Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-05-30
Letter From the Camp.
FRANKLIN, PEaDLEToN Co, VA,
Nav II. 1862

l was pleased to hear from you; | re-
ceived letter from you few days ago,
which | have not had time to answer.
We have been within 20 miles of
| Staunton, but on the 5th we fell back
to Shenandoah mountain, in consequence
of an anticipated attack On the 9th,
I fell to this side Of the mountain, aad on
the 7th, we were called out and went to
the top of the mountain, expecting
fight, the. enemy having appeared and
drove in the pickets of the 32d Ohio
j We remained on the mountain 4 short
time, and found they were not coming
on very fast, SO we went back to our
camp and struck our tents, preparatory
to falling back on our reinforcements at
Mcdowell. There were only three
regiments in the advance, and one bat
terry SO we were not strong enough to
encounter the enemy, who were coming
on very fast with a heavy force. They
captured all, the tents and camp equip
age belonging to the 32d Ohio. We
fell back from our camp about one mile
and half, and waited for them to APP
pear. We could see them coming off
the top of Shenandoah mountain, SO our
regiment and Himan's battery went
back to the ridge overlook ng our camp,
and their extreme advance in our camp.
A couple of shell caused them to leave
it faster than they came in. We then
proceeded to Mcdowell. On the Sth
the reveille was sounded about four
o'clock, hasty breakfast got, and then
we were ready for fight. About eight
in the morning our pickets were driven
in by the enemy's skirmishers. We
struck our tents, loaded our wagons and
started them on, then took our position
on little knoll. The valley here is
very narrow. We were now ready and
waiting for the French gentlemen to
come in. Their scouts appeared on the
top of the mountain, about one mile
and half from our. position. We ex-
pected their full force to come upon us
soon; but we sent out our skirmishers to
! draw them in, but they would not come.
| We shelled them on the mountain top
with but little effect; the top of the
mountain being so narrow it was very
4 hard to get the right elevation, and then
! they remained on the other side of it..
! About 5 o'clock in the afternoon the
25th and 10th Ohio Regiments started
for the top of the mountain. In few
minutes the engagement became gen
eral, and soon men began to fall on both
sides. They had the advantage of us,
for the top of the mountain was COW
cred with brush about 8 feet high,
which afforded them hiding place.
In about three quarters Of an hour from
when we first engaged them the 32d and
t SD Ohio, and Sd Virginia Regiments
was sent to our support. In about one
half hour from this time we succeeded
in getting one six-pound gun up the
mountain far enough to throw shell
into them. We fought three hours and
a half, running every regiment they
brought against US. l tell you the bull
lets whistled about US fast and thick
! One Of our regiments run out of ammu-
MT II hoI 70
them until it was SO dark we could not
see to shoot. We returned to camp
bringing our dead and wounded with u.s.
| shot 42 rounds at them. They num-
bered about Z thousand, while the force
We brought against them was about four
thousand. You may know by this that
We had to fight very hard. Schenck
| got in with his brigade short time be-
fore the fight, and had one of his regi-
ments In the fight. When we started
out Schenck said he would give give us
10 minutes to stay on the mountain, but
we staid three hours and half. The
soldiers here say that the 10Th fought
better than any regiment they ever saw
in their first battle. We took one pris-
oner, who tells us they had 5000 men,
part of whom were to arrive that even
ing. We had only provisions enough
to last US two days, and had five hun
dred head of horses that had not had
anything to eat for twenty four hours,
consequently We were forced to fall back
I, towards the railroad; SO, that night
4 about two o'clock we started to Frank
lin, north least course from whore we
were.
When the enemy found we were re-
treating, they followed up. We marched
about sixteen miles the first day, and
the second we came to within two miles
of Franklin. Yesterday We came ia
town, and had not been in town more
than an hour when we were called out,
the enemy having attacked Scheack who
was in the rear. Our regiment skirmished
the woods all the afternoon, but we could
not get within shooting distance of the
enemy. We shelled them all the after
noon, which kept them from appearing
in any considerable force. SO our reg
t;ment took nositioD hehind Wrirht's