Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-01-17
The Battle Of 3lnn,s Gan.
Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial
CAMP KEYS, RcMNEY, VA,

SAMF hENSJ IltMNET, ' -,
January 7th, 1862.
Although tired nearly to death from the
Eatigues Of march Of Ihirty-two miles. and a
1gnr, ali done NJ, tire aioo.4 Ll..ar..
have determined to send you the incidents Of
the affair before going to bed. Sixteen miles
from this town, on the road to Winchester, is a
narrow dcfie through the mountains, called
Blues Gap. 1t begins about three hundred
yards after you cross the bridge over North
River, or Great Cacapon, and continues for
nearly Il mile, lined on each side by high pro-
jecting rocks. Since the rebels were driven
out of Romney, they have kept force at the
Cap, varying as circumstances required; but
as they co tcmplatcd move upon This place
from Winchester, which we have learned from
''reiiabe Sources they had within the last
lFcel; concentrated fifteen hundred men at the
! Gap. Their pan Of attack on Homney was
this: 10 move their centre column along the
| Winchester pike TO R)mney, hence the im21r-
tancr OF having the Cap guarded and rortitie |,
so as a'so 10 prevcut movement by US upon
! Winchester; 10 flank US on the left by way of
Mooricld, and on the right by way of the
Alartiusburgh road TO Springfield, in the event,
| suppose, that their attack an Hancock WAS
successful. You can sec the importance Of onr
routing them out of the Gap while they were
shclIiug cur forces at IIancock
Atl2 o'clock last night, six companies from
the 9th OHIO, the letters Of TIE companies |
don'l know, and companies T, d, a, b, a, |,
and q, Of the 4h Ohio, together with Daun's
battery, and six companies from each of the
following regiments: the 8;h and 7ih Oh;o
the 18th Indiana, and Ist Virginia. | mention
them in the order in which they marched fronl
this place upon Blues Gap, Col Danniag, d
the 9th, commanding the expedition.
1t was a cold, snowy, disagrteaoe night
bat the men responded chccrfully when the or
deI came to fall in"-not only did they lease
their tents and blankets willingly. but they
seemed 'eager FOR the fray" About six O'Clock
in the morning the Ripgod Cavalry, who were
| in advance, came upon the encmys first pick
ct post; the pickets fed without firing a gan
| The next post was half mile further on; ou
OF the twelve piciets on this post we captured
one. We soon came within sight of the bridge
in the valley, and through the dim light of th(
! coming day we could discern the lines of theil
Qualifications on either side OF the Gap. W.
went down the hill for nearly mile on dou
oie q'ttck. The 9th boinss in advance drove
the guards from the bridge, passed through
and were deployed up the hill to the LEFT. Th,
4th closed up and were depIoycd to the righ
up the slecpest and most difficult hillside t,
climb that have seen for some time. The 8tl
came up 10 The Gap, and the 9Th supported
Daums battery, which was placed in u field Il
the right, where it had command Of the breast
works and Cap. The ist Va and I4th Indi
ana were held as a reserve. The 9th move,
up the hill with colors flying, and when the,
came within range of the breastworks, the ell
emy opened the fire. which was returned b.
the 9th, and steadily kept up until they ha,
driven the rebels from their Notifications, an,
from tree to tree, down the opposite side. Tn
4th pressed on to the right and took possession
of the Notifications on that side before the reb
els had time to gain them, for they were most
ly at breakfast and were taken completely b.
surprise, being encamped in the hollow at th,
cnd Of the Gap opposite the bridge.
At that end Of the Gap the rebels had tw
cannon planted to rake the Gap as soon as an
force came within range; but from The position
the fankers had gained upon the right, the.
were enaOleu 10 nre upon lhe cannoneerS an'
the infantry that supported them, which the.
did, driving them to another position furlhe
up the road where they attempted to fire, bu
failed to get sufficient elevation. Seeing the,
were gone up" they gave way, and the rou
became general. Some went one way, som
another, the main body going toward Win
chester. They left thirteen men dead upon tn
tield-the number of their wounded is no
known. We hadn't man wounded or killed
We took fifteen prisoners, two pieces of ar
tillery with eassons, eight artillery horses; sew
eral cavalry horses, and any quantity of oil,