Pictorial history of the war for the Union, volume 1 (of 2) : $b A complete and reliable history of the war from its commencement to its close ... together with a complete chronological analysis of the warStephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia)
History
Pictorial history of the war for the Union, volume 1 (of 2) : $b A complete and reliable history of the war from its commencement to its close ... together with a complete chronological analysis of the war
Stephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
The remainder of General Garnett’s army effected their escape through
the Cheat Mountain Gap, which was seized and fortified by General
McClellan. In these two engagements 150 of the enemy were killed, 300
wounded, upwards of 1000 prisoners were taken, and nearly all their war
material fell into the hands of the victors.
The loyal troops were too much exhausted by the incessant labors and
privations of their three days’ struggle to pursue the scattered and
dispirited enemy any further through the mountains, and went into camp
at Huttonville and Laurel Hill, to await the next call to duty. General
McClellan closed his dispatch of July 14th, with the words, “I firmly
believe that secession is killed in this section of the country.”
During the battle an incident illustrating the coolness, bravery and
generosity of Colonel Lander towards a brave foeman occurred, that
deserves honorable mention. The horse of the Colonel had been shot from
under him, and he, dismounted, had taken his stand upon a rock directly
in front of a rebel gun. Discharging musket after musket, as fast as
they could be loaded for him, he remained a noted mark for the enemy to
shoot at. At a short distance, all the men belonging to a cannon of the
Confederates had been shot down or fled, and their Lieutenant was
undauntedly serving and firing it, single-handed. Three times had it
belched forth flame and ball, when Colonel Lander, noticing the bravery
of the man, called out to him—
“If you fire that gun again you are a dead man!”
“Sir, I shall fire it as long as I have life in my body!” was the cool,
fearless and curt reply.
This was an instance of noble courage well calculated to be appreciated
by a true soldier, and the Union Colonel, leaping from the rock, shouted
to his men—
“Boys, that is too brave a man for me to kill.”
* * * * *
On the 21st of July the Federal army under General McDowell, having
suffered severely, and retreated from Manassas, General McClellan, who
by his achievements had earned a brilliant prestige, was ordered, on the
22d, to Washington, to take command of the Department of the Potomac,
and General Rosecranz was appointed to succeed him in the Department of
the Ohio.
THE WEST.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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