Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-06-14
CAMPAIGNS AND BATTLES
OF THE
18th TENNESSEE REGIMENT,
BY 7. A. HEAD.

men were put in shape for battle. 1t
had rained continually throughout
the night, and having fintlock mus
kets, which had been loaded the even
ing before, the loads had become wet
during the night and the first thing
the men did in the morning was to
extract the charges from their guns
and put them in good order. They
had all kept their powder dry, and
having rubbed up their guns and eX-
amined their flints they awaited the
signal for attack. Hours passed and
no signal was given. 1t was s o'clock
before the cause Of delay was made
known. Gen. II. r. Jackson was to
open the attack on Cheat Mountain
pass with Col. Rust's Brigade, and
the other commanders were to follow
in the attack upon the positions in
their respective fronts. The men
were becoming anxious, and were re-
alizing that if anything had happened
to Illustrate the plan of operations, our
situation was critical indeed.
Gen. Loring had gained his position
in front Of the Federals on the Hut
tonville pike as before mentioned.
The pike ran along the base of the
ridge in front of the Federal works,
and the Valley river run parallel with
the pike near by. Gen. LOring had
to cross the river before he could at
tack this position. The rains the pre-
vious night had swollen the river and
he was unable to cross.
Gen. Jackson occupied the firstsum-
NIT of Cheat Mountain, while the
Federals were fortified between the
first and second SUBMITS at point
known as Cheat Mountain Pass. Col.
Albert Rust, of the Sd Arkansas, was
ordered by Jackson to attack the Pass
on the morning of the 18th of Sep
TENDER, but finding by RECONNAISSANCE
on the evening of the 18th that hewas
unable to carry the position, General
Jackson ordered him back to camp,
and the attempt was abandoned, Col.
Rust was a gallant commander, OF
sterling qualities, and stood high in
the estimation of his superior officers
AS his assault was to be the signal fol
a general assault on all the positions,
and the failure of the expedition
turned upon his movements Though
through no fault Of his the following
report of his movements, and the
cause of the failure of the expedition
are given in the correspondence be-
tween him and Gen. LOring.
ORDERS FROM GEN. JACKSON TO COL
RUST.
DEAR COLONEL Return witt
your command into camp. So soOr
as you arrive address a letter to Gen
Loring explaining the failure and thu
reasons for it. Show this to Captain
Neil, quartermaster, and let him a
once furnish an express ready to take
your letter by the near route. If pos
sible get the postmaster, Mr.. Abagast
to go, and go rapidly and at once
Say in your letter that l am in pos
session of the first summit of Chea
Mountain, and am in hopes of some
thing going on in Tygarts Valley
and shall retain command of it unit
receive orders from headquarters
1t may bring on an engagement, bu
/ am prepared and shall whip then
if they come.
Very truly,
H. r.. JACKSON.
p. 81 cannot write here. Inclos
this scrawl in your letter. You hat
better return yourself at once to cam
leaving your command to follow. w
had several sBirmishes yesterday ant
killed several of the enemy.
COL. RUsT's REPORT TO GEN. LORING
CAMP BARLOW, Sept. 10, 1861.
General The expedition agains
Cheat Mountain failed. My com
mand consisted of between 1900 ant
1900 men. Got there at theappointet
time, Notwithstanding the rain.
seized number Of their pickets an,
scouts. Learned from them that tn
enemy was between 1000 and 800
strong, and they reported them to b
strongly fortified. Upon recconnoi
sance their representations were full
corroborated. A fort or blockhous
on the point or elbow of the road, in
trenchments on the south, and outsid
of the intrenchments, and all aroun
up to the road heavy and impaSsabl
abatis if the enemy were not behin
them. Col. Barton, my lieutenant
colonel, and all the field officers de