force opened fire on the enemy apparently retreating to their boats, but in reality returning to the steamers to carry a howitzer battery on shore, and drove them in confusion into their boats and the river. A brief skirmish ensued, in which several of the enemy fell, and were supposed to have been killed and wounded. During the conflict the fire of our men was turned upon the steamer Freeborn as well as upon the boats, which were pushed off with precipitation and alarm. The attack was made by Maj. R. M. Mayo with Gouldin's company of Sparta Greys, under First Lieutenant Saunders, and Lee's legion of cavalry, under First Lieutenant Beale, belonging to his battalion, and terminated before the troops concentrating became generally engaged. There was every indication that the enemy suffered a severe loss, while on our part we met with none. We captured 4 shovels and 8 axes, and some 250 sandbags, and a large coil of rope, and some arms and equipments. The enemy had actually commenced raising intrenchments with sand-bags, and by felling timber indicated an intention to occupy the position. Í have great pleasure in expressing my satisfaction with the excellent conduct of the troops I have the honor to command. Maj. R. M. Mayo, First Lieut. W. M. Saunders, First Lieut. R. L. T. Beale, and Second Lieut. A. G. Dade are entitled to separate notice. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, DANÍEL RUGGLES, Colonel, Provisional Army, Commanding Forces. First Lieut. H. H. WALKER, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, C. S. Army. [2.] JULY 4, 1861.-Skirmish at Harper's Ferry, Va. Report of Col. John W. Stiles, Eighty-third New York Infantry (Ninth State Militia). HDQRS. NINTH REGIMENT NEW YORK STATE MILITIA, SIR: In compliance with your order of to-day, I arrived here about 4.30 p. m. and found Major Atterbury with two companies retiring toward the village, having been engaged across the Potomac near the bridge with the rebels' pickets, and at a great disadvantage, the rebels being under cover of bridge piers, trestle-work, and firing from the windows with rifles, while the arms in the hands of our men were the ordinary percussion muskets, which could not carry across the river with any precision. I have the honor of inclosing a copy of Major Atterbury's report of the combat, the result of which shows the necessity of changing the arms we have now in use for some longreach arm. * Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. W. STILES, Colonel Ninth New York State Militia. Colonel STONE, Commanding Rockville Expedition. See next, post. Report of Maj. William Atterbury, Eighty-third New York Infantry (Ninth State Militia). HARPER'S FERRY, July 4, 1861. DEAR SIR: About 4 o'clock this p. m. the picket guard, under the command of Lieutenant Galbraith, of Company E, was fired upon by the rebels on the opposite side of the river at this point, in consequence of the attempt on the part of two of the picket guard to prevent the crossing of a member of the Pennsylvania regiment who had succeeded in crossing part way over about half a mile above the picket, the firing continuing after the return of the sentries to the picket, being very galling, and fearing they would attempt to cross over, Lieutenant Galbraith desired that re-enforcements might be sent him. Feeling satisfied that if attacked in the village a large sacrifice of the lives of the citizens would be the result, I ordered the advance of the command, consisting of Company A, Captain Morrison; Company C, Captain Prescott, and a detail of sixteen men from Company G, to proceed with me at once to the bridge. On arrival, found the enemy posted about the trestle-work and behind the abutments of the bridge on the Virginia shore and in some of the buildings along the river. Opened fire on them, but ascertaining that the muskets of the command were not effective at that distance, and the enemy being armed with rifles or rifled muskets, ordered the command to retire, which was done with the following results: John Earle Banks, of Company G, shot through the breast, died while being removed from the field; Ernest Gedricke, of Company A, shot through the abdomen, supposed to be mortally wounded; Henry V. Williamson, of Company G, shot through the leg, severely wounded, but will probably recover; Fred. R. Warner, of Company C, shot through the leg, slightly wounded. The men behaved with great courage and retired with reluctance. Respectfully, yours, &c., W. ATTERBURY, Major Ninth Regiment New York State Militia. JULY 11, 1861.-Engagement at Rich Mountain, W. Va. Report of Col. Mahlon D. Manson, Tenth Indiana Infantry. HDQRS. TENTH REGIMENT INDIANA VOLUNTEERS, Battle-Field, Rich Mountain, July 12, 1861. