Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1862-02-28

emergency. Gen. Gr ant here gave orders for
a still further advance to the next ridge Nor th
aud left Of u. and then returned 10 the fur
lhcr advances Of the bFigades behind. Retro
grading to the open field, Gen. Smith was met, {,
who stated that his division was close behind,
and would soon be up TO support any advance
which might be made.
A CAMP OF TIE EMMY DISCOVERED.
I. After considerable securing Of the woods to
the north, il was discovered that wha: rebels
we're to be seen were on the road to the front
Of US. Our advance soon after discovered
their eDeampment on barren hillside, direct
ly in font of us, aud on the mAin road leads
ing to the Cumberland. A further movement
on the part of Gen. Oglesby's division Disco
vered more forces ported 90 high ridge lead
ing west of this encampment, and as our regi-
ments swept around from their respective po
sitious on the road to the right and left, and
gradually coming round with a face 20 the
north there We were face TO face with the ene-
my. This, however, was not discovered in-
stantly. The encampnent of the enemy very
naturally was the chief point Of attraction,
aud towards it, having got bis troops in proper
position, Gen. Grant first directed bis attention.
FIRST it was difficult to ascertain where the re-
bel forces had been distributed. Oae of the
12-pound rfed james, cannon Of Dupee's
battery, was ordered to stir them up little,
but although be threw she'll with such aecu-
racy, not a response could be got, and we're il
not for indications of large force posted on
the ridge to the west of the camp, it would
have seemed their caivalry had repeated their
Fort Henry achievement, and had deeamped
on our approach Thus were matters at half
past three O'Clock, p. NJ, when Ogesby's
brigade, which occupied the road on the bill,
we're ordered to advance. They fled donw
the bill, anticipating an immediate opening OF
the fight. with discrimination and confidence
most iuspiritiug. Some were still smoking
their pipes with easy nouchalaDcc, while sll
Eent forward With spirit aud will which we'll
foreshadowed the gallant deeds subsequently,
performed by them. The Eighteenth, Eighth,
aud Fhirtieth reaohing the bottom of the hill,
hled out into an open field to the left, aud
formed ia line Of battle. Other regiments
went on the ridge still farther 10 the vest.
THURSDAYS OPERATIONS.
Thursday opened as clear aud serene as the
day before H. Upon the frat coming of the
dawn cur skirmishers had descended into the |
Tslley, aud our artillery, posted on the hills, |
had opened an experimental fire, which being |
occasionally returned by the enemy, gave Us
some information in regard to the position of
their batteries The night before we we're 10 |
possession of but little information In regard |
to the character of their fortifcations, aud al |
though it was generally supposed We we're in !
front of some rather formidable works, | do !
not think even our Generals we're prepared for |
the disclosures which the operations of the |
morning bad made known to them. Instead /
of M outer work to temporarily impede our
approach, it was aoon asceEtalLed that we |
were directly In front the rear Of the forti6- /
cation of the fort itself These works begin
Ling OF the Cumberland, at the southerly side i
of Dover, aud the main fort ran around on the I
top of the high ridges bsfare US to the head of /
the back-water on the north, hers aud there |
with bastion works of formidable character,
and at all points With formidable batteries
sweeping the more available approaches. -
These ridges vary from one hundred aud fifty
to three hundred feet in height, and are eov-
cred with the most dense timber and UNDER
growth, conoealing 10 great measure tho cha
racter of the euemy's defeuces, the few balls
which they were induced TO occasionally favor
US with, afforded. for the most part, our only
clue as to toe eslibre Of their guns.
During the night previous, Gen. Oglosby,
in advancing along the ridge runniug toward
the river above the fort, aud which formed
our right wing, suddenly came upon battery
sweeping the road upon which he was adVan-
cipg. The enemy, either not aware at the
time of the vicinity of the force, or wishing it
70 advance still further, refrained from open
ing, and the General managed to withdraw his
men without suffering anything worse than
bad scare. L. the battery had given them
the contents Of their guns, the fire must have
docimated the entire brigade. Some few guns
were discharged by our men in the confusion
of the moment, and the horse of a certain
chaplain became frightened and began flight
which bid fair to land the uon-combatant
plump over the batteries. A few agonizing
sfwhoas" and still more emphatic pulls, how
ever, checked the rebelious tendencies Of the
beast, and the parsou, / noticed, esehe wed
horses ever after.
This morning, Gen. O.'s brigade forced the
enemy from this position, and subsequently
from another, and advanced the right wing
still farther towards the river. A subsequent
movement completed the lines Of circumralla-
tion nearly TO the river itself, and gave US
position rendering the arrival Of any more re-
Inducements from Nashville hardly probable.
OPERATIONS OF BIRGE's sHARPsHooTERs.
In the meantime Brge's Sharpshooters we're
doing good execution both to the right and
left of this position. In squads of skirnlish-
ers they crawled up the ravines, of the ridge
on which The batteries and the rihe-pts of the
enemy were loostsd, and lying concealed be-
hind stamps and logs, woe TO the unwary rebel
who dared to show bis head abuve the entrench-
ments. The continual crack of the Dimiek
rife could be heard from these raylnes