The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-02-14
OBJ anipn yournal'
cOrrs.pOndsuee OF the Cincinnati ''is"''
The Battle Of Cliff Crek-fuh oe'"'''
ofthe Action.


under the immediate command Of
Inc s nsOs,sl Crittenden, marched, eight regi-
M .,,onr. fran their camp last saturday
mehh Their mounted grand guards were
.rn'Hirmi.bing through the greater part OF the
s..h, -;th ours. Colonel wolford's cavalry
H. doing outpost duty that night, and by
,n.ir behavior then and In the battle afterward
sompietely cleared away the reproach which
some unworthy officers have brought upon
them. They win always ngas Vel Ia, snen os ",-
~ = wooded hill on the right Of the road. On
~. Ia, VAS A 6eld, stretching down the hill for
wy h,ndred wards. In front OF the woods
90 another field OF about twenty acres
~. enemy formed in these two helds, attack
a., ar Indisnna troops both in front and upon
49,, isf, aank. A section Of Capt. Standards
h.t,ery hal been brought up, and was stationed
In the road. The attack here was maze ABOUT
seven O'Clock in the morning. oo,. nason,
coming up to the position Jus, % ,nas, he oxsr
,,assrsI before the other regiments could come
~ ordered his men to tall back, which they
All IN good order, fighting as they went. Capt.
STANDARD reluctantly gave up the privilege OF
..g;ying the enemy one good blirfard' from
that point, and retired too.
Immediately TO the rear OF the woods where
the Tenth was stationed Is another held, with
steep descent TO q ravine, and then comes
another dense forest. Tn the len Of the road the
clearings continue to the ra'ine, the sides OF
which at that point are covered with growth
ofscrub oaks and other timber.
Amer crossing the river another Geld lies on the
len of the road. The Tenth retired through
the woods for about hundred and my yards
10 the rear VI the rayine. At this point, Col.
Fry's Fourth Kentucky came up and formed
aloagihe fence. which separates the road from
the ield ON the LEFT. There Is nc fence on the
right Of the road at that point The two regi-
nents here formed In the shape ola W" its
point toward the enemy advancing from the
rayine. behind which they hal reformed after
their temporary success in the first attack
For nearly an hour they tried to break that
"y," but failed.
what rebel regiments came through the woods
Ia attack the Tenth ut this place, have not
learned. Those which attacked Col. Fry were
Battles Tennessee and the Fifteenth Mississippi,
the 'wighll Rifles" and the Mississippi
Tigers" as they loved to call themselves. These
were the crack regiments OF the enemy, anu
they sustain their reputation. Again ana
again they charged acrOSs the held, but were
always met by the terrible ire OF the kentucky
Fourth and driven back.
Al the point of the 'V !" died Gen. Zollicoher.
lie fell nearer our camp than any other man OF
his army, lie was with Battles regiment, his
own home friends, born and brought up around
him At Nashville. A short distance from him,
10 his right, n party Of his men had been broken
from their comrades and were herding together
like frightened deer. Col. Fry's men we're Just
about 10 fire ON them. Col Fry himself was AZ
the right Of his regiment at the point OF greatest
danger, Gen. Y. was on foot and within lew
feet Of the Colonel. A gum coat concealed his
uniform, Seeing the condition OF his men, as
the Colonel rode up, Gen. T. said to Col. fry,
"Colonel, YOU would not DIRE upon your friends,
would youp" Colonel r. supposed, from the
Generals manner and remark, that he was one
Of our own officers, and at once replied, Ter
tainly not, sir have no such intention. -
lie turned and rode few steps, when one oil
the Generals Aides fired at him, wopndlng Ms
horse. Believing that he was tricked, Cal +.
at once wheeled and fired at the General. The
latter raised his hand TO his breast and fell dead
Another ball struck him at the same moment,
1 believe. In the arm.
Here. 10, fell young Dailie Peyton, son OF a
venerable man well known TO the nation. :
Young Peyton, like his father, struggled long
against disuniOn. lie was Kissed and insulted
In the streets last May tor telling his love ioi
the old Union.
The death OF their General does not seem &c
have greatly disheartened the enemy, They
continued their attacks with as much yehemence
as ever. The Second Minnesota Regiment
came up and formed along the fence, on the
lelt OF the Fourth Kentucky. The rebels still
extending their line TO flank up on that side
The Fifteenth Mississippi charged up To the
fence, and the men in the two regiments fought
hand 10 hand, catching hold OF each other
guns, and trying to drag them through anu
over the fence, but il was all in vain.
McCoOk's gallant putehman come up to sup,
mort the Tenth, forming ON their right. aud
with them driving the enemy out OF the woods,
over the ravine, up the hill, across the held To
the right of the rOad. The Fourteenth Ohio
which, with the Ninth, had marched all nlgh,
to get to the battle, together with the two Eas'
Tennessee and the Twelfth Kentucky Regiments
were coming mp. The enemy themselves were
In danger of being ou,aanked and cut of from
their retreat. Standards battery was in tut
play with deadly effect. on their centre. hin
news and whitmore's were advancing. Their
was no HELM for Il the day was lost 20 the rebels
and they must retreat. They were pushed back,
fying as they vert across the fields. Our dead
ly Mimic balls told fearfully on their ranks yet
the loss was not all theirs. Many OF our brave
fellows dropped. Colonel Wolford's horse was
shot under him, as he charged upon their centre
Rob McCook was wounded, and his horse shot
under him. But bullet through the hear
would hardly stop him.
ON they went. The enemy Is driven through
the woods. where, and hour and n half before
they 80 nearly surrounded the Tenth, the heroes
of Rich Mountain. Many regiments are com
pletely broken and run for the forest on thu
len. Woods Alabama regiment breaks for .
swamp, and scatters there. IL has home looI
20 them, anil Is q safer place than the road OF
the fields. Some regiments act together, anC
form in q field mile To the rear Of their frs
position. But Standards shells, thrown from
the hill where the section was 80 nearly taken
begin TO fall among them. They fly again
pursued by our victorious troops. For thu
third and last time they form, only to b
scattered rs before.
Amer this the route Is complete. Panic,
stricken, they hyin all directions. The pursuit
is pressed up the very intrenchments Of the
enemy. Two Of their pieces have been taken
The third, which they took with them. Is only
saved to be LEFT behind in their flight across On,
river. Our cannon open ON their camp, oul
shells falling into their most effective battery
Killing four Of the men at their guns and driy
ing the rest away. The darkness Of nightfal
only prevents q general assault, and our troop
lie down, hoping In the morning to complete
the good work OF that Sabbath. awork they haS
mot sought, Cor they were resting that day. pre-
naratory 10 the attack which Gen. Thomas haC
Y,..a.J 40 NAL On Monday