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98

DEATH OF GARNETT.

Garnett, incensed at their dastardly conduct, strove in vain to rally them. The last to cross the stream, he dismounted, and stood waving his handkerchief, and shouting to them to halt, when Major Gordon, of the United States army, came up, and seeing the enemy huddled together in the road on the opposite side shouted to the advance of Dumont's command which was already coming down on a run. The next instant a bullet pierced the brave but erring rebel commander, and throwing up his hands he fell dead where he stood. Not an officer was near him; all had ingloriously fled, leaving him alone, save a young and delicate boy from Georgia, who nobly refusing to desert him, fell dead by his side.

The pursuit was kept up for two miles farther, when our troops gave out from exhaustion, and bivouacked for the night. The scattered dead and wounded were picked up, the latter tenderly cared for, and the former consigned to their hastily dug graves. But none was handled more gently than that gallant boy, who had fallen beside his Gen-eral. Those fierce soldiers laid him in a grave by himself, and placed a board at his head, on which they wrote, "Name unknown.-A brave fellow who shared his General's fate, and fell fighting by his side while his companions had fled." General Garnett, while an officer in the United States army, had won distinction in the Mexican war. Our loss was slight. All told, in both engagements, it would not reach sixty, while that of the enemy in killed alone was nearly two hundred, besides a thousand captured.

This forced march of over thirty miles, in less than twenty-four hours, through rain and mud, and over moun tains, rocks and streams, the troops almost without food, some tasting nothing for thirty-six hours, speaks volumes for the volunteer forces under General McClellan. Veteran regulars could not have done better.

MARCH TO BARBOURSVILLE.

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The whole rebel army in Western Virginia was estimated to be ten thousand strong. A portion of these were at the south, on the Kanawha river, under General Wise. General Cox, from Ohio, was opposed to him, and at the time these victories were being achieved in the northern part of the state, was gradually pushing this terrible, erratic fire eater of Virginia before him. The same day on which McClellan had dated his dispatches to the government, this General put his force in motion to attack the enemy, which had taken position at Barboursville. At midnight, a portion of Colonel Woodruff's command was roused from their slumbers, and under Lieutenant-Colonel Neff, with one day's rations in their haversacks, started off, a Union man from Barboursville being their guide. The plan was to attack at daylight. But the dead silence that reigned along their march rendered the commander suspicious that all was not right, and he made frequent halts in order to send out scouts. This delayed the march so that he did not arrive before the place till the sun was two hours high. The enemy had been apprised of their approach, and when the little band came in view of the place, the sight that met their astonished gaze would have appalled less gallant hearts. On the brow of a hill, just beyond Guyandotte river, which was spanned by a single bridge, the rebels were drawn up in line of battle-their bayonets gleaming in the early sunlight—while around them, on every side, stretched a vast level plain. Near the base of the hill was a large body of cavalry, that immediately began to fall back right and left, in order to take our column in flank and rear, after it had crossed the bridge. Though fearfully outnumbered, the fearless column never faltered, but pushed straight for the bridge. The moment the head entered it, the rebels poured in a destructive volley. Receiving it without flinching, the little band with a loud cheer dashed on a run across

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FIGHT AT BARBOURSVILLE.

it. But when nearly over, they were brought to a sudden halt by a chasm made by the uptorn planks, which had been carried away. The mule of the guide went through before he could be brought to a halt, and the rider saved himself only by clinging to the timbers. The rebels, seeing the column thus suddenly arrested, rent the air with cheers and yells. Maddened by these shouts of triumph and loud taunts, our soldiers dashed forward, each for himself; and some crawling along on the string pieces, and some swinging along the rafters, they at length cleared the gap, though in utter confusion. The rebels, before they had time to form, charged on their flank. But the blood of the men was now fairly up, and without waiting to re-form, they sent up a shout, and clambering up the hill, holding on to roots and bushes, charged like madmen on the solid line. Appalled at the desperate daring, the rebels fired one volley, and then turned and fled like a herd of frightened deer down the hill in rear. The victorious troops sent a few flying shots after them, and then, with streaming banners and victorious strains of martial music, turned and marched through the town. It was nobly, gallantly done. Following up his success, Cox overtook Wise at Gauley bridge, who retreated without risking a battle. Thus in a little over a month, Western Virginia was cleared of the rebels.

