CHEAT RIVER CAMP, CARRICK’S FORD,
Eight Miles South of Saint George, Va., July 13, 1861.
SIR: In accordance with your directions, this morning I took command of the advance guard of your column, consisting of the Fourteenth Ohio, Colonel Steedman, with one section of Colonel Barnett’s artillery, the Seventh Indiana, under Colonel Dumont, and the Ninth Indiana, Colonel Milroy, in all about 1,800 men, and with this force, as instructed, I started when Leadsville, at about 4 a. m., to pursue the army of General Garnett, which, consisting, as we learned, of 4,000 to 5,000 men and four to six cannon, had retreated from the north side of Laurel Mountain, near Belington, the day before yesterday. It being ascertained that the enemy had retired towards the village of New Interest, and thence, as was supposed, over a mountain road leading to the Shaler Fork, or main branch, of the Cheat River, to Saint George, the troops were brought rapidly forward on their route, so as to reach the entrance of the mountain road—about seven miles’ march—at about 6 o’clock. A short distance after entering this path the passage was found to be obstructed by large trees, recently felled, in about twelve to fifteen places, and in nearly every defile for three or four miles, but the information that was from time to time received that this force, which had some fifteen hours the start of us from Belington, were now only four to five miles in advance, encouraged our efforts, and though for nearly the whole time the rain was pouring in torrents and the clayey roads almost impassable in many places, the spirit of the troops, without exception, as it came under my eye, was such as to bear them most rapidly onward under all these trials, superadded to that of hunger—with the greater part of them for the previous fifteen or twenty hours.
At about noon we reached Kaler’s, or the first ford of the Shaver Branch or main Cheat River, having, within the previous two or three miles, fired at and driven in several pickets of the enemy protecting those who were forming the barricades, and at one place we broke up a camp where the meals were being cooked. At the ford near Kaler’s, and at about one-half of the distance to another ford, which we afterwards met with about one mile farther on, we saw the baggage train of the enemy, apparently at rest. This I proposed to attack as soon as strengthened by the arrival of Steedman’s second battalion, with Dumont’s regiment, when the thoughtless firing of a musket at our first set the train rapidly in motion, and long lines of infantry were formed in order of battle to protect it. In a few minutes, however, the arrival of Barnett’s artillery, with Dumont close upon it, enabled the command to push forward in its original order, but the train and its guard had retired, leaving only a few skirmishers to meet us at the second ford, where, however, quite a rapid firing was kept up by the advance regiment, and the artillery opened for some minutes to clear the adjacent woods the more completely of the enemy.
We then continued our march rapidly to the ford, and as we approached it we came upon their train, the last half of it just crossing in the river. The enemy was found to have taken a strong position, with his infantry and artillery upon a precipitous bank of some fifty to eighty feet in height upon the opposite side of the river, while our own ground was upon the low land, nearly level with the river. Steedman’s regiment, in the advance, opened its fire most gallantly upon them, which was immediately returned by their strong force of infantry and by their cannon, upon which Barnett’s artillery was ordered up and opened upon them with excellent effect.
As I soon received a position by which their left could be turned, six companies of Colonel Dumont’s regiment were ordered to cross the river about three hundred yards above them, to pass up the hill obliquely from our right to their left, and take them in rear. By some mistake, possibly in the transmission of the order, this command crossed at about double this distance and turned at first to their right, which delayed the effect of this movement. After some fifteen minutes, however, this error was rectified, and, the hill being reported as impracticable, this command, now increased to the whole regiment, were ordered down to the ford, under close cover of this hill on their side, and there to take them directly in front at the road.
The firing of Steedman’s regiment and of Milroy’s, now well up and in action, with repeated and rapid discharges of the artillery during this movement, decided the action at once. As Dumont reached the road, having passed along and under their whole front, the firing ceased, and the enemy fled in great confusion, Dumont’s regiment pursuing them for about one mile farther, having a brisk skirmishing with their rear for the first half of that distance, during which General Garnett was killed. The enemy would still have been followed up most closely, and probably to the capture of a large portion of their scattered army, but this was absolutely impossible with our fatigued and exhausted troops, who had already marched some eighteen miles or more, in a most incessant, violent rain, and the greater part of them without food since the evening, and a portion of them even from the noon of the previous day, so warm had been the pursuit on their hasty retreat from Laurel Mountain, twenty-six miles distant. The troops were, therefore, halted for food and rest at about 2 p. m.
The result of the action proves to be the capture of about forty loaded wagons and teams, being nearly all their baggage train, as we learn, and including a large portion of new clothing, camp equipage, and other stores; their headquarter papers and military chest; also two stands of colors and one fine rifled piece of artillery; while the commanding general, Robert S. Garnett, is killed, his body being now cared for by us, and fifteen or twenty more of the enemy are killed and nearly fifty prisoners are taken. Our own loss is two killed and six or seven wounded; one dangerously.
In concluding this report, I feel it my duty to state that just as the action was closing, the head regiment of the body of the troops under yourself, though starting as I learn three hours later, the Sixth Indiana, under Colonel Crittenden, came up to the field in excellent order, but, unfortunately, too late to aid us in the battle.
The conduct of those gallant officers, Colonels Barnett, Steedman, Dumont, and Milroy, with the steady perseverance of their officers and men in their long and arduous march, suffering from hunger, rain, and cold, with their gallantry in action, was most heroic, and beyond all praise of mine. Their country only can fully appreciate and reward their services.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. W. BENHAM, Captain of Engineers,
Chief Eng. Dept of the Ohio, and Comdg. advance Column.
General T. A. MORRIS, Commanding U. S. Forces.
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 