Unknown to William C. Scott, March 6, 1862

Col. WiLLIAM C. Scott, Forty-fourth Regiment Virginia Volunteers :

CoLONEL: Your letter, dated Powhatan Court-House, February 28, requesting me to state in my reply what occurred while I was with you on the 11th day of July last in relation to the Rich Mountain fight, has just been received, and I hasten to reply. I was sent out with a squad of six men by Captain De Lagnel, who commanded our forces engaged in the fight, to bring up some cavalry that he had fired on through

is ns Js ) = a iid \ mistake. In going down the turnpike I unexpectedly mét with your regiment drawn up in the road about a mile and a half from Beverly. I told you your regiment was needed at the battle which was then going on; that the enemy to the numberof four or five thousand had gotten around Colonel Pegram’s left flank, and were engaged with a few hundred of our men about a mile and a half in the rear of Colonel Pegram’s camp; that the enemy were on the left, and our men in and on the right of the turnpike as you would approach the camp; that our men had but one piece of artillery. You asked me if I would go with you and act as guide. Iconsented. You instantly put your regiment in motion in double-quick time, I remonstrated; told you we had to go between four and five miles up the mountain before we would reach the battlefield, and if the men traveled at that rate they would not be fit to fight when they got there. You then brought them down to quick time.

In going up the mountain we met with several men on horseback who had been in the battle; one, I recollect, of my company, who had been shot through the foot, and another whose coat had been shot across the shoulders. The latter told us that he was aid to Colonel Pegram, and that Colonel Pegram had been killed. Some of these men turned back and went with us part of the way up the mountain, but they all disappeared before your regiment stopped. On our way up I informed you of the death ot Hughes, and you requested me not to mention it to your men, as it might dampen their spirit. When we arrived within about a mile of the battle the firing ceased, and in a few moments a loud huzza was heard coming from the position our forces had occupied when I left them, You asked me what that huzza meant. I told you that I was fearfui the Yankees had driven our men from the field and captured our artillery, for the shout came from about the place where our artillery and fortifications stood, You continued your march to within half a mile of the battle-ground, when Lintormed you that it was unsafe to go farther; that you could not with one regiment encounter successfully four or five thousand of the enemy, with the advantage of position, fortifications, and a piece of artillery. You halted your regiment; you and I dismounted, and in company with some of your officers passed around a turn in the road that we might see, if possible, how things stood at the pass on top of the mountain, when we did see more men, as I told you at the time, exulting and shouting, than Colonel Pegram had in his entire command.

You were yet unwilling to go back, but requested me either to go myself or to send some of my men to reconnoiter. I told you I would not go, nor should any of my men go, for I was perfectly satisfied as to how things stood. A young man named Lipford, of your regiment, stepped forward and proposed to goif he could get a pistol and horse. Thus equipped, he went off up the road, but in a very short time we heard the shout from many voices, ” Halt, shoot him,” and the firing of several guns, and then another loud huzza. It being now plain that the enemy had either killed or taken Lipford prisoner, you were satisfied that I was right, and that the enemy did have possession of the field. You appearing still unwilling to go back, some of your officers suggested that as the enemy’s pickets could plainly be seen around the fields on each side of the road in which we stood, if you went forward the enemy would receive you in ambuscade, whereas if you went back they would probably follow, and then you could take them in ambuscade. This suggestion being approved by all of us who expressed any opinion, you marched your regiment down the mountain, leaving men in the rear to give you information of the approach of the enemy. In going down information was brought you that the enemy were in pursuit, when you put your men in position to receive them. After remaining there some time, and the alarm proving false, and all being quiet on the mountain, you returned to Beverly.

Had the firing been renewed, I know it was your intention to have returned to the battle. Shortly after arriving in Beverly you had a private conference in a room in the hotel with Judge Camden and Mr. Berlin. During the conference I consulted you on the propriety of removing the military stores from Beverly, when you gave the order that ao wagon that could be obtained should be filled with them, and all the prisoners should be taken out of jail and put under a guard of your regiment; all of which was accordingly done. I and my company were with you during your retreat as far as Greenbrier River, and acted as scouts, and am free to say that the retreat was conducted in good order, both by yourself and regiment—the men, wornoat by continued marching, in the rear, guarding prisoners and train. During the whole affair you conducted yourself with coolness and firmness becoming an officer.

JAMES COCHRANE, Lieutenant, Churchville Cavalry.

