whole country westward to the borders of our own Ohio, and from that fastness for guerillas, (if not den of thieves,) the eye reached from range to range of tree-covered hills, that rose and fell, in the magnificent panorama spread out before us, like the billows of the ocean, growing smaller as they receded, till at last, in the dim, hazy shore-line of blue that bounded the vision, was marked the course of our "Beautiful River."

And from that far-off view of their State, the troops descended to a conflict of which their State may worthily be proud.

Hardly had the column begun to descend the mountain, till the extreme advance squad of cavalry was fired upon, and presently there ran along the line the word that "the enemy is ahead." Night was closing about us, and the inevitable fog was blotting out even the outlines of all our surroundings, as we reached the "Muddlethy Bottoms," and passed the yet burning camp-fires of an enemy's outpost. How the rebels had been startled by our sudden approaches; how our cavalry had dashed after them, but had been recalled by a peremptory order, that the possibility of an ambuscade justified; how narrowly they escaped, and how fast they ran, were the themes of camp-talk for an hour, and then the army silently sank down in the meadows. But for the bivouac fires, a passer-by, could he have evaded the vigilance of our sentries, might have fancied that he was traversing a solitude. But there was no evading those sentries! Hours after the soldiers, snugly wrapped in their blankets, and protected from the dews by the hay they had found in the meadows, were dreaming of homes, and sweethearts, and wives, the unwearied Colonel of the Ninth was passing around the whole line of our pickets, seeing that there was no break in the cordon of safeguards that surrounded the camp, and that no stupid sentry was leaving a gap for an enemy to enter. "I always see to these things myself," said the gallant Colonel and Commander of the Second Brigade, as he started on his rounds, “and I always know they are done."

The clammy fog was still clinging around the faces of the sleepers when the First Brigade was aroused, and by dawn the whole army was on the way. Suminersville lay before us, but eight miles distant. A regiment of rebels was reported by the country people to be holding the town. The column pushed steadily forward, occasionally breaking into the double quick as some rumor ran along the ranks that the advance was fighting. At last, distant firing was heard, a rapid march brought us into the single street of Summersville, and the rebels were seen scampering up a hillside beyond. The infantry halted in column in the road, a squad of cavalry dashed out toward Gauley Bridge, and while they were gone, we had leisure to learn that the pioneers of the advance had got within long musket range of a small party of the rebels, and had sent a few shots after them, though I

without any known effect except, on the vis a tergo principle, to accelerate their speed. In a few moments the cavalry squad returned, marching between them a couple of the rebels, with the green, shirt-fashion blouse, and white muslin rag over the cap, that were known as the uniform of a raw militia cavalry company of the rebels. One of the prisoners was from Parkersburg-the other from Guyandotte. Both had been at Cross Lanes, and one of the fellows was relieved of the sword of Capt. Dyer, which he had stripped from the corpse of the poor Captain on the field.

Meantime the general had already ordered forward the column, had gathered up the more intelligent of the citizens, and questioned them about the roads and by-ways, and all the topographical features of the country; had procured the official map of the county from the Clerk's office, and had learned from the frightened inhabitants all they knew or were willing to tell of the position, defences, and strength of the enemy. A leisurely half-hour's talk with the prisoners (one of whom was impudent, and both independent, as well as loud-mouthed in the declaration that, though we had caught them, Floyd would soon pepper us) completed the general's preparations for entering the immediate neighborhood of the enemy; and leaving the village, with the women crying, and the men not knowing how to comfort them, for fear our army would be speedily driven back, and Floyd would come trampling in upon us with his eight thousand, in their very streets, the general galloped to his place in the column.

The current belief-what General Rosecrans' information and opinions were, I cannot saythe current belief, based upon reports of the country people, statements of scouts, and admissions of the prisoners, was that Floyd was strongly intrenched at Cross Lanes, in such a position that, as he was said to have expressed it, he "defied the world, the flesh, and the devil." Our boys thought there was no necessity for his defying those parties-but let that pass. From Summersville to Cross Lanes was eight miles.

Shortly after leaving the village, we entered the ranges of hills that swell into mountains, on either side of the Gauley River. Presently a road was reached that led through ravines a short distance down to a ferry across the Gauley. It would not do to leave a passage by that ferry practicable in our rear, and Colonel McCook was ordered to take a squad of his cavalry, (Schaumbeck's, from Chicago,) proceed to the ferry, and destroy the boat. On arriving at the river, the boat was found to be at the opposite side, and a couple of men were directed to strip, swim over, and get it. As the swimmers struck out, armed men appeared on the other side, and a very sharp volley was poured into Colonel McCook and his little squad, who were standing on the bank, wounding one of the men seriously in the thigh. The cavalry returned the fire with spirit, but unluckily they

had no firearms, excepting the U. S. carbinestock horse-pistol, and the rebels were beyond their range. Seeing the predicament, Colonel McCook instantly started a man back, asking that ten infantry should be sent to his aid. By some mistake the request was understood to be for the Tenth Infantry, and the whole regiment presently came hurrying down. The Irish, keen for a fight, and desperately anxious to open the day well, at once commenced an infernal pop, pop, popping, that speedily made the woods on the other side too hot for the rebels. The swimmers then brought the boat over. It was a new one, just finished, and the tools employed in its construction were still in it. These were used to cut it in two, and the separate halves were then loaded with stone, and sent, sinking as they went, over the falls below.

