Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-10-20
THE WAR In KENTUCKY.

THE WAR IN KENTUCKY.
NORTHERN ACCOUNT OF a FIRST DAYS
FIGHT AT PERRYvILLE.
The following is an account of the battle Of Perry
vile, on "Wednesday, sh inst, furnished by a cores
poudent of enc of the Yankee journals:
TEE MIGHT BIroRi TIE BATTLE.
Scouts came in occasionally and reported the proIimi-,
ty Of the enemy, tracing his couiss from the direction
Of Hsrrods5urg directly towards Us, end measuring his
approach with remarkable precision. His force was
stated to DO thirty, forty, fifty, and iualy sixty thou
sand men. At last, as morning approached, though yet
some hours distant, information was received that the
Rebels we're securing a position on the opposite range Of
bills, scarcely threG-q lsrters Of a mile diatanf' A1o
then could plainly be heard the ~rumbliug Of his artillery
as 1t was brought into position, and we could discern
occasional hshes OF lanterns; the brayirg Of mules
came across to our ears, and the voices of men. There
was no longer any doubt of 1.-THE enemy were In ioTcs
in front Of US, and q fight was certain. II required no
effort to spread the news No long roll Was necessary
TO arouse the m.n. Everybody was aware Of the siua
ton, and anxious for the first dawn Of morning to com
mence the battle.
TIE BxdINSIsG OF THE ACTION.
At last the tedious hours preceding the dawn wore
away, and, as daylight was breaking in the east, the oali
was opened. A loud report from the enemys artillery
gave the signal, and scarcely had the echoes ceased
when Gen. Terrific batteries belched forth a h,rco re-
spouse. Then there succeeded a continuous roar Of can
non, intermingled with the screcchirg Of sheels and the
Whistling of balls, creating q pandemoniun oil discoro
ard terror. The balls few over our heads, dropped
short Of Us, fell all about Us, and yet seemed to do no
general damage. Occasionally 3 poor fellow would be
struck down by a passing ball, and more frequently an
exploding shell would max, a gap in the ranks, and
stretch & doz'n strong men, nu.ilated and In agony
upon the ground.
As the firing became more precise, our Infantry were
sheltered in tue woods. or lay concealed behind the un-
du'ations Of the ground; the cavalry was sent back 10 the
rear, snd our artilerisis were alone left to carry On Inc
battle.
am no, able TO say at this moment how much arlil.
lery We Rad ia the action but it could no: have e.
cseded thirty pieces; yet these were worked with WOE
ierful Yigos and great effect. Opposed 10 US the enemy
seemed 10 have nearly Iwics that number o. pieces, aud
they Piled them well. IL was terrible cInnonadng,
| such as I have seldom heard before. But II was oil little
| effect. True, ct one tine, the snemy were compelled
to withdraw a couple Of bsuaries, owing to tae aceu'
rscy OF our fre, bat the greater number oil their pieces
rendered the loss OF these two batteries scarcely percep
tibls. Aud thus the battle was kept up during the
whole morning. Oar loss vas but tridirg in this duel
scarcely a dcz,n men vera killed, and certainly nos
over fifty wounded.
THE AFTERNOON BATTLE.
soop after nooz-it my have been after one o'clock
The enemy we're Cb'erVed mcyin. 10 .srge force across
, field iu front OF Rousseau's Division. lis men were
Quickly placed in petition TO repel any charge, aud
scarcely were they SO placed when our administers en-
gaged the skirmishers OF the enemy. This was the h'st
mu.k ,try firing Of the day, and IL was not far from one
n'eyock. Our skirmisheTr ve-e gradually driven back
and fnaliy fell completely back into the Ines. Taey
=, f,ll6Sed closely by dense masses Of the Rebel In.
M, vbS sne On with determined tread aud unvsyer'
mo s;ep. with tsyoasis a.ed, and evidently expecting to
weep cue forces IRON s&s grolna. keus,eaus line
Has in the ed 70 Of a piece Of wood, will 8 large corn
r- E.rl Z. F-,nf krrnaa this ratu the e.emN
sers Obliged 10 charge, and as they came up they we're
vreeted With r, peated yolleys, well aimed, from the guns
| CT our infantry.
