Lewisburg, Va., June 6th, 1861.
Messrs. Editors : We have just received special message from the seat of war in Barbour county. Our informant was dispatched for the purpose of ascertaining the facts concerning the position of the enemy. His statement can be relied on, as he is endorsed by several gentlemen who know him intimately.
It seems our troops were advancing on Phillipi, when they were met by the Indiana and Ohio troops, numbering five or seven hundred, and were driven back to Beverley, Randolph county. They captured our arms and ammunition – four hundred stand – and cut off Captain Moorman’s company of rifles, and eighty men of Captain Hall’s company, from the main body. These men immediately took refuge in the thick undergrowth of the mountains, and opened a destructive fire upon their ranks – each one picking off the man directly in front of him. The enemy lost on their side 250. Their Colonel, Kelly, was mortally wounded. Our loss is six or eight killed, with about the same number taken prisoners, and three or four wounded. Quartermaster Simms, of Richmond, was killed, [this has been contradicted] and Leroy Dangerfield had his leg shot off. I could not obtain the list of killed and wounded entire, or I would give it.
The credit of the fight is, by all hands, given to Capt. Moorman’s gallant mountain boys of Randolph. We have sent to the rescue one company of Mountain rangers-ferocious looking fellows-armed with the rifle and heavy home made butcher knife. They started this morning, and another company will start tomorrow or next day. It is also reported by the same messenger, that our troops up there are destitute of arms, ammunition, and clothing.
One thousand well-drilled troops, with three or four good cannon, would keep almost any number of men at bay, if well placed in some of our mountain passes. You certainly have some old “4th of July” cannon that you can spare for us, without robbing yourselves. Let our leaders think of this, and do something for the trans-Alleghany country.
Alpha.
The Richmond Enquirer, Richmond, VA