The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1862-10-03
Cur Armu Correspondence
FROM THE stTH.

HEapouARsrns, Stth Reg. o,v.I.l
Point Pleasant, Va, Sept, 10.
Eps. TnrvsE:
Itake the first leisure moment to inform
you that l have just passed through a very
severe ordeal. and have come ont Of IL save
and am in good health.
The ordeal above mentioned was briefly as
follows;
On the 10Th OF Sept, the Gath and 37,h
Regis, Numbering about 1900 men, were at
tackled at Fayetteville by a force Of about
5000 men, supposed TO be under the com
meud Of Gen. Williams. The fight became
general about | o'clock, p. NJ, and lasted
until dark, without intermiseion. When both
parties being I,re,ty well exhausted, there
was a pause, but was frequently renewed
during the night, so that 1 ere was but very
little sleeping dore on either side.
Finding, by a reconnoisRnee during the
night, that the force Of the enemy was sufii.
cient to surround us, and that they bad near.
ly sue ceeded in doing Il, il was determined
by our commander, (Col. Sciber,) to fall
back to better position. Accordingly at
o'clock the next morning, we commented
our r,treat to Gauley, aud had to cut our way
through, which was done, with four wounded
on our side.
Arriving on Cotton Mountain. about four
miles from the kanawha River. the enemy
overlook us and brisk fght ensued which
lasted about three hours, when the rebels were
repulsed with considerable loss.
We then continued our retreat aud arrived
on the kanawha about 4 o'clock, r NJ a,
which point we found that our forces nom
Sommerville and Gsulcy Bridge, were In
full retreat, before another foree Of about
5000 men, supposed to be under the COM
mand Of Gen'l Lnriug. and instead OF find.
ing rcinforcements at that place, we found
that this new force were within three miles
Of heading us on aid shutting ns entirely up
in the Mountain, aud between two heavy col
umns therefore we had no alternative but to
destroy all government stores. and continue
our retreat; consequently Col. Gilbers Brig
ade rcireated on the south side Of the Kama.
wha, and our brigade, COMMANDED by Col.
Seiber.) on the south side, as far as Camp
Piatt, Fighting all the way. Al Camp Piatt,
we crossed the Fiver and concentrated our
forces. amounting In all to about 5000 met /;
We then continued down TO Charleston aud
crossed Elk Greek, when We mada another
stand on the 18th, and fought all day, aud
then marched all night In all this four dnys
fight our total loss Is about 40 killed and 4 80
wounded, out Of which our Regiment lost IN
killed 49, wounded IS, and missing %. Our
Regiment suffered the most, because at Fay
cttville, We fought in an open Hcld. and the
9th were In the redonts, but we have the
best information showing that tie loss of the
enemy was not less than 1000 killed aud
wounded.
We were obliged to keep falling back BE-.
cause the febel force was so overpowering
that they were enabled to flank us, and even
TO divide their force in order to hem us in.
We, therefore, fell back to Ravenwood, on
the Ohio River, and then came to this place.
where We will give them battle if they have
the territory to attack us sgain, or when we
recuperate little and get reinforcements,
we shall be very apt to pitch into them.
To recapitulate: We made march OF l0i
miles, fought three pitch ed battles and saved
our whole train. oil in the space Of seven
days, and this too. when the mercury at mid.
day wns 1909 IN the shadeI and although
driven back We were in no case whipped
but are anxious to try 1t again. On tho
march from Camp Piatt to Charleston, | had
command Of the rear guard, and took the re
sponsibility of burning two of the largest salt
furnaces, and destroying al the salt could.
About the only thing regret is. that all the
salt works and everything In the valley was
not burned, so as to make it unnecessary to
occupy the valley any more, but had no or.
ders to do It, and consequently contsnted
myself with a specimen Of what would do,
were in power.
From the 10th to this date, have slopt
with no covering but the canopy Of heaven,
and have not had my boots and spurs of, and
have fed ON rather low diet, but We are all
very healthy Notwithstanding
have no more time TO spare NOW, and will
merely add, that should to receive your
paper occasionally, In order to hear what is
going on in 1irin. Ny kindest regards to
all friends.
Truly yours,
+. +. FRANKLIN.
Lieut.. Col, 34th Reg, Q, v.