The Daily Dispatch: April 2, 1862., [Electronic resource]

Correspondence.

The battle of Kernstown.

Allow one who has a deep interest in the struggle in which we are engaged, and who was an eve witness of the battle near Winchester on Sunday, the 23d of March. to say a word in commendation of the noble conduct of a portion of the command on that sanguinary field.

Walle it is conceded by all that every officer and private did his whole only, and which it would be invidious to make mention of acts of particular bravery, the in case anxiety of the friends of Northwestern Virginias who were engaged in this battle, will, I trust, beamole apology for a short notice of the brave and gallant men of the 27th regiment a Virginia volunteers, commanded by the noble Col. John Echols.

This regiment began the attack, and remained in the van and thickest of the conflict till the whole force retired from the scene. The invincible. "Shriver Grays," Ied by the fearless Capt. Shriver, were advanced as skirmishers, and by their timely discovery of the presence and position of the enemy, perhaps prevented a terrible butchery of the majority of this command. Throughout the whole fight, Capt. Shriver, Lieuts. Mitchell, Zane, and Lady, were foremost, exposed to a deadly fire, cheering, rallying, and encouraging their men. They won imperishable laurels on this day, at old every soldier of their company engaged, without a single exception, I believe. Young Fredericks was killed on the field, and Robertson on the tailing back. Lieut. Lady is missing, supposed to be a prisoner.

Col. John Echols was wounded early, in the engagement. He was at the head of his regiment, costly and bravely directing the fire of our men, and amid a perfect hail of the enemies bullets, when he was most seriously struck by a ball near the shoulder, passing directly through and that tearing the bone of the arm. He was carried off the field, and is now at Staunton, attended by his surgeon, Dr. N. W. Whise. His arm will probably be saved. The gallant conduct of Col. Echols the elicited the warmest commendation of all, and enti him to the lasting gradual of his countrymen.

Capt. Holloway--the noble and glorious Holloway, is deported killed. His memory will ever be cherished by those who knew him. Captain Robinson is a prisoner Capt. Smith, Capt. Dennis, Capt. Mickel, and Capt. Edmonson are all safe, and distinguished themselves by acts of personal bravery, as, in fact, did all in their respective commands.

The battle was fierce and bloody, although of short duration. I have not yet heard one complaint against a single officer or man on the field that day.

Col. Vance, of North Carolina.

A correspondent of the Petersburg Express, a part of whose letter is published in your issue of the 19th inst., in speaking of the recent battle at Newbern, says: "Co., Vance, a brother of G. B. Vance, former member of Congress, and now also a Colonel in the C. S. A., cut his way through the ranks of the enemy with but light loss. The cry was victory or death." "The writer of the letter from which the extract is taken is mistaken as to the Col. Vance of whom he speaks. The gentleman who commanded the 26th regiment North Carolina volunteers in the battle of Newbern was Zebulon B. Vance, the former member of Congress himself, and not G. B. Vance, a brother of the former member of Congress. All accounts agree that Col. Vance and his regiment fought most heroically, and maintained their position for a full half hour after most of the other troops left the field--Col. Vance has a brother, Robert B. Vance, who is Colonel of the 29th regiment North Carolina volunteers, and who is now with his regiment at or near Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. The writer of the letter has doubtless unintentionally confounded the two gentlemen of whom he speaks. These gentlemen were both old line Whigs, and strong Union men up to the period when Lincoln issued his infamous proclamation calling upon North Carolina to furnish troops to march against their brethren of South Carolina and the other cotton States, when they with thousand of others in the Old South State of the same political principles, word forced to resist such an unwarrantable requirement. My object, however, in this communication, is simply to do justice to the parties above mentioned, and to place them where they respectively belong.