--
Surgeon Clark, of
Col. Wharton's Regiment, in
Gen. Floyd's Brigade, and
Adjutant Otey, of the same regiment, reached the city yesterday evening from the camp of
Generals Floyd and
Wise, at the foot of
Sewell Mountain, which they left on Friday noon. They bring dispatches to the
Government.
The former gentleman relates to us the following particulars of the engement at Carnifax Ferry:
Gen. Floyd had warning of the approach of
Rosencranz, and had thrown up a small earth work in the centre of his line, which was formed across a bend in the
Gauley just at the
Ferry.
Some logs, rails, and brush were also thrown up here and there before the regiment, forming a very imperfect protection, not deserving the name and anything in the world but the powerful fortification spoken of by
Rosencranz.
For the centre breast-work there were six smooth-bore guns, possibly ten-pounders, and one rifled cannon.
These had just arrived, under
Capt. Guy, of
Goochland, and but for them the
General would have had none.--These seven cannon are magnified in
Rosencranz's report to
sixteen! Out of five Regiments
Gen. Floyd had
seventeen hundred available men;
Rosencranz estimates them at
five thousand!
Rosencranz had
eleven thousand men under his immediate command below
Summersville.
Five thousand of these he ordered to the attack of
Floyd's line at about 3 o'clock on
Tuesday, the 10th inst. Six thousand were held in reserve.
The attack was received firmly, and the fire of the enemy was vigorously returned.
Three attempts were made to flank our little army, and each was repulsed with severe loss.
One bold charge was made to take the battery; but such a ‘"terrificfire"’ was directed upon the assailants by
Capt. Gay, that they were swept back, and did not renew the attempt.
The last charge was made on the extreme left by a German Regiment, which was driven back with heavy loss; and this is the Regiment which is said to have been ‘"called off."’ It was not until after dark that firing ceased and the enemy retired.
General Floyd, ascertaining the number of his adversary, and moreover that
four thousand, besides the eleven thousand in front of him, had been sent above
Summersville to cross the
Gauley at Hughes' Ferry, and to march by way of
Meadow Bluff to get behind him, determined to re-cross the river that night, and at once proceeded to do so. His means of crossing consisted of one small boat, that could hold only one wagon at a time, and a small foot bridge, very ingenlously built by
Engineer Frostburg, a Swede, attached to
Col. Wharton's regiment.
Every soldier, well, sick and wounded, was safely taken across before light; but owing to the absence of a large number of wagons, transporting stores from the railroad depots, there were not enough to secure the entire of the baggage, provisions etc. A portion of these were unavoidably left behind, including some tents, cartridges, etc. A part of
General Floyd's private baggage, and also that of some of his officers, was with the abandoned effects.
It is proper to notice that to the humanity towards the sick, of whom there were a large number, much of the loss is attributable.
Some five horses, and twenty or thirty cattle also fell into the hands of the enemy.
General Floyd lost
not a single man. This result is extraordinary.
The battle lasted four hours, and the enemy's loss was heavy, while on our side there were only
six men slightly wounded and not one seriously.
Gen. Floyd himself was amongst the wounded.
A musket ball, at the first fire of the enemy, inflicted a flesh wound just below the elbow, but it occasioned no inconvenience to the
General.
The enemy's loss was certainly heavy.
Rosencranz's first report said 15 killed and 70 wounded. His second raised his figures to 20 killed and 100 wounded.
Gen. Floyd took six of the enemy prisoners.
By their account the killed and wounded were from 300 to 500. One man said that sixty were killed in his regiment alone.
The wounded on our side were
Martin and
Gross, of
Captain Henley's company, Amherst;
John Phipps, of
Young's company,
Grayson;
Adjutant Smith, of
Tompkins's regiment; and one man in
McCauseland's regiment.
Early on Wednesday morning, the enemy appeared on the river and fired a few shots.
Gen. Floyd formed a junction with
General Wise, and the combined force returned to
Sewell Mountain.
A message from
Gen. Lee met them there about noon Friday, and they went into camp.
What that message was is not known; but we may hope it indicates reinforcements.
Thursday,
Col. Hownshell, with 700 men, returned to the
Gauley river to bring away fifteen of our sick and twenty-five wounded Yankees of the
battle of Cross Lanes.
This he did; but finding the enemy preparing to cross, he ordered a fire upon them, which was obeyed by his men from the heights with effect, no doubt; for the soldiers of the
Southwest are good marksmen.
Floyd's defence was most gallant and his crossing of the ferry under the circumstances deliberate and well directed.
His men fought with signal bravery, and their fire was admirably directed.
Floyd and
Wise together have not
six thousand effective men.
Rosencranz has
eleven thousand, with him, while
four more thousand are marching by the
Meadow Bluff to enter the turnpike between the
Sewell Mountain and
Lewisburg.
Cox has
five thousand five hundred; in all
twenty thousand five hundred men against a little more than
five thousand! If this estimate of the enemy's forces be correct it is indispensable that reinforcements must be rapidly concentrated beyond
Lewisburg, or our army there will be compelled again to fall back at least to that point.
We hope that
General Lee's message to
Gen. Floyd indicates the intention of that officer to carry his men where they may find active service.