Toe division receiving this assault was formerly COM
mauded by General kiehslr and Is one OF the brlveot
md oest disc'plinsd forces a. the army. The division
le,udes the rs b and 18Th Pennsylvania regiments, the
9Th Iadi,Ga and 10 b, l6:h and 49, R'guars. The 18th
| I1dians Battery is also attached 10 the division, and did
excellent sssyics to-day. There are also som, new Ia.
Llama regiments in the division but their numbers l
4 nave no. bsen able to ascertain. Thsy were conspicuous
1 in the Lzht, and acted wish urh rching bravery. For
b,lf an hour It's rsL Ct ~rusketry Was incesant, as the
rebels pressed upon these lines. ktGne tee the rebels
we're driven back entirely across the seld, b.! were
again rallied and brou ,ht up to the charge, and forcsd
their Way up even 10 the edge Of the woods, bat were
again repulsed, and 80 tfsolually that they could not
I again he rallied. Tae men broks In confusion, while our
| forces continued TO pour rapidly coutinucui volleys,
| morirg them down Ike grs9a. Cur loss ~ this action
use heavy, b1t bv no uelns eQushed that OF tie rs1els,
who suffered CT lESsi three 10 one IS compared with our
casual lee.
An ATTACK on OUR LINT.
THIS acton had scarcely terminated when movement
vas DISCOVERED on cus ltf. that indicated an sttemp. 10
a.uk ua. 1t WAS even a more desperate attempt Ihau that
upon the rigli. Our extreme lef, it will be remember
cd, vas held b. On. Testl's brigade Of J4cSol's dvi
s.ol. Tee 5uJmy succeed la getting upon his dUk
aud yl,nicj & battery ia such 3 position 30 10 pour &
deadly eliiadi1g fire into our ranks. General ferril or
dsred a charge 20 lske this battery, bu! found it support.
90 5y IAlssss Of iaisLtTy fg5 t!tnss greater than his own.
He thea opened his artillery Upon T. and, after a few
| rounds, succeeded il qIiouug Il. THIS vas qi.ckly fol.
| loved by I charge frol the enemy, who rushed up tai'.
i Into or luce, Growing our msr back by ibe impetn'
ogi.y OF thai. charge and 40 weight OF tbe.r columns -
Trrrills brisad' vas composed mostly o! raw Indiana
regiments who we're a. fret thrown into disorder by the
desperate charge; but thsir gsllIns commander quickly
plsced himself al their front and rallied them, leadiug
them up himself to their work. Bsing thus exposed, be
became a reAdy mas for toe ersnJ, and coon fell from
his horse desperately wounded. Ee EGs taken from the
dad by his men TO die, AID the battle rolled on with oE-
y increased lazy. Il vas truly wonderful how veil these
raw regiment stood their ground but 1t is not wonder
iul tha. they we're driven back when they SAY their noble
leader fall, and discovered the overwhelming force Gi
the enemy opposed TO them. They did give way, al
though As. Furnishing the enemy severely, and strus
Cling with hin desperately in a close hand to hand en-
! gsgement.
GENERAL JACKSON TO THE RESCUE
On hearing d tho fsl OF T lrrHl aad tie disorder o.
his brigade, Gen. Jackson o.ier2d Col Geo. Webster,
| OF the 9s 4 Ohio, acting Bfigieior, to @Grauce With bis
brigade 70 the 5uppO7t OF Terrible Brigade, aud throw
himself ia frclt OF Terrills men TO rally item. The
were again brought to stand through JsOkson's ehors,
aud again met IA, enemy in close comet. Here they
fouga. uobly and vel, aud poured their fire with steady
cGsc. upon the cLeuy. Toe battle swayed TO and ho
here with intense violence. 1t one time the eneny
I we're Cr.yen back, and wo had nearly recovered The
ground We h. lost when the gallant jackson fell.
pierced through ana th.So.h With bullets and moSt=ly
wounded t.. shattered regiments o. Te. dlls Brigade
were then viAjfsSa, and Webstar'd Brigade to1K thei.
places. And Aen again th,ro VS. desperate aghdlg.-
-Four 70 one tt6 enemy pressed upon this littls colamn,
but they c,yll not forcs them bot. Hard ard dssper-
a.fly ,hpy iogglt, but Hsi.1oc patty faleTel.
The groGai gaJ covered I'll over with tho slsin, and
tho sul.,ing sounded ye.e tE5dden tspeaLh the feet 81