Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-08-10
THE FIGHT FOR CUMBERLAND.



ON Monday afternoon, August 1st, at 4
o'clock, the rebels, 5000 strong, under the
command Of Generals McCausland and Bradley
T. johnson, approached the city by the Balti-
more turnpike, TO the residence and mill OF
john Folck, three miles from town. General
Kelley had previously determined TO give them
battle, and made the proper disposition OF his
forces, which were not equal TO the number Of
the enemy, In order 10 dispute their entrance
into the town.
The rebels are said to have inquired of Mr..
Folck the strcUgth and position OF Gen. keney's
forces, declaring II to be their intention 10 enter
Cumberland and plunder and destroy II as they
had done Chambersburg. While thus In con-
versation, a shell from our battery came whiz-
zing over them, notifying them Of Gen. Kelley's
readiness 70 receive them, and causing them to
skednddle" ont Of hsrm's way. a..
The fight thus opened continued throughout
the afternoon with artillery and infantry, shots
being heard until half.past eight In the even
ing, at which time time the rebels were In full
retreat towards oldtown, taking the mountain
road which crosses the Williams road, nine
miles below the city. Their hasty retreat was
distinctly heard by our citizen volunteers, who
had blockaded the Williams road, and were
on picket duty all night, within hearing dis
tance of the retreating column.
The residence, mill and out-houses Of Mr..
Folck were in the range OF our guns, and were
struck by several shots, two or three Of which
perforated the dwelling house, while others
struck and set hre to the barn, which was to-
tally consumed.
The rebels brought three pieces Of artillery,
one 24-pounder, into the battlefield; Gen. Kel
ly used but two pieces.
| McCausland and Bradley johnson, we are
informed, addressed their troops previous To
| the attack, promising them a levy of $3.50, ,00C
on our citizens, 500 in greenbacks TO each
soldier, and one hours freedom In the city fol
pillage, all OF which we have been spared from
enduring by tho energy and valor Of Gen. Kel-
ly and the officers and men under his command.
| The less Of the rebels at Folck's Mill and
Oldtown was about 100 killed and wounded
Our loss was 8 killed and or 9 wounded.
We append the report OF Gen. Kelley to Gov
Boreman, of West Virginia;
To Goo BOrendn:
The enemy attacked me yesterday at p. m
i We fought him till dark. At II p. IN. he re-
treated from my front, going by mountain
| road toward Oldtown, on the Potomac, leaving
his killed and wounded, two caissons, quite 1
quantity Of ammunition; also many wagons
carriages, &c.
Prisoners report Bradley johnson and Nc
Causland In command.
My force is pursuing. l hope to overtakC
him at the river. B. +. KELLEY,
Brigadier General.
A friend has furnished US with the following
Gen. Kelley sent Col Slough out to Greei
Spring Run, on Monday afternoon, Che havinI
been ordered In previously with his command,
: to cut off the retreat OF johnson and McCaus
land, who were expected to reach Oldtown tha
evening at 6 O'Clock. The rebels, however
changed their course and came in on the Balti
more pike to capture Cumberland, !" and con
sequently did not arrive at Oldtown. Colone
Slough, however, was ignorant of this fact
and crossed the river, disposlng his command
In ambush at a position two miles north o
0ldtown, as we understand 1t. There he AM
his men, only 45o strong, lay quietly all night
| with vigilant, wide awake picksts posted Il
morning, the enemy appeared in force on ou
left flank, and when they came within riff
. rauge, our men rose and gave them full vol
ley, which emptied several saddles. As III
volley was fired, full-breasted Yankee "tiger'
rent the air, and the rebels fell back in confu
sion.
7 Our men fought them until O'Clock, wheI
the enemy hanked them in overwhelming
force, and Col. Slough ordered them to fal
back across the river. This they did gradually
in fine order, the men stopping occasionally u
: empty their rides in the breasts Of the advanc
ling foe. One young man of Col. slough
regiment, the 1854 Ohio, young Cofiield, sal
to his commander, Capt. Cross, 81 am boun
to give them one more shot" He did So, an
n had not moved twcrty PAGES to the rear bcfoI
n he received q mortal wound In the bowels an
" fell, saying to his comrades, 81 am going nov
boys, Good bye" Our men having crossed IL
river, were posted behind the railroad embanl
ment, and held the rebels back half an hou
The iron. clad train having been disabled, coul
ia give the infartry no assistance, and the f
n became so deadly that the larger portion Of OIL
a. men were ordered to take the train and will
"a draw 1t to Cumberland. Capt. Cross, suppo
A. ing Col. Slough to be on board, pushed of, bl
ha Huff
n paired TO the block house, In which he ha
,s previously placed forty men, and held th
v block house for an hour and a half notwith
]. standing the rebel shells were knocking 1t I
i pieces over their heads.
: Colonel Slough, at II O'Clock, received tn
following message by flag Of truce' . ,o,,
. " To he Commander ofhe forces In The Rlotk House
!. "You will surrender the Block House an
n your forces at once. If you do not, you wi
. not receive any terms.
"BRADLEY 7. JOHNSON,
n "Brig. Gen. Confederate Forces"
= The Colonel requested to see the force, whic
:. he discovered had entirely surrounded hin
"a and one "a FOUNDER, one 12-pound howitze
a and four 3-inch regulation guns, In such poe
" tion as to knock the Block House into part
q cles in ave minutes, and, on consulting wit
If his men, returned an answer to the effect th
n he would surrender only on these conditions:
/. That he and his men should be imm
., diately paroled.
N 2. That private property should be respecte
10 3. That the men should retain canteen
sy haversacks, blankets and rations, and
h 4. That he should have a hand-car wi
a which to transport his wounded men to Cur
1r berland.
n These propositions were sent to Gen. Bra
n ley T. johnson, commanding a diVision
a rebels, and signed by Col. /. Slough, "cor
n mander of squad Of 153d Ohio" and they we
q Immediately accepted and respected.
a Col. Slough had q lock of hair taken off
?. his right temple by rebel ball, which becam
!. twisted in it, leaving bare spot the size of
~ dime on his scalp. He has also two bull
holes in the front OF his blouse, near his breas
Generals johnson and McCauSland treat,
"a Col. stough with great courtesy, and cor
q mended him and his men for their braver
. Gen. johnson admitted a loss of twenty
"a twenty-five men killed and forty wounde
ye Col. Slough lost two men killed and thr
AZ wounded.
Is Complimentary Order.
az The following order has been Issued by Ge
- Meade.