Manifestly, the column was now near the enemy's lines, yet, contrary to the uniform experience in Western Virginia hitherto, no attempt whatever had been made to obstruct the road. Floyd was known to be advised of our approach, as his scouts had been hanging around us since we arrived at Birch River; and the inference naturally was, that, as he knew we were coming, and made no effort to stop us, he felt secure in his position, and wanted us to attack him. Finally, we arrived at forks in the road, one branch leading to Cross Lanes, the other turning down toward the river, passing a short distance behind Cross Lanes, crossing the Gauley by a ferry, and continuing on down on the other side to Gauley Bridge, thirty odd miles distant.

We must be on their lines, yet there was no firing. Colonel Lytle's Tenth Ohio, which had led the advance all the way, was ordered to proceed cautiously and slowly down the road, passing behind Cross Lanes, to make an armed reconnoissance. Meantime the suspicion began to be entertained, that the rebels might be concealed in some of the valleys, or behind the crests of the low hills on the left of the road; and the several brigades were ordered to form in line of battle, and deploy skirmishers to scout the entire suspected section. The manœuvre was promptly and handsomely executed. Meanwhile General Rosecrans found a steep hill on the right, which seemed to command the whole country; and, dashing up it, he examined every point minutely, and watched the progress of the skirmishers with field-glasses.

Viewed from the hill, the scene was an inspiring one. Away in front stood the remainder of the first brigade, drawn up in line of battle, facing in the direction Lytle had taken. On a gentle swell to the left, some distance back, stood McCook's entire brigade, as rigid as statues, and "looking for all the world like regulars," as a thorough military man said of them. On the right, and a little higher up, on a prolongation of the same swell, was Scammon's brigade, not making so long a line as the others, but looking their best. Around was

spread a lovely variety of hill and dale, pastures and corn-fields, dotted with one or two snuglooking little farm-houses, with orchards attached, backed by the lofty heights that skirt the Gauley, and all were wearing that most smiling of nature's expressions, when ardent summer is just ripening and softening to the mellow richness of autumn.

Down the road we knew that a regiment of Ohioans must be coming very near to death; above, the sun, that was lending such a glow to the peaceful expressions of nature, was also flashing on long lines of bayonets, and lighting up the stern countenances of an army of men, awaiting and eager for battle. And still there came no sounds save the twittering of birds, and the rustle of the breeze in the foliage.

Suddenly a musket-shot down the road, in the direction of Lytle's regiment, broke in upon the peaceful murmur. Quickly came another, and another. Again there was quiet, and again the straggling fire began. Evidently, Lytle's skirmishers were coming up to the enemy's pickets. Meantime McCook's skirmishers had thoroughly explored their territory, and had returned, reporting it entirely clear. Presently sharper firing was heard for a moment or two in the direction of Lytle's regiment; then it relapsed again into the straggling fire of pickets. Pushing forward, it was soon discovered that a strong detachment of the rebels, probably a regiment, had been driven in from an exposed camp on the left of the road, where much of their camp equipage was still left, though the more valuable part had apparently been removed early in the day. This camp must have been about a mile from the forks of the road, where the column had first halted and formed in line of battle.

Lytle's regiment continued pushing on down the road, which here plunged into a dense forest filled with undergrowth, almost impassable for infantry, and entirely so for cavalry. The road itself was tolerably good-muddy, but not deep, and more nearly level than would have been expected on such heights-but very narrow, and shut in, up to the very wagon tracks, with the jungle of underbrush. General Rosecrans, who was still in total ignorance of the exact position of the enemy, or of the nature of their intrenchments, now sent orders to General Benham that Lytle should proceed down this road to make an armed reconnoissance of the position, to be supported, if necessary, by the remainder of Benham's brigade. Lytle was still about a mile ahead of the rest of the brigade, pushing cautiously forward with four companies of skirmishers, A, B, C, and E, in advance; suddenly these skirmishers, compelled by the nature of the ground to proceed more in a body than would have been desirable, peering through the bushes that skirted a short curve in the road, found themselves about two hundred and fifty or three hundred yards in front of some sort of fortification; exactly what, it was impossible to see. The enemy

