The Daily Dispatch: December 27, 1861., [Electronic resource]

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The battle of Alleghany Mountain — winter‘"Comforts"’ of our troops--General Loring's special order.

Our correspondent ‘"T. S.,"’ to whom we are indebted for a graphic description of the battle of Alleghany Mountain, heretofore published, writes from Col. Johnson's camp, under date of 17th inst., that ‘"our victory was, indeed, a brilliant one, and probably the hardest fought battle of the war. The enemy's loss was very severe, and although they carried off many wagon loads of dead and wounded, and left many dead bodies upon the field, yet we continue to find their dead behind logs and in the crevices of the rocks every day since the battle. So fatal was the fire of our troops, that nearly all the dead enemy found were shot through the head or breast."’ The writer adds:

We have a very hard time of it upon these mountains, yet we bear it without a murmur. Isolated from the balance of the world, deprived of every comfort, and doomed to the most desolate spot in North America, we are still ready to suffer even more for our noble Common wealth, and our dearest rights. Our homes are in possession of the enemy, and as we have no sutler at this post, we are unable even to procure a pipe, much less the comforts of life. Just think of men sleeping in the open air, on the bare ground, upon the summit of Alleghany, in the latter part of December. We do this thing nightly since the battle. Last night I slept behind a log, the wind blowing a hurricane, the keen blast piercing through my blanket and clothing, and chilling every drop of my blood. Our men bear all these privations cheerfully, and express a firm determination to fight the war through. It is true we would prefer being sent to some point where we could purchase necessary supplies, and were under marching orders, but the conflict of the 13th has changed the order, and we will probably now have to winter on Alleghany.

The congratulatory order of Col. Johnson to his troops has already been published, and we have now received the following, issued by Gen.Loring, on the day after the fight.

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Hdqrs. Army of N. W.,
Staunton, Va.,December 14, 1861.

Order No. O.--The General commanding learns, with great gratification, of the splendid achievement on the 13th instant, of the troops under Col. E. Johnson, on the summit of Alleghany. With only 1,200 effective men he met and repulsed the enemy, 5,000 strong, with heavy loss, after a hotly contested battle of seven hours duration.

Mourning the loss of our gallant comrades who have fallen, he deeply sympathises with the honorable wounded, and offers his sincere thanks to the officers and soldiers of the command for their brilliant victory.