McClellan's short but brilliant campaign, had electrified the north, and all eyes were turned to him as the man on whom the mantle of Scott would ultimately fall. The old veteran and hero was too far advanced in years to take the field in person, while his physical infirmities rendered him unequal to the tremendous responsibilities connected with the conduct of so vast a war.

While these stirring events were occurring in Western Vir ginia, and the army along the Potomac was quietly gathering its energies for a great battle, Missouri was rent by the ravages

FIGHT ON THE PRAIRIE.

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of civil war. Side by side with Lyon, another officer was rapidly acquiring a national reputation. Colonel Sigel had seen service in Europe, and being placed in command of a German regiment, took the field in Missouri, early in Summer and arrived at Springfield on the 23d of June. Hearing that Jackson was making his way southward to form a junction with General Price, who was encamped in Neosho, the county seat of Newton county, he determined to attack the latter before the rebel governor could come up. Reaching Neosho on the 1st of July, he entered it without opposition, Price having retreated. The next day he learned that Price, Rains and Jackson had succeeded in uniting their forces about eight miles north of Carthage. He immediately informed General Sweeny, who was at Springfield of the fact, and received orders in return to proceed at once and attack his camp. Accordingly on the 4th of July, with about twelve hundred men, he took up his line of march, and on the morning of the 6th came upon the enemy in great force, encamped in the open prairie, most of them mounted. Though plainly outnumbered, he moved his column, which looked a mere speck on the wide prairie, steadily forward, till he came within eight hundred yards of the rebel camp. He then halted, and unlimbering his artillery which was composed of six six, and two twelve pounders, opened fire. On the right and left, the white puffs of smoke shot out over the prairie, followed by the deep reverberations of the guns, rolling away over the vast expanse. The rebels, who occupied a slight swell on the plain, replied, and for a time a brisk artillery fire was kept up, while not a tree or a shrub or hill obstructed the view or sheltered the combatants. The rebel practice was miserable, their balls and shells going over the heads of Sigel's command, and exploding in the prairie. On the other hand their guns were being dismounted one after another, when at two o'clock, their

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SIGEL'S ADMIRABLE RETREAT.

cavalry moved off to the right and left, with the intention of outflanking Sigel, and cutting off his baggage train, which had been left three miles in the rear. The latter penetrating at once the design of the movement, ordered two six pounders to the rear, and changing front, commenced falling back in a steady orderly manner, keeping up a continuous fire as he moved. Not a sound was heard through the quiet, determined ranks, except the occasional orders of the officers, as the line of glittering steel moved swiftly over the prairie, while the clouds of calvary hovered darkly on either side, afraid to venture within range of the death dealing guns. At length he reached his baggage wagons, fifty in number toiling slowly forward. These were at once formed into a solid square, and surrounded by the artillery and infantry, moved slowly back till they approached Dry Fork Creek, where the road passed between two bluffs. On the opposite side of this stream, the cavalry, failing to cut off the baggage train, were drawn up to stop the retreat. But along that road, which led to Carthage, it was absolutely necessary Colonel Sigel should pass, for to fall back to the open prairie, would leave him to be surrounded by a vastly superior force, while to remain where he was, would expose him to a similar danger. He immediately dispatched two cannon to the right, and two to the left, followed by a part of his force, as though he intended to cut a road for himself at these points at all hazards. The enemy, seeing these movements, immediately left the road in which they stood massed, and moved to the right and left to prevent it. Sigel allowed them to approach within a few hundred yards, when suddenly unlimbering his guns, he poured in a terrific cross fire, and at the same time gave the orders to the main army to doublequick. The column started off on a sharp trot, and with loud cheers cleared the bridge, while the enemy's cavalry rent by shrapnell and canister, scattered in every direction.

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