Report of Maj. Nat. Tyler, Twentieth Virginia Infantry, of operations from
July 1 to 14, including skirmish July 7, and the engagement at Rich Mountain.
--,--, 1861.
During the night of July 1, I was ordered by Gen. Garnett, at Laurel Hill,
to re-enforce Lieut.-Col. Heck at Rich Mountain with seven companies
of the Twentieth Regiment Virginia Volunteers. Starting from Laurel Hill at
2 a. m., I arrived at Rich Mountain the next day at 12 m. Lieut.-Col.
Heck's command at Rich Mountain was one regiment of infantry, a battery of
four 6-pounders, and one company of cavalry.
The sketch furnished you will show very accurately the fortifications that had
been made to protect the camp from front assault.
On Sunday, July 7, I was ordered to reconnoiter the bridge over Middle Fork,
about fifteen miles in front of our position. I proceeded with two companies,
Capt. Atkinson, Twentieth Virginia Volunteers, and Capt. Higginbotham,
of Lieut.-Col. Heck's regiment. When about one mile from the bridge
I was informed by a country woman that a very large army occupied the
bridge, and was entreated to return, as the Federal cavalry had but a few
moments before left the house. The evidences of the cavalry were to be seen
in the mud of the road. Proceeding carefully, I ascertained that a large force
of infantry, artillery,
and cavalry were at the bridge. Soon their pickets were seen and driven in by
our force. I found it prudent to return, and immediately after the skirmish was
over made disposition for an orderly return. The enemy were a considerable
time getting ready to pursue us, which enabled us to get some distance ahead,
so we were able to reach camp without annoyance from them.
Upon my return to camp I found Col. Pegram with the remaining
companies of the Twentieth Regiment, and he immediately assumed the
command. We continued to strengthen our fortifications in front and to
ascertain the character of the country on our flanks, to ascertain if it were
possible for an army to march over the mountains on either flank. Every
assurance from the people of the neighborhood was given that it was
impossible for any force to march around our position.
Thus matters continued until the morning of July 11, when our picket wounded
and captured a Federal sergeant, who stated that McClellan had arrived the
night before, and that Rosecrans had that morning at 2 o'clock started with a
large force to turn our flank, but he was unable or unwilling to state which
flank the enemy were threatening.
About 11 o'clock firing was heard from the pickets at our rear and towards
our left flank, and three companies were immediately ordered to Hart's house.
Col. Pegram had sent to Gen. Garnett that the enemy were endeavoring
to turn our right flank, and requested that Col. Scott might be ordered to
comply with his request and occupy a position at the foot of the road one mile
from Beverly and about five miles from our position at Hart's house. This
position was promptly taken by Col. Scott; but as the enemy were then
marching around our left flank, the position occupied by Col. Scott was
useless, and he was of no aid to us whatever.
The fight began about 11 o'clock and lasted for three hours, when the enemy
succeeded in getting to the road between our position and Beverly. Capt. De
Lagnel had used with great effect the one piece of artillery sent to him by
Col. Pegram, but when the second cannon arrived the enemy opened such
a destructive fire upon it that neither men nor horses could maintain the
position. The horses becoming unmanageable ran off and upset the gun and
caisson down a precipice, depriving Capt. De Lagnel of all ammunition.
Wounded and in immediate danger of imminent capture, Capt. De Lagnel
ordered the infantry to return and make their way towards Beverly. The firing
had now ceased, an the enemy were in possession of Hart's house, and all
opportunity and chances of escape along the road to Beverly were cut off.
Col. Pegram ordered me before the firing ceased to re-enforce Capt. De
Lagnel with the Twentieth Regiment, and as we were marching up the
mountain he determined to take command of a storming party and attempt the
recapture of Hart's house. Before arriving in position he ascertained the
impossibility of successfully storming the enemy's position, an ordered me to
continued the retreat with the Twentieth Regiment while he returned and
brought the remainder of the command. He parted from us and marched the
regiment all that night through a pathless explored mountain, with no guide but
the stars and no path but the general direction of the running streams, and
arrived in Beysny at daybreak.
Continuing our march, we overtook Col. Scott at Huttonsville about 9
o'clock in the morning, and continued the retreat over Cheat Mountain to the
Greenbrier River, where we arrived at daybreak on the morning of the 14th.
There we were received by Governor Letcher. Soon Col. Johnson, with a
Georgia regiment, arrived. The retreat
of the whole command under Col. Johnson was resumed to Monterey,
where Gen. Jackson, of Georgia, assumed the command, and where a halt
was made until the remainder of Gen. Garnett's army arrived.
NAT. TYLER,
Source: Official Records
CHAP. IX.] CAMPAIGN IN WEST VIRGINIA. PAGE 259-2
[Series I. Vol. 2. Serial No. 2.]
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