The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-09-30
NORTHERN ACCOUNTS.
From the Richmond Enquirer.

Late Northern papers state that Gen. Reno was
killed on Sunday evening, the l4th, in the battle
near Boonsboro, or South Mountain, as the Yam
KEGS call it. He was shot dead while issuing
orders, about p. NJ.
Gen. Miles, who struck by she'll, just as
he had ordered the white flag to be raised at
Harper's Ferry, on Monday morning, had his leg
Immediately amputaued, and died that night.
Gen. Mcclellan has been again disgracng him
self by false dispatches. He is mighty hero
according to his own story, but the fasehoods are
worthy his Chickahominy fame. The fight at
South Mountain Sunday he teegraphs "a
glorious victory" ard he quotes Gen. Hooker as
authority for saying that Gen Lee admitted he
chad been shockingy whipped And as if Gen
Hooker not enough, he quotes runaor as
stating that our loss in that battle was seventeen
thousand men.
Nov the truth is that General Lee has dis
tinctly said that the battle referred to was re-
pulse of the enemy, although he had his whole
force, and we but a portion of ours. The state
ment of our loss is absurd. We had hardly that
number engaged. Surely, Mcclellan is the last
man who can be excused for resorting to rumor
His most chastened dispatches are themselves as
reckless as ordinary rumor; what must his rumors
be! One of the enemy letter writer's says:
81 estimate that two thousand will cover the
list of our casualties. | think that the enemy's
loss in killed and wounded will not exceed our
own. Altogether we captured two thousand
prisoners
As there seems to be considerable confusion,
even in some Of our own papers, to the time
and places of the late battles, we will state them:
At Harper's Ferry, on Sunday evening and Mon
day morning; at the Blue Ridge or South Noun
tain Passes, near Boone nesborough, on Sunday; and
at Sharpsburg on Wednesday.
After the battle near Boonesborough closed,
Gen Lee, as we have heretofore stated, withdrew
his forces the night to Sharpsburg. On
Monday Mcclellan slowly followed. There was
no fighting on that day, and none the next except
a short and harmless cannonade in the afternoon.
Wednesday was the day of the great fight, which
lasted until night. The next morning the enemy
had retired, abandoning to us the battle field.
THE MOUNTAIN BATTLE
We copy the following description of the battle
field of Sunday from the army correspondent Of
the New York Times:
"The Rebel position was on the sides and sum-
nit of the Blue Ridge Mountains, on each side of
the Gap known as Frog Gap, through which the
main road, or the turnpike from Middletown to
Hagerstown passes. The Gap is distant from
Middletown about three miles, and from Frederick
twelve miles. Boonsboro, the next important
town to Middletown on the turnpike, is two miles
from the Gap on the other side of the mountains.
The mountains in the vicinity of the Gap are steep
and rugged, and rendered difficult to ascend un-
less by the ordinary thoroughfares, on account of
numerous lodges and loose rocks which afford no
permanent foothold. From base to top they are
covered with thick wood, thereby giving nrotec-
ton to the party in possession, and making the
progress of the attacking force doubly hazardous.
Bolivar, village boasting of six or eight dwell
ings, is situated on the main road, between Mid
dietown and the Gap, and about one and half
miles from the latter place.
The early position of the Union army, or
where the line of battle was first formed, was on
piece of rising ground on the right and left Of
the main road, between Bolivar and the noun
tains. AS the day advanced and our forces moved
forward, the position was changed, but never for
the better The nearer approached the noun
tains, the successfully could the enemy bring
his artillery to bear on our columns No matter
what position we held, the Blue Ridge mountains
commanded that position