The battle on Greenbrier river
interesting and authentic particulars.
[Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.]
October 5, 1861.
A great battle was fought here on the 3d instant, between our forces, under Gen. Jackson, and the enemy.
As soon as it was known that the enemy intended to attack us in force, we were ordered to take our positions on our line of defence.
The whole were under the command of Gen. Jackson; Col. Johnston, of Virginia, commanding the 12th Georgia regiment, commanded the right wing; Col. Wm. B. Taliaferro, of the 23d regiment, the centre; Col. Rust, of the 3d Arkansas regiment, the left wing, and Col. Wm. L. Jackson, of the 35th regiment, was posted on the hill to the left of the centre.
Col. Johnston's command consisted of the 1st and 12th Georgia, (Col. Ramsey's regiment;) Col. Taliaterro's command consisted of the 23d, 25th, and 44th (Col. Scott's) Virginia regiments, and Shumaker's and Rice's batteries.
Col. Rust's command consisted of the 3d Arkansas regiment and a battalion from the 5th brigade and Auderson's battery.
Col. Jackson's command consisted of the 35th Virginia, regiment, with Hansbrough's battalion, with a piece of Anderson's battery under Capt. Deshier, C. S. A., and Lieut. Massie.
Our pickets, under Col. Johnston, offered a gallant resistance to the overwhelming force of the enemy.
Their troops, amounting to about ten thousand, formed across the river flat and the hills on the right of the road, and poured incessantly shot and shell for four hours and a quarter on our forces.
It was soon evident that the shot from our batteries produced a telling effect on their men and guns.
The infantry of the enemy made an effort to turn our left flank, but was driven back by Col. Rust's command with considerable loss.
They then formed on the slope of the hills, wooded, and immediately in front of the 14th regiment, and made an effort to attack our front and centre, and turn our right flank, without success.
Preparatory to making this assault they marched to the meadow and opened a fire upon us with their longrange muskets; but we opened upon them with such terrible effect that they were thrown into great confusion and could not be reformed, though their officers used every effort to get them to do so and to make the assault, and being unable further to stand our fire, left the field and fled to the woods, leaving many of their dead upon the field, one stand of colors, any quantity of knapsacks, &c., and many dead horses.
All our officers and men behaved admirably.
There is no complaint from any quarter.
I can speak from my own knowledge of the command of Col. Taliaferro.
By his skill and judgment and great presence of mind, he has won not only the confidence of his brigade, but the reputation with all portions of the army here of being a splendid officer.
The 44th regiment, (Col. Scott's,) except Company A and a portion of Company B, detatched from the regiment and under the command of Major Jones, was directly in front of the batteries of the enemy, and stood the brunt of the constant and heavy fire to which they were subjected without flinching, and with anxiety to meet the enemy.
Col. Scott, this staff, officers, and men, behaved with extraordinary coolness and gallantry, as did Lieut. Col. A. G. Taliaferro, commanding the 23d regiment, his officers and men. We predict for Cols. Scott and Taliaferro a brilliant military career.
Too much praise cannot be awarded to Capts. Shumaker, Rice, Deshier, Anderson, Lieut. Wooding, Sergeant Jones, and private Brooks, of Capt. Rice's company.
Captain Rice, while nobly encouraging his men, had his leg carried away by a round shot.
Our loss was small, and that of the enemy was very great.
Greenbrier River. 