together with a regiment of cavalry and a bat- | brave, and cautious man, possessing all the tery of six pieces of artillery. virtues which belong to the Kentucky charThe number of our loss is as follows: Com-acter, with none of those foibles which we of pany D, one killed and five wounded; Company I, one killed and ten wounded-three mortally. Col. Woolford lost one killed and eleven wounded. The forces now on the hill are in good spirits and ready for future service.

In conclusion, I must commend the coolness, courage, and manliness of Col. Woolford, who rendered most valuable assistance to me during the day. JOHN COBURN,

Col. Thirty-third Regt. Ind. Vols.

CINCINNATI "GAZETTE" NARRATIVE.

CAMP WILD CAT, October 23.

If you look at a map of Kentucky, you will find that two roads lead from the "bluegrass country "-the heart of the State-toward Cumberland Gap. The one runs from Nicholasville, through Camp Dick Robinson, Lancaster, Crab Orchard, Mount Vernon, and Camp Wild Cat, to London, four miles this side of which place it is joined by the other route, leading from Lexington through Richmond. The first is a good turnpike road as far as Crab Orchard, eighteen miles from this camp. The other is an equally good road till it reaches the "Big Hill," nineteen miles south of Richmond, when it becomes as "hard a road to travel" as ever Jordan was.

the North attach to it from our point of view took us over his camp to see the situation of things. The strength of the position has been greatly over-estimated.

After crossing Rockcastle River, the road ascends gradually, for about two miles, a wooded ridge, with steep sides, looking, on the west, toward the slightly-diverging river, and on the east, into a valley, broken by frequent spurs from the hills, heavily timbered for the most part with oak and pine. The highway then deflected from the river to the left, creeping around a frowning limestone cliff which sweeps around in almost a semicircle, its face to the road, its back high and thick with evergreens, leaning on the river. After winding along the foot of this cliff for a distance of three hundred yards, you rise by a steep ascent to an open space on which Col. Garrard had pitched his camp. Leaving this space you find yourself at the base of another cliff, thrown across from the first one I have mentioned, and forming the front of another ridge stretching nearly parallel to the first, but beyond its furthest extremity to the distance of three-quarters of a mile. This ridge is wider than the first, by which it is commanded, and upon it, at a distance of about two hundred and fifty yards, were encamped a On Monday evening, the 14th, the Seven- small body of Home Guards. At the point teenth Ohio, Col. Connell, was quietly reposing where their tents were pitched, the valley-or in Camp Coffey, at the foot of the Big Hill, rather broken succession of valleys, of which I surrounded by castellated mountains, and hap- have spoken, running back from the point where py in the recollections of the golden days pre- the road crosses the river, and forming the left ceding, when they found how warm Kentucky outlook of the road, is divided by a narrow hearts can be in the kindness of Richmond. ridge, barely wide enough for a single wagon to But they had come to the South, not to receive pass. This ridge is about a hundred yards long, magnificent ovations, but to fight, and they and at its east end rises into a bluff commanding were not sorry to receive the command to every portion of the camp. A road, known as march to London. One day was spent in mak- the Winding Glades road, runs on this natural ing the road passable, and on the 16th our bridge, and crossing a wilderness of hills interbrave boys, each company detailed to push sects the Richmond road at a point four miles hard, yell at mules, "chunk," and pry its own distant from the upper Rockcastle ford, and wagon, marched through a weary rain, and at nine miles from London. The bluff over which nightfall encamped on a wet hillside-Camp it climbs after leaving the Home Guard camp, Goulding. That night, while a few of us sat was the first position of great importance which trying to dry our clothes before the fire, a mes- met the eye. It could be reached either by senger came from Col. Garrard, in command at marching from London by the Winding Glades this post, saying that Gen. Zollicoffer was ad- road, or by crossing the hills which intervened vancing by forced marches toward London, and between it and the road running from the camp would certainly attack one of us. As it was to London. To defend this point nothing had most probable that Camp Wild Cat, long hated been done except to cut trees across the Windfor the protection it has given to the Unioning Glades road, at various places within two men of this mountain region, would be the point of attack, he desired us, if possible, to cooperate with him in meeting the enemy. The next morning, while our regiment pushed forward toward Rockcastle, now on its prescribed line of march, Lieut. Showers and myself rode through the mountains here bearing promises of all the assistance possible, though that was necessarily a vague hope, as you will see what we had to do to fulfil it. Immediately after our arrival, Col. Garrard-a plain, earnest,

