A Confederate victory in Western Virginia--a severe fight — the enemy Rented.
The monotony that had prevailed for some says past was broken on Saturday by the receipt of official intelligence that the enemy, stationed on
Cheat Mountain, had sallied out and attacked a small force of our troops, and were repulsed with heavy loss.
The fight took place on Friday last, the 13th instant, on the
Alleghany Mountain, fifteen miles west of
Monterey, to which point the force remaining in that vicinity, under
Col. Edward Johnston, had Fallen back and encamped.--The official dispatch received on Saturday says that the battle commenced at 7 o'clock, in the morning, and lasted until 2 o'clock, in the afternoon, when the enemy retreated; that the
Federals numbered 5,000, while
Col. Johnston's command was only 1,200 strong, but has since been reinforced by two regiments.
We have private information which mainly coincides with the foregoing.
Our camp, it is stated, was surprised by the enemy at in early hour in the morning, but the troops allied gallantly to their work, and fought with the energy of desperation.
The troops under
Col. Johnston's command were portions of the 12th Georgia and the 31st Virginia regiments,
Col. Baldwin's Virginia regiment, and
Hansbrough's and
Regar's battalions — in all, probably not much over 1,200 men. From statements gathered from two prisoners captured a few days previously, it is presumed that the enemy's force was from 1,000 to 5,000.
Our loss in the battle is set down at 25 killed and 75 wounded and missing. Among the killed are the following:
Capt. B. P. Anderson, of the Lee battery, from
Lynchburg, a gallant and meritorious officer.
Lieut. Lewis S. Thompson, of the
Marion Guards, a son of
Judge Thompson, of
Wheeling.
Among the wounded are
Lieut. Col. Hansbrough,
Capt. Deithier, one of
Col. Johnson's aids; and
Capt. Mollohon, of the axton county company.
The 31st Virginia regiment, commanded by
Major Boykin; suffered more severely than my other.
This is the regiment formerly under
Col. Wm. L. Jackson, who was superseded by
Col. Reynolds and resigned, but was reappointed to the command of the regiment on Saturday last.
Col. Jackson is now a Richmond.
The enemy left eighty dead on the field, said their loss in killed and wounded is believed to be very heavy.
It was a desperate fight, and a dearly bought victory.
Col. Edward Johnston, under whose command the battle was fought, is a native of
Chesterfield county, Va. He was an officer in the old U. S. army, and distinguished himself in
Mexico.
After his resignation, he returned to
Virginia, and was assigned to the command of the 12th Georgia regiment, in
Loring's division, a portion of which had been lately transferred to another point leaving
Col. Johnston the
senior officer of the post.
This force, at Camp Alleghany, expected orders to move eastward, when the enemy came out from the stronghold on
Cheat Mountain and made the attack, anticipating an easy victory, but returned discompared and beaten.
We are indebted to gentlemen from
Western Virginia for the foregoing particulars.