Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-09-09
fHE BArrLEs NEAR RICHMOND, KY.
correspondence CiDsinnati 6asette, Sept /
PRRL1AIrAhY TO THE RAfrLR

Hin the pIscr from which they 90 inciori ious, e q
He'd the Saturday previous. When in the scinity
of their former exploits, they encountered tbeir
old enemy, Col Scott, Of the 1st Louisiana cav.
airy, who Prcmpiy gave chase, when Col Met
cafes men again turned tail, leaving their oal-
iant commander to bring up the rear Tbja time
however, they did not nun without a,inp a onn,
ont tney mig ht ~ well have done 90, for when
lhey turned In their saddles and emptied tbpiy
Ilne, they only endangered the life Of their gal-
isnt teacer, who was thus between two fres On
Els retain, Col. Metcalfe was so disousted with
Els regiment that lie refused to have anything
more nipIe 10 90 win such pack Of srrant towards,
"HP,enpon Lieut. Col Odin followed bis ex-
ample, leaving the fragment Of the command q,
charge OF Maj Faulkner. a brave and da,bino
Smcer, who would have retrieved the disaracs
any fight IN them '
me rebel cavalry, accompanied by few s,x.
Pc.ho hoSitzers, each drawn by single mpl,
vSii.e Gn.ea 10 advance toward Rogersviie, little
NtIaSe ABOUT I've miles south OF Richmond
HneIe they Were met by a section of Andrews,
HIchlsan betsery and the brigade Of Br,gadis,
Ueaeldi & &Manson, composed Of the 55tt, e6th 6gtb
Hnu .Ist Indiana reg eiments. A small artillery
duel Immediately ensued, which ,esnI,ed in ny
capture OF one Of the enemy,s howit1e,. ,fta,
%nieh aney wlts6rew. There is no deubi now
tna' tDe enemy oaite1 their hook with this tn.ig
nlncant piece OF artiIlery-that thev ne,noit,sa q
our men TO capture IL, In order to encouraoe tbS,
70 mike stand and, If possible, induce them to
,e;. ,ne county sli further from their base
In hs iney Were Partially successful for althoup
General Manson did not pursue the retreatjng Ses
he ordered his brigade to pass the MIC bt wberss
they were. on their arms Ae'o
THE FIGHT NEAR RosKRsyrILr
Early the next morning our scouts repo,ted IN @
enemy advancing In force towards Roge,sv,iie
Our pickets were soon after driven in and shont
nai yast O'Clock brisk cannonading eusued
anybody else, could not think Ii possible that
tne feoes We're moving upon ~ with yerv heavy
lofce, AID as soon az l heard the frst discharoe 2
Sss e.eIeiy FASTENED to the aeld. Louder and
< Rl 4 apaAt 4,
scton. could clearly distinguish the sham
crashing thunder Of our Rodman puns from thsst
produced oy the enemv's pieces, and was well
sausned that our artillerists were doing their
duty. N0As 'neii
The 10th Indiana, from Gen Cruft,s brigade
Mnicn was compo'ed Of the 18th and 10th Indiana
2s'n Onio, ana le:h Kentucky, had already ad,
vancsd toward the scene of action. and M,
shrown on our extreme left, while the 69,h Indiana
occupied the extreme right. II was now evi ient
a9,h q Sehera, engagement must ensue, aud the
so'n Onlo and 18th Kentucky were also ordered
up, leaving the 18th Indiana as a reserve. The
on ONO, headed by Its gallant leader. Col
McMnlan, ,a,i, movea rapidly down the road 10 the
inspiring sound Of the drum and ffe. bnt feIv
men dropping out Of the ranks, notwithstandinU
me oppressive heat The 18th Kentucky sooS
aiteI followed, Its fine brass band playing cyan
men.s were IN aa os as s, soon as possible both reg
me soan Onio was posted near the center and
Dsiore the men had time to catch their brestbs
ehsIge char s hs;,g h;,ngu'ng march, they were ordered to
",
tne enemys In. For raw regiment, who were
snsShg Sunpowder for the first time, this was
sMnp M good deal, but it could not be helped
sne regiments Were raw; 1t was deemed
-scessary 10 silence the battery; and Ii was no
harder that one should do IL than another The
brave fellows prepared TO execute the command
put when within short distance OF the thunder
ing guns, they were met by a muderous Cross
nfe, which cut them up badly, and caused con-
fusion In their ranks. Ii was now apparent that
the enemy fearfully outnumbered us. as usual,
anu tne s3th was ordered to fall back, which
sney ala In not very good order, while the 66th
tndiana, into whose lands they fell, acted upon
the example set hem.
