Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-06-15

Complete List of Ihe Killed, Wounded
aud missing Of tho 171st.
The correspondent Of the Cincinnati
Commercial gives the following account Of
ths fght at Keller's Bridge between Nor.
gIn's men and the 17Ist o. N. G. under
Hobson. 1t will be remembered that the
17lst is from Trumbull county, and was
commanded by Colonel J. F. Asper, form
erly of the 7th Ohio:
Keller's Bridge, the scene of the en-.
gsgement, is just sixty five miles south Of
this city, and one mile this side Of Gym
thisns. TWAS destroyed by the rebels on
Thursday last in order to prevent the
sending Of troops along the railroad. At
five O'Clock Saturday morning last, the
lii1t was ditembRFked ct this point, to q.
gether with handful Of men who we're
20 act as cavalry.
The train which had conveyed them i'm.
mediaiely backed down the road two
miles, where they were thrown from the
track and burned. Upon being dis
embarked, the men Of he'17Ist were sup.
clied with ammunition and proceeded TO
eat their breakfast. Suddenly their quiet
wHs disturbed by the rattle Of musketry
at Cynthiana, telling that hot work Was
going on there between the 16Sth ami the
rebel forces. And in few moments, 10
their great surprise, they sscsrtEined that
the fields around themselves were alive
with the rebel forces. A Volley Of mus
kerry WAS poured in upon them by a
squad Of the enemy masked behind the
fence of clover field. From the first it
was eyiSont to General Hobson and Col
ouel Asper thss their little band was COM
pIetely surrounded. ksd, from the dis-
position made Of the rebel troops, it Wss
evidently their design to conduct the
fight in the bushWhscking style from the
brush, should our forces resist, which they
probably did not believe would be the osse,
as they were evidently two 10 their one in
the first OF the fight.
Under the circumstances the regiment
was divided into several squads and sent
10 both east and west of the railroad, Oc-
oupyiDg such positions as they might Sc.
cure. The rebels then appeared on every
hand, displaying great activity in firing
and considerable skill in keeping them
selves under cover from the FIRE Of our
troops. Throughout, the affair was ss
between ..shasn shooters, each man firing
as he could obtain sight Of the enemy.
This continued about Eve hours, the loss on
both sides being extraordinarily heavy.
That Of the rebels was much greater han
our oWD-ss much so, perhaps, proper
tionately, as their force was superior in
nunber, we have 700 men and they, with
their reinforoements, 1000. Against
these great odds. the resistance made was
desperate and determined. General Nor
gan, who, when the fght here commenced
was at Cynthisna (the rebel force being
in command Of G neral Getty) hsd sup
posed that the Union force would have
surrendered Immediately. He considered
us great odds, the greenness Of our foress,
and wondered in impotence how it oc.
CURED tSst the fighting continued, He
had expected su immediate surrender, sRd
sincerely desired it, as he did not wish to
lose snE Of his men, even though the loss
entailed upon our forces SHOULD be twice
IS heavy. He certainly had not expected
this desperate resistance. He was sur
prised. He was Rstounded, when ct 8
o'cl ock A. NJ, courier dashed up 10 him
in haste ct Cynthisna and gave General
Getty's message Of "reinforoements, or
-. L. ---I' s5S-S..-A a-s--------
medistely SEM down the pike, Morgan
NJ their head, and with those the line was
drawn still closer around the little band,
DntiI General Hobson was forced to receive
the flag Of truce, and accept Morgan's con-
ditions Of surre1der-thst the private
rroperly Of the troops should be respected
and the officers should retain their side
arms. General HobBon, go all accounts
agree in saying, had done al that could
be done, displaying himself the grestest
personal courage, and in thus surrender
ing he decided for the best.
Such Of the 17lst ss remained were
then nrawn up along the pike tteir
arms we're stacked and burned BY the
rebels, and they we're marched through
! Cynthians,s q mile south, to grove, where
| t,,ev we're allowed to rest, and where they
Souo5 the 168th regiment or rather nVe
.o1,,,o,, les Of it-al that had been in the
6gbt at Cl l.pthians-PrisOners like them
ssivss inan hour or two, however, tht
| Dr;soners we're ucrched three miles north
on The Augusta pike, where they passed
Saturday night. Early OF Sunday morn
ine came the attack upon the main fore
Of the rebels from General Burbridgel Wh'
had arrived from Paris with 3 strcnl
force, and two pieces Of artillery, Will
which Morgan was unproVided.
| With the first announcement OF the sp
proach Of Burbridge came an order from
Morgan to the guard over the 600 prison
ers 10 start them north, which was done
and hat, too, on the double quick. Nor
raD's main foroe, pursued by Burbridg'
following at a few miles. This force
march brought them to ClaysVille, eigh
, teen miles northeast Of Cynthisna, Wher
they were halted, drawn up in line, an
paroIed, and allowed TO depart In thu
disposing Of them, Morgan informed theI
that he hsd enough to attend 10 10 get out
the State, but that he should succeed |
. doiuR SO. The rebel forces then strue
) due east with The evident intention
resehing Tirginis IS soon ~ Possibl