New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-05-22
v.ou THE MOUNTAIN DEPART
MENT.
u.,,,e nenr NScDcweii-sItsa OF 'n'
Killed and Wounded.
-, On, special respondent

s,,,, QurS Special COUespoh1thS
''01 t,,oor.RryRs MorETAv DEPARTyENT.
FRAskLIN. Va, May "a. la6l y
rh,o VILLAGE ia Is miles from New Crek k, a de
,anee which has required journey OF TWO DAYS anu
.bo,f The road liz good one, except for the gu'hes
which frequently cross it; and the country ''foug"
which il passes and incidents oil the journey,
o,e te,esting enough to be described when uihe
and ,nace permit Gen. Fremont has advanced with
bs hole colnmn pushing on by forced marches to re-
enforce Gems. Schenck and Milroy, whose briSades
were mensced by greatly superior numbers. Their
engacemeut ard retreat last week is the news Of
most immediate interest," and Iut ether things aside
for the present to give account of their movements
Gen. MilrOy had advanced last week twelve miles
beyond Monterey and encamped near Mcdowell.
He was there informed by scouts that the Rebels
who were supposed TO be in the neighborhood III no
grea, strength, had been largely REINFORCED, ana
were advancing in the hope of capturing or cutting 10
piecas his whole brigade. Tuesday the day before
this news was received, large part OF the ID VIZ
riuia. the SOD Ohio and 18th Ono had peeh sent ou'
TO Shaw's Ridge and on the Shenandoah Mountain W
rrotect forage and reconnonerlpg paitles. On 'no
afternoon OF Wednesday, the Ith, a large oouy VI
Rebels was discovered descending The west side %
the Shenandoah Mountain, and section OF lbe Jtn
Ohio battery, Capt. Hyman, was ordered to shell
them ard re,ard their progress. The WORK was 30
effectively done that the enemy were CriVeh oack
across the Shenandoah. Another force was observed
arossny the mountain on the night, about two miles
6isapt aud Gen. Miroy therefore ordered his whole
force TO concentrate at Mcdowell, prepared for de-
Tense and sent word To Gen. Schenck, VINO wac at
Franklin "a miles in the rear that he expected to be
attacked.
Before receiving tile message Gen. ScLesck had
kft Franklin and marched nine miles 20 the place
where he intended TO halt. There meeting the eou.
riers and learning Gen. Mroys danger he pnshed
rapidly on TO within fourteen miles o. Mcdowell
and encamped At midnight another messenger
came from Gen. Mihoy saying that be expected to
be a,acke in the morning and Gen. ScLenck there
upOn left his camp and baggage and hurried FORWARD
TO effect junction. -
On the morning of Thursday, the Sth, the enemy
vers discovered ON Bull Pasture Mountain by Gen.
Nilroy. on his right aud i'll front, about mile ana
tbree.ousrters distant. Skirmishers were sent out
and during the morning there was considerable ce-
sultory fling by Hyman's battery. Major Long Of
the 18th Ohio il spec ally mentioned as dong good
service with the tkirmishers Ill finding the exact po-
si.ion of the enemy. At 10 o'clock Gen. Schenck
arrived, having marched bis brigade "a miles IN 20
hours The enemy were Just descending the NIL,
blu, were checked 10y the cannonade. On exannaa-
lion Of the ground, Gen. Schench, VINO, as Ueh' MIL
rows senior took command On arrival, became con-
iIced that il was no place for stand, Mcdowell
being SIMPLY valley or basin among the mountains,
aHordine no position OF strength that could not be
rendered untenable by the enemy cannon. There
food or forage for either DIS ade, ana tney
were without Transportation to enable them to bliog
ny su, plies if the poiton had been otherwise desir'
BE. An Immediate retreat, however, being hazard
Gus in the face Of so Large force as tue enemy was
known TO have, and the Rebels, moreover, enOeaVor-
ing to plant battery on the mountain, which would
command the whole encampment, 1t was decided TO
make reconnaissance IN force.
The movement was made under command of Gen.
Nilroy, who had the following troops placed at his
DIR poea' by Gen. Schenck:
s5,h Ohio, Col n W MeLesn..................444
I'D Ohio, Lieut. Col. S~inDey ...................fb
81 Virginia. Lieut. Col. Thompson.
I'D Ohio, Col James Cantwell, sbout...........2S
Total, about. ......................."....2,A
The numbers above given include officers and phi
Yates and represent the whole effective force Of each
that could then be sent into the field. All the regi-
ments reduced by the absence of companies de-
tailed, BY sickness, and various other causes. No
other part of our forces was engaged. .
The enemy almost Immediately discovered in
position on the slope of steep bill near its summit.
Their numbers are not accurately known, but they
were superior to our forces in the beginning, were
constantly re enforced from the main body during
the action and it's close could not have been lese
than five or six thousand Their position was such
cha. Gen. Milroy deemed it advisable 10 disodge
them if possible, and the reconnaissance, therefore,
became auost immediately fight The 18th and
18th Ohio, under Col. Mclean, were ordered for
ward, and advanced CALAMITY up the face OF the hill
70 attack the enemy in front. 1t was about clock
in the afternoon OF thursday, May 3. Numbering
less than a thousand men, uncovered by natural o.
artificial shelter, these two regiments wen: stralgh
mp preciptous mountain eide, attacking an adver
sary protected by intrenehments and by the adj
vantage OF the ground, and Grove the Rebels owe
the crest of the 1ill The latter were at this time
least twice the strength OF the attacking force Fo
IN tour and a half these regiments held unaded tn
position they had gained exposed all the whl'
to heavy fire, which they steadily returned. Th'
90, lad Ipsh epd rort. hvf ".
10Th Ohio.
Perceiving that the enemys force was constantly
increasing, Gen. Milroy, at O'Clock, ordered th,
Sd and 3@d Chic and the Sd Virginia to turn The
right flank of the enemy, and attack If possible il
the rear. The enemy observing his design, and Law
ing superior force, changed Lis front Handsomely
to the rear, thus anticipating the thanking movement
The three regiments nevertheless attacked brIskly
and kept up q heavy fire, causing the Rebel line 70
waver until 1t sgain strengthened by Reinforce
ments, whose approach exposed the Sd Virginia TO
fire both in trout and rear. Their fire in turn CON-
PEELED the Rebels TO retire to their main body, and
The contest therefore, became general and bloody.
While there regiments thus engaged, q six
FOUNDER of johnson 18th Ohio Battery under Lieut..
Bowers, was with great difficulty put ID position on
the mountain on the left OF the road, by which the
Rebel line Of battle formed, and gave efficient
support 10 the attack
The engagement continued from three until eight
O'Clock in the evening the firing on both sides being
vigorous and we l.dir cted. he small force under
Gen. Milroy held during these five hours the position
from which they originally dove the Rebels, and
did retire from ii TIL tie darkness left mark
for their fire but the flashes Of the enemy's guns.
Wien ordered to withdraw, their ammunition was
nearly exhausted and their fire had become le,s fire.
9uent, but the enemy made no attempt TO pursue.
Gen. Sehenck endeavored to SEND up supply OF
cartridges, but the ascent steep that could
only % carried in small quantities IL haveracks and
by band The losses on both rides Lad been severe.
OF the FIVE Upioo regiments engaged - were killed,
80 severely and t4j slightly wounded, and 3 were
missing. snEI6sed 20 be KILLED. Eonr 81 The enemY