Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-01-04


rest. The road by which Floyd fled was a
very difficult one, and of course peculiarly
SO at night; and scuh an energetic pursuit
as that of Carrick's Ford would undoubtc,l-
" have thrown superior force upon the
disorganized brigade of Floyd in his flight
and then and there ended his operations
but here again General Beutam was over.
ruledand the enemy allowed opportunity
for reorganization.
After the encampment of our army Al
Gauley, Floyd ngain appeared on the onpo.
site side of the river on November LIST, and
fired into our camp. General Benham,
who had foreseen such result from The
exposed position Of our forces, applied for
boats, and for permission TO cross and cap
turc this advance force. He cut a road
down to the river, aud made every prcpa-
ration fer this movement, but the authority
WIS withheld, the enemy came up in force,
and the movement became impossible
| Benham was then sent by direction OF
Rosecrans down the river below the falls,
and was ordered TO Cross and hold some
positions on the opposite side. His brig
hde crossed on the 9th and 9th, and from
that time till the eth or 18th General Ben.
ham was urgently asking permission to adj
vance upon the enemy. On the sth he
| wrote that he could s.attaGk FlovG before
morning, If Schenck could co opcr0te;'' but
| ltOseCrans replied, "Schenckis boats will
not be ready Tonight" On the 10Th he
renewed his application for permission 10
attack, asking for one OF two of the nddi-
tiOnal regiments which were unable TO
cross above, aad promising with this force
to make the movement sure; but tue force
was not granted him. He then wrote saw
ing: 81 urge n night attack at three or live
a. Nj" and subsequently,, on the samc
evening, expressed himself thus: 81 will
have my men ready to move in AN hour any
time. aud witIla few more, or even with
these, il necessary, will go it alone" But
NO urgency whichit was proper for him to
use with his superior could draw from
General RosecrAus the permission to assail
the enemy.
at length, however, Floyd began to
move, and it became obvious that it the
| operations against him were to await the
tarly movements of Schenck, as Rosecraus
had apparently determined they should.
the enemy would escape. at length,
therefore, Benham received the authority
! to advance, after the enemy had lain in hi 5
insulting position, firing at discretion upon
our camp, from the LIST to the 18th of No
vOmber.
1t was now too late to move effectively
with the small force Mt Beuhnm's com.
mand. Floyd,s retreat brought his whole
army upon Benham's line, and it Was i'm
possible for him to attack them in force
sufficient to BintercCpt the retrcnt. When,
however, the retreat was ascertained. Ben
ham took up the pursuit and urged il day
Gnd night till he overlook the foe auI
fought II battle with his rear guard, in
which the rebel Colonel Croghan was kill
cd, with sumo others of the enemy, Dur
ing this pursuit he wrote Rosecrnns thus:
"Do not let me be int9rfered with, though
ha (FlOydl had long start But the re-
quest was vain Schenek, in Whnsa hands
Rosecrans had evidently resolved to place
Bnnham and the whole movement, came
over, and as senior brigadier assumed the
command. He tirst ordered Beuham not TO
pursue longer than noon OF the next dav,.
unless he was actually upon tue encmy's
forces but before that hour General Ben
ham had 0vGrtaken them and brought on
an action, BY night-fall, however, he was
under the necessity of resting his wenried
men for few hours, and wrote Schcnck,
then some miles in his rear, that if he
would unite his force with Benhnm's they
might "drive the enemy through Raleigh
Tomorrow Tothis proposal Schenck re-
piled by letter stating that the roads
were so bad, and the men so fatigued, that
reinfOrcements could not be sent forward
and ordering Benham TO discontinue the
pursuit, which he reluctantly did; his for
ces finding the roads passable enough to
march back tho same night. Of course
they could have marched forward, and 9TH
ers could with equal energy have marched
up to them. Floyd had in this retreat a
start of many hours OF good weather, and
Benham had pursued through hours Of rain
and storm. The roads had now become so
sOltened by the rain that it would have
been impossible for Floyd to move his
heavy train further, aud prompt advance
ofOur forces in the morning, according to
BenhRm's wish, must have resulted in its
capture.
On Benhnm's return, after a pursuit in
which he had not taken of his spurs for
ninety hours, he found disposition on the
| part of some OF the parties involved to
cast upon him the responsibility of Floyd's
escape; and one Of the reporters from Gen.
Rosecrans' camp threw out such an iusin-
uatiOn on the authority, as he alleged, of
Rosecrans himself. Beuham at once, in a
temperate letter, requested the General to
disaTOw the charge, and obtaining no sat
isfactory reply be wrote again, demanding
a courtof inquiry. To this Gen. Rosecrnns
replied By an order of arrest.
This is certainly singular result. The
officer who has been the life and soul OF
tho operations of that department; who
has been ceaselcssly urging further and
more prompt action, and requesting s'per-
mission to attack the enemy, either in
concert with others, or ''aloue;r who has
been asking for forces, and suggesting
movements, and has found all his suggcs-
tions aud requests disregarded; who at
length, gains the wished for opportunity,
advances us far as the limited means al
forded him will allow, and finally attacks
and drives the enemy in fall retreat, is
rewarded with the stigma of public arrest.
he finds his companions in arms prompt
to shield themselves from censure by cast
ing blame on him, who alonc has met the
enemy. Schenck, who could not cross for
u week after Benham was in presence OF
the enemy, thinks that Benham was iuac-
| ira p;mit Snhnnrhln AAi..anu.A ni.nL.,.-