miles of the camp. An enemy in possession of this road would have been able to cannonade the camp, and at the same time, by throwing skirmishers along the valley and over the hills toward the lower Rockcastle ford, surround any force situated on the camp ground.

Just at this point where the Winding Glades road joins the main road, at the camp, the latter begins a rapid descent into a valley, winding for miles between thickly wooded hills. The western face of this valley is the chief

front of the ridge on which the Home Guard | Zollicoffer's swoop down from his mountains, camp was situated. The crags are very bold that he was within thirty miles of his coveted and high, completely commanding the road for prize before the danger was ascertained, and a a half mile, when, after a gradual rise of the messenger despatched for aid. ridge which they bound, they turn toward the west and slope into a narrow valley running from the road toward the river. The hill on the south side of this last-named valley was in possession of Zollicoffer during the succeeding fight. Along the brow of the crags slight timber breast works had been thrown up for some distance.

hill at double quick, cheering as though the | I heard more than once that an attack had victory was already gained. A messenger was commenced, but attached no importance to the despatched for the companies left with the information. At the river I found the Ohio wagons. They hastened on, rushing through Fourteenth, Col. Steadman, and Captain StandRoundstone Creek, a stream over which I had ard's battery of rifled guns about to cross. swam my horse on Friday, and which was still They had pushed from Camp Dick by forced so deep that the men had to lift their ammuni- marches since ten o'clock on Saturday. tion breast-high to keep it dry. Their comrades had done the same the day before. Before eleven o'clock the whole of the regiment was in battle array along the ridge by which the Winding Glades road crosses the valley, while Garrard's boys crested the cliffs from the Home Guard camp to our extreme right. Only a few Home Guards had held the Round Hill, and they had abandoned the position. But the enemy gave no further signs of approach. By noon our camp fires were burning, and in kettles, borrowed from our Kentucky neighbors, we were preparing our breakfast.

Coming on to camp, I found that there had been some picket firing, sure enough, and that two companies of the cavalry, leaving their horses, had been thrown upon the Round Hill. Standing at the verge of the cliff, at the old Home Guard camp, and looking over upon the Round Knob and down into the valley beneath, all was still as death. There was no motion of friend or enemy. The lines of the Indiana and Kentucky troops opposite were partly visible in a cleared space which crowned the summit, but the most of their men were lying as skirmishers in the thick woods on the side of the hill.

At four o'clock we heard the tramp of horses, and up the road from the river trooped three Suddenly, a little after ten o'clock, three unhundred and fifty of Woolford's Cavalry, and at earthly yells broke from the fatal woods, and their head rode one whom we had never seen, their echoes were drowned in the sharp rattle but a first glance showed that we had found a of musketry. Protected by the thickets and General. A noble form-a face in which the trees, the enemy had ascended unseen to withcourage of the soldier and the kindness of the in a hundred and thirty yards of the hill-top man are blended in a countenance of singular-then forming, were advancing on two sides force and goodness, clear hazel eyes, dark and in four ranks. Two regiments, Col. Newbrown hair, firm mouth, fringed by a gentle- man's Seventeenth and Col. Cummins' Second man's moustache-every lineament and move- Tennessee made the attack on the brave little ment displaying the accomplished officer and band of less than six hundred, commanded by man-all these things we at once discerned in Cols. Coburn and Woolford. The firing was so General Schoepf; while in his Assistant Adju- sharp that we could not distinguish that of our tant-General, Captain Everett, we saw the ex-friends from our foes. In the midst of it a few perienced American soldier, one worthy of aiding such a leader as chief of his staff. Without waiting for ceremony or introduction, accompanied by Col. Garrard, they rode over the position. The Thirty-third Indiana regiment, Col. Coburn, following at quick-step, was divided as it came to the brow of the hill, four companies filing by a narrow path to the Round Hill, while the greater part of the rest of the regiment, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Henderson, was sent to occupy the first ridge, overlooking at once the river on the right and the camp on the left. Four hundred of the Seventeenth were already at work cutting timber for breast works on the Winding Glades bluff, the rest lying along the road which connected it with the camp. Col. Woolford's Cavalry returned to the river to find forage and water, and encamp during the night.

