Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-08-29
A FORT1ErH
ANNIVERSARY
WAR STORY
August 53I, 1858 -.

General Jackson was 5000 met with.
To guard his rear Averell sent regi-
ment back to Huntersville and broke
up his column into bands to cover the
several points on his front and to de-
stroy the salt works. The morning Of
the 26th he massed his troops, consist
Ing of five regiments and a battery,
and marched across the mountain to
White Sulphur Springs. When the COL
umn was strung out passing narrow
gorge and extending over four miles,
Baron Koenig rode back from the
front with word that the Oonfederates
were disputing his advance and he
could not proceed without REINFORCE
ments. Averell gave him two squad
rons, and just as he dashed off to the
front the Confederates opened fire
with cannon.
Averell started the whole column for
ward through a narrow pass which
opened out into valley a mile in
longth and inclosed on each side by
rugged rocky heights covered with a
stunted growth Of pine oak and chest
Of Federals appeared in the opening the
Confederates turned their guns upon
It. A jutting cliff on the right Of the
valley afforded cover for the horses Of
the Second and Eighth West Virginia
cavalry, and the troopers dismounted,
the Second climbing to the summit of
the hill on the right and the Eighth on
the left.
Under the protection Of tho lines
formed on the summit Averell brought
his battery to the front and posted it
on knoll, where it opened fire with
accuracy on the enemy's cannon Mean
while the Third West Virginia and
Fourteenth Pennsylvania cavalry flied
slowly through the narrow gap, the
troopers dismounted and formed in the
valley, making the line continuous from
right to left. The Confederates pressed
so close upon the battery that the guns
were compelled to use canister. The
enemy was finally driven back and the
battery advanced to better position.
The Confederate leader, General Sam
Jones, had been deceived as to Averells
intentions; otherwise the chance for an
ambush at Rocky Gap would have
been used to better advantage Gen
eral Jones believed that Averell would
keep close to the Blue Ridge and cross
eastward into the Shenandoah valley
and attack Staunton. 1t was late on the
night Of the 25th when Jones discov-
cred that the raiders had turned west
ward from Huntersville and were NOV
ing toward the Springs. Taking the
brigade Of Colonel Patton be made
night march and reached the gap
Just as Averelrs advance rode into the
pass.
Finding that he was too hate In the
field to hold the pass Jones drew back,
after feeling the fire Of Averelrs guns.
to elevated ground at the end of the
valley. Here he posted his right upon
rugged hill and protected his left by
a stockade. Avereu saw that his foe
was temporizing and decided to push
the fighting. One gun Of the six In his
battery had burst and the remaining
five were rushed forward to within GOO
yards OF the enemy. A house in front
Of Jones' center was occupied by Fed
eral battalion, but this was soon driven
out by regiment Of Confederates
which came to the field at double quick.
Averell Immediately ordered the bat
terry to fire the house with shells.
During the fight at the house Baron
vp1 Koenig attempted to lead forward
the West Virginians on the summit
and flank the enemy in the valley. In
spite of desperate fighting this move
ment failed, and for three hours the
contest was one between sharpshoot-
ers, who found good cover LOO PAGES
apart.
During the luN in heavy fighting
Averell personally reconnoitered the en-
emy's line from the heights on the
right and left He decided to risk one
dash at the enemy's center, and or
dered up Captain Birds squadron of
the Fourteenth Pennsylvania The
troopers rode down CALAMITY, ACCOM-
panied by the brave Won Koenig, who
burned to be In every charge. He was
SHOT from the saddle in front Of the
stockade.
About 800 Confederates left the
stockade in a hurry when the cavalry
rode up, but regiment OF reserves
pushed through the fleeing hps and
drove out the Federals In q desperate
fight which cost the life OF Major Nc
Nally Of the Second West Virginia. At
tempts to push the line forward on the
hight and left during the cavalry
charge had failed, and at nightfall
Averell found his men short Of amuni-
ton and repulsed at every point.
One reason for Averet's boldness
was the hope Of receiving help from a
column under Colonel Scammon, which
had been directed to follow his march.
No tdings came from Scammon. With
out help Averell could not break
through the Confederate hne. He de-
cided to wait until morning. When
morning came the enemy was found to
have been REINFORCED Barricadtng
the roads with felled trees the Fed
erals withdrew, marching on the back
track through Huntersville and Bey-
erley. >5 NJ. 49,