Unknown to George B. McClellan, September 17, 1861

GENERAL:

The operations of this brigade for the past few days may be summed up as follows: On the 12th instant the enemy, 9,000 Strong,

` Cmar. XIV] OPERATIONS IN CHEAT MOUNTAIN, W. VA.

with eight to twelve pieces of artillery, under command of General R. E. Lee, advanced on this position by the Huntersville pike. Our

advanced pickets, portions of the Fifteenth Indiana and Sixth Ohio, gradually fell baek to our main picket station, two companies of the Seventeenth Indiana, under Colonel Hascall, checking the enemy’s ad-

-vanee at the Point Mountain turnpike, and then falling baek on the

regiment, which occupied a very advanced position on our right front, and which we now ordered in. The enemy threw into the woods on our left front three regiments, who made their way to the right and rear of Cheat Mountain, took a position on the road leading to Huttonsville, broke the telegraph wire, and cut off our communication with Colonel Kimball, Fourteenth Indiana, commanding on Cheat Summit. Simultaneously another foree of the enemy, of about equal strength, advanced by the Staunton pike in the front of Cheat Mountain, and threw two regiments to the right and rear of Cheat, which united with the three regiments from the other column of the enemy. The two posts, Cheat Summit and Elk Water, are 7 miles apart by a bridle-path over the mountains, and 18 miles by the wagon-road, via Huttonsville; Cheat Mountain Pass, the former headquarters of the brigade, being at the foot of the mountain, 10 miles from the summit. The enemy advaneing towards the pass, by which he might possibly have obtained the rear or left of Elk Water, was there met by three companies of the Thirteenth Indiana, ordered up for that purpose, and by one company of the Fourteenth Indiana, from the summit. “These four companies engaged and gallantly held in check greatly superior numbers of the enemy, foiled him in his attempt to obtain the rear or left of Elk Water, and threw him in the rear and right of Cheat Mountain, the companies retiring to the pass at the foot of the mountain. The enemy, about 5,000 strong, now elosed in on Cheat Summit, and became engaged with detachments of the Fourteenth Indiana, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Ohio, from

` the summit, in all only about 300, who, deployed in the woods, held in

cheek and killed many of the enemy, who did not at any time. succeed in getting sufficiently near the field redoubt to give Daum’s battery an opportunity of firing into him.

So matters rested at dark on the 12th, with- heavy forces in front and in plain sight of both posts, communication eut off, and the supply train for the mountains, loaded with provisions which were needed, waiting for an opportunity to pass up the road. Determined to force a communication with Cheat, I ordered the Thirteenth Indiana, under Colonel Sullivan, to cut their way, if necessary, by the main road, and the greater part of the Third Ohio and Second Virginia, under Colonels Marrow and Moss, respectively, to do the same by the path. The two commands started at 3 o’clock a. m. on the 13th, the former from Cheat Mountain Pass and the latter from Elk Water, so as to fall upon the enemy, if possible, simultaneously. Early on the 13th the small force of about 300 from the summit engaged the enemy, and with such effeet that, notwithstanding his greatly superior numbers, he retired in great haste and disorder, leaving large quantities of clothing and equipments ou the ground, and our relieving force, failing to catch the enemy, marched to the summit, securing the provision train and reopening our communication. While this was taking place on the mountain, and as yet unknown to us, the enemy, under Lee, advanced on Elk Water, apparently fora general attack. One rifled 10-pounder Parrott gun from Loomis’ battery was run to the front three-fourths of a mile and delivered a few shots at the enemy, causing him to withdraw out of convenient range and doing fine execution. Our relative position remained

X unchanged until near dark, when we learned the result of the movements on the mountain, as above stated, and the enemy retired somewhat for the night.

On the 14th, early, the enemy was again in position in front of Elk Water, and a few rounds, supported by a company of the Fifteenth Indiana, were again administered, which caused him to withdraw as before. The forces that had been before repulsed from Cheat returned, and were again driven back by a comparatively. small force from the mountain. The Seventeenth Indiana was ordered up the path to open communication and make way for another supply train, but, as before, found the little band. from the summit had already done the work. During the afternoon of the 14th the enemy withdrew from before Elk Water, and is now principally concentrated some 10 miles from this post at or near his main camp. On the 15th he appeared in stronger force than at any previous time in front of Cheat and attempted a flank . movement by the left, but was driven back by the ever-vigilant and gallant garrison of the field redoubt on the summit. To-day the enemy has also retired from the front of Cheat, but to what precise position I am not yet informed. y “dam