seemed to discover them about the same time. For a few moments there was a resumption of the sharp but scattered firing, then suddenly there came a terrific crash of musketry, and a perfect storm of lead. The enemy had opened along his whole front. The remainder of the Tenth was hurried up to support the four advance companies, and Gen. Benham, who was well up with the advance, sent back orders for the Thirteenth, Colonel Smith, and the Twelfth, Colonel Lowe, to come rapidly forward. Mean- | time, our men stood their ground manfully, and returned the fire with spirit. The angry peals of musketry, sharp as peals of heavy thunder, grew fiercer, till the sound became one tremendous, incessant roar; while speedily, at least one full battery of heavy field-pieces sent in their swelling, deep-toned notes to mingle with the crashing rattle of the small arms. Fortunately, neither the artillery nor infantry of the enemy fired with much accuracy at this period of the engagement, and though the poor Tenth boys suffered severely, yet, under the partial cover of the trees, their loss was far less than would have been expected from the tremendous fire that was directed upon them.

Col. Smith's Thirteenth now came in on the left of the road, but a very short distance behind the rear of the Tenth, and falling over toward Floyd's right flank, opened out in fine style, the rebels continuing a heavy fire of musketry, rifles, shells and canister. In the very thickest of this firing, Col. Lytle dashed forward toward the natural glacis in front of the enemy's works, leading up several of his companies, apparently with the intention of attempting to storm the intrenchments. As they emerged from the cover of the woods the onemy's fire was of course concentrated upon them, and as they began to reach the glacis, Colonel Lytle received a severe wound in the leg, while the same shot fatally wounded his horse. The poor animal plunged frantically forward, reared up, and threw the wounded Colonel upon the field, then, in his death agony, gave one final plunge clear over the parapet, and fell inside the enemy's works. The gallant Colonel could find no refuge on the field except a deserted house, right between the two fires. There he lay, during the whole progress of the battle, with cannon balls crashing through and around the frail building which constituted his only shelter.

The Tenth, who had borne themselves nobly thus far, discouraged at the loss of their gallant Colonel, now became somewhat scattered in the woods, though they held their position with tenacity, and kept up an incessant firing.

Meantime, Col. Lowe, who had been some distance behind, came up with his Twelfth, and was led by Adjutant-General Hartsuff into a position in the woods, on the left of the road, near the spot where the Tenth had first received the fire. It was the intention that from this point Col. Lowe should work his way up under cover, and form on Col. Smith's right, now | VOL. III.-Doc. 12

| threatening the enemy's extreme right flank, but in some way he crossed the road and camé up a little to the enemy's left, in the very hottest fire. He was leading his regiment up finely, conspicuous at their head, alike for his fine soldierly appearance and the consummate gallantry he displayed, when, while waving his sword to cheer them on, he was struck fair in the centre of the forehead by a musket ball, and fell headlong from his horse. He died a soldier's death, bravely, gloriously leading his men forward; and he would himself have desired no other end for a life that of late had been too much embittered by the carpings of the ignorant and the sneers of the malevolent.

Adjutant-General Hartsuff now got McMullen's howitzer battery into position, and it began playing on the redoubt with considerable vigor.

The armed reconnoissance was rapidly developing into a severe and general engagement. Gen. Rosecrans' orders had been positive that nothing more than a reconnoissance should be attempted, but Gen. Benham had been unable, on account of difficulty in the transmission of orders, to arrange his brigade in the way which he believed would have at once carried the works, and support for the regiments, already engaged, became necessary. Capt. Snyder's battery was hurried up, and took a position to the right of the road, commanding the entire front of the enemy's works. The batteries, combined with the effective support of the infantry, soon silenced at least two of the rebels' guns, while they began to serve the others much more slowly.

Meantime, Gen. Rosecrans, who had been off on the hill under the hottest fire, on the right of the road, (the enemy's left,) directing the movements, and attempting to gain some idea of the fortifications, despatched Adjutant-General Hartsuff to bring up the German brigade. This, together with Scammon's, which was held as reserve, had been standing, drawn up in line of battle, in the old camp from which the rebel regiment had been driven when the fight began. The battle had now been raging over an hour, (beginning at half-past three o'clock in the afternoon;) large numbers of the wounded had been carried back to the hospital; it was known that Col. Lowe was killed, and it was also reported that Col. Lytle was shot dead, and that his regiment was utterly cut to pieces; strag gling soldiers had become separated from their regiments, and, as always occurs with a few in any army, in a fight under cover, had worked their way out of danger, and were sneakingly attempting to evade the disgrace of their retreat by enormous stories of the fearful slaughter, from the very midst of which they had so gallantly escaped; the terrific firing, which some experienced military men pronounce the heaviest they ever heard; the mystery of the position which nobody could understand; the news of Lowe's death, and the uncertainty about Lytle's fate, had all combined to create & gen