We have information from
Big Sewell Mountain, by a gentleman who left Camp Defiance on Friday last.
Skirmishing continued between outposts; but the enemy had up to that time refused she offer of battle.
Some well-directed shots from the rifled cannon had told with disastrous effect upon the
Federal ranks, and our informant states has confident belief that their loss during the week had been at least twenty per day. On one occasion a shell was thrown at a log-house, occupied by the enemy, and the result was a rapid stampede from a post of real danger.
The Federals were on Big Sewell, and the position of our forces was on another range of the same mountain, which possessed many advantages.
The camp of the enemy could be plainly seen.
Gen. Lee had made a thorough reconnaissance of the neighborhood, and acquired much valuable information concerning the reads and other avenues of approach.
Gen. Floyd had not joined
Gen. Lee up to the time our informant left, having been detained by high water, but is doubtless with him at present.
A Mississippi regiment had searched Big Sewell, and the men seemed to be in fine health and spirits.
Gen. Loring was at
Lewisburg on Sunday last, on his way to join
Lee, with 4,000 men including 1,000 militias and probably reached Camp Defiance on Monday.
This would give
Gen. Lee a force fully able to cope with the enemy, and it was believed he would offer battle without delay.
We may thus expect stirring events from that quarter in a short time.
The Central train yesterday brought down fourteen ‘"loyal citizens"’ in the
Lincoln of
Boone county, who were captured by
Pate's Rangers, while on a scouting expedition.
These Union men of the
West are hard-looking specimens, all ragged and all unwashed.
