The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-06-03
I)srr sspos tcnee Of the Richmond Cisr.teh
r.. Bs.i.soa a,sbrs-- Fst rsst;rS ktee';n - 4
in.o. ccaeats Hcntei.
sALr SuLYHuK SYE,nas. MAY p

z
in'o'ccmeats Hantei.
sAL1 SuLHRuR sY gisas. MAY - 1ss2.
As our General allows us = short rest ~
this place after our recent hcrd marching
and fkht. we viii presume 10 Send YOU snort
account of oTr dtsas.er ~ LewlsbuIs- on
Monday, the lath inst; Gen Hem ordered he
larger part OF bis brigade. ws0 were tnen en-
cam Ped At The mouth OF Vol trask 10 pre-
pare sor march. Tee troops. to..s.-l..s II
Tho ash and c1i Nusinis regiments, com
ma!.,;d ny Col Brown sua t.'fos.-co'. lai-
bse Ool. Finneys hntteiIcu iso pieces %
Otcy . battery: 6TyaEts battery ~ foHF guys,
and three noun tain kcwit ZSrs under IA .'tair
Lowry were fertieCi &c ,uSs New river daring
tue night and con: n eHceG then journey ut
daylight the nsxi morning.
TIE march continued tili Thursday niSht,
wben we alert on our arms, Shoui = mile
from 4rssubrisr river hr'dga, v her" the enc
my's rick.ts were stationed. tb3nt four
o'cicrk Friday mofpins S1s cEofein n. PC
cts capturing sw-ive % thrI, fEu 'rineHi-
Ate don sis oniChsd il toT' two Dii"-. Est0ios
very aduirapie royttiru, vntch . cofutnan ded
the town c,mrlttsly. Ws hen opened q
sosrp caphonad" UPON ne enemy IN the
town ia watcn crowds VI Yankees were stS
tiops,. Had We CDn:tauej 70 hold this post
ton. us.ns The artillery Rrd keep,oE he Ia =
fantIy AS reserve, there L. hardly don b
but that she day would have hsen ours. Bat
in an evil hoor We wers dersi - cease
h-,ae aud charge tn" sretoy. As oHr hIsg-
mon rushed down ir u ;ha town, II cbadience
to the command, they encountered t. ,0net
ferces, from every direction the enemy ister.
sliy moUsd down our nsE st1l Ia Grave
37i, led on by the f'arisss s'oi Ia bee, push
ed on, driving 70" enHny fet're them. IL a
few momsnts mora Toe aspect G the b1ttie
wss entirely change our men were III IL
valley white tha 9 !emy were TO- mtng thar
cclumrs along tie bi"W OF hill JUS! above
us There was almost entire Cessation TT
drtrs fer ten mir utes, while our men steadily
advanced op the hill large portion Of the
enemy 5 force Wa held in smbush. and gu
men were uithir sh tgun range OF he enemy S
'front.' wnep suddenly shesI OF fi5e s!erin ed
from the woods, and s. numerous fire was
rnired upon Col Finnsy's battalion, mas'
OF these men had mover been under FIRE be.
fore. A, ear b discharge from Inc enemy'e gnrs
they fell nv scores; they tt bed tiii nearly
every other man lay dead or wounded when
they broke and ret1ea,ed Ia the grea.est dis
order.
The batteries of Captains Osey and B.ysn'
were now left unprotected. Captain itsy.
though wounded, s.ood oy his men, wi.i,e
they stro4e amid ths IRON he'll 20 got thsir
guns from the field. pol feet panic G' " 81 -
aued. Save some few bravo spiri's, who
would not leave the I'D. everybody .eeTD sd
to be eA erting their utmost power 10 Sc; be-
fore every one else. l ain proud to say sbn'
the artillerymen GOOD By their suns iii the
enemy wets not n 90 than t3rtr yards distant
when they were ordered 20 leave. General
Hsth made an for to rally the men. After
cur threatening column bad passed The
bridge, 1t was burnt. And this pu- stop TO
any forward movement of the enemy.
In reviewing the battle, .ve sac that great
blame rests on sorne enc. - . hardly JUS. ~
call men coTarG who were ported IL such
perfect sic ughter pens sDd az 0Ec cau doubt
tor 4 moment the bravery ~ General Ecth
One fact IL CnftalD, we Unua, -ssitnlatet tina
fHrce of the enemy. 1hs, couid nCt have lad
less than tive thousand n.eD, Willie from every
source Of IL for IL alton We could obtain before
the light, we were cor :iHnaliy tod that there
were only two regiment, lii tn ! town. We
left on the field in dead, wounded, and miss
Ing, at least four hundred men. The enem IS
loss was heavy, but Inuch less than ouis. Col.
Einney, though he could have TetTea =ei, re-
fused TO turn bis back upCE the enemy, and
was captured. Major EeGar WAS left dead
along with many Others, who, on that dread
fri day, offered themselves mon their cOun-
try's alter. Perhaps in battle o. the war,
Of equal duration. 1ss there more terrible
lighting or greater carnage. 1t was all over
before O'Clock.
If the southarn Cen isderacy desires to hold
the rich domain of Western VirginiF. they
must send 10 ore men for its defence. Tie Gil /.
envy are ssndins their oest regimsrts, armed
with the mOst improved guns, 20 oyerrun
these fertile fields, and unless prompt and az
ergetic action - tskrn OF our part, the Ten.
nessea Railroad will 81 IN their possession,
and the mos: ruin0us effects vii! follow Two
or three good res; men IS miEh: prevent all III .
evil. We then could drive them from Lewis
burg, and once more regain the 10 i'eh less
valley OF tie KanoWha. DAkg-