Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1862-01-28
Defeat near Somerset, Kentucky.

feAt OF our forces IL the engagement "hio'' w
Cured On Sunday. the 18th inst, st Fishing
Greek, near Somerset in Kenturky. The dlsas-
trous result of this engsy cement furnishes an IL
lustration of the fact that prudence is as essen
tial IS bravery, and that without the former the
latter becomes mere rsshness. Maj General
George B. Orittenden no doubt possesses bravery,
but being defcisn in prudence, he committed
very rash act, which resulted in the disastrous
defeat of his command. With force inferior
to tie enemy, he left his own position where he
was entrenched, marched his men nine miles,
and made an attack upon the enemy in their
strong position on Fishing Greek. If he had
taken counsel of prudence, he would have re-
mained in his position till attacked by the enemy,
and the result in all probability would have been
quite different As it was, the attack was msds
by, our troops, and repulsed by the superior mum
bers of the enemy. During this affair, General
Zollicoffer was slain, after Which disorderly
retreat epsued on the part Of the Confederate
forces. The enemy pursued to our entrench-
ments, and there attacked our breastworks and
shelled our camp. Ou. troops abandoned their
CdtHp, lOSluR tn0lA oitliAOA oA.AO-t 10y
and commenced a retreat towards Knoxville
The number of killed snd wounded on our side
is stated at five hundred. No mention is made
of prisoners.
The decentralization of the repulse was increas-
ed by the fall Of General Zolcoffer, and this was
still further added to by the disorderly retreat
flight back to their oTn entrenched camp
G. Ill thnyl fharn
found whipped nee behind our breastworks,
who quickly abandoned everything and took up
the Yankee quickstep to the rear.
The loss Of the enemy is not known, tut 1t
must have been great, as the Yankees acknowi-
edge that the Gloss Epou both sides was great,
and-own that l., single Indiana Regiment the
loss in killed AMI wounded was seventy i've.
Besides may other noble and gallant men,
who fell in this engagement, we have to mourn
the loss of Brig. Gen'l F. K. Zollicoffer. In
speaking of him, the Richmond Whig says that
the intelligence of his death caused to the Ten
nessee officers in Richmond, the greatest grief.-
ssHe was native of Maury county, Tennessee,
and bv birth identified with those who had
strugsled with Jackson. In politics, he always
co-eperated with the Whig party, and advocated
its cause with ability and fidelity, and for sever
al wears was the editor of it's leading organ il
Nashville. He was member of the S.ate Sen
ate of Tennessee, a member Of Congress for three
terms. and. voluntarily retiring. was the Presi-
dent of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad,
at the commencement of the war. The conf
depce of those who knew him best assigned him
the position of Briga1ier- General of the TeDnes-
see forces. He accepted ii, and molly has he
discharged it's duties Brave to fault he per
illsd his own life as gallantly as he pered the
lives of Others His death on the field attests
that fact. Peace to his ashes. The blood OF
the brave is the libetion freedom demands. He
will stand in history as Warren stands. Calm,
temperate and moral, be met, in defsnce OF his
native State, all dangers, with firm step and
even pulse ard, could his dying thoughts be
known they would doubtless ve, that be held bis
own life as nothing, compared With the indepen-
dence of the South Brave and gallant spirits
like his always have friends, and, in Nashville,
the news of his death will sound as the death Of
a brother. UEselfsh to perhaps inprovidence,
he had lived for family end friends, snd he died
for his country"
As much as we may lament this defeat, it may
be blessing in disguise, and may be oVerruled
for or good. It may be designed to cause US
to exercise more caution and vigilance, end to
nerve our arms with increased vigor, that We
may be able to strike tie enemy more effectual
blow. 1t may be designed to rebuke us for fol-
lowing the example Of the enemy in making an
attack on the Sabbath day. The enemy did SO
at Manassas and wore defeated, we followed that
example on this occasion and met the same fate.
P. S. The dispatches in reference to this un-
fortunate affair received since the above was in
type states that Gen'l Crittenden WAS induced TO
attack the enemy. in their strong position because
he thought their force only numbered 1900,
whereas they sumbered 14,oO0. 1t is very re-
markable that such mistake should be made
when the enemy were only nine miles distant
The number of officers wounded on our side
shows that our men fought bravely and WE'LL
Mai. Gen'l CrittendeR, Cole. Powell Battle, Stat
ham, ard Cummings, aud Majors Fogg and
Shields, and Surgeons Morton, Dulaney and
Gift were wounded. The loss sustained by the
enemy is supposed to be between tour and five
hundred.
1t is estimated that our killed, wounded and
prisoners will be from three hundred to five
hundred.
Gen. Orittenden with neagly all his force is
now at Monticello, in Wayne couGty. twenty-five
niles from the scene of his defeat and stores and
Equipments are beirg sent TO him.
The Oonfederates spiked their cannon and threw
th ern into The river, only one piece falling into
the hands of the enemy
We lost two thousand head of horses aud mules,
and three hundred wagons.
All our stores were burnt to prevent their fal-
ling into the hands of the enemy.
AS the dispatches are confused and eontradic-
tory, the exact amount of our loss and the cause
of this defeat, cannot be known till the official
reports be received. We have no doubt but
that our gallant soldiers will 'pick their fints
and try it again"
LATER-The Knoxville Register says:
The false information of the enemy's force was
brought by one johnson, known Familiarity as
"Hogback Johnson
Our loss was not very heavy, but our men
became panic-stricken after the fall of Ger. Zol-
icoffer.
Gen. Crittenden was / OF wounded as had been
reported.
Inferred.
The remains of the gallant Captain Anderson,
of the Lee Battery of Lynchburg, who was kill
ed in the fight at Allegheny Mountain, have been
inferred at Tullahoma, Tennessee, his late home.
n