regiment, under Colonel Dumont, the who were forming the barricades, and at 9th Indiana regiment, under Colonel Mil- one place we broke up a camp where roy-in all about 1800 men-and with meals were being cooked. At the ford this force, as instructed, started from near 'Kalers,' and at about one-half the near Leedsville, at about four o'clock distance to another ford which we met. A. M., to pursue the army of General with about one mile further on, we saw Garnett, which consisted, as we learned, of from 4,000 to 5,000 men, and from 4 to 6 cannon, and had retreated from the north side of Laurel Mountain, near Bealington, on yesterday. It being ascertained that the enemy had retired toward the village of New Interest, and thence, as was supposed, over a mountain road leading by the Shafer Branch, or main Cheat River, to St. George's, the troops were brought rapidly forward on their route, so as to reach the entrance of the mountain road at about six o'clock. A short distance after entering this path, the passage was found to be obstructed with large trees, recently felled, in about twelve to fifteen places, and in nearly every defile for three or four miles. But the information which was from time to time received that this force, which had some fifteen hours the start of us from Bealington, were only four or five miles in advance, encouraged our efforts, and, though for nearly the whole time the rain was pouring in torrents, and the clayey mud was almost impassable in many places, the spirit of our troops, without exception as it came under my eye, was such as to bear them most rapidly onward under all these trials, superadded to that of hunger with the greater part of them, for the previous fifteen or twenty hours.

the baggage train of the enemy, apparently at rest. This I proposed to attack as soon as strengthened by the arrival of Steedman's 2d Battalion, with Dumont's regiment, when the thoughtless firing of a musket at our ford set the train rapidly in motion, and long lines of infantry were formed in order of battle to protect it. In a few minutes, however, the arrival of Barnett's artillery, with Dumont close upon it, enabled the command to push forward in its original order. But the train and its guard had retired, leaving only a few skirmishers to meet us at the second ford, where, however, quite a brisk firing was kept up by the advance regiments, and the artillery opened for some minutes to clear the adjacent wood the more completely of the enemy. We then continued our march rapidly to this ford, and as we approached it we came upon their train, the last half of it just crossing the river. The enemy was found to have taken a strong position, with his forces upon a precipitous bank of some fifty to eighty feet in height, upon the opposite side of the river; while our own troops were upon the low land, nearly level with the river. Steedman's regiment in the advance opened its fire most gallantly upon them, which was immediately returned by their strong force “At a ́ɔout noon we reached Kalers or of infantry and by their cannon; upon the first ford of the Shafer Branch, or which Barnett's artillery was ordered main Cheat River, having within the up, and opened upon them with excelprevious two or three miles fired at and lent effect. As I soon perceived a posidriven in several pickets, protecting those | tion by which their left could be turned,

BATTLE AT CORRACK'S FORD.

349

were, therefore, halted for food and rest at about two o'clock P. M.

six companies of Dumont's regiment were ordered to cross the river about three hundred yards above them, to pass up "The result proves to be, the capture the hill obliquely from our right to their of about forty loaded wagons and teams, left, and take them in the rear. By being nearly all their baggage train, as some mistake, (possibly in the transmis- we learn, and including a large portion sion of the order,) this command crossed of new clothing, camp equipage, and at about double this distance, and turned other stores; their headquarter papers, at first to their right, which delayed the and military chest; also two stands of effect of this movement. After fifteen colors; also a third flag, since taken, minutes, however, this error was recti- and one fine rifled piece of artillery; fied, and the hill being reported as im- while the commanding General, Robert practicable, this command, now increased S. Garnett, is killed-his body being now to the whole regiment, was ordered down cared for by us-and fifteen or twenty to the ford under close cover of the hill more of the enemy are killed, and nearly on their side, and then to take them di- fifty prisoners. Our own loss is two rectly in front and right at the road. killed and six wounded, one dangerously. The firing of Steedman's regiment and In concluding this report, I feel it my of Milroy's, now well up and in action, duty to state that, just as the action was with repeated and rapid discharges of closing, the head regiment of the body the artillery during the movement, de-of troops under yourself, though starting, cided the action at once. As Dumont as I learn, some three hours later, the reached the road, having passed along and under their whole front, the firing ceased and the enemy fled in great confusion, Dumont's regiment pursuing them about one mile further, having a brisk skirmishing with their rear for the first half of that distance, during which General Garnett was killed.

6th Indiana, under Colonel Crittenden, came up to the field in excellent order, but unfortunately too late to aid us in the battle. The conduct of those gallant officers, Colonels Barnett, Steedman, Dumont, and Milroy, with the steady perseverance of their officers, in their long and arduous march, suffering from hunger, rain, and cold, with their gallantry in action, was most heroic and beyond all praise of mine. Their country only can appreciate and reward their services."

'The enemy would still have been followed up most closely, and probably to the capture of a large portion of their scattered army, but this was absolutely impossible with our fatigued and ex- Such was the battle of Corrack's Ford, hausted troops, who had already march- as the passage of the stream was called ed some eighteen miles or more, in an from the name of the farmer occupying almost incessant and violent rain, and the place. General Garnett fell, killed the greater part of them without food on the instant by a musket shot, with no since the evening, and a portion of them one near him at the moment, it is said, even from the noon of yesterday, so but a youth of apparently humble stawarm had been the pursuit on their tion in life, wearing the uniform and buthasty retreat from Laurel Mountain, ton of the Georgia troops, who died by twenty-seven miles distant. The troops | his side. The remains of General Gar

nett were forwarded to Grafton and tenderly cared for till they could be received by his friends, while the sword and watch which he wore at his death and other personal effects were carefully preserved and sent to his family by Captain Benham. The boy who fell by General Garnett's side was buried by the loyal Virginians, and the inscription placed at his head, Name unknown. A brave fellow who shared his General's fate, and fell fighting by his side, while his companions fled."*

the kindness due to prisoners of war, it was not in the power of the commanding officer to relieve them from any liabilities they had incurred. They were soon released, however, on oath not to take up arms against the United States.

