Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-06-28

tire toward Mcdowell. Il arrived at lhR
place late 10 lhe aftsFnOOni strong picket
were thFOGn GOT 10 every direction auS
the remaining troops LAID dOWn TO rest.
Btfors they rise on the morning Of thr
day OF the battle, lsS Us examine the pOsi
liOu they Oeeupy, aud lts surroundings, 10
view ofStrGteEic relations.
We will make the S,Auulon and Parktrs,
burg Pike aud the Bull Pasture river oul
base aud meridian lines, IS the general d..
recllop Of the river here Is south, aud lhA,
OF the pike is east aud west The river
runt at the base Of The bluffs, which belong
to Bull.pnSlure Mountain range. II i5A
smIll bat deep and rapid stream, which, 10
wet season, could not ottsn Be Eorded.- -
The pike corning eastWard from Monterey
(which iS tea miles ciilant) eniersthe Bull.
pasture valley from a deep and rock. walled
gorge, nearly two miles TO The west Of Nc.
DoWsll, and, running down to within four
or Eve hundred yards Of the river, turns
abruptly to the right; and, after keeping
near the stream tor quarter Of'a mile,
turns abruptly TO the len, crosses II on a
stout bridge, and enters another gorge, or
rather amphitheatre Of rAviueS, which in-
deutS the RHll.paSture range Of mountains.
On either side Of this gorge are open pas.
luro lands, cleared, in Eotps places, to the
very tops Of the bluf points which hang
ont from the main mountain aud between
the raViuei. These fields arc exceedingly
sGeCp Of course, and some ollheui terminate
10 rounded submits or hog.baek ridges,
according toths shape o. the bill upon
which lheyare situated As yon eater the
gorge, Just aIter crossing the bridge, you
pass sharp ''noss' Ol the left, which Is
The tstmiuatIpn OF 4 singular, abrupt bluff,
narrow audfbhAFp, which exteHds a little
above the place where the pike makes the
first angle that mentioned. THIS blutI u
pretty high, considering II, width, aud d
bounded on tho east by aravinc OF small
valley; on tie south BY tbs pike, aud on
the north By the opening 10 the valley be-.
hlnd ii, while the river rams 1t lts base on
The west, 80 that tits sharp, narrow, short,
isolated ridge. Facing this ridge, toward
the east, IsN long, steep hillsiio, cleared
to the top, green With grass, and termInHl.
ing in a sharp "hOg back" the southern
point OF which overIooks the gorge up
which the pike runs. Il also Comlnanls v
large portion Of that amPhitheatre Of
which the gorge tEavetBed by the pike Is 4
part. On the southern side Of tue pike is
similar hillside Of pasture land, except.
ing that Il Is not shut OF from the main
Bull.pastnre Valley by a narrow blutf like
that on the north side Of the pike; nor do
the fields extend entirely along the top
10 fact the top, which Is 4 Congeties Of
singularly arranged knobs and ridges, is
partly covered with trees, Rtd partly open.
That tVds he main battle fed, 10 the action
near Mcdowell.
Returning to the valley proper, Of Bull.
pasture, we can easily observe ita strategic
outlines, The low bottom is very narrow
and 10 almost entirely on the west side Of
the river, And yet the distance from bill
70 bill averages about a mile and half
The most Of this space is occupied by
second bottomS." OF benches" rs some
callthem-yClvped ',Plattaur' BY geOgraph.
ers. From the point where the pike en.
ters the valley on the west, the ranges Of
these branches diVerge 50 IS %. form "
with the open space eNStwArd, 10 which
space The village OF Mcdowell is sitlated.
The village occupies both sides The pike,
about its angle, and iSaRlSo scattered be.
tween the angle and the, ryver. II iS quite
. small village; but has an air Of Old Yir.
glnia aristoCracy and display about it,
Just opposite the bridge, tbs bluH Of one
range of second bottom ldVapGes to within
two hundred or two hundred aud tifty yards
Of the river, afordiug d commanding posi-.
ton for artillery, aud especially as the blua
10 somewhat pointed here, 80 aS to give a
battery full sweep Of the main valley as
well as ofthe mountain sides and gorge Of
the Bull,pasture mountain. Above town,
thFse.lonfths oi d mile, is 3 similar point;
and, here and there, all along bo;h ranges
ofbeheheS, there are capital positions for
cannon.
ills easy to see, even from this rough
description, that our position In the valley
was strong one, aud especially % our a..
tillery force was largoit proportion to the
whole column. OF course our officers bad
studied all iLs available advantages, and
bad stationed the batteries and other forces
accordingly.
EARLY 10 the forenoon Of the 9Th, word
came to camp that the enemy had driven
in our piCkell, aud were fast approaching
the town AlWe had been fully convinced
that they were ia strong force, this news
aroused all tho troOpsto unusual interest,
With many Of them, tbis was thO,6rSt real
prDmiSe Of actual contest asaF 1t hand.
They we're about 70 be tried, ~ soldiers, 10
that IsyeresI Of OrdeGls, The frat battle.
How many hearts qUAiled aud how many
others beat highl 10 hopeful, joyous az.
tiGiPationl spo NJ,
Our troops were sent out to occupy All
The important heights, excepting that on
which the batIlsAt lSngtb OGcuEred. Why
that one-lhS StropgsSt and most aCallable
Of all-WaS not occupied, CaunOt tell. !
cAnuo! even guess. The omistion was
mosl unfortunate, not 70 S6y rePEehensi.
ole. The enemy showed their Sagaeity 10
early ascending that high sminsnee, and
studying It's strategic relations. There
they took their stand, aad tantalissd Nil.
roy BY marching hsts and there IL full
sight of the town, well knowing his pecu.
liar ChataeserIstlcs foF Johnson had laln
Iih front 6t him lot months, aud had re.
PULSED him from Allegheny Camp. The
fuse hai, ID bdFt Ii desired edscl. Ger.
NRiroy seat up skinhtshidg partleI, who
oeeaSLonally engaged thp euemy'S tkIr.
hiShers, here aud there, on ibe mountain.
sIde but special influences prevented any
ReaetaI elengement; for I. was PLATA that
oaF proper policy was 70 shallsng. combat