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terms as regards their gallant conduct during the action.
I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
A National account.
A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial gives the following account of this affair:
After an exciting week we are at last enjoying a season of rest in our camp here, to which point the overwhelming numbers of the enemy compelled us to fall back.
Since about the first of April, when the rebels evacuated Camp Allegheny, Gen. Milroy, with that energy and fearless determination which are his peculiar characteristics, has been hotly pursuing them, until they were driven beyond the Shenandoah mountains, the boundary of Fremont's department.
In their retreat the rebels destroyed an immense amount of camp equipage.
This was particularly the case at their camp on the Shenandoah mountain, where they left considerable quantities of flour, forage, etc.; they burned most of their tents, the rest they cut so as to render them unfit for use.
On the fifth the Thirty-second Ohio was advanced beyond the Shenandoah mountain for the double purpose of scouting and foraging.
The Seventy-fifth Ohio and Third Virginia, with Capt. Hyman's battery, were encamped at the foot of the mountain on this side; the rest of our force was at McDowell, at which place Gen. Milroy had his headquarters.
On Wednesday morning the cavalry pickets belonging to Capt. Shuman's company First Virginia, were attacked and driven in after losing several men and a number of horses.
The Thirty-second, under Lieut.-Col. Sweeney, drove the rebels back in good style, and then fell back across the mountain.
Unfortunately this regiment was without transportation, and hence lost all their camp equipage and baggage, which was burned by the rebels.
By this time we had learned from our scouts and from other sources that we were about to be attacked by the combined forces of Johnson and Jackson, numbering some fifteen thousand men, with Ashby's cavalry, and a good supply of artillery.
Our forces that were advanced toward the Shenandoah, were immediately ordered to fall back to McDowell.
As we came up Shaw's Ridge, just this side of the Shenandoah, we could see the rebels swarming over the top of the latter.
The road that leads down the mountain was crowded with rebels for several hours, and still they came.
Gen. Milroy, at this moment, came up and ordered Capt. Hyman's battery, supported by the Seventy-fifth Ohio, Col. McLean, to move back to Shaw's Ridge, and check the advance of the rebels.
They reached the ridge just as the enemy was making his appearance near the foot.
Hyman's guns were quickly in position, and soon shells were falling among the rebels, who immediately about faced and marched back up the mountain.
The regiment and battery then fell back to McDowell, reaching that place about seven P. M.
The men slept on their arms, while the officers made the arrangements for the next day's battle.
A little after midnight, most of us tried to sleep.
I confess affairs looked too blue to permit of my sleeping.
We had information that Jackson was coming with nine thousand men by way of North River Gap, to attack our left, while Johnson, with his whole force and part of Jackson's, would attack us in front.
Our force was not half theirs, and our position a poor one; but Gen. Milroy said he would not yield a foot to treason, and so we must fight.
By half-past 2 Thursday morning, all in camp were stirring, and by four all had eaten breakfast.
Our soldiers watched for the coming dawn, and listened anxiously for the signal gun that would summon them to battle.
Day came, but no attack.
We supposed they were only awaiting the advance of Jackson's force from the direction of North River Gap.
By order of Gen. Milroy, I took a squad of cavalry, and went in the direction of North River Gap, to find, if possible, Jackson's force.
I went out fifteen miles from McDowell, but found no force.
On returning to camp I found Gen. Schenck had come up with three regiments, namely, the Eighty-second and Fifty-fifth Ohio, and Fifth Virginia.
The enemy had made his appearance on the hill east of the town, and two companies of his skirmishers had been driven in by Capt. Higgins's company of the Eighty-fifth.
At five o'clock P. M., it was resolved to make a reconnoissance in force, to learn the strength and position of the enemy.
At half-past 5 o'clock, Gen. Milroy moved with four regiments, namely, the Seventy-fifth, Twenty-fifth, Thirty-second and Eighty-second.
The rebels had stationed themselves on the top of a ridge, in the Bull Pasture Mountain, through a gap in which, at this point, the Staunton pike passes.
The Twenty-fifth and Seventy-fifth Ohio took up the mountain on the right, while the Thirty-second and Eighty-second took the left.
The mountain on both sides is very steep and hence, by the time the men had marched two thirds of the way up the mountain, they were almost exhausted.
The Seventy-fifth and Twenty-fifth had climbed two thirds the way up the mountain, and were just crossing a little ridge, when they received a full volley from a rebel regiment that had been concealed on the other side of the ridge.
Here the battle began, the rebels falling back before the telling fire of our boys.
The enemy then reinforced till his numbers exceeded our own — continued to fall back till they reached their main force, which was posted in admirably selected position — a kind of basin in the top of the mountain, from which they could fire without exposing only their head.
The fight had been raging furiously
