Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-02-05

taSt, Has oeen idlty C0uHfBeu. ~ Il
Gen Crittenden, it appears, was Strongly /
entrenched about twelve miles from Somer:
set, and supposiug the enemy under General
lSchocpf numbered only 1900, left his camp
| on Saturday night with 6e0e troops, and be-
| gan the attack on Sunday morning, the 18th
ult Sctoepf had been reinforced by General
Thomas, and their conbinsd force numbered
$4,000. The enemy met the attack prompt
ly, and the fight was holly contested. A
person in the engagement says, that General
Zollicofer was killed early In the action, and
the enemy reports that they found hita IN q
wagon NOR tally wounded. 1t is further sta
ted that our forces repulsed the enemy three
times and drove them back 10 their fortlhca-
tons, but our, troops were finally outf1anked,
which forced q retreat. Gen. CrlItenden,
four Colonies and two Majors were wounded
and between three and five hundred of our
men killed, wounded, and taken prisoners
The retreat vas conducted by Col Carroll
back to their Notifications. The enemy pur-
sued and drove them from their breastw orks,
and they lost all their artillery, horses, tents
and equippsgc. They spiked their guns and
burned their stores. Our troops then fell
back to Monticello, where they intended to
make a stand and wait for reinforcements.-
The enemy's loss is said to be from three to
five hundred. Stores, equipments and REIN
forcements are being forwarded.
The Nashville Gazette is indebted to a
member of McNairy's battalion for the fol-
lowing account:
At eight o'clock on the morning ofSunday
last, the 10Th instant, the battle commenced,
the enemy opening fire. The Mississippi
regiment was ordered to the right, and Bat
ties to the left, and Immediately afterwards
riding up in front, General Zollicoffer adyan-
ced to within short distance of an Ohio regi-
ment, which had taken q position at a point
unknown to him, and which he supposed to
be one of his owl regiments.
The first intimation he had of his position
was perceived when it was too late. There's
old Zolicoffer,' cried out several of the regi-
ment in front of him, Kill himi" and in an
instant their pieces were lsveled at his per-
son. At that. moment Henry NJ. Fogg, aid
to. General Zollicoffer, drew his revolver, fired,
killing the individual who first recognized
General z. With the most perfect GOODNESS
General z. approached to the head Of the
enemy, and, drawing his sabre, cut the heac
Of the Lincoln colonel from his shoulders
AS soon as this was done, twenty bullet:
pierced the body of our gallant leader, ane
General Zollicofer fell from his 4horse q man
gled corpse.
The fight continued until about II o'clock
Col. Battles and Col. Statham's regiment
bearing the brunt of the battle. Before TIL
engagement closed, General Crittenden Or
dered the entire force, with the exception o
the two regiments above named, back to thei
breastworks. 1t was at this critical momen
that our troops suffered the most. Side b,
side the gallant Mississippi and Tennessee
regiments stood up against the Overwhelming
force of the enemy. Three times the Spa,
: tan hand charged upon the united host Of tn
Vanoals, and, unawed by the l~ifeless form
and dying groans of their comrades, the.
continued to dispute their right to desecrat
the sacred soil of our sunny land, until the,
were compelled to retreat or fall into tn
J hands of the spoilers. \,
III At three o'clock in the evening our forces
:. who had gained their entertainments, wer
/ again attacked, the enemy surrounding then
: on every side. From this hour the battl
/ ragged furiously until eleven o'clock at night
; at which time the Confsderates were con
: PEELED to abandon their position, leaving upo
!, the field . large lot of provisions, the spIer
/, did batteries commanded by Captains Ru
!, ledge and McClung, besides camp eQuipag'
| baggage, &c. a 4
, STATEMENT OF AN EYE WIr1Ess. Capita
|, Shlala, of the Engineers, bearing dispatchs
to General Sydney Johnston, arrived at Lo.
don on Thursday, directly from the field
! battle at Fishing creek. He was in the e.
L gagement, and his account is therefore reli
Bile. The substance Of his statement is tn,
!, given by friend who conversed with him
. Loudon: -e ~ .
s, On Saturday nightthe 18th, at IL o'cloc
General Crittenden and forces marched cut
: meet the enemy on Fishing creek, elev'
miles distant. They met the enemy lying
= ambush, just at the dawning of day, VIII
: Zollicoffer, who was in front, gave the ord
. for an attack. Colonel Staunton cried OF
2 sfor God sake dom fre-they are our friends
the Shoepfftes hallowing Justly for jeff D
S. Wis. Simultaneous the enemy fired, shoots
W General Zollicoffer in the heart and kill
\, him instantly. He spoke bat twice-his Ia
words were, ""Go on, go on, my brace Dogs
IL I am kiUedm On parting with his trusty Sc
lie want at midnight he shook his hands a
til remarked that they would probably meet
more. ..rHE gHfasf Ee.
n Colonies Battles and Cummings, and
Fifteenth Mississippiregiments fought brave
of saving our forces from annihilation. Gen
Id ais Crittenden and Carroll were in the
is gagement the whole time, eyincing gr
lis courage and determination.
IT. The enemy were repulsed several tin
RS Their strength vas fifteen regiments. .
lie. actually engaged was three regiments
of two companies of artillery. Our loss in XII
,e- wounded and missing, three hundred
ey fifty. Theirs probably mush more.