Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-07
REPORT OF THE BATTLE IN ALLEGHANY NOUN
IA TAINS, DECEMBER 18Th 1881 EDWARD JOHN
son, COLONEL l2rH GEORGIA REGIMENT,
COMMANDING MONTEREY LINE.
HKLBQ'Rs MONTEREY TIHE,
Camn LIIscbapy. Dec. 18th. 1851.


Colonel: have the honor to sabmt the following re:
pert Of the engagement with the enemy which occurred
At this place the 18th instant
On the l2,h sent out scouting party OF LOG men,
commanded by Msjor Ross OF the 52i Virginia volun-
teers with Instructions 10 ambuscade point on the pike
beyond Camp Baxter on Greenbrier. Ga the afternoon
of that dsy the advanced guard Of the enemy approach-
ed we're fred into BY Or Ross command, and many
OF them killed or wounded. Immediately tie main BODY
of the enemy approached in force depoyed and sdvanc
ed upon scouting party, Who retired and came INTO
camp that night On the morning Of the Is about
A NJ was aroused by the officer OF the day, Who re-
ported firing at the advance pckets on the pike in the
direction Of the enemy. msdiately turned out the
whole Of my command and prepared TO meet them.
I ordered Hapsborough's battalion the Slst virginia,
commanded by Major Boykin ard ReSgers battalion, to
OCCUPY the crest Of the mountain on the right 10 guard
AGAINST approach from that quarter On this hill there
were no defsnces There we're some Ids and ieied
timber beyond which reached the crest OF the mountain
Tie enemy advanced to our 'front.' and, conducted by
guide Union man from Western Vrginia, who was
familiar with the roads In the vicinity turned CT from
the turnpike about mile from our position, near the
base of the mountain and reached our right by trail
which led into road coming into the Held ghty IN our
rear they approached this position plckets thrown
out from HansborOughs battalion discovered them ana
rTported them as advsr cling in strong force About
quarter rast A. NJ the enemy advanced, and terri
| fc fire commenced. enemy on this flnk numbered
fully Two thousand They we're CALAMITY met by our
troops who did number three hundred at this time
As soon as heard the firing ordered two companies
of the 70 III Georgia (Hawkins aud B!andord) who had
at the first alarm been posted on the pike abouta quar-
ter Of mile in 'front.' down the mountain,to move up i'm
mediately TO the support OF our forces On the right
Three other companies Of the l2ih Davss Hardemans
and Patterson's (Lieutenant U. Moore commanding
were also ordered the support OF these on the right
| Who were making a gallant defence against the
immense odds Calamity did the Georgians move up,
aud taking position on the left received terrible ire
from the enemy. BY this time the extreme right had
been forced back but seeing the Georgans who came
| on with shout, they joned them aud moved upon tie
| enemy who taking advantage of some fallen trees,
b-usb nd timber poured upon them terrific IRE. Ger
men were checked but not driven back They did not
Weld an inch but steadily advanced cheered and led
| on BIZ their officers Many of the officers fought by
the side of their men aud led them to the cord CT
never witnessed harder fighting. Toe enemy behind
trees with their ougraDg, at first had decidedly
the advantage but men soon came up TO them ana
drove them from their cover. canno. speak IN terms
too OF the unanohiog courage and dashiog
galllutry Of those five HUNDRED men WAC contended
from quarter pest A. N. until quarter to 7. NJ
against an immensely superior force OF the enemy, and
aAy drove them feom their position and pursued them
a mile or more down the mountain. cannot name all
who deserve particular mention for their gaantry aud
| good conduct
Colonel Hsusborough, whilst calamity leading bis bat
talon was wounded by pistol shot and carried from the
field Soon after the fight became general the brave
Lieut. L T. Thompson, OF the 3lst Virginia. fell severe
" wounded; hs good conduct had attracted my aten'
ton and ne fell within few feet of me. Captain Moll
ohan whilst cheering and leading his men in pursuit OF
the enemy, fell MORALLY wounded. Lieut. Moore, IL h
Georgia vo!un eers whilst CALAMITY heading charge,
fell MORALLY wounded This gallant ofi,er was ever
ready for any expedition involving dangeE-he was tru'
| ly brave.
