Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-11-25
ARMY CORRESPONDENTS.
Keuey's Ford.
From the Wisconsin Sharpshooters.

friends of the sharpshooters, brief descrip-
ton of a sharp skirmfsh which took place at
the Kelley Ford crossing the Rappahannock,
on the afternoon Of Nov. eth, 1868, between
the Berdan Sharpshooters on the Union side,
and portion of Ewel's corps on the part of
the rebels To commence: At half past two
O'Clock on the morning of the eth, the Sd
Army Corps broke camp near Warrenton
Junction and started off at day-break q for
ward" The ID regiment SharpshOoters took
the lead of the I'd brigade, while the lst were
nut ont as q hankers After i steady and
quick march along the road leading towards
Falmouth, we left the same about noon, and
striking Oft on road leading to the Ford,
made a temporary halt. Soon after, how
ever. the Sharpshooters were sent down to-
wards the river About /! p. NJ. we formed
a long skirmish line, and advancing over an
open plain soon became aware of the proX-
unity of the enemy by the whistling of bull
lets around US. The order to /" double
quick being given, driving the Johnnes
pell-mell across the river they taking refuge
in rifle pits. We however pressed on to the
river bank under a sharp fire from " 'tother
side and succeeded in obtaining temporary
cover 1t was now blaze away" on both
sides in good earnest, and after some sharp
exchanges we espied force coming down on
a full run towards a large brick building OPP
posite US. They instantly became the object
of our immediate attention, but although our
fire was sharp and quick, yet many succeeded
| in gaining this place of cover. They soon
had to skedaddle from there however, for be
tween the rafting of the SharpshoOters' bull
lets, and several Union shells from a battery
that opened on the building with effect, the
place became too hot for them and away they
went back again, our boys putting 1t to them
good, making them hurry the faster. Corpo-
raj Jno. W. johnson (of Co. O. from near
Madison, pumped one man through the mid
die of the back at 700 wards raise of sight
The man sprawled out instanter and was at
forwards found dead where he fell. Tile
wind was blowing hard at the time, and al
though Johnson considered the chances poor
of hitting his man at that distance, under the
circumstances, yet upon being urged
exclaimed "By great. I'll try him." and
did so, allowing two feet for wndage,
and was successful. We were finally
ordered to cross the river and charge the pits
on the bank, the fire having slackened, al
though we surmised that a force of some kind
still remained there, from occasional bobbing
up of heads. Jacobs, Webster and Van Blu
rem tried " flank movement on one fellow,
but it was no use, they could not obtain a
cross-fre on the Johnny from our side Of
the stream. " ebb - finally gave the fell
low a polite invitation to come out of his
hole and give himself ur He rather roughly
declined, however, in the following language:
6 I'll see you Cd id first and then |
WON'T" Webb therefore gave him up for
the time being, but we got him soon after. he
being one OF five hundred prisoners taken by
the First Regiment L. 5. Sharpshooters on
charging over the river, which was ~bout
three feet deep, under a CALLING fire, and
planting our worn ont and tattered regiment
Il .,lyN Ir.l a,rTr
c and l, both " W olve"ines,' led the way,
| covered by the other companies who kept up
in the meantime sharp fire. The Badgers
Immediately rushed headong after them, and
the rest followed. The prisoners were from
! North Carolina, and belonged to the ID and
! Both regiments. \ lumber of prisoners were
| taken in the bushes and i'll building, by diff
| ferent members of the Badger company
| among the captiyes a rebel Major. We then
| pushed forward and formed a long skirmish
| line across the open plain, our right resting
near some unfinished breastWOrks. Company
| G was on the extreme left, near q building.
| although represented at the work on the right
| by such veterans rs Ragin, Durkec, Baker
and Smith. Soon after, a force of the rebels
| came out of the woods in front, and advanced
| towards these works on the right. They did
not come far, however, our boys giving them
pepper and our artillery, from an emf
hence, sending into their ranks shot and
she'll. They soon deplOyed out into a Skin
mish line and 4" lied low " on the ground
where they remained until after dark. After
the First L. :. SharpshOoters had crossed the
ford and formed new lines in advance our
infantry began to stream over and soon the
plain behind US was full of troops After
dark the Sharpshooters were relieved, and
retired to a side-hill to sup and rest The
fight ended with darkness. 1t was greenback
versus greybac1 the " blue coats" having
but little to do, although it would not surprise
many of US were some - down East " regi-
ment to receive the credit of the whole af-
fair. 1t would not be the first time, at all
events.
During the early hours Of the afternoon of
the 8th the rebels left US entirely ami fell
back, but I've since understood were ''gob-
bled up about a. NJ. by the 9th corps, who
had effected a crossing aud gained a victory
above Us at or near Rappahannock Station,
and in which l understand the 9Th Wisconsin
were engaged and Col. Ailenreported wound
ed again.
In this affair at Kelly's Ford the L. s 5. S.
did the fighting the ID regiment being on our
extreme left below the ford and had but little
to do, although several OF them left and join
ed the Badgers, stating that there was not
enough game below TO keep them IN sport.
Our regiment lost 3 killed and some y
wounded, the latter generally of a serious ma
lNIN w. - tII&5 llltlC tSCdJtl uAllllIl. NdDL
Nash, of Co. K, aid to Gen. Ward, was con
spicuously engaged along the lines and had
his horse killed under him. Lieut. Ashmann,
Acting Adjutant of the regiment also had his
horse wounded. The regiment was comman-
ded by Col. L. Trepp, with Capt. Marble as
acting field officer. Co. @, under command
OF Lieut.. Stevens, assisted by Lieut.. Judkins
late Acting Quartermaster, but now with Co.
The Sharpshooters behaved well and are
again heard of throughout the army. This
last affair counts go" for the Wis S. Scr
two on the Sd year, so far 0ess than two
months From all accounts that | can re-
ceive, the well known air played by our band
known as ''Hell on the Rappahannoek," was
introduced to the rebels on the It'll in such
stirring and martial notes that viii render
1t impossible for them to forget it for awhile,
although I'm in hopes it may be succeeded by
The Devils to pay on the Rapidan,' before
long Resp'y, SIS.
The NEGRO TRooPs.-The New Orleans cor
respondent of the New York HeraiR says
there are now one hundred thousand negro
troops in arms probably an exaggerated esti-
tlmate.) After speaking of their courage and
efficiency a. soldiers he saws