Monday morning at daybreak there was no sign of the enemy. From all that I could gather, he had retired in the night. I rode four miles for corn for my horse and breakfast for myself. None could be procured nearer at that time. At the house where I breakfasted I found the ladies of the Indiana field officers, and so sure was I that Zollicoffer had gone, that finding they were anxious to rejoin their husbands, I encouraged them to proceed, and saw them seated in a hay wagon, the only mode of locomotion we could find. Riding leisurely back,

men, from both the Kentucky and Indiana regiments, either struck by panic, as is most likely, or mistaking a remark of one of the officers for a command to retreat, as some of them allege, took to flight and rushed down the path leading to our standpoint. Cols. Coburn and Woolford, pistol in hand, braced themselves before the fugitives when they saw them flying, and threatening to shoot the first who attempted to pass, soon restored order. Capt. Hauser, of the Indiana troops, skirmishing in front of the enemy, had a finger shot off, and obtaining leave from his colonel, came back to our hospital, had the stump amputated, and immediately returned to his men. Never did soldiers behave more admirably than did that small force. But the enemy was brave, too. They advanced to within twenty-five yards of a small breastwork of logs, thrown up on the summit, and behind which parts of two companies were stationed. Placing their caps on their bayonets, they advanced shouting that they were Union men. Lieut. McKnight, of the Indiana regiment, sprang on the breast work shouting to his boys not to fire on the enemy, as they had submitted. The return for his efforts was a shower of bullets, which was answered by a deliberate volley from our boys, and the enemy broke and fled in confusion.

Just at this moment, while the other Tennessee regiment was still attacking on the west

the attack commenced, and displayed most admirable personal courage. Seeing that the noise disturbed his horse, which he had tied at some distance, he desired a soldier to go and bring the animal to him. The man hesitating to go, Gen. Schoepf went himself, and just as he was unfastening the rein a perfect storm of balls flew around him-one passing between his legs and several striking the tree to which his horse was tied. The General leisurely mounted, and rode away as though he had been going from a dinner party.

side of the hill, I heard the band of our Seventeenth playing "Hail Columbia" behind me, and turning I saw a stir, and eager waving of hands, and caps thrown in the air, and in another moment greeted by such cheering as one seldom hears, Capt. Standard's artillery rushed up the hill, the horses at full gallop, their drivers urging them with whips and spurs and shouts, and after them at full run came the column of Col. Steadman's gallant Fourteenth. The regiment deployed to the left, occupying the Winding Glades road. Four companies of the Seventeenth had just quitted it, and led by Major Ward had crossed the ravine and hurried up the Round Hill in the face of the enemy, reaching the top in time to join in the closing tableaux with some most effective fire-ed to put in a word, or rather three of them, works of their own.

