Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-03

sumed command We came from baurei
Hill, where General Garrett was In COM
mand. When we got TO Rich Mountain
there we're a few troops there-how many
| do not now remember. Among them
was q field battery commanded by a
gray-beardcd and brave old gentleman
named Anderson. But all told, Pegram
force on July 18th didn't number more
than Zoo men. IL so many. THE College
Bovs"-students from Hampden-Sidney
College, commanded by Professor John
NJ. u. Atkinson. brave and splendid sol
diors every one OF them!-constitutedo one
company only in the Twentieth Virginia,
but they were only a small part Of the
Confederate force who held the mountain
summit so bravely that day. AS well as
I remember there were no entrench-
monts-if any, very poor indeed-on the
mountain top. We had not been there
long enough TO throw up entertainments
worthy The name, and the few troops
there before we got 10 Rich Mountain
were engaged in Telling trees and making
an abattis on the southwestern slope OF
the mountain. ! think II can be safely
stated that there was no "entronched po-
sifion" on the mountain summit, but there
was q sO-called 'intrenched position
dogs piled up with cracks chinked with
rocks and sticks, &c.D on the southwest
ern slope.
Now. my friend, DIR. Price. says Colonel
Scott on the morning Of July 18th, H.
obedience to an order from General Gar
nett. started from Beverly TO join Garnet
at Laurel H.ll and was then ordered bacl
ito the forks Of the road on Rich Noun
tain. some half mile from the entrenche
College Boys. and hold the position
the last man.
Colonel Scott reached this forks Of TIL
ROAD point about =. VI. July nth. when
Immediately 5000 Fcderals. who had pass
cd this forks of the road" point, | pre-
sumo, before Scott got there. attacked
Pegrams force on the mountain summit.
Now. let's see how things" stood just
at this point Of time.
The COnfederates under Pogram on the
mountain summit were aligned across the
road. facing in q somewhat northeast di
rcctiOn the Federals under Rosecrans
attacking Pegram and facing in a some
what southwestern direction. Immedi-
atclv behind these Fcderals and within
"half mile" Of Pegram, was Colonel
William c. Scott. with 500 men and six
pieces Of artillery, all eager to go to the
rescue of the brave Pegram and his fast
falling men My conscience! What havoc
Colonel Scott could have played with his
500 brave men and six pieces Of artillery
by a dashng attack on the Federal rear,
Iis artillery could not have done much
real service owing to the topography Of
The ground surrounding him, but mis- men
with rifles and muskets. aided by the up
roar that could be created by six pieces
of artillery firing even blank cartridges.
could at that early period Of the war
Ia 'tfgfc4n Tho ef.u4ff of Igupas nd
his men and saved the day. But Colonel
Scott didn't "budge" one inch. There he
stood. an "idlc witness" of brave COM
rades praying him TO come TO their rescue,
calling for his help. but fighting and
dying at their post, No wonder Colonel
SCOTS braves "cried I'm agony 10 be led
90 their help, even almost to mutiny."
] never knew Colonel Scott personally.
I do not now know whether he be dead
or alive. l have never known what rea-
son he gave for not helping Pegram that
day. DR.. Price says Colonel Scott was
held under Garnett's positive order at
the forks-of-the road point" and couldn't
leave. ! have no doubt at all Of the truth
of that statement But let us look at the
situation. and perhaps we will see that
Colonel Scott was not justified in fulfill
ing literally his order
General Garrett first ordered Scott to
join him at Laurel Hill. Then Garnett
didn't know that David l.. Hart, a noun
taineer, who lived on the mountain sum-
init. was leading Rosecrans with three
full regiments to Pegram's rear But he
soon became aware of It, and realizing
Pegram's extreme danger of being over
whelmed and captured-"horse, fort. and
dragoon"-ordered Scott back to protect
Pegram's rear, and believing that The
forks of he-road" point was the best
place for Scott to take and make his
fight and "hold to tho last man." ordered
him so TO do. When Scott got there he
plainly saw that !e was too late-that
the Federals were actually in position
beyond the forks Of the road, higher Up
the mountain. and ready TO begin. and
did, in few minutes, begin Tic bloody
attack upon Pegram's rear.
Colonel Scott had taken his position,
and he held it. an idle witness" OF the
slaughter Of his brave comrades on the
mountain summit and there he staid,
because Garrett had ordered. him TO do
so, His brave men wanted 10 rescue or.
at least. help. Pegram, but Colonel Scott
said moi / was ordered - take and
hold this position at the forks If the
road" and | am doing IL. Colonel Scott
ought TO have seen that the very word