We have received the particulars of the fight at
Wytheville, Va., on Saturday last, and it seems to have been one of the most remarkable engagements of the war, showing how much can be done by a little fighting towards stopping a raid.
The raiding party, consisting of the 2d West Virginia cavalry and a portion of two other regiments, reached
Wytheville a while before sundown on Saturday evening by the Tazewell Court House road.
The force was under command of
Col. Toland, the officer who commanded at the battle of Fayette Court-House last fall.
In the meantime a force consisting of one hundred and twenty men, mostly citizens and conscripts, hastily gathered up at
Dublin and
Newbern, under command of
Col. Bowyer, had arrived at the
Wytheville Depot with two pieces of artillery.
There being no horses in readiness for the artillery, so much delay occurred in getting it to town that the fight had commenced before it reached there, and the pieces were captured without being fired.
The horses became unmanageable and ran the pieces further in the town than was intended, and into the midst of the enemy, when they were taken possession of. In the meantime the infantry force had marched up from the depot, and, together with some of the citizens of
Wytheville, engaged the enemy in an irregular but most successful combat.
A correspondent of the Lynchburg
Republican, writing from Dublin Depot, says:
‘
The two forces met about the centre of the town, and soon a desperate fight commenced.
Our men broke open the doors of the houses, rushed in, and fired on the enemy upon the right and left, shooting them down like sheep, and producing great consternation amongst them.
For some time a general firing was going on throughout the village.
Every man was his own captain.
The enemy's greatly superior number, however, soon overpowered our men, and
Major Bowyer ordered a retreat.
Our men were too much scattered for this order to be available.
A few, though, did escape, and betook themselves to the adjacent mountains.
About this time (10 o'clock) two trains were starting back to
Dublin, and the whistles blew their loudest.
This greatly alarmed the
Yankees, who thought the cars had brought large reinforcements, and they thereupon skedaddled at a rapid rate on the same route they had come.
’
The result of this fight was that the raiders lost a Colonel (
Toland),
Major, and had another
Colonel (
Powell) mortally wounded; also, one
Captain and
Lieutenant killed, and seven privates and some 25 or 39 more wounded.
Eighty horses were killed and wounded.
Our loss was
Capt. Oliver and two conscripts killed.
Lt. Balley, who acted most gallantly, was badly wounded.
Report says that two citizens of
Wytheville were also killed.
This has proven in its results one of the most important fights with the raiders in this portion of the
State.
Had they not been repulsed at
Wytheville and gotten alarmed by the car whistle, these raiders would have destroyed much property and done great damage to the railroad.
From
Wytheville, they expected to march on to the lead mines and destroy most valuable public works there, and from thence to Dablin Depot and destroy the quartermaster and commissary stores and ordnance stores at that post, and from thence proceed to New River Bridge and burn that important bridge, and from thence return to the
Ohio through
Montgomery and
Greenbrier counties and the
Kanawha Valley.
The
Yankees captured about seventy of our men — took them to
Walker's Mountain, twelve miles, and there paroled them.
They were forced to do this, fearing
Col. McCausland's command, which was in their rear, would bag them.
The enemy remained in
Wytheville only a few hours, and upon leaving set fire to the quartermaster and commissary buildings, burnt the jail and some eight or ten private residences.
All report that the ladies of
Wytheville acted with the greatest heroism and cheered the men in their unequal contest.
Many residents were absent from the town at the time, and some of the citizens acted most gallantly on the occasion.
Col. T. J. Boyd, of the
Wytheville hotel, generously opened his house and freely tendered his hospitality to all who went to
Wytheville to aid in its defence.
He was afterwards taken prisoner.
Mrs. Spiller, of
Wytheville, displayed great heroism.
Our men entered her dwelling house and shot the
Yankees down from the windows, she encouraging them on. A few passengers on the
Eastern train acted most bravely.
Dr. S, of
Cumberland county, (on a bridal trip,) left his bride at this post and went on to
Wytheville to participate in the fight.
We mention these instances to show the spirit of Close who took part in the fight.
The Yankees first made an attack on the
Salt Works, but were there met by
Gen. Williams's command, and changed their course.--They then proceeded to
Wytheville, where their fate was such as we have mentioned.
The damage done to the railroad was little or nothing; it can be repaired in an hour.
Altogether this raid has been of great benefit to this section.
It has shown our people what determined resistance can do.
Fight, fight, under all circumstances, should be the order when raiders invade the country; for in this case one hundred, and fifty men, commanded by fighting officers, and aided by
car whistles, repulsed and finally compelled 1,300 Yankee cavalry men to abandon their programme of destruction and double quick it to Yankeedom.
Col. Robert Preston, in command of one hundred and fifty citizens of
Montgomery and
New River, promptly repaired to New River bridge, and were there waiting the arrival of the infamous invaders.
In the fight with the
Yankee raiders at
Wytheville was a Methodist preacher, who made himself quite conspicuous for gallantry.
During the melee he singled out his man and fired, and at the crack of his gun the
Yankee fell.
Horrified at having shed human blood, the preacher rushed up to his fallen foe, and, grasping him by the hand, with tears in his eyes, implored his pardon for having shot him, and finding the man was mortally wounded fell upon his knees and offered up a solemn and fervent prayer, during which the spirit of the wounded
Yankee winged its final flight to the bar of God.
The incident was effecting in the extreme, and is worthy of record.