The artillery was brought forward to the verge of the cliff and placed in position. There was a pause, when, suddenly, whiz came a cannon ball from the valley below, and immediately after a log chain followed it whirling through the air. Ball and chain-fit shot for the slave aristocracy to fire! But then there burst forth a sound which shivered the air above us, and before it had ceased to deafen us, boom went the shell far down in the valley, then a ball, then another shell, and when their last echoes had died away among the mountains, there was silence as of death, till Garrard's men on the right raised a genuine old Kentucky yell, and then friends on the hill answered it, and then we joined in with a right good will, for the enemy had fled, broken and discomfited. The boom of our cannon was the first intimation they had of the force they had to contend with. Along their march they had boasted that they were coming down to take Garrard in his "fish trap," and then "go down to the blue grass to kill fat hogs." From their wounded prisoners we learn that their General, on the morning of the battle, told them that they had nobody to fight but "Garrard's six hundred measly men, who would run as soon as they heard a good Tennessee and Mississippi yell." On the whole they were rather astonished!

In the mean time the muskets were talking merrily on the other hills. It was getting rather annoying to listen to such unmannerly and noisy discussions, so our big guns conclud

as in the morning. The spell had not lost its power. There was silence as before. The baffled and frightened enemy again ran for life.

We took our supper in comfort, and though we expected a night attack we lay down unconcerned, for we knew that all danger was over. Before retiring, I walked with Colonel Connell and some others, over to the hill. The path was dotted every five paces by little groups of pickets, Capt. Butterfield's company of the Seventeenth, and an Indiana company. Three or four together they lay in the shadows of the great trees looking out sharply for the enemy, and whispering low to each other of what they would do should he come. On reaching the top of the hill we found twelve hundred noble fellows, from Indiana and Kentucky regiments, which had held the ground so well in the morn ing, and the Seventeenth and Fourteenth Ohio. During the afternoon they had thrown up a timber work shoulder high, with trench and parapet, around a space of an acre and a half, a work unparalleled except by that of the rest of the two Ohio regiments, which had thrown a well-constructed breastwork across the whole of the Winding Glades ridge, in addition to slaying more timber," as a Kentuckian said, "than his whole State could cut in a month."

From the summits of the Round Hill we could see the lights of the enemy's camp-fires blazing in a narrow valley two miles away, in easy range for our artillery if it had been furnished with shell enough to experiment a little on the shattered nerves of the secessionists.

There was no more fighting till two o'clock, when the second attack was made. The "Mississippi Tigers," Col. from their hill opposite to our extreme right on the cliffs, at- On our way back we met a hundred men tempted to drive Col. Garrard's companies sta- dragging two of the heavy guns up the hill, a tioned on our side, while Col. Newman's regi-work one would almost conceive impossible, so ment again attempted to scale the Round Hill. The latter charge was rather intended as a feint to prevent our men from shooting at the Mississippians across the valley than with any hope of carrying the position. But the firing was sharp. Col. Connell was with his troops on the hill, and displayed all the coolness and bravery which his best friends hoped from him; while Cols. Coburn and Woolford were the same intrepid and self-possessed commanders they had shown themselves to be in the morning. Gen. Schoepf was on the hill when

rough was the path and so steep the ascent; but it was done, and then the only prayer of the little army was that Zollicoffer might try it again. But he had had enough. Through the night our boys lying on the hill could hear the tread of men and horses and the word of command, and at morning we found they had fled, but we could not pursue. Our cavalry was too few and our infantry too tired and unprepared. So sudden had been the danger, so rapid the efforts to give aid, that not a regiment was ready to undertake a twenty-miles march.

And, in the annals of war, I doubt whether an instance can be found of danger more sudden and imminent, and succor more hurried, self-sacrificing, and complete. It seems like a dream. And to-night, as I sit in my tent, near to where I lay fearful last Friday night, I can see the lights from the watchfires of eight thousand men. Their songs and laughter rise on the air, which then seemed only filled by the weary cough of sick men. The bands of the Ohio regiments are answering each other with sweet music from their respective hills, while over the trees which skirt the Winding Glades the moon rises; yet to-night it is waning like Zollicoffer's fortunes, and bloody is the fate to which he brought so many of his brave but misguided followers. F.

