Another version of that Terrific fight between thirteen of Colonel Wallace's men and seventy-five Confederate troops.
A correspondent in
Winchester, Virginia, has forwarded the Baltimore American the following account of the skirmish between the pickets of the
Federal and Confederate armies near
Romney.
It is an extract from a letter addressed to
Hon. J. M. Mason, at
Winchester, by a gentleman in
Col. McDonald's regiment, dated
Headquarters, 4 A. M.,
Romney, June 27, 1861.
Yesterday (Wednesday)
Richard Ashby left with a portion of his command, twenty-one strong, from
Captain T. Ashby's company, on a scouting expedition to
Maryland, dividing his command into three bodies.
He, with six men, met a strong force (forty) of United States dragoons (regulars,) and made a running fight with them, killing a number of the enemy.
Himself and three of his men are missing, but two escaping, and we fear that they have been killed, as their horses were led off by the enemy.
Captain Ashby, who was also scouting with six men, hearing of the fight, immediately started in pursuit to rescue or avenge his brother.
On his way he was joined by four of his men, making eleven in all. They came upon the enemy, 40 strong, hid in a gully filled with brushwood upon the opposite side of the river, near Patterson's Creek bridge.
The enemy commenced firing upon him when he ordered a charge, fording the river in the face of a destructive fire, and charging upon and completely routing them, they leaving all their horses behind them.
Ashby's loss was two killed and two wounded, and four horses killed.
His horse was shot under him. Their loss was eight or ten killed.
Ashby secured enough horses, one of which was his brother's, to mount his men, but owing to his small force was compelled to leave the others behind.
Dick Ashby was terribly cut up, one of his eyes being shot out and his head and neck badly cut by balls.
Upon hearing of the fight I immediately started for the scene of action, asking the chaplain to accompany me, which he willingly did. We went to
Ashby's camp, located upon the farm of
Col. Washington, six miles from here, but finding that the enemy were in force between us and the wounded men, that they (the enemy) had returned, and that
Captain Ashby had gone in pursuit of them with his whole force and
Captain Myer's company, we returned to this place, and are now waiting to lend our aid at the weakest point.
It is reported that a strong force of the enemy is approaching upon the
Northwest turnpike.
We are not only ready for them, but having reliable information that the enemy, one hundred strong, are posted in Padaytown, we have sent a force to surprise them; the expedition left before I returned from
Ashby's camp, or I would have joined them.
Dick Ashby is a noble man, and has endeared himself to us all, and I sincerely trust that he made good his escape by abandoning his horse and taking to the woods.
If he has been murdered, I pray that the Almighty will nerve my arm to avenge him a hundred-fold.
Captain Ashby had over forty shots fired at him, and his escape was miraculous.
His horse was shot twice, and killed under him, and he wounded slightly in the leg, which has not prevented him from pursuing the enemy.
I received the above account from two of
Ashby's own men who were in the fight.
As their accounts tally I suppose them to be correct.
This is a fighting regiment, the chaplain and surgeon fighting first and praying and doctoring afterwards.
Our
Col. is eminently qualified for the kind of work which we have before us, and is beyond doubt a fighting man. I have become very much attached to him. Please excuse this hurried and disconnected account.
I have been compelled to write hurriedly as I will be called upon in two hours, and having had no sleep last night, and but two hours the night before, I wish to refresh myself before entering upon duties of I know not what character — probably that of fighting and dressing wounds.
