BUCKHANNON, VA., July 8, 1861 – 3 p. m.
GENERAL: My scout Edwards, just in, effected his escape through the enemy’s lines at Glenville about two hours after the fight began yesterday. Thirty-five men first attacked and fired upon our pickets without injuring them. They returned the fire effectually, and got safely into camp. All of our pickets got safely in during the night. The advance of the enemy was composed of about 160 well-armed and disciplined men, and dark last night our little force was surrounded, the enemy covering the three roads leading past the Court-House.
He brings no definite information as to number of enemy; thinks at least 2,500 1,000 of whom are an Eastern Virginia regiment, well armed and equipped and disciplined, the militia.
Irregular firing was kept up during the night. At daybreak, in the language of the scout, ” Both sides were firing like hell, ” our men holding good their position. Tyler’s two companies stopped last night ten miles this side of Glenville, for what reason God only knows. But the delay has probably occasioned the cutting off my brave boys.
Colonel Tyler himself at 10 o’clock morning was not a mile and a half from Weston. If our men at Glenville cannot hold out till to-morrow morning Tyler and Lytle will not reach Wise at all.
The scout reports that our men are behaving nobly, determined to hold their position.
Respectfully,
J. M. CONNELL,
Seventeenth Ohio Volunteers.
Sources
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I, Vol. II. With additions and corrections. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1902.
Spirit of '61 