The results of these affairs are that we have killed: near 100 of the enemy, including Col. John A. Washington, aide-de-camp to General Lee, and have taken about 20 prisoners. We have lost 9 killed, including Lieutenant Junod, Fourteenth Indiana, 2 missing, and about 60 prisoners, including Capt. James Bense and Lieutenants Gilman and Scheiffer, of the Sixth Ohio, and Lieutenant Merrill, of the Engineers. I append the reports of Colonel Kimball, Fourteenth Indiana; Captain Higgins, Twenty-fourth Ohio; Lieutenant-Colonel Owen and Colonel Wagner, of the Fifteenth Indiana. >

J. J. REYNOLDS, Brigadier-General, Commanding First Brigade.

L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

Report of Col. Nathan Kimball, Fourteenth Indiana Infantry.

Camp, CHEAT MOUNTAIN SUMMIT, WEST Virginia, i l September 14, 1861.

GENERAL: On the morning of September 12 I started my train (teams from the Twenty-fourth Ohio Regiment) to your camp. When about three-fourths of a mile out they were attacked by a party of the enemy. Information being at once brought to me, I proceeded to the point of attack, accompanied by Colonel Jones, of the Twenty-fifth Ohio, and Lieutenant-Colonel Gilbert, of the Twenty-fourth Ohio, and Companies C (Captain Brooks) and F (Captain Williamson), of the Fourteenth Indiana. I at first supposed the attack was made by a scouting party of the enemy, and sent Captains Brooks and Williamson into the woods, deployed as skirmishers. They soon overhauled the enemy, numbering 2,500. My captains immediately opened fire, and informed me the enemy were there in great force. I ordered them to hold their position. They did so, and soon had the pleasure of seeing the whole

M. Ur XIV] OPERATIONS IN CHEAT MOUNTAIN, W. VA.

force of the enemy take to their heels, throwing aside guns, clothing, and everything that impeded their progress. In the mean time I had detailed a guard of 90 men to be sent forward to relieve Captain Coons, of the Fourteenth Indiana, who had been stationed as a picket on the path between Elk Water Camp and my own. This detail was from the Fourteenth Indiana, Twenty-fourth Ohio, and Twenty-fifth Ohio, under Captain Higgins, Lieutenants Green and Wood. They had proceeded about 2 miles from the point of first attack when they met the Tennes-. see brigade, gave them battle, and drove them back. Captain Coons, of the Fourteenth Indiana, had met this same force earlier in the morning and undertook to resist them, and did so until driven back. He then came in their rear whilst. they were engaged with the command under Captain Higgins, Company O, Twenty-fourth Ohio, Lieutenant Green, of the Fourteenth Indiana, and Lieutenant Wood, of the Twentyfifth Ohio.

At this juncture I was informed that the enemy was moving in my front above the hill east of my camp, where we have usually had a – picket station, which point was occupied by Lieutenant Junod, Company E, Fourteenth Indiana. The enemy surrounded Junod’s command, consisting of 35 men, with a force 500 strong, and killed Lieutenant Junod and 1 private. The others have all come into camp. Isoon found that Captains Brooks and Williamson were driving the enemy to my right flank. I then dispatched two companies, one from the Fourteenth Indiana, Company A, Captain Foote, and one from the Twenty-fourth Ohio, Captain —, up Cheat River, to cut off the enemy’s retreat. My captains met the enemy 2 miles above the bridge, scattering them and killing several, capturing 2 prisoners, and retaking one of the wagoners taken early in the morning. The enemy’s force on my right flank consisted of the Twenty-fifth Virginia, Colonel Heck, Twentythird, Thirty-first, and Thirty-seventh, and also one battalion of VirE. ginians, under command of Colonel Taliaferro. The force which met

Captain Higgins and Lieutenants Green and Wood consisted of the First Tennessee, Col. George Maney; the Seventh Tennessee, Col. R. Hatton; the Fourteenth Tennessee, Colonel Forbes, mustering in all 3,000, commanded by General Anderson. The aggregate of the enemy’s force was near 5,500; ours, which engaged and repulsed them, was less than 300. We killed near 100 of the enemy, and wounded a greater number, and have 13 prisoners. We recaptured all our teamsters and others whom the enemy had captured in the morning. We have lost a few noble fellows killed, among whom is Lieutenant Junod, Company E, Fourteenth Indiana. I append a list of killed, wounded, and missing of my command.*

General, I think my men have done wonders, and ask God to bless them.

The woods are literally covered with the baggage, coats, and haversacks, &c., of the enemy. Though almost naked, my command are ready to move forward.

Your obedient servant, NATHAN KIMBALL,