Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-04-02

MISSISSIPPI az ll5 Biealesl ueisu1 NUN
cultivated land near the river is inundated.
Mr.. Edison G. Brace, of Washington, writes
for the National Tribune the following &C.
count of the battle of Philippi:
In the interest of good history, and to do
justice to the gallant Western troops-West
Virginians, Ohioans and Indianians-and
to their intrepid leader, who really fought
the first fight of the rebellion, and won it
handsomely, too, 1 beg to remind you that
on the Sd day of June, 1861, just one week
before the action at Big Bethel, Colonel (af-
forwards Major General) B. F. Kelley led,
at four o'clock in the morning, an attacking
column upon the town of Philippi, in Bar
bour county, now West Virginia, which
was held by the Confederate Colonel Porter
field, with force of about 800 and after a
hot fight the Confederates were worsted. In
this engagement Colonel Kelley was shot
through the body, and was pronounced to be
MORALLY wounded. He had just been placed
in command of troops in that portion Of Vir-
GINA by General Mcclellan, than command
ing the Military Division, with headquarters
at Cincinnati, after having raised at Wheel
ing the first Union regiment organized south
of Mason and Dixon's Line-the First Vir-
ginia Volunteer Infantry News of the vic
tory and of the wounding of Colonel Kelley
was sent the day of the battle to headquar-
tiers at Cincinnati, and later the same day
the following dispatch was received by the
officer who succeeded to the command, and
was read to the fallen commander, who lay
blanched and helpless from suffering and
loss of blood, calmly conscious of his sur
roundings and Of his desperate situation;
CINCINNATI, June 3, 1861.
To General r. 4. Nor as;
Say to Colonel Kelley that | cannot yet
believe it possible that one who has opened
his course so brilliantly can be MORALLY
wounded In the name of the country,
thank him for his conduct, which has been
the most brilliant episode of the war thus
far. fit can cheer him in his last moments,
tell him cannot repair his los, and / only
regret that cannot be by his side to thank
him in person. God bless him.
Signed GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN.
1t will be observed that this official dis
patch is dated the 3rd of June, one week be-
fore Big Bethel, and the date is fully authen-
ticated by the orders and reports published
in the official account of the "War of the
Rebellion" These reports show the field to
have been sharply and stubbornly contested,
with good deal of blood shedding on both
sides, as the lists of casualties bear sad evil
dence
am glad to be able to add, and great
many veterans will be glad to read, that the
sterling leader who fell at Philippi, and
whose life was not considered worth an
hours grace, according to the diagnosis and
decision of the learned surgeons, is now liv
ing in Washington, at the age of eighty
three, with clear memory and vigorous think
ing powers, if not altogether robust in body
He receives a good deal of attention from
people who were Unidentified with his mill
tary career, and never fails to entertain his
callers with "reminiscences which, interest
ing in themselves, are uniquely illuminated
by his rugged and trenchant manner of relief |
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A fearful storm swept over the western