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them to come back and dispute the passage of the ford.
Major Gordon of the U. S. Army at this moment appeared on the opposite side which the rebels had just left, and seeing them huddled in the road, called to the advance of Dumont's command, which was rushing along like a whirlwind, to come on. Gen. Garnett directed the attention of his panic stricken rear to the Major, and a volley of bullets fell thick as hail around him, many lodging in the sycamore stump on which he was standing.
The Major at the same time saw Garnett, and pointing him out to a squad of Capt. Ferry's company, Sergeant Burlingame drew a deliberate sight on the General and fired.
He was seen to throw up his hands and fall back on the sand.
At the same instant almost the only man who had the pluck to stand by the General, (a Georgian be it said, to the shame of the chivalry of Virginia,) fell dead by his side.
Dumont's regiment had come up in much less time than it has taken to record this event, and poured a raking fire into the enemy, who made a stand of some ten minutes, during which the fire was sharp on both sides, and then they ran, crowding upon each other in the wildest confusion.
Dumont's regiment crossed the ford, and chased them two miles up the St. George road, where they gave out from absolute exhaustion, and bivouacked for the night.
Major Gordon had crossed the ford in the mean time, and came up to General Garnett, who was in the last agony of death.
He discovered his rank by the star on his shoulderstrap, closed his eyes, and seizing a linen handkerchief from an Indian boy, tied up his face, and composed his limbs.
The action was over.
The reserve of the army came up soon after, and each regiment was assigned quarters on the battle field, built rousing fires, and proceeded to dry their clothes.
The wounded of our own and the rebel forces were carried off on litters to hospital quarters, where they received immediate surgical aid, while the dead were collected, and a guard placed over them for the night.
The loss in killed and wounded fell entirely upon the Ohio 14th; they occupied the post of danger, and behaved like veterans under the fire of infantry and artillery.
There was no flinching, but on the contrary.
a coolness and determination, not only characteristic of the men, but their gallant Colonel, who rode up and down the ranks cheering them on, as regardless of danger as though by his own fireside.
Capt. Benham, in his plain brown suit, walked his horse up and down the ranks, giving his orders clearly and calmly as in the terrible day of Buena Vista, while the chivalric Colonel Millroy chafed like a lion because his now famous regiment could not be brought into direct collision with the enemy.
The losses on our side were as follows: Fourteenth Ohio--killed: Samuel Mills, Company A, shot through the head; Henry Reifeldiver, third sergeant, Company C, killed by cannon shot through left breast.
Mortally wounded: Daniel Mills, Company A, in leg — since died; John Kneehouse, Company A, shot in side.
Seriously wounded: Henry Murrow, Company B, in side; Casper Sinalf, Company D, in wrist.
Slightly wounded: Capt. Fisher, Company C, in face; privates S. Richards, in arm; Richard Henderson, in calf of his leg; orderly Charles Greenwood, along side of his head; William Smith, Company K, buckshot in hip — flesh wound; Lieutenant Sherman, Company K, finger shot off. Several others were slightly scratched.
Total: killed, 2; mortally wounded, 2; otherwise wounded, 8; in all, 12.
On the other side eight were killed on the field; three died in hospital, and some ten were more or less severely wounded.
They carried off many of the wounded in wagons; how many was not known.
Prisoners were taken in any quantity; the scouts kept bringing them in all night and the next day till I left.
The hills were full of them, and doubtless our forces had more on hand than they could provide for. Among the captured were many officers, including six Georgia captains and lieutenants, a surgeon of the army, (from Richmond,) and a number of non-commissioned officers.
We captured two stands of colors, one of the Georgia regiment; one rifled cannon; forty loaded wagons; hundreds of muskets and side arms; the army chest, but how valuable I did not learn; with amount of personal effects and military equipments.
This action must speak for itself.
To pursue and overtake an enemy having twelve hours the advance; a forced march of nearly thirty miles in less than twenty-four hours, over the worst of roads, and with scarcely a mouthful of food for the men — some, indeed, being thirty-six hours without nourishment; fight a battle, cut off the baggage train, capture the cannon, and rout the enemy, is not a feat of every day record, even in times of war. All honor to the gallant soldiers from Indiana and Ohio, and the true men of Virginia!
They prove themselves worthy of the inheritance their fathers bequeathed to them, and as ready to sacrifice their lives to preserve, as their sires were to establish, the independence of the people, and the Union of the States.
New York Tribune narrative.
Grafton, Va., July 15, 1861.
In my last letter I left Gen. Garnett in full retreat across the country, and Gen. Morris in possession of his camp at Laurel Hill.
There was little time left for delay.
Our boys entered the camp at 10 A. M. on Friday the 12th, and at 11 o'clock the 14th Ohio and 7th and 9th Indiana regiments started on in pursuit.
The command pushed on about two miles south of Leedsville that night, and halted to rest from 11 P. M. till 2 A. M. At that early hour on Saturday morning, the force pushed forward in a pitiless rain storm, guided by the baggage, tents, trunks, blankets, haversacks, 