New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-01-28
NUMBER 276.
Battle OF Fishing Creek.

.. NUMBER I'D
Battle OF Fishing Creek. 9
DEFEAT or GEN. cRIrfENnEY's COMMAND
''"%'.f ------------------- - ~
iDEATH Of CEN. FELJK x. tzoLBIGO PFzR. |
~ ~ From the Fsshsflle Patras.l "
2 On Wednesday evening last Gen. A. s. Johnston
telegraphed to Gov. Harris from Bowling Green,
that Louisville paper Of the Goth, which he had
received announced thatsour arms had met with
reverse in Kentucky, and that Gen. Zollicoher had
been killed, and asking If the Governor had any in
formation onthe subject. This was the first infor-
nation which had been received here Of an en-.
gagement betwe cen Gen Crittenden's command and
the enemy. After # ttranspired yesterday morning
confirmation was received through q passenger on
the steamboat Commerce, which arrived from the
Upper Cumberland, ard also by q dispatch from
sLoudon to oryille Ewing, ESQ.,, and subsequently
by the following dispatch from Capt g, d. Mon
sarrat, commandant at the post at Knoxville, to
Hon. Neil S. Brown: s', !.
Ksoxv1LIE, Jan. %. : crittenden ordered an
attack at 10 O'Clock Saturday night, aupposing the
enemy only 1900 strong. Our forces retreated IN
confusion across the river, losing horses baggage
tents. etc. The Mississippi and Battles regiments
fought bravely, and sustained heavy losa ZoIi-
| Golfer mistook Kentuckians for our men, and was
shot dead Crittenden wounded Carrollrailied the
troops and fell back to intrenehments. Rutledgeis
battery lost my battery and men FePosssd on ssfs
I 4 trf IL
Later in the day. private Morris, Of Col Nc
Nairy's battalion Of cavalry, arrived in this city,
| direct from Gen. Crttenden's command, and we
ascertainea through him some of the particulars Of
| the engagement. It seems that Gems. Crittenden
and Iollicofer learned on Saturday last that the
enemy had thrown force of 5000 men across Fish
ing creek, leaving the remainder of his force on
| the opposite side. The creek was much swollen
by the recent heavy rains and was difficult to cross.
| Gen. Crttenden, who was in command, determined
to attack and cut off the enemys advance, if possi
BILE, before they were reinforced. He accordingly
4 ordered Gen. Iollicoffer forward with his brigade
Saturday night, following himself with the remain
| der Of the army Ats o'clock Sunday morning,
1 Gen. Zollicofer discovered the enemy in large
force estimated at 10000, the whole having sue
/ ceeded in crossing the creek-and Immediately in
| his front. The engagement was shortly conn
menced, and, in short time, became general. 1t
lasted for several hours, terminating in the defeat
of our forces, who were driven back to their in
trenchments from which they were forced to retire
fell back across the Cumberland under the lead Of
Gen. Carroll. Gen. zollicoffer was killed early in
the action. ~
l Our informant states that Gen. Zollicoffer mis-.
1 took a Kentucky or Ohio regiment which had
4 opened fire upon our forces for one of our regi.
ments, firing upon others through mistake, and
galloped forward with his staff to order them to
desist not discovering his till he in their
midst. He Immediately drew his sword and dis
patched the Colonel, to whom he was about to give
l orders, when he was fired upon, and fell, pierced
with many balls. Major Henry NJ. Fsgg, Of biz
staff was wounded IN the thiga, and Lieut.. E. B
Shields, another of his staff was killed by his side
Major Fogg was borne from the field. His fathe
:. received dispatch yesterday that he had beel
y left at Monticello and was doing well. Mr.. Morri
does not believe that Gen. Grittenden was wounded
. as stated above, by Capt. Monsarrat, as lie wa
with him after the fight, saw no wound, and hsart
him make no complaint.