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Tenth Regiment Indiana Volunteers at the late battle of Rich Mountain, July 11, 1861, in obedience to your order: I formed the regiment at 3 a. m. of the morning of the 11th of July, 1861, and marched under your orders in a direction flanking the enemy, and when we arrived within about one mile and three-quarters of the works of the enemy on the Beverly road, we filed off to the right and passed along the side of the mountain until we came to a blind road leading to Hart's house, on the Beverly road. I sent forward Company A under charge of Capt. Chris. Miller, as skirmishers, and formed the remainder of the regiment into columns, and took up the order of march in advance, in the direction of the enemy. When within threequarters of a mile of the enemy's works I came upon their pickets, who fired upon us, mortally wounding Capt. Chris. Miller,* who fell at my side while gallantly pushing forward his company, and also instantly killing Sergt. James A. Taggart, and severely wounding Orderly Sergt. Chauncey H. Thompson, of Company A. I ordered Company A to fire, which they did, killing five of the enemy. Under your orders I immediately pushed forward the column (and threw out four companies as skirmishers), letting my left rest on the road and my right extend to the brow of the mountain overlooking the Beverly Valley. In this position I moved forward during a violent mountain rainstorm, which drenched the men to such an extent that I was astonished that they were able to keep the locks of their guns dry until we came to within 350 yards of the enemy's batteries and infantry, when we formed a line of battle and opened fire upon the enemy, which they returned with great spirit from their batteries and infantry, throwing from their batteries shrapnel, shot, ball, &c., with rapidity and force. I immediately gave the command for the men to lie down (being at that time far in advance toward the enemy), which in a great measure sheltered them from the enemy's fire, in which posture they remained, receiving the fire of the enemy entirely alone for full forty minutes, and returning a fire which had great effect for the time to silence the batteries and drive the infantry of the enemy from the road. During this fire the Eighth Indiana Regiment, under Colonel Benton, took position on the right, and three companies of the Thirteenth Indiana Regiment, under Colonel Sullivan, on the left, when we received your order to form column by platoons and charge the battery and intrenchments of the enemy, which was done as promptly as the rugged nature of the ground would admit, being supported gallantly on the right by the Eighth Indiana and on the left by the Thirteenth Indiana Regiments. On reaching the road in our charge down the mountain, the enemy was dispersed and fled in confusion up the side of the opposite mountain and down the road toward their fortifications, very hotly pursued in their flight, and quite a number of prisoners taken by us. When near the road I saw the enemy attempting to escape with one of their cannon. I gave the command to shoot the horses, which Sergeant Davis, of Company G, did, when a portion of Company E, under Corporal Lawrie, and of Company K, under Lieutenants Fahnestock and Beitzell, deployed down the road, overtook the cannon, and took possession of it. In making this capture, Private Brooks, of Company K, was severely and dangerously wounded. I immediately ordered the wounded horse to be unloosed and my men to haul the cannon to a high point on the Beverly road, which they did, when Captain Konkle, of Company K, Nineteenth Ohio Regiment, took charge of it, loaded and brought it to bear upon the road to rake any advance of the enemy if they attempted to return or be re-enforced from their fortifications. The cannon was taken from and brought to bear against the enemy within ten minutes' time after it was in their possession. I then threw out Company B, Captain Fleming, and Company G, under command of Lieut. E. H. Morgan, as skirmishers down the valley in direction of Camp Garnett, during which Private Ethington, of Company B, captured and returned five prisoners. With the other eight companies I formed the line of battle across the Beverly road, with the right extending well up the mountain, facing the direction of the enemy's approach *Records show that Captain Miller was not dead at the date of the muster out of his company, August 6, 1861. from Camp Garnett, in which position we remained upon our arms all night. On the morning of the 12th of July, 1861, about daybreak, I sent, by your order, Capt. A. O. Miller, of Company C, with his company (being same formerly commanded by Brigade Major Blake), to take possession of Camp Garnett, which he did, Lieutenant Watkins, who was left in command of said camp, surrendering his sword and all the camp equipage and public and private property therein to him, and I am proud to say that not one dollar's worth of public or private property belonging to the enemy was appropriated by the company to their own use. I herewith inclose paper marked A containing a list of the killed and wounded of my regiment in the battle, showing thirty killed and wounded.