The enemy had now fairly fanked both our
wings, and were pouring into ill-fated fel-
lows q shower Of bullets from three sides In all
my experience, have never heard thing like
the firing on our left. Ii was also heavy on the
center and right, but the principal fighting seemed
TO be on the Ieft where the 18th and list Indiana
and 18th Kentucky were stationed.
About nine O'Clock, number Of mounted civil
iars, who bad ridden out to zee the fight, took
the alarm, and turning their horses heads In the
direction Of town, gaIloped back at the top Of
theif speed. The drivers Of ambulances, too,
caugh the Infection, and could not be persuaded
TO return to the field. To add to the confusion,
our artillery, now out Of ammunition, had to be
Withdrawn to prevent its falling into the hands
OF the enemy. This seemed to destroy what little
confidence remained, and in few minutes the
scene wore very much the appearance Of stam-
pede. A number Of our men were seen flying
across the fields; and a moment after, the rebels,
rending the air with loud chsers, were swarming
about the woods and cOrnfelds which skirtet 4 the
road on both sides.
THE FIGHT AT MooRI's FARM.
During the battle near Rogenvllle, our caval-
Nv, about 500 strong, was drawn up in line on the
arm Of Mr.. Moore, about a mile north Of the
scene Of the ffst conflict Although there was
no fight In them, and the wonder IL they did not
fy, az usual, at the first alarm, they made them
selves very useful in Iallying stragglers and
panic stricken men, and by their conduct en-
ab'ed Gen Manson, the senior ontcer on tie
field, II make another stand.
At this critical moment, the i2th Indiana,
winch had been ordered up, came along on the
double quick, and materially assisted In pre-.
venting general rout ] shall never forget the
sight Of that gallant body Of men, rushing by at
Tight-shouider shift, their new Springfield
rides shimmering in the rays Of q sultTy August
sun. Many Of them were driving on to a swim
destruction, and they knew it, but they never
halted once, nor sac kened their speed tall they
arrived on the ground.
By this time the other regiments had fallen
formed In excellent order. A fresh supply Of
ammunition had arrived for the artillery, and
everything wes in readiness for a second engage
ment which was not long delayed.
At the battle near Rogersvllls, 1 have neglect
ed TO say, the enemy fought N with a brigade OF
Tennessee troops. These were now withdrawn,
fight was very similar to the first, beginning
with artillery, and ending with close infantry
firing, resulting, near noon, In the gradual re-
pulse Of our men. They were again tanked and
didly they could not maintain their ground
against the fresh and well seasoned troops with
whom they were contendIng. Exhausted by
their efforts, and almost famished for water they
reluctantly yielded their ground, and fell back
TO new poisI daPPat-near the cemetery, about
mile beyond Richmond. 'f
The rebels did not pursue, much to the sur prise
OF our men, but remained under shelter, as they
had done At the close Of the Arst fight. Had they
dashed forward, 10 would have been impossible
to reform our shattered column but this was not
their policy. 2hey were playing deeper game,
az win be seen, and really desired to prolong the
fight till as late an hour In the day as possible.
THE FIGHT The cRMBTIRY.
ltwas two O'Clock in the afternoon before our
third line Of battle was formed. The position
chosen, like that at Mr. Moore's, was an elevated
one, but the rebels had the advantage OF woods
and corn relds, and for time kept up murder
nre upon our men sustaining al first but little
loss Themselves. This time they fought " with
an Arkansas brigade. Here our artillery was used
tc good advantage, and finally drove the enemy
from their shelter, when they formed on our
right, our boys meantime pouring in:o their ranks
some destructive volleys The loss OF the enemy
In this engagement was perhaps heavier than In