Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-12-04
sTAUNToN, VA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1866

| terry The three fiat boats dWindled into one
small skiff, in which were three fellows sky
larking and the men already landed and drawn
up in battle magniGcently stern array, turned
out to be the line of an Old Virginia worm
fence, lstaked and ridered!
! at midnight. Capt. Buckholtz had observed
signal lights on the top of the high mountain
overlooking the camp Of course our danger
was immediate and extreme. AS my men were
all backwoodsmen, and, as citizens of the coun-
ty presumed to be familiar with the locality, I
was detached, with fifty of the most daring, to
scout the mountain. There was no moon, the
heavens were clouded, and a heavy fog spread
its gloomy pail upon the hills; and it was SO
extremely dark that could not discern my own
hand, held within an inch of my nose / tried
the experiment, and know that | speak truly
[ thought it a very unfavorable time for scout
ing, if the object was to ascertain the position,
strength, and intentions of the enemy; for he
had only to stand still, with his guns at charge
bayonets, and permit us to impale ourselves
thereon but, of course, made no suggestions
to my superior officers. So we toiled up the
precipitous mountain, falling over logs, reeling
along the edges of cliffs, scratching our faces
with briars, tripping up among the grape vines,
and expecting every minute to be assailed by
copperheads and rattlesnakes, until at last we
open space; and, exhorting my men to keep
their own counsel, [ threw out pickets and
then we laid down and slept soundly until morn
ing. We then finished the scout, returned to
camp, and reported an encounter with flock
Of sheep-no casualties on our side, none on the
other which latter circumstance we very much
regretted, as We were growing tired of fat mid
ding, and beginning to be sheepishly inclined.
The mysterious lights that had created SO
much anxiety and alarm in camp, and sent US
on such a fruitless scout were either meteors or
fire flies, or, as mountain men call them, light
ming bugs!" 1 FL
In the latter part of July we began the ia
NOUS retreat-or, as Gen. Wise persisted in
calling it, the ''retrograde' movement-from
the Kanawha Valley Cox had been whipped
at "Scary;" but another army, acting In con-
cert with his movement, was seeking, by way
of Sutton, SummersviIle, and the Wilderness
road, to gain our rear, and thus, not only cut
us off from our base, but capture our whole
force.
Such confusion and Generalization as then
ensued, have been seldom witnessed One en-
tire company, perhaps two, deliberately filed off
and went home. Another scattered like fright
ened sheep; but the captain marched boldly on
alone, until becoming thoroughly disgusted, he
broke his sword, and wore the bars no more!-
Huge sides of bacon were pitched into the mud
and trampled under foot. The heads Of whis-
key and molasses barrels were knocked in and
every man helped himself Gauley bridge, that
had cost $4,000, was burned, although the
river was fordabe for infantry and cavalry one
hundred yards above. 1t was said, though j
never credited the report, that the famous
Hawk Nest was examined with an eye to
its destruotion, but was declared non-combusti-
bic, and thus saved for the admiration of future
tourists and sight seers. Every one went it on
his ''own hook For the first twelve hours,
despite the efforts of the General, order and
system were lost sight Of Quartermasters were
obliyious to their obligations to furnish trans
portation.
My company baggage had been carried across
the ill-fated Bridge by the men. | awaited
transportation until near night-fall, and the
bridge was already in flames lighting the heav-
ems from horizon to zenith with their lurid glare.
The army had gone, its retreating footsteps
echoing amid the gorges of Gauley mountain,
still no transportation nor would the last lin
gering Quartermaster answer satisfactorily my
inquiries. So I moved off, leaving all behind.
Dark soon came on, and the rain descended
only as it did rain In the summer and autumn
Of 1861 in the mountains Of West Virginia.
We had gone mile when we met wagon
with four mule team and a negro driver |
pressed wagon, mules and driver, sent them
back and got my baggage. 1t was now SO dark
we could with difficulty keep the road. halted
the company, told the boys to take care ofthem
selves, and they scattered in every direction,
seeking shelter under rocks and trees from the
pitiless storm. [ crept down the hillside care
fully feeling my way and found dry spot I'M
der huge rock called to one of my lieuten-
ants, who soon joined me, and told him to go
in first he did SO, and SO completely occupied
the whole space that was compelled to lie all
night in the rain. While sleep to me was i'm
possible, [ could hear the lieutenant snoring
boisterousy all the while. | had never before
regretted having been generous; | did that
night, and think you will concede | had rea-
son. When morning came, l was wet to the
bone, and chilled to the marrow. We started
again at daylight. Gen. Wise was standing at
the top of Gauley mountain. When We came
up, he told me to halt my company. [ did so,
and he furloughed every man who wished to go
by bis home. Who ever saw a soldier who
didn't wish to go by his home, if he had one?
The result was, entered Lewisburg with ten
men out Of ninety. l was SO emaciated and
care-worn that my most intimate friends recog-
nized me with difficulty.
Having recruited and reorganized his COM
mand, Gen. Wise again advanced toward Gau-
ley, while Gen. Floyd, taking the Sunday road,
moved toward Summersville Wise encoun-
tered Cox at Big creek, few miles beyond the
Hawk Nest, and, after a brisk skirnish kept
up until evening, owing to the failure Of part
of his programme, fell back four miles, to
Woodville, and went into camp. Floyd, hav-
ing crossed Gauley at Carnifix' s ferry, and en-
trenched himself on the cliffs, awaited Rosen-
cranz who, advancing from Cheat mountain, at
tackled him with great impetuosity. The Con-
fcderates, though outnumbered at least six to
one, resisted successfully every attempt to carry
their position until nightfall, when they with
drew with 50 much secrecy that the federal
Commander received the information of their
retreat about sunrise the next morning when
his troops stormed and carried the undefended
entrenchments Floyd did not lose single
man in this battle-two were slightly wounded,
one of them the General himself Rosecranz
must have suffered severely as his men repeat
edly assailed the works with great and perse-
vering gallantry. Having recrossed Gauley,
Floyd fell back to Dogwood gap, at hejunction
Of the Sunday road with the James river and
Kanawha turnpike. Here he was reioined by
Wise; and Cox and Rosencranz, continuing to
advance with force, of at least $4,000 men,
while that of the Confederates did not exceed
$500, the latter fell back, slowly to the top Of
big Sewell mountain. Hating, here day or
so, Floyd began to fortify, but suddenly chang
ing his mind, he began to fall back toward
Meadow river in Greenbrier county, and or
dered Wise to follow, which he positively and
Indignantly refused to do, avowing. his deter
mination to oppose his 1,5O0 men against Ro-
sencranz 15,00O and thus make Thefmopyle
of Sewel mountain. He accordingly named
his position siGamn sDefiance' and cOolly