I have written a long account, not because | Camp Garrett Davis a few hours before we left. the action was in itself a remarkable one, or They came in with Col. Norton's Twenty-first the loss of life on either side very important. Ohio. It was known that a rebel force was enBut of far more value than the killing and camped in or near the town, but of their numwounding of two or three hundred rebels, is the ber or situation we had no definite information. moral effect of this affair on the issues of the The original intention was, I think, to reach great contest, and especially on the position of the town during the night and surround the Kentucky. Whether we advance or lie still, enemy. The almost impassable condition of the State, so far as our line of operations is the road, and some halts to enable the artillery concerned, is safe-closed against attack, and to overtake us, detained us so much that daymay rest in peace. Spring will see no seces-light found us some five miles from our joursionists in the blue-grass country. Had Gar- ney's end. Those for whose especial benefit rard been driven from his position, they would we had made so long a journey, on hearing of have been as thick as fireflies in harvest. our approach, were ungallant enough to leave the town, and station themselves on the neighboring hills. As the sequel will show, we were unfortunate enough to be unable to get a good sight of them, but from the best information I have obtained, I would place their number at two hundred. (If this is incorrect I will be happy to make amends by stating the precise number, as soon as any one feeling himself aggrieved will inform me of my mistake.) When some two miles from the town, the cavalry were sent forward. They had scarcely reached their position when they were fired into by rebels secreted in a cornfield, at the roadside. The lieutenant of cavalry-I have not heard his name-was wounded in the leg at this fire. This was the only shot on their side that was effective, throughout the whole skirmish. The effect of the first shots on the men was surprising. Tired out, as they were, they, scarcely waiting for the commands of their officers, rapidly "doubled quicked" toward the scene of action, impatiently waiting for an opportunity to get a shot at the enemy. After returning their fire, the cavalry again took their position at the rear of the column, which was marched into a meadow and formed into line; while, assisted by a shot or two from a six-pounder, the skirmishing companies rapidly chased the cornfield and then began to scour the hills. Occasionally brisk firing for a minute or two would let us know that they had found some of the seceshers, but nothing like a general fire was given or received. Two or three shots, fired by the artillery at a rebel flag floating over a house in the town, worse confounded the confusion already there, and those of the citizens, who had not already done so, betook themselves to flight; so that when we took formal possession by hoisting the Stars and Stripes, scarcely a soul was to be seen. After the firing had ceased they began, with fear and trembling, to return.

Doc. 103.

THE SKIRMISH AT WEST LIBERTY. A PARTICIPANT gives the following account of this skirmish:

WEST LIBERTY, MORGAN Co., Kr.,? Thursday, Oct. 24. We have had our first skirmish. The town of West Liberty is ours. Pluralize "Veni, vidi, vici," and you have the history of the engagement. The regiment received orders on Tuesday to prepare for a march. Accordingly we cooked three days' rations, and left Camp Garrett Davis about half-past two P. M. Between that time and half-past nine A. M. we marched a distance of thirty-five miles, over as bad a road as can be well conceived of. It was a constant succession of hills, hollows, creeks, ledges of rocks, and mud holes. We waded single creeks as much as a dozen times, but I shall attempt no estimate of the number of creeks we found, for fear of offending them by underrating their forces. As a finale to our wading exploits, we forded the Licking, some three feet in depth. A chilly, drizzling rain, making the roads still more muddy and slippery, added to fatigue of the men. Taking into account the nature of the road and other adverse circumstances, the march may be considered a remarkably severe one.

We were accompanied by a company of cavalry and two six-pounders belonging to a battery which, as also the cavalry, had only reached

The poor women and children were greatly alarmed, and seemed surprised when they found they were not to be molested. It has been the aim of the traitors to convince the people that the Northern army was a blood-thirsty rabble, killing all that came under their power, and destroying property wherever they went. I am glad to see that the conduct of the men, although not as good as it might have been, some minor depredations having been committed, has been