Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-11-07

| three brlgades, faced Col. Pegram
Preferring to turn the strong Confed-
crate position rather than to risk heavy
| loss by a frontal attack. Gen. Mcclellan
welcomed the opportunity afforded by
the discovery of trail leading up the
mountain behind Col Pegram, and sent
Brig. Gen. w. G. Rosecrans with four
regiments to make the attempt.
BATTLE OF RICH MOUNTAIN.
At o'clock on the morning of July II
Gen. Rosecrans with nearly 1900 men
started up the mountain, taking long
detour to the south. Along swift
flowing creek, up hollow and over a
rocky spur the march lay. Progress was
slow, for there was no path, while to
avoid discovery the use of axes was pro-
hibited. About 6 O'Clock 1t began to
rain heavily and continued with interrupt
tons until H.
Steadily and cautiously. however, the
column pushed on Until about 8 o'clock
1t reached the open on the top of the
mountain, two miles back of Col. Pc
grams camp, and drove in the Confed-
crate pickets
Fearing some such effort to turn his
position, Col Pegram had stationed at
the top of the mountain Capt. J. A. De
Lagnel oft he artillery with a small i'm
fantry force and one gun, and these
opened a brisk fire on the advancing
federal troops.
In spite Of the great disparity of num-
bers the Confederates sheltered behind
rough breastworlxs of logs at first sue
ceeded in driving back their assailants.
Gen. Rosecrans, however, reforming his
men, heightened his lines and renewed
the attack, and soon his heavy fire be-
gan to tell.
The federal sharpshooters fired at the
thew
down the mountain with drivers and
caisson. leaving only the little ammu-
milton in the timber box. Then they
made the artillerists their target, until
at length every one Of them was killed
or wounded, and Captain De Lagnel
himself was left to work the gun with
the sole aid of boy.
Z Finally at 6 o'clock, after withstand
ing for three hours the attack of
force that outndmbered him six to one,
Captain De Lagnel. seeing his lines
fianked on both sides and being himself
severely wounded, ordered a retreat
COLONEL PEGRAM'S RETREAT.
Meanwhile Colonel Pegram from his
camp at the foot of the mountain was
coming up with achievements of in
fantry and a second gun, and, nearing
the top. met the retreating men. These
were too demoralized to make a stand,
however. and even fired on their own
fellows
The disorder rapidly spread. The run
away artillery horses, in their wild
course down the mountain, had collided
with and overturned the second gun.
In one of the reinforcing companies
a private shot the first sergeant, causing
nearly the whole company to run. At
$3.50 Colonel Pegram, in despair, turned
-, and snxya N hfu hf1Hincr
him lead them to safety If he could. and
returned to his camp. Losing his way,
he did not reach it until after IL.
conference of officers decided that
retreat was the only thing left, and at
a. m the start was made, the wounded
being left beinnd. Three -fourths of
my command" wrote Colonel Pegram,
'had no rations left, the other fourth
not having enough for one meal"
For is hours the march was kept up,
through laurel thickets and dense weeds,
climbing over rocky slopes, fording
streams, until at O'Clock in the evening
of July 10 they reached mygarts river,
Having covered in all but - miles.
In the night one company had become
separated from the rest, and, led by an
Officer of engineers, eventually reached
safety The remaining companies were
in great confusion, seeing enemies every
where and firing random shots into the
rdark General Garnett had left his
camp at Laurel hill and nothing could
be found of him or any of his COM
-mand.
! ne men cooked and ate by the river
what provisions they had, while the Of
, eers debated the possibility of escape
The only way, Colonel Pegram held. was
by road that rassed within three miles
iof Beverly, now held by the federals
and along this road there were only
few miserable haD4.ations, where it
would be utterly impossible for even one
company to get food.
He was perfectly convinced that the
attempt to escape would sacrifice by
starvation a large number Of the lives
of the command, and strongly advocated
surrender, which was approved by all
officers but two. One of these, captain
of a company of mountaineers, took his
men off In the night and escaped
WHAT MCCLELLAN HAD DONE.
With the surrender of Colonel Pegram,
the flight of General Garnett and the
abandonment by the Confederate troops
not only of the Tygart valley but of the
Cheat mountains and the Greenbrier val
ley behind it. General Mcclellan could
justly feel satisfied with himself.
I'VE have annihilated the army in
western Virginia. he wrote. Secession