The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-05

IN In,eyrstins Story-Ths Late Def.a-FaiM IN
the Success Of our Cause.
looaRssp on Dzsos OF TIE aIcnxosD pIsrArcu !

s- ysa kNoxvILLE, TENN Jan. 80, 1862
yesterday conversed with young man
in the General Hospital at this place, whose
story is Interesting. His name is W. l.
Richardson; he Is a native Of Choctaw coun-
ty, Mississippi; he was eigh teen years old the
5th of last September. Some two years ago
he left home and proceeded TO st. Louis to
engage in the service of a fur company, and
90 on an expedition to the Rocky Mountains
Failing in this, he went up into Minnesota.
and settled near st. Paul. When the pre- sent
war broke out he started back to Mississippi
Arriving at st Joseph, Missouri, he was an
able to get farther; he volunteered in tne
N orthern srmy, expecting 70 be sent to For,
smith. Arkansas, and In tending to desert
from that place aud m AXE his way to Missts-
sippi. He was attached to the I'd Missouri
regiment, Dol Martin. Instead Of going to
Fort Smith, this regiment was ordered, via
Columbus. Ohio, to Western Virginia, and
formed part OF the command OF Gen. Rose
Grams
|. He says he was in the battle of Carna ajax
Ferry, or Ganley Cliffs, as it is called ty the
Federals. questioned him parti. ularly
about this engagement and its results TO the
Lincoln army He affirmed that hosecrans
lost eighteen hundred killed In the battle.
He said many placed it at twenty-five hun.
dred, but the common estimate was the
former number, l interroeated him two or
tA4cc tIulSS Ou tulS pCluL, ana ne WAS QlElluCt
and EN- phatic 10 making the above statement
then INC quIred how many were wcundedf
he said the number Was very iarge-that
from that point back TO Charleston, 8 dis
lance OF thirty miles, every house along the
road was filled with the wounded peopIe
being surned out OF doors to make room for
them.
You may estimate these statements atwhat
you think they are worth. II remember
the Dispdtch at one time expressed an opinion
TIL the Federal loss in that battle was vastl .
greater than reported and commonly believed
TO be. In the table published in your colum MS
a few days ago, their killed are put do VII at
$50, and wounded at $50. Their aggregate
Losses during the war are figured up u t l. 1925
killed in battle, and 7 ,6l4 wounded. Where
as the New York Times places their losses at
IL 900 killed, and - 900 wou AIDED. The obvi.
Gus inference Isl that in many instances we
have greatly under estimated the mum Der
which they have lost.
This young man said Roaecrans had in
that expedition eighteen regi IN en- ts, and that
he em ploy ed elev> II of them In the attack on
Floyd's oIces. He say 8 they advanced seven
times against the lstters breastworks, and
that, being stationed on the site Of Hauley
mountain, on kosecrans's left, he Witnessed
five OF the charges. After the firing ceased
the Federal General retired about four Mi es .
and sent fotce OF several regiments to 60
round Gauley mountain, by old Mr Goose.
berrys, and come down the river upon
Floyds rear. The distance to be gone over
was about IL miles; out before they could ac.
comptish the march, Floyd was gone. The
day after the battle, he WAS within FIoyd's
evacuated fertilization, but saw no blood or
traces ofmen having been killed and wounded
The breastwork, ABOUT six hundred yards in
length, reached from Gauleg river across a
bo tom to dauley mountain, on the right
He admired the posIuon very much, and also
the military character OF Gen. Floyd, whom
he considered more than match for Rose
Grams. Referring to him. he lid. ssI would
like to be under that man. l would be will
ling to fight under him as long as the war
lasts. / would as soon risk him as any of
them" A similar feeling, 1iud prevails
with the volunteers encamped here They
think Floyd would be the man to retrieve
the Fishing creek disaster, repulse the ad-
vance OF the Federalists in to East Tennessee.
and lead our forces to victorJ.
The young Mississippian, after an unsuc.
cessful effort to desert, succeeded on q second
trial He M ade his way through South est
ern Virginia into Tennessee, was arrest ted
and taken to Cum land Gap, tn en- brough I
to this place, He soon enlisted as a recrui,
for company in the har Dor Of Charleston.
S. q. The day before he was to start he was
attacked with typhoid fever, from which he
is Just recovered. When fully able, he will
join his company.
| tucky, every body deploIes it, but the puolic
mind has quieted and res nm ed a tone Of con.
fidence All accOunts, both Southern and
northern, agree our men fought we'll Those
who left the ranks and dispersed after cross
Ing the river are being collected together and
sent back to rejoiL their commanGs With
able eneralship thorough effective drilling
and disciulin-, efficient men in the Quarter
master and Commissary Departments, so br,e.
~ ana temperance among officers and pri
Yates. and the help of God, our forces will
be invincible and victorious A, h