A week later General McClellan summed up the results of the campaign in a glowing Proclamation to his troops :"Soldiers of the Army of the West-I am more than satisfied with you. You have annihilated two armies, commanded by educated and experienced soldiers, The credit of this pursuit was mainly intrenched in mountain fastnesses and due to Captain Benham, who pushed on fortified at their leisure. You have in spite of orders from General Morris taken five guns, twelve colors, fifteen for his recall. The latter had no dispo- | hundred stand of arms, one thousand sition to let the foe escape, but he was prisoners, including more than forty of not unnaturally influenced by a desire ficers. One of the two commanders of to spare the men, numbers of whom he the rebels is a prisoner, the other lost met with fallen and exhausted in the his life on the field of battle. You have rear, the perils of further suffering. killed more than two hundred and fifty Fifty-five loaded wagons, among other of the enemy, who has lost all his bagspoils, valued in all at two hundred thou-gage and camp equipage. All this has sand dollars, fell to the victors as the re- been accomplished with the loss of twenty sults of the pursuit. Among the trophies brave men killed and sixty wounded on were two flags of Georgia regiments, and your part. You have proved that Union the standard of Colonel Taliaferro's Vir- men fighting for the preservation of our ginia regiment. One of the former, above Government are more than a match for the arms of Georgia, bore the inscription our misguided and erring brothers. More "Cotton is King." than this, you have shown mercy to the Colonel Pegram meanwhile, on the vanquished. You have made long and morning of the eventful 12th, had con- arduous marches, with insufficient food, ducted his men, on their retreat, a few frequently exposed to the inclemency of iles north of Beverly, near the Tygart's the weather. I have not hesitated to Valley River, when he felt it incumbent, demand this of you, feeling that I could in consequence of the retreat of General rely on your endurance, patriotism and Garnett and "the jaded and reduced courage. In the future I may have still condition" of his command, to surrender greater demands to make upon you— the entire force "prisoners of war" to still greater sacrifices for you to offer. General McClellan. The surrender was It shall be my care to provide for you accepted, with the understanding, how-to the extent of my ability; but I know ever, that while all were received with now that by your valor and endurance you will accomplish all that is asked.

* Cincinnati Gazette.

stead of blunting the patriotic devotion of loyal citizens, seem but to have inten sified its development when the existence of the Government is threatened and its honor assailed. The merchant, the banker, and the tradesman, with an alacrity unparalleled, proffer their all at the altar of their country, while from the counter, the workshop, and the plow, brave hearts and stout arms, leaving their tasks unfinished, rush to the tented field. The air vibrates with martial strains, and the earth shakes with the tread of armed men. In view of this grandest demonstration for self-preservation in the history of nationalities, dcsponding patriotism may be assured that the foundations of our national greatness still stand strong, and that the sentiment which to-day beats responsive in every loyal heart will for the future be realized. No flag alien to the sources of the Mississippi river will ever float permanently over its mouths till its waters are crimsoned in human gore; and not one foot of American soil can ever be wrenched from the jurisdiction of the Constitution of the United States until it is baptized in fire and blood."

last in armed rebellion for the overthrow of the best Government ever devised by man. Without an effort in the mode prescribed by the organic law for a redress of all grievances, the malcontents appeal only to the arbitrament of the sword, insult the nation's honor, trample upon its flag, and inaugurate a revolution which, if successful, would end in establishing petty, jarring confederacies, or despotism and anarchy, upon the ruins of the republic, and the destruction of its liberties." Of the prompt response of the people of the country to the call of the Executive, and of the nature of the struggle upon which they were entering, he said, "The 19th of April, canonized in the first struggle for American nationality, has been reconsecrated in martyr blood. Warren has his counterpart in Ellsworth, and the heroic deeds and patriotic sacrifices of the struggle for the establishment of the republic are being reproduced upon the battle-fields for its maintenance. Every race and tongue almost is represented in the grand legion of the Union: their standards proclaim in language more impressive than words, that here indeed is the home of the emigrant and the asylum of the exile. No On the 5th, President Lincoln having matter where was his birth-place, or in been, according to custom, informed of what clime his infancy was cradled, he the organization of Congress, transmitted devotes his life to the defence of his the usual Message. Like his previous adopted land, the vindication of its hon- inaugural, it was marked by individual or, and the protection of its flag, with traits of style, and an equal candor and the same zeal with which he would guard earnestness. It began with a brief rehis hearthstone or his fireside. All par- capitulation of the circumstances under ties, sects, and conditions of men not cor- which he had entered upon the Presirupted by the institutions of human bond- dency. At the beginning of his term, age, forgetting bygone rancors or preju- four months before, the functions of the dices, blend in one united phalanx for Federal Government, excepting the the integrity of the Union and the per- Post-Office Department, were generally petuity of the republic. Long years of suspended in South Carolina, Georgia, peace, in the pursuit of sordid gain, in- Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and

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