Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-05-24
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Letter nom the W selling Battery,
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IntersStlnK and SraphIe detalis q
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lpsl oEDER CRBEE, HlIh SFRAsBuRg,
4 u III Il May 10, 1854. ! ,
- 6s$ lido not feel Ike attempts
ing description of the battle, bat IlkdoW
'y6n will not be SStiSied until i do, viii
not give, the details Of our advance up 5the
valley; b1t,Will go back 10 Friday thetla ath.
Oar ssetou was ordered out with the 18th
Virginia To- go.i abavel Edinburg and wait
for Col Boyds who with, hiS cavalry, had
.gone,up the Lufay Yalley, apdsWas TO cEoss
at New Market. Welreaehedn our position
iat about four clock IN the Afternoon. We
heard Aflillsry at New Market, but did not
know TIL The next morning has eansed h
when we learned the enemy had cut Col.
Boyd Of, he fell back on the other side of
the river aud crossed ct EdinbufK on Sat.
urday. We then returned TO camp. AaWe
went in We met quite . strong force going
up to attack the enemy ct New Market,
and that afternoon We heard heavy firing
but could hear nothing Of the result. That
night We were ordered to be ready TO move
81 four O'Clock in the.morning. We were
ready ~ the time and started about fVe.-
We advance slowly, the firing is still kept
mp In front. AT Nit. Jackson We we're halt.
ed to await orders, and they soon came.
Ours and p New 7 0rk Battery we're sent up
on . ttot: As We went up, there was every
evidence of q heavy fight going ON in front.
The road was lined with stragglers who
kept shouting to, MS 70 give it to them, and
they getting to the rear as fast az they
could. a'-5I .st-.a
The rain had been pouring down for
three days and still raiDing hard. When
We reached the 6eld We found our troops
retirtug-We were sent TO knoll about
halfa mile 70 the right of the road, and a
new line formed, our battery holding the
extreme right Of our line, Shows battery
next TO uS. EWing's held the left with our
infantry iu the centre. The ground in our
front was very uneven, giving the enemy
considerable protection as they advanced
the attack. On our right aud within thirty
yards OF our battery was skirt OF woods
from which We got terrible FIRE as We re-
tired and there WAS the great mistake not
supporting us on the right. will Just say
here that We never had support through
the whole 6ght. The new line WAS hardly
formed before the enemy advanced 70 the
attack, they came In line stretching from
our right, out over the pike with column
In the rear as 3 support. We opened on
them at once, bat on they came without
WaVeriug, aud closing up the gaps that four
batteries were cutting through them, and
yelling like demons. tell yOu It was Q
trying moment. The order is passed for two
second fuses. The nextmoment there Is .
demand along the line for canister, the
men work with will aud We pour the
canister among them. The battery boys
now answered their yells with defiant
cheers, and for about ten minutes We pour
canister from twelve guns right into them; |
aud now their line waVers, it halts,
and they throw themselves on the
ground to escape that terrible fire; and
now our Infantry forms for the charge; they
move forward, with the glorious old fag
in the front, and do not think, that mo-
ment will ever be forgotten. felt that the
day was ours, for their line was already
givingtground, and oh, how we strained
every nerve and poured a steady, rapid aud
concentrated Ere upon them to cover the
advance Of the infantry; but alas. they do
not go more than hundred yards till they
WaVer and fall back, and We now felt that
1t would be desparate struggle for the
battery, for every man knew. that We were
whipped, but werstill pour the canister
among them. The lefto our line gives way;
the centre breaks and retireB in perfect
panic. Shows battery on our left limbers
to the rear aud retire, and the only thing
on that bloody field that stands firm is bat.
terry D. Our guns still throw canister in
the very teeth Of the foe, but the enemy
had now gained the woods on our right
and are entilading us. Gen'l Sigel himself
gives the order to retire, and now comes
the trying moment. The enemy conc0n.
trate their whole hre upon us, and 1t
seems impossible TO save single gun.
We all retired about the same time. But
will endeavor to give you the.experience
of each gun, commencing with No. I,
which was on the left of the Battery.
not gone ten yards before Rich French, who
drives the lead team, falls, shot through
the head. Ourran Mendel, who is gunner on
that piece, jumped on the team and drove
1t on, having lost one killed, and Levi Cas-
sell thought to be mortally wounded and
left on the field. No. 2, d on which George
drives the lead team. got of without any
loss, but both Of George'e horses were
skipped With balls, making the hair ay.-
No. 3, came next, and before they get their
gun limbered three horses are shot, but
they get It of the field and then had to
leave it.. RSlt horses fell dead in the har.
ness. No. 4-this was the only gun that
was left where We fought, and It had i've
horses ont Of the gun team. killed aud dis
abled, and two men mortAliy wounded;
they were both from Wheeling. George
Bottles was shot through the lungs, Dan.
s. Morrison through The bowels. The latter
WAS brought of the Geld, but had TO be
left At Mount Jackson. No. 5, which was
mine, aud next in the Iine-I had one man
struck on the shoulder with q piece Of
shell; It tore his blouse aud bruised his
shoulder. bis name was Flemming. A
she'll passed through the hind wheel of
my eassion, breaking two spokes, the side
rail, the rear eros. bar, and one spoke in