The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-07-04

nand, the 18th and 6lst Ohio, bad been
Engaged to any great extent, the lighting
he first day was remarkable, both for the
.apidity of firing and the steady persever-
.nce Of our men. 1t was confidently bel
ieved that had wes arrived but Q few hours
earlier We would have driven the enemy
through Lynchburg that night As it was
ne were compelled to halt, and during thei
Chols night the locomotive whistle told %
of tie rapid arrival of heavy reinforce !,
nents tbas were greeted with continual
cheers Of welcome by the foe in our front.
morning came bright and clear,
and after IN early breakfast l rode out to .
temporary hospital on the roadside, ex
pecting every minute 70 hear renewal OF
the battle. While talking to the wounded,
the battery right in front o.. the hospital
sent 4 few shell over into the rebel lines,
that were Immediately replied to- their
shells Going over and Saround the building,
tbouoh none struck 10. Save this no firing
of s1y consequence happened during the
entire morning-the time being occupied in
changing the position Of our various brig
sdes 90 as best to use them against the en-
emy,s rapidly extending line. All this time
a sharp skirmish fire was kept up in our
immediate front and center; while o louder
report, followed by the ominous whistle,
told of the rapid fight of shot or SHE'LL
The LIST Division occupied tho advance
line, while General Crooks division was
sent off to the right, but returned almost
Immediately. As that Generals practiced
eye saw that the enemy were massing for
an attack on our center, he advised
the commanding General of the fact, and
recalled his division. 1t arrived not q
minute too soon. Having seen the
weakening of our center, and not knowing
of the return of the Kanawha Division,
the rebels came on in perfect confidence OF
victory There they come-old veterans
of the famous Ewell corps, practised in the
hundred battles of the Potomac Army
rank after rank. Will our men resist and
repel this almost irresistible torrent Of
steel, lead and iron, rushing on to over
whelm them2 We wait but few minutes.
Grape, canister, shell are hurled on them
from our batteries, while regiment after
regiment pours in it's effective fire at short
range. They NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
with cheer, our men are up and after them
driving them clear to and beyond their
breastworks. There being completely COM
handed By works in the rear, our men re-
luctantly retired, bringing with them NJ
merous guns, dropped by the rebels in then
hurried flight. In this charge the 5th Va
Infantry by some Misunderstanding got
into the front ranks, although they with the
whole second division were only used a.
reserves. AS it was, they rushed on witt
the advance occupying the left, and suffer
ed severely, losing about 80 men.
With this charge, repulse and charge
ended the second days work before Lynch
burg. We had tested the enemy's position
and numbers, and found both too great fo
our army, with limited rations, to overcome
Before US was q strongly fortified town, tina
tif taken by US at all, could only be takel
by surprise. In it were troops far surpass
ling ours in numbers and freshness, fighting
behind breastworks. .E .1 ~
So quietly on the night of the 18th tn
wagon and ambulance trains were started
in the afternoon and about nine o'clock tht
troops were withdrawn, and our journey
home was commenced. Gen. Crooks d.
vision bringing up and guarding the rear. .
COL. powELL's EXPEDITION.
On Saturday evening Col Powell, I'd Va
cavalry, with the LIST and I'd Va. cavalry
regiments and two guns, marched around
by the right to cut the railroad east o.
Lynchburg, and surprise fort about two
miles from the city. By some oversight
the guide missed the road and led them ter
miles out of tie way to Campbell Cour
House. After slight skirmisb, in which
they killed two and captured six, messen
ger arrived from Averill informing the col
onel of our withdrawal, and he was com
PEELED to rejoin the main column without
doing much injury to the railroad.
HoMEwARD MARCH.
Flying rumors, and false rumors, too
passed from one end OF our column to the
other, as to the number and designs Of
the enemy following in our rear. The even
proved their only object to be to harrass al
much as 800 men could, our army and tc
pick up stragglers. Early's division could
not be spared from Richmond longer thar
was absolutely necessary for LynchburQ's
safety, so McCausland followed us with Bis
brigade 1t was calling to retire thus in
the guise of retreat before the men they So
often had overcome and routed. To give
them battle if they really wished it a,
Bufords Gap, Gen. Crook drew up his di>
vision in line and awaited their onset. The
men were longing for one more chance to
punish the wolves lowering in our rear, but
they came not, and after waiting a couple
of hours we marched onand again they fol-
lowed. All night Of the 10th We marched
along the line Of railroad, and burned every
bridge or culvert that was burnable, 80 that
for miles shone the light of these traces of
our devastating march.
A DIsGRACEFUL LOSS.
Asihe command was at breakfast on the
morning of the 2lst, in and around Salem,
the rebels made fierce attack on the rear,
with both musketry and shells. A brigade
being sent back to assist in covering the
retreat into the valley at the foot Of the
Catawba Mountain, the trains were hurri.