Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-08

mishers approached vi hin one bultrsd yards Of lie
house The enemy cesscd to fire upon the column AID d.
rected Is upon them, but upon IT, qieG and
raj rounds retre&ed lat. the WOODS The Missssippl
Reg m .nt then IN line OF battle aivsrced and tie
head OF the column advanced near to the house. From
tlis house tie road rsgbt for about bali ui-,
on'-third Of this distance up bill, oue-thrd dovn
and one third 10 the CT o; OF anoib'r bill -
On the right side OF the rUa, up and down the frst
hl was an open Id, then narrow strip OF woods std
again an cd uneven ID up TO the crest In the hit
side OF the al up the fret hill, was WOODS, and down
Il open Id and up the NIX: to he crest thick woods.
Up the ct tl ard down both sides of the road
he enemy was driven back before the impeuous charge
OF the B-igide Of G Z,iicofcr; and already lie ~as
ascending the last hill To ths crest when the heaviest
firing told where the battle ragged He sent for rein.
forcemens and the Brigade OF Gen Carol wss ordered
up Whsn, ia another moment it was announced that
ne was killed, suddn gloom per,aied the field and
oppressed the army He had fallen on the Greet Of the
h;the stronghold Of the enemy, which be had almost
driven them from, and which once gained the day VAS
IL ssid that the enemy 10 front Of Tim In the
s0ods after few cessation Of firing ard some
movement, was taken by him to be regiment Of his
command and that he rode up to give them com.
maDd hen be eocy shot down, pierced BY several
balls. t FL
Inmediatey on the announcement Of bis death Gere-
raj Cri tedtn 10 person rode 10 the Font OF the light
aud directed the Of the day win perfect cool
nes in the very midst Of the fire OF tie enemy, snd
W ere several were killed around him. His frerds re-
monsatrd against this reckessness and entreated him
t. occupy less exposed position, but he would not leave
The sOB', and sat his horse uomoved except when
regiment you'd fall back under the heavy fire OF superb
number when he wonld in person under lire, speak
to, and rally the men.
To gain this hill the fight ragged for two hours
Charge after charge made gment after regiment
advanced bat could not drive baak the heavy forces
OF the enemy with few gallant men. At last, when
we could not drive theT and our charges were unsue
tu time and agAir aud they .nked us, our little ar
my began to retire, and checking pursuit by several
sands they could not break, moved hack TO our ct
rsnchmepts at Camp Beech Grdse. In the return one
gun broke down aud left 10 the enemy. Upon H.
d I'D we left about three hundred killed and wounded,
aud they got peihars hundred prisoners Their loss
killed aud wounded s thought by those In the battle,
and il reported by those afterwards 10 their camr,
to be about Que hOmand! We lost brave and ncble
General whose place cannot be easily filled. Lieut. Be-
lie Peytop, OF Battles gment, WAS killed, and Lieut..
COL Carter and Sergt Mf OIvil!e Ewing, OF same Reg-
meni wounded aud taken prisoners, aud Adlutant
Battle wound6d in the shoulder. Col. Stanton WAS
wounded in the arm while leading bis Regiment in
charge and 30 was Col Powell The loss ip the Mess
spp Regiment heaviest To this Regiment Is uni
veslly accorded the praise OF the best lighting and
most distinguished Palantry. Col. Battles Regiment
also covered itself with honor While II Is ndivdious
to make ser araie mention OF Regiment the notice Of
these two at least will meet with general ~
this army. r.. p
Shields were Dangerously wounded. They behaved In
the scton with approved gallantry.
Thus With four thousand men We brsvely attacked
tweaty thousand and after col hct OF three hours ard
half Unable drive them from their position, retired
without hot pursuit to our camps, which reached
AZ ~ O'Clock, r. NJ At o'clock the enemy came and
invested the place and fired from two batteries into cur
entrenohments
Then arose the question whether to defend or evscu-
ate the place. Suppose could have held 1t against
A. atta N few daya " would
have been starved and IT, with their battery which
comma 1ded the landing they had Ired the boat, es
cape would have en mpO sbe and surrender ineyita-
be Agar by taking Mil Spring in our rear, retreat at
any time would have been cut of; II would have been
vain 10 Thick OF cutting way IN front, because without
"a ors the army would have been precipatsted into
barren county, unable to p ord any subsistence What
ever To prevent the stras an immediate crossing ot
the river during the night Was necessary, and as ume
permitted only to eros the men, baggage camp equi-
page, wagons horsts aud artillery had to be leit-a
great facrfce but not 10 BE- esmat in the balance
with saving the army. This bold and astery move
ment was accomplished this night and the next morn
ing saw our army the South OF the Cumberland and
the enemy 10 Camp Beech Grove.
The crossing effected during the night by the aid
OF the steamboat "NO6ie Es which had before ssesn.
ded the river witskupplie- and which was efficiently
commanded this occasion by Capt Spler oi the cav
| airy.
where in search ofprovsons and forage. II no enemy
had appeared the quitting of this portion Of Kentucky
had been grayey considered aud smos. determined up
on and in few days would have been compelled IL
VS. impossible TO move further into Kentucky from the
blrenness Of the mountains between that point and the
Blue Grass and III the counties the left and right ard
the northern coun ss Of East Tenr too poor
10 support the army one day. With vastly superior
force attacking the movement TO the Cumberland River
at Gansboro point OF supply, was pr'eipiated-ahd
TO this General CntteDden Is moving with short Gays
mlrches From this point # the my should advance
into East Tennessee an ats OK coul be made on bis
flank and rear while plsrg through the billy and barren
region from Kentucky towards Knoxville and the Kali
road.
have thus br,ds sketcbed our army movements for
the last ies dfyL Victory does not gsam upon oar
blnueTs and may not receive the loud plAuds which
IL brings Lu' in view OF overwhelming loice OF the
enemy aud the abs Ite want of army supplies and the
distressing poverty Of the country, it must be eoreed
TO Gen. Criitenden that in the bold and gallant atat
ard masry b. has displayed the highest quG
ties of the military DER and he deserves The Sd
raton OF the country to which be has given his ser
vices and in whose cause, at Fishing Creek, be go cool
" exposed his life. Given a command most exposed
and peril us on the northern bar Of the Cumberland
river he has saved It from the ables Gereras and an
/ over shelming army OF the enemy. Whio they were
confden, of baggng this little army Is 10 ready Jet
10 save Fast Tsnnessee and to bag any force ven
turesOme enough to invade. 'oLUsrrrr.
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