) Col. Battles Twentieth Tennessee and Col. Sta
tham's Fifteenth, Mississippi bore the brunt Of til
fight, and suffered severely-our chief loss being
in these noble regiments. We can, of course, from
, these meagre data, form no accurate idea of tht
loss which we have sustained in this battle. which
n we think, from present accounts, is the heayies
loss which has yet befallen our arms. In addition
. tDodson, Of the Hermitage Guards Lieut.. Peytor
of the Hickory Guards /; Sergeant Gray, of tn
J.. Sewanee Rifles; and Lieut.. Col. Carter. The dea
. were left on the field of battle and fell into th
/. | hands of the enemy.
Rutledge's battery of artillery was lost, togethe
!, with the horses tents, provisions camp equpagt
: wagons, etc. The loss of these things was of yer
n serious disadvantage to the army, as the couutr
which they must fall back upon is almost entirel
~ destitute. ar-
Especial Dispatch to the Nashville Union and Americana
. | KNOXVILLE, January 23-Lieutenant Jackso
has just arrived from the scene of our late disaster
= and reports that the fight occurred on Sunda
III enemy's force, about fourteen thousand strong
. was divided by Fishing Creek, and that they couI
n not be united in consequence of the swollen COL
dition Of the creek from the late rains. 1t wa
under this impressionthat Gen Crittenden ordere
our forces to move forward and attack the enemy
e when they met the entire Federal force and afte
fighting for more than three hours our forces wer
l. repulsed and fell back to their entertainments.
6 Late in the evening they were again attacked
the Federals, and after short cannonadng, nigi
= came on and the firing ceased. Then the ord.
was given for our forcesto retreat across the rive
Gen. Zollicotfer was killed, Maj. Fogg wounde
MnIn lac tl,o Dn,,tN NJ
Stanton wounded in the arm, and Col. Powe
| badly wounded. ~ "
I'll Our loss is variously estimated, but if is u
/. doubtedly large. One Mississippi regiment foug
a bravey, and was cut up badly. Battles regime
r, fought gaantly.
t. Gen. Zollicot1er mistook regiment of the enen
Is for our men, and when he rode up to them was sh
l. dead. Gen. Crittenden is reported wounded. &c
Is Carroll rallied thetroops and fell back to our e
d trenchments. Rutledges battery was lost.
e The enemy was reported crossing the river
ID Burksvile to intercept the retreat Of our forces
k from the Nashville Gazette.l
ic ANOTHER ACCOUNT EARLY yesterday morning
lie was currently reported that TERRIBLE fight had
IN Cured in Kentucky, between the forces und
OF Gen. zollicofer and that of the enemy under &c
lie SchGpf. The intelligence which, we believe, y
first communicated by passenger who arrived
to steamboat from above, was not at first credits
d, but at a later hour the news was confirmed by
~ telegraphic dispatch, which was received by {
re vile Ewing, Esq, anh afterwards by other d
u patches. Up to noon no particulars had been
US ceived of the engagement.
nd At 2 O'Clock the stage arrived from Leblanc
e. and among the passengers was Mr.. r. E. Morris,
ey member OF Company A. McNairys Battalion, "
Mt brought additional news, and to whom we are I
at debted for the account which follows: -
&c Gen. Crttenden, on hearing that the enen
at 5000 strong, had crossed Fishing Creek, order
e- Gen. Zol&pf to advance and give them bait
ey Gen. zolli0he as we understand protested aga
he the movement preferring, as he alleged, that I
d. enemy should make an attack on our breastwor
ey Gen. Crttenden, however, insisting that his pls
lis should be carried into a2ecution, Gen. Zolcott
by at the head of portions Of Battles, Newman
! | atanton's, Powell's and Murray's Tennessee re
'ss hints, and the Fifteenth Mississippi Regime
VII I'd 1Cer Col. Statham, together with an Arkan
an regiment, (the Fourteenth, we beiieve) proceed
rly immediately to meet the opposing forces and af
9le marching seven miles, found the enemy SO
pt 900 strong. e. T.,