Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-22

REQUIRED the preea6tioup Of his taking the
advance. he does not stRtef Ibis abSStRs
Iished fact, however, thatlhs'rsached Har-'
Der's Ferry some three hbdFS ahead of Mil
rov and his men. This 6OlUpel, who 50
| feelingly sympathiEes with bthe4generai, is
known to have great dislikE for General
Milroy as well as great skill inrkeePing out
of danger during an engagement.
What are General MilrOy's antecedents
They have been referred 10 by the press %
the country. In the war with Mexico he.
was a captain in an Indiana regiment, an9
I-have the authority OF those who servs9
with him for saying he was n brave and
| efficient officer. At the breaking out OF
the present rebellion he recruited com
pany in twenty-fOur hours, was chosen
captain, aud, when the regiment to which
his company was attached was organized,
he was chosen colonel. AT the close of the
three tnouthsi service he returned home.
remained bat four days with his family, at
the end OF which time he proceeded 70 re,
cruit his regiment for the war, which he
accomplished in q very short time and 81
his own expense. With his campaign ID
Western Virginia, while colonel of the 9Th
| Indiana Volunteer Infantry, all are famil-
lar; suffice it TO say that for meritOriOus
service be was appointed brigadier- general.
Acting In that capacity and with a com
paratively small brigade he cleared his dis
triot not only of the regularly organized
rebel forces, but guerrillas, driving them
all before him beyond the Shepandoab
mountains, aud advancing his own forces
to within thirteen miles of StauntOn. At
Mcdowell the brigade OF Gen Shenck was
united with his to repel the advance of
"Stonewalrs" army, and compelled him to
fall back ten miles. Our forces then fell
back to Franklin, il being impossible for
our small force to successfully contend
against Jackson's whole army. We did
hold the position at Franklin until Fremont
came up.
At the battle OF Cross Keys Milroy fought
in the centre and forced the rebels back
more than a mile in front, while at other
pOints-tO say the leAst-they held their
own. When the command passed to Gen.
Sigel, so faVorably Impressed was that
distinguished officer with Milroy, that he
gave him an independent brigade, placing
it on the same footing with division, and
gave him the advance. He was IN all the
battles under Gen. Pope, il each of which
he behaved with marked gaIlantry. At
BULBS Run No. 2, among others, Milroy
was sent to assist in retrieving the fortunes
of the day, on the left. In the thickest Of
the fight he led his brigade-his men
fighting like devils until their ammunItiOn
Was exhausted-When they went to the
rear. -t. -.r -..-s...--. 80. -.1sz
This was the most critical period of that
battle; this was when our LETT was pressed
with the greatest determination by the
rebels; when the preservation of our shat.
tered forces depended upon the enemy be-
ing held firmly or driven back. 1t was
then that Gen. Milroy, through either
Lieuts Este or Chesebrough, (both OF
| whom, after Gen. Schenck was wounded,
reported to him for duty, and, by the way,
fought splendidly,) asked Gen. Mcdowell
for division or brigade to check the fury
| of the rebels. But u few hundred yards
north OF where they were fighting, in a
| little valley, large number OF regiments
were hhddled together in inextricable con-
| fusion; here, too, our long trains were
4 choked up in the road; aud the General well
knew that If our forces were driven back
| a large number of our men and our trains
would be captured. Aud vet, according to
the HeTdld8 ideas, II was madness in him
70 apply TO Mcdowell for troops to pre-
ser We our army. .9 y..s. .f,sa 5fs-i 90 ~
The Herald regards as evidence of mad
ness on the part of Gen. Mflroy the fact
that he, alive to the importance of check
ing the rebels on the left volunteered to
hS6lSt OIHet EeueTdl oiucerS IN Iehutug LueiF
troops into battle. If this is madness, the
salvation of this republic will depend upon
the disease being communicated to more Of
our generals Hlf a- .IaH- -.i- -7' -'A- Na
So much confidence had the people of
West Virginia IN the skillfulness and patTi-
otism Of this officer, that they, through
their Governor, applied several times to
have him placed in command Of the de-
Partment of that new State .oWhen, in
September, 1862, he was sent to West Yir-
ginia, SigeI applied to have him placed in,
command OF brigade or division in his
corps. 30 a- r.di 2rti5z3 '4 .i-
By patriotic devotion to the coButry, and
hard lighting in defense of its sacred insti-
tutions, he has won the confidence of his
troops as well as that of the corps COM
manders with whom he has fought, and as
an evidence of his worth as soldier he
was promoted to Major General. l,s5a,a
L have not given the details of the 6ghts
lat Wiuehester. The officers and men, with
hardly an exception, fought like SPartans..
The Generals, pfieial1 report will, doubt
not, do justice to their courage and zeal
! My object has been to defend the character
of Gen. Milroy against the attacks of ma
lignant friends. do this al the earnest
solicitations Of many officers aud soldiers
of his command. es.l- 30 .vi