CAPTAINS Davis Blanford, Hsrdaman, and Hawkins,
their oHi,ers and men, behaved admirably CAPTAIN
Davis and his company wers cons icuous thi gallant
~ and good conduct throughout the fight.
Adjutsut Willis, I.ieutcnauts Mccoy, Ehridge, Mar
shall and Turpn IL Georgia regiment deserve partc-
ulsr mention for their good conduct.
| Lest Col Boykn, commanding SIS. Virginia youG-
teers his officers and men, deserve ny thanks for their
aiuching courage throughout the struggle This reg
iment suffered severely. Leut'nants Toothman, D..
J,hpson McNeuman, j. b. Pnips, all wounded, deserve
honorable mention, Capt. Thompson, 3lst Virginia, de.
! styes special notice. ACjutAnt Morgan, L'eutenants
Robinson, Raymond Ssrgeau's Jarvis, Racer Pots Ctl
Iirrs MusgraVe, aud Green, Hansborough's BATTALION
| are flyoJahly mentioned by their commander.
Nv command consisted Of the l2sh Geor 2il regiment,
| under the immediate command Of 1t Col. 7 Conror;
S2i Virginia Matrs Ross HAnsboTough's and Rsaget
3lst Virgins LtCol boykin; Lee Battery" of srtiie
,ry four pieces, Capt ?. b Anderson Captain Miller,
battery, four pieces detachment OF PlItSylvana cav
slry It. DAbney. Toe artillery WAS posted on the hill
| lief. of nv ,oSi.on, which had been entrenched.
Immediately at er the troops turned out the l2h
Gso-ca and b2i Virginia ordered into the trenches
The PisylvAnia cavalry, dismouaed under LeuteDar
Dlbney cso went into the trenches armed with car
bines.
A large column Of tho enemy, led by oas Slater, q
traitor well acuua ted with the county, approached the
LEFT Of this position by road running along leading
ridge AboR half 81 hour after The attack was made on
the right this column came up on the eft 10 cur trenches
They were evidently surprised 10 mad ia rehed-
Here the brave Anderson by fatal mistake lost his
As the enemy advanced he role to the reCch aud nvi
ted them in, thinking they were our returning pickes
a, The same time telling men not 10 me. He was in
ssny 6hSt down by tue advanced body OF the enemy
f,rc, Our men then opened calling frs upon them,
and they fell ack into the fslsn timber and brush from
which they kept up constant fire ut our men In the
rsacA. q aad pp9a our cr!iesists. Ay A. A General,
CAPT james Dssher, OF the artillery, wis. behaving
mos, 4. lsu,ly. was SHOT down in the trenches by 4
vouad through both thighs Ia refused 10 leave the
Gsl and remained IN the trenches until the day
Can,ain Miller opened upon the enemy with his guns
AID behaved with great gsAnry exposing himself At
his guns 10 the frc OF the enemys sharp shooters.
After the enemy force, on the right, bad been re-
npssd and driven from the 4 ID, ordered all of our
men who had been engaged 10 that quarter to lin our
,ooDs In the trenches on the left They took psf with
tho other troops aud opened Are tho enemy occa
sion n red. The enemy, under The fire OF artillery
aud infantry, reirested IRON the lett leaving tneir
dead and wounded
The enemys force on the left larger IL anything,
than the forcs on IN, right They numbered in all,
abort fy, thousand men, who BID been drawn hon
BaSlingon, Beverly, Hlttonsvlla EkEater aud Cheat
Mountain.
My Fcrcs did not exceed twelve hundred Elective
Of all ANS.
Gen. Reynolds, u S. A, coumsnded the whole OF
the enemy iorcss aid General Hllroy the attack on
| our right General M.lroy 10 reported nv prisoners
captured, TO have been wounded. The enemy lost upon
the field thirty Il se dead aud thirteen wounded. They
causd from the fsd large numbers OF dead and wound
3D. This get from cit who reside upon the roads
along which they retreated Ten or twelve ambulanoes