Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-06-28
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FRArxtN, VA, May 30, 1852,
Near. Ediio1:-Iu my last letter
promised sumo sketches Of the prominent
men bslohgiGgi 10 Nilroy's Division. Since
that promise was made, however, events
have lFanSpired which Supsrceds such
sketches, aud induce me % give you more
important detnils
| haTe been an1iouSly waiting to sec 10
The papers fair and inl account Of the
battle Of Mcdowell. Hitherto have been
disappointed. That engagement has been
only casually mentioned and that, too, IA
The mereSt skirmish. Nothing could BE-
more unjust, either to the general service
or 10 the regiments which were engaged.
Allow me, therefore, 10 give you a some.
what extended account OF that action, pre-.
faced BY n recital OF the even;s which pre-.
eeded il. 10Y
For three or four weeks before tue nc.
tion, our forces bad oceuPied Mcdowell,
and Cen JOh0sdn bad beenal Valley Nils
seven miles west Of Stauulon, At the east.
etR eud Of Buffalo Gap, 1T the point Wbett
the Stauntoa aud Parkersburg Pike first
louShrI the Central Virginia RailFoad. As
johnson bad fallen back 10 hot haste from
his strong position AZ Shenandoah Noun.
tain, upon our arrival At Mcdowell,
and NS our scouts COuStAnlly report!
ed that bis actions indicated much Iimid.
ity aud q purpose to rsmaia u VALLEY
Mills only temporarily, Gen. MilrOy,
always eager TO be doing something active,
ordered the Sd Virginia and 10th Ohio aud
Capt Hyman's battery TO crOsR the ShsuAn.
lbsh Mountain, SDd take up position on
the Calf. Pasture river, within twenty miles
Of SAuntOn. Accordingly, on the Sd day
Of May these regiments advanced 10 the
phint above designated, and eneAmpsd 10
sight Of the North Mountain range,
through portion Of which runS the Of.
ieu, named Buffalo Gap. They remained
there until the 9th, when they we're rein
forced by the g2d Ohio, That regiment,
however, had scarcely arrived. when Col.
EleWes, Of the 80 Virginia, who, Is senior
Colonel, was in command Of the column,
received a dispatch from Gen. MilFoy, con.
tainiRg the information that Jackson and
JOhnt6h were uniting to cut OF Milroy's
small division, and ordering that the three
regiments return Immediately. By late
bed time we were back Rt the loot Of the
mountain, where We encamped for the
night, On the morning Of the 9Th We were
ub beGimes, aud again took DIP the line Of
retreat. AZ the summit Of the Shenspdo.
ab, where the Secelh camp had formerly
been, Gen. MllrOy metgs, and tufued back
the 3?d Ohio 70 the place where Il had
spent The night Sbumnn's cavalry com.
pany Was also ordered back to that camp,
The Sd virginia aud 18th Ohio meantime
passed back to the Western foot Of tho
mountain, aud eneamped 10 the Valley Of
Sbaw's Fork, 'Es g3
On the morning Of the 7th, those Of uS
who Werein this Valley were early awaken
ed to inleresi, if not excitement, BY The ar.
rival Of mes5engeFg, bringing information
that SheEman's eGyAlFY had been amblS.
csded BY the rebel infantry, aad that the
s9d Ohio was holly engaged with over;
p0wetIpR numbers Of The enemy, Very
soon the whole camp was aStir; tents were
torn down, wagons were loaded and af-
leE some consultation nmOnRthe Officers,
the train started toward Mcdowell, while
the Sd VirEinia ahdi 75th 0hl0 vent for.
War1to relieve the 92d, and enable It 10
make a successful retreat, This was not
necessary, ps the report eoaeeFniug ils en-
Eagement with the Snsmy was found 70 DO
lal.e. The three regiments, however, 70.
mained for a'tlms 90 the top Of the mOuu-
tain; then retired, crossed SbswS Fork,
ShAW's Ridge and the Gov Pasture riRsF.
sud stopped Onthe SihmOn's road along
the eatterp slopes Of Bull Pasture moup,
tain, and 10 full view Of the LOFTY summit
aud bare western side Of the Shenandoah /
Tor, ShaW's Ridge Is quito low and does
not, therefore, obstFurt the view irOu one
Of the large mountains u the other,
Soon ogreyeIf were greeted with a igll
vision sfsiIviag, SldoVl1g ''seeesh.' ~ The
dark liae OF thelF tsoOpS came slowly
down, The road that WiudSUbOut on the
face Of the Shenandoah. Regiment and
battery and bdtlailop, followed each other
IL uas order, 80 dsiteerately and 80 al.
surtdly,, that many 4nO9E qS we're fully
eonVi1ted, that they expected 70 engage In
no equal eoatest with gs, Yer NilFUHRho
had 81 this time come forward % u5, with
4 reinlofesmtat Of 1 battery hnd 4 teSi,
lmont determined, win his usual .imPela-
oalty, that hs would At least make ; show
81 dgbE Hs accordingly eEabEed Hymea'l
battery back 10 the top Of ShRR'1 Ridge,
4 distance Of one aud a half OrstWo miles.
Hymau'S sent . few shelli into The ene'
my'S front, aS thOy dOh0lcbsd from the
ESrRe Of tie Shenandoah and before ~
SoGr lhsit Whole ioIseI turned about and
retired % The nouhtaia side.
Meantime, Some phreWd observers were
watching IN other diFectlonS thai that y
the opo6ly-moving eolumnS Among these
i.ObseFyerS was Lieut. Ool. Ih0lnps1l, Ol
tho Third VItkihiS, Who ssarns8 ths whole
monntaln side aud valley With htA glass,
AID dlSe6Vetsd that the rebels were poeF!
tiag latSs number down . deep gorge ~
"a th6ir lClt, who v WOFa crossing the valley
81 shGW's Fork; climbing up Shaw Ridge,
amid dense wood, and preparing iet :
aankiag moysmoat upon %, u ne should
SltSmpt .topadVauco toward Shenandoah