* The officers and men under my command behaved with a great degree of coolness and courage during the entire engagement. I would call especial attention to Maj. William C. Wilson, who gallantly led forward the left wing, although severely wounded, and to Lieutenant-Colonel Bryant, until he fell by the effect of concussion by the explosion of a shell; also Major McCrea, the surgeon of my regiment, and Captain Myers, assistant surgeon, for the prompt manner they attended the wounded on the field of battle; also to Adjutant Kise for the discharge of his duty; and I cannot close my report without mentioning the name of Private J. H. Boyle, of Company C, for great gallantry; and also D. B. Hurt, whom I had the pleasure to present to you the evening prior to the battle, and whose great knowledge of the mountains and efficiency as a guide I doubt not contributed largely to our success. I also file herewith the report+ of the captains of part of my regiment, who acted in the charge up the mountain under your orders. All of which is respectfully submitted. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. W. S. ROSECRANS. [2.] MAHLON D. MANSON, Colonel Tenth Indiana Regiment. Report of Col. Jeremiah C. Sullivan, Thirteenth Indiana Infantry. BEVERLY, VA., July 15, 1861 The Thirteenth Indiana Regiment, together with the Eighth and Tenth Indiana, the Nineteenth Ohio, and Captain Burdsal's cavalry, were ordered on the morning of the 11th to turn the position of the rebels encamped on Rich Mountain, and attack them in rear. After a very tedious march, following a path which led us through thickets so dense and woods so filled with undergrowth that it was impossible to see fifty feet on either side, now following the bed of a mountain stream for our path and then using the compass for our only guide, we climbed and scrambled to the top of the mountain in their rear. Just as we reached the summit of the mountain we were overtaken by a terrific storm, which raged with great fury, making it seem as if our duty led us to encounter nature, the elements, and man. While marching along the ridge of the mountain, to take up a position which commanded the road leading to Beverly, we were fired on by the picket guard of the rebels. Driving them in, we continued our march down the side of the mountain into a valley which opened on the road. Between our forces and the road the ground was covered with a dense thicket of underbrush, from which and the hill on the opposite side the rebels * Nominal list (omitted) shows 3 killed and 27 wounded. + Not found. opened a heavy and continuous fire of rifles and musketry. Directly opposite on the road was a battery of two guns, brass 6-pounders, which were well served, firing shot and shell with great rapidity. In the rear of the guns was built a breast-work to protect the guns in case of a charge or an attempt to carry them off. One of these guns was soon silenced by the effective and heavy fire kept up by the regiments named above. The Thirteenth Regiment was divided, five companies being detached under Lieutenant-Colonel Heffren to guard the flank of our position, while five companies under my own command moved forward toward the position of the rebels. Driving the enemy before us as we advanced, my command was again divided. One portion under my lead, composed of Company A, Captain Dobbs; Company B, Captain Wilson; Company H, Captain Clinton, charged up the hill, while two companies under command of Major Foster-Company E, Captain Kirkpatrick, and Company G, Captain Sayles-charged down the road to turn their flank. While charging down the road they met a re-enforcement for the rebels under command of Captain Skipwith and Lieutenant Dorset, numbering some fifty men, with a brass 6-pounder. After a very sharp fight of some minutes the rebels fled, leaving their captain and several men dead on the field and Lieutenant Dorset and the gun in our possession. The companies under my command were during this time engaged in a hand-to-hand fight in the woods, routing the rebels, who fled, leaving 32 dead and numbers wounded, my loss amounting to 6 killed and 8 wounded (whose names you have in paper inclosed).* I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of the men engaged in the fight. The number of the dead and wounded bears testimony of the determined foe they encountered, while their being victorious is sufficient evidence that they did their duty. I would notice specially the conduct of the officers, every one of them fighting at the head of their companies. To my adjutant, C. H. Ross, I am indebted for valuable assistance, and I would also notice that he was with Major Foster's command when the cannon under Captain Skipwith was captured. I would also call your attention to Private Benjamin Smith, Company H, who killed a rebel while in the act of firing upon you as you charged with my command upon their position. That portion of the regiment left to guard the flank was the principal mark of the rebels' cannon, several round shot and shell falling directly among them, fortunately doing no injury. JER. C. SULLIVAN, Colonel, Commanding Thirteenth Regiment Indiana Volunteers. [Brig. Gen. W. S. ROSECRANS.] [2.] Reports of Lieut. Orlando M. Poe, U. S. Topographical Engineers. WASHINGTON, D. C., August 18, 1861. SIR: In accordance with your directions I have the honor to submit the following report upon the operations of the Topographical Department in front of the enemy's position at Rich Mountain and in explanation of the sketch forwarded to the Bureau of Topographical Engineers under date of August 6, 1861: The fight at Rich Mountain took place at the crest, where the Parkersburg and Staunton turnpike crosses, at which point the enemy had * Omitted. |