Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-10-02
|oFFIuFAD REPORT OF LIEUT.. cor.
RUSSELL COMMANDING :4TH HREag

RUSSELL COMMANDING 4THREa y
l e '; q : S;sN =; - : .aa.s 500 assodi a.
HsAD QVARfsss. ,Ah Reg. T.vs1s1
/ o. 8. A.
Pr, PrrAsAEr. Va. Sept. 9oth. 'ss J
sIR:-I have the honor to hereb,
transmit 4 report Of the part taken b,
this Regiment 70 the retreat down tb
Kanswha River: s0o0 a3sEoonsd r
-Four companies Of the Regimes
! (Co's,, A. B, @. and a. were sta
TONED at Gauley. On the 10th inst.
companies B. q. and r., under III,
command of capt..iJ L. vsnee, wtf,
ordered to Fsyeiie 20 join Col sibrr
commanding At that. place. and re
msined with theylst Brigade until the,
arrived at Camp PiaIt, on the istf
inst. Company A. remained with the
Cd Brigade until Il arrived at Charles.
ton on the 18th. The remainder el
the Regiment was at Camp Pist,--
companies c. and K. having arrived
from Coal River on the morning Of the
iath. 9i '1oilJ snl 10 ''a
On the afternoon Of the l9,h the Di-
vision having reached Camp Pistt on
the retreat, four compsnies Of thi.
Regiment were placed upon picket
guard about two miles above Camp Pi.
att on the East side Of the Kanawha,
myself being in command of the guard.
About dark a slight skirmish took
place between this outpost and the en-
emys advanced guard. About 10
o'clock P. n. I was ordered by Col.
Lightburn TO fall hack with the Infant
ry abont a mile, leaving company Ct
the end Va. Cavalry at the 6rs, post.
About o'clock A. NJ. of the 18Th
received orders from Col. Gilbert 10
fall back to Camp Piatt at daylight.
where I would be Joined by the re-
mainder Of the Regiment, and after
destroying Camp Piatt to fall back to
Charleston. forming the rear guard Of
the Division. This vas done. Camp
Piatt being destroyed shortly after day
light, and the Regiment arriving at
Charleston about o'clock on the
morning OF the 18th having. beenIe-
lieved from duty as rear guard at
Campbell's Greek BY the 34th Regiment
o. VI.
About II O'Clock A. NJ. the Regi-
ment was formed in line upon the left
of the Cd Brigade. Twas then ordered
to take a position upon the hills on the
North side OF Elk River-ihis Regiment
forming the extreme left One COM
panv (B-Cspt ] L Vance) was de-
played as Skirmishers upon the bank OF
Elk River, WfIrIr IL r--..ai~-d srposed
to the FIRE oi the enemy's sharpshooters
until 5 o'clock p. NJ. where, the men
having become exhausted. and their
ammunition expended, they were re.
lieved BY Co. D-Capt. Goo6speed. -.
Shortly after taking our position on
the hill. a strong body of rebels made
their appearance in a corn 6eld on the
opposite side Of the river. One COM
pany Was sent still farther 10 the left to
take position upon prominent point
within range; three companies were
placed behind fence at the bottom Of
the hill. covered by the remaining FIVE
companies upon the top. These dispo-
sitinns being made, a few well directed
vo!lies. drove the enemy in confusion
from the corn field beyond our range
The enemy. had now planted battery
upon their extreme right. directing its
fire at the detachment at the bottom OF
the hill. They were forced to fall back
and rejoin the Regiment at the top
About o'clock p. NJ large body Of
rebels were seen moving up Elk River
upon the South side. and il was sup
posed that they would make an attempt
to cross the river. One company was
therefore sent up. supported by two 9th
er companies, to watch their move
ments. Pursuant TO Col. Gilbert's or
der ] had previously notified the COM
mandants Of companies to be ready to
withdraw at dark. Owing to some mis-
understanding the two companies on
the extreme left and the company de-
ployed as skirmishers on Elk River did
not rejoin the Regiment at the time of
withdrawal. They arrived at the po-
silion on the hill about hall sn hour af
ter the Regiment had left. and fearing
they were cut of. they took up their
march through the woods. overiaking
the Regiment about I O'Clock the next
day (l4Ih. about a mile beyond Sis
sonviIls. From this point until the
next morning the Regiment performed
the dnty Of rear quad. The next day
(i5ih. We we're in the advance. We
tncamptd the night Of the 18th short
distsnce this side Of the village of Rip
ley in an open field. The pickeis hsv-
ing been fred upon early in the eve
ming, ! WAS ordered by Col Gilbert to
change the position of the Regiment TO
a. point covering the road To- Rsyens-
wood. and along which we were re-
treating. This was done with prompt
ness and silence. The next morning
about O'Clock we again took up our
line Of march, tsoc companies having
besn detailed to Join the 47th Rtgi-
ment o. v. I. as rear guard. We an
rived at Ravenswood. upon the, Ohio
River. about II O'Clock A. N. Of the
18th. About 5 O'Clock the Regiment
embarked on Steamers forRsciae. Ohio,
in pursuance of Col iGilber,'s order.-~
About 5 O'Clock M. of The l7th the