where the rest Of the brigade lay
-
supported by the cavalry, at double-euiclz
: an1 ten guns opened, at good .range, fron
1 three different positions. Peuningt0n's ba.
a te1y, in the centre, kept up well directe'
fire, which was rerl!ed to With eqnll e1ec
for some time: The sth Illinois snd 0:h regu
and b.ean to feel the eG<cts Of tA
@ shot ard shell that we're falling thi:k
u " in every ,dirccuon acoudd thetn
n Several solld shot came wlizzirg through th
: earth aud scattering the leaves il every dirct
5 ticn. They we're in most exposed positio
tor some tine and in direct range Of the rrbs
L. | guns, but every man stood firm. Orc sho
Il cane burling over the brow Of the hill an
4 buried iselt with chpg in the earth, taking q
Sun4utl Mcdonnell. He fell from his hors
= without CRY, and before his comrades cou1
II Lift him had breathed his last. The boys $
L. lently closed mp in lis place, and stood wal
4 | 1EE N1tuNuL u HOlA luz HH1sEftE tlaG uIWEi
~ came. WEe,, the darkness had closcd the e1
= EaEcmcnt, his comrades buried him in q SO
= dier's grave With his cloak wrappe1 arou:,
him beneath 8 large oak near the road. Sue
II Is the story Of 1lany q poor boy wh=re III
- - marked graves DOT every corner Of til
's "sacred = eoll Of Virginia.
h. Frum this, their second position, the enem
], were soon driven out, a11 tuen, under OF
~ well directed eannonaae and the steady q
1. vance Of lbs infantry, from third, and OF
n / whole line moved on with IN occasional sht
~ from the retttating Toe. Till night-forced us
- - / ercamp some six miles in adyauce OF o.
w mornicg'e position.
Early on Monday morning, tie Sth Il1ino
we're sent ont to skiKmish in the woods.
part diamouuted, while two mounted s9ua
be ins rapid shots With tho rebel pickets ar
As scouts. We pushed On for a mile while Il
rebels drew back, and scouting to right al
left, and then advanced along. the stone feuc
N that line Every field in this region, trying
q draw us upon their brass pieces. which =
= suddenly discovered :.waiting tor us upon Il
NJ cdge OF n line of WOODS, in good posisto
oo They did not fire, and the Sth crew bacE.
OF let The Seth Pennsylvania, which WAS f,rmin
y advanced In line OF battle down the open ael
IS ment began By sharp aud quick y0lleys fro
81 the rebel pieces against them.
Pleasauton'e cavalry had hitherto been
nd only force actively engaged, but BY an ord
~ | frGm AeaQqnafGeff9 MS regiments WenL III
I'd camp, ard Ayerilra c1yalry brigade, just :,
siyed, took the advance in support Of the arf
lery and iDtaut1T.
l Within half an hour, however, orders car
ICY for the Sth Illinois to move up at = galfop
re- support the batteries, and they were soon
to the field-a broad, open field extending g
eral miles In either direction, and we'll st
atea for artillery practice with cavalry ST
On. | port Here yesterdays scene WIS re-enaci
~ ~ - running tight with the rebel flying ar
'ss 1ery, which WIS all day today well serv
plou9hfpg into our troops at times with fe
.r. fal effect. But We were too much fot the
s snd under our fire they fell back from Il
aed different positions. until at Last they ceA
hat firing ard retreated with the utmost rapid
dp. though in good order, while our, vletorit
- troops marched In three columns into .Upr
La" vile. Here We are tonight. Tbs caya
have driven the enemy into Ash1s esp.
wv will tomorrow turn towards Manassas
~ ard its railroad, leaving the Infantry to t
~ Ash1y Gar, which Is strongly fortified, tho,
bla It will probably be esaeuased before morof
mn. ~ Suckers Gap Was when Hancock arsi
- there on sundky night.
'ae1 The enemy were evidently making gen
- rctrea::, though they eallenly soon dstsf1i