Thoughtfully curated historical journalism
A skirmish took place near Romney, Va., on Wednesday last, between a small detachment of Col. Ashby’s Cavalry and a party of 67 of Lincoln’s Cavalry. Deluded by a professed deserter, they were led into an ambush and surrounded by Lincoln’s troops. Capt. Dick Ashby first encountered them with only 11 men. The Hessians demanded their surrender, to which Capt A. and his men replied with a discharge from their guns. The fight was severe, but Col. Ashby coming up with a squad decided the contest. The enemy ran, leaving 18 men dead and a number wounded. Col. Ashby lost two men, several wounded, among them himself and Capt. Ashby severely.
The Washington Star amuses us with a story, probably not only “founded on fact” but all fact, of how Captain “Kellogg,” of Connecticut, lately came up among the missing – another case of “mysterious disappearance of a nice young man and two beautiful young ladies,” as the Cincinnati locals would call it:
On Sunday evening, about 7 o’clock, while the Confederate steamer Empire was engaged in reconnoitering the enemy’s works at Newport News, Captain Parrish discovered the Federal steamer Cataline, some distance off and under headway for Old Point. Chase was immediately given, and when within a few miles of Hampton Creek, the Empire fired two shots, one of which is believed to have taken effect on the Cataline and but for the proximity of the Cumberland frigate, which promptly opened her battery to stop the chase, the Cataline would in all probability have fallen into our hands.
Camp Bragg, (near Suffolk,) Va., June 15, 1861.
Mr. Holden: Taking it for granted that you would like to be advised of the manner in which the 4th Regiment of N. C. Volunteers have fared, since they left the rendezvous at Garysburg, I have concluded to inform you.
The most important event of the past week was the evacuation of Harper’s Ferry on Friday last by the Confederate troops. This step had so often been predicted, and denied with, such confident assertions of the impregnable fortifications erected there and of the determination of the Confederate leaders to make it the chosen point for a desperate stand, that the first reports were received with doubts and incredulity.— Confirmatory statements, however, of the withdrawal of pickets from all points above and below the Ferry, of the burning of the railroad bridge, and the destruction of provisions they were unable to carry off, finally confirmed the evacuation. The troops left in two columns. One column going toward Winchester with the presumed intention of joining the force at Manassas Junction ; the other retreating through Loudon county toward Leesburg. Col. Stone’s column of United States troops is in that vicinity, though it is supposed on the Maryland side of the Potomac, and a collision is among the contingencies.
One of the Connecticut Light Guard Shot!
Alexandria, June 16. — A reconnaissance of the Loudoun and Hampshire railroad was made to-day, two miles beyond Vienna, which is fifteen miles north of Alexandria. The train was under charge of Col. Powers, accompanied by the first Connecticut troops, under the command of Brigadier General Tyler. On the return of the train, when two miles this side of Vienna, a man fired on the train from ambush, wounding George Busbee, of the Connecticut Light Guards.
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.
As this is this locality near which the command of Cols. Gregg and Kershaw are posted, all information from that point will be read with interest by their friends. A correspondent of the Richmond Dispatch, under date of the 27th, (Monday,) writes :
“Leaving our camp at Chimborazo heights early Saturday morning, we did not reach this place until yesterday evening. All along the route cheering crowds welcomed our coming, and fair hands showered boquets in copious profusion upon us. At Louisa C. H. the citizens provided us with an elegant supper with out any cost but three hearty cheers, which went up, I assure you, from grateful hearts. Many a swarthy son of Africa, leaning on the handle of his hoe, waved his sinewy arms to heaven, as if invoicing God’s blessing upon the labors of those who are determined to stop the march of those who would desecrate our hallowed soil, and take from the humble negro the dearest right he possesses—that of having a kind and able protector in the person of his master.