Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-02-05
Humphrey Narshalrs Victory IN ZEN
tgcky-Details BY a Participant

M ACAs p
tEcky-Details by a Participant
The Richmond Dispatch, Of = late data has
the following particulars: - II
= The following brief and clear narrative of
this important conflict is furnished us by
participant in the affair. It's truthfulnesa is
its greatest recommendatien 0fi - as
IS Knowing that every itsn Of news from the |
State of Kentucky is hailed with great inter
est by your numerous readers, | hare thought
proper to give you q short account Of tho
movements Of Gen. Marshall from the 9Th to |
the 10Th of January. aFaS eea ~
Gen. Marshall had taken aposition and
fortified himself some three niles above
Paintsville, on the river. But after learning
The movements Of the enemy, be thought
best to fall back so as to prevent the enemy
from cutting off his supplies and getting in
his rear. Hence we slowly began our retro
grade movement, noticing the enemy, until
on the night Of the 9Th we rested at the foot
Of the mountain, some four miles west Of
P~restonburg. During the night Of the 9th
we learned that the enemy, in large numbers,
was moving towards US from the direction Of
PreStonSburg.
On the morning of the 10th, we took our
line of march in the direction Of the Cross
Roads, three miles west of Prestensburg,
soon learning that the position weuld be dis.
Eputed by the enemy. s5.fs E..asi 70 .ssgd
On arriving at the Cross Roads we leayR-
ii 4bo+ +ho n,a < ono ~ A 6nn uk~~n- k.d
taken his position about three quarters Of 8
mile below the Cross Roads. Two regiments
and some cavalry as a reserve, had taken
their position at the foot of the hill to our
left, while the body of the enemy was form
ed into line of battle at the foot Of the hill,
to our front and right, awaiting our approach.
: Gen. Marshall placed his artillery, four
pieces in number, 10 the right Of the Gross
Roads, and Col. Trigg's 54th Virginia rsgi-
ment, in the rear to protect it. Dur cavalry
were placed 10 Our left, across the creek, in
the wood. Col. A. c.. Moore's 10Th Virgins
regiment vas posted to the front and right
of the artillery, on the brow of the hill, at
whose base the enemy had his line OF battle.
Col. Williams Kentucky regime nt o was
placed on the same hill, protecting the right
of Col. Moore's regiment. f4as a. .gsAv
Thus posted, the two armies for . moment
in silence gazed on each other. What a con-
trast they presented! The. enemy looked
grand and imposing, completely equipped
and neatly dressed. Our line was small, and
seeming of little frmness, when compared
with the enemy. Badly equipped and uni
formed, and well nigh exhausted by long and
heavy marches through the mud and rain,
: living on less than half rations for the lass
few weeks. But we feared them not, and
were anxious TO try them.
But the time to view the enemy was oil
short duration, for soon the boom Of our ar-
! tillery announced to US that the battle had
!, begun, and then the Kissing of. the balls and
the cracking of the brush oyer our heads
told us that the hottest of the conflict would
fal! on Col Moore's Goth Virginia Regiment,
j.. but our boys were calm and ready.
For two long hours the enemy poured upon
: Coils. Moore and Williams regiments . per
s feet storm Of ball, which our boys received
t with GOODNESS, and responded to with such
terrible fires that the enemy began to stag
ger from the effects. just at this point Col
Moore ordered his regiment to charge, leadin,
10 it in person. With such frmnesS was tn,
n charge made that the enemy broke at GU
n approach. But just as the foe was disIodge,
n from his position, we were cross fred from
IT the right and left, with deadly effect, sur
t, posed partly to have been lone by our swl
men through mistake. At tAe same tim
s. some one, no one knows vino, gave the con-
g mand to fall back to our old position. Thus
e in an instant, we lost all we had gained i
st two leng hours of hard fighting La til
: charge we lost five or six Of our brave boy!
r Or reaching the brow OF the hill, we Cav
ID a shout for JEFF Davis, resolving to have til
10 field or die. Again we opened fires wit
double energy. Now the battle ragged alor
ne the whole brow of the hill, Col William
" fought like a tiger. Twice the enemy tried
r. flank him twice they were repulsed
n The cavalry having dismounted, poured
eat dreadful and destructive fire into the rig
flank Of the insolent foe. The artillery "
es. likewise placed to . better position, thro,
rs ing shot and shell with fatal effect lColen
nd Trigg's regiment was called forward to rel
ed, force Colonel Moore but before they coal
nd reach their position. = victory was p~roclair
ed in favor Of JEFF. Davis The enemy gu
The were silenced, and, as soon as the Yanks
'od could get off the Geld, We were left it, pesss
me sors. 20 80 &c - =
ar Had not night been on us the ront won
rit- have been made complete but the day "
the gone, we tired and hungry, sight miles fs
the our camp, thought best to sathss up eur de
lchi and wounded. and seek rest for our bod
the The vloomiest part of the day wss af
so the enemy had left the neld. The shrieks
'rce the wounded and dying were truly hss
gut repding. So -i OF 9-f9 nt 9za
| Ell Our loss in five killed and. four wounded
Give Col. Moore's regiment, and fesr killed 4
five wounded in Col. Williams regiment
nee. The enemy's IS from 400 TO 800 killed,
stes about the same number wounded.