Some of those we met in going up the mountain estimated the enemy at from eight to ten thousand, and it turns out that I acted wisely in not making an attack upon the enemy when I went up the mountain. Colonel Pegram estimates the number of the enemy engaged in the fight at three thousand. I have no doubt they told him so in Beverly,

280 -—-—sSOOPERATIONS I. N. M. D., P. A., V. A., AND W. V. A. –

but I have as little doubt they underrated their strength. Colonel ‘

Pegram ‘did not see the enemy engaged after the fight, and therefore

had no means of forming a correct estimate for himself. Lieut. C. W. —

Statham, who commanded our artillery in the fight, and who was wounded and taken prisoner on the field, and who did have an opportunity of judging for himself, and others who were taken prisoners, have informed me that the enemy had six regiments engaged, under General Rosecrans, on that occasion. As it is said that Northern regiments are composed of twelve hundred men each, it is fair to presume that the six regiments, after making all allowances for sickness, &c., numbered at least five thousand or six thousand men. According to the estimate of my adjutant, I had with me on that day five hundred and seventy. What chance I would have stood with that number, without artillery, in an attack on five or six thousand men, or even three thousand, flushed with victory, with choice of position, and in possession of artillery and fortifications, every one can decide for himself. Every officer and, I believe, every man in my regiment approved of the course I pursued, and subsequent reflection has only confirmed my conviction that I acted wisely.

It may be said that I should have renewed the attack, with the expectation that I would be re-enforced from the fort. I had heard from

one who said his name.was Bacon, and who styled himself Colonel.

Pegram’s aid, and who therefore ought to have known that Colonel Pegram was killed before he (the aide) left the fight, and I concluded if his command in the camp would not or could not re-enforce a portion of their own men when engaged in the fight, and whom they knew needed their assistance, I had no reason to believe they would re-enforce me, when they did not know whether I needed their assistance or not. I believed the battle to be over, as far as Colonel Pegram’s command was concerned. Had the fight, however, been renewed by any of them, I should unquestionably have gone to their assistance, and so expressed myself at the time.

It is especially unbecoming in that portion of Colonel Pegram’s command who remained in the camp, and who took no part in the fight, to find fault with me, as I understand some of them have done, for not quitting my position earlier, or not renewing the attack after 1 went up the mountain. They knew, or had an opportunity of knowing, that the enemy in large force had come around Colonel Pegram’s left flank, and were engaged with a small number of their own men, who needed their assistance. J knew none of these facts until the moment I started up the mountain, nor whether our men who were engaged needed my assistance or not. If they say they could not leave their posts without disobeying orders, I say I could not leave my post, where I was informed I was wanted, to go to a place where I did not know whether I was wanted or not, without equally disobeying orders. If they sent no messenger to Colonel Pegram, I did send a messenger to him, to know whether my presence was wanted or not. If they say they could not leave their post because they expected the enemy in front, I say I could not leave my post because I expected the enemy by the right flank, by a road along which I was informed by the commanding officer it was almost certain they were coming. If they say that with one thousand two hundred men (for they did not lose one hundred in the fight), with artillery, they were too weak to renew the fight with so numerous an enemy to cut their way out, I say Iwas too weak with less than half that number, without artillery, to cut my way in.

It has been said that I should have gone to the assistance of Colonel _ Cnar, TX) – ne CAMPAIGN IN WEST Virginia.

Petar, I did go to his assistance at the very time, at the very place, and in the very manner requested by him and ordered by General Garnett. If that time, place, and manner were not the right time, place, and manner, it was not my fault.

_It has been said that Hughes was drunk when I sent him to Colonel Pegram. This, in my opinion, and in the opinion of those of my regiment with whom I haye conversed on the subject, is a foul slander on a gallant man and a patriot, who lost his life in serving his country. If Hughes had been drinking at all, I did not perceive it in his appearance, manner, or conduct.

It is proper I should notice the following order, which I received from General Garnett some time during the day on which the fight took place:

W. A., Camp at Laurel Hill, July 11, 1861. Coloxel Scort,

Commanding Regiment en route to Laure Hill:

Coronet: General Garnett directs that you take your position high up on the road indicated by Colonel Pegram, secrete your men, and cut down trees to block up the road in front of you. If you are forced back, block up the road as you go and defend every Inch of it.

By oider of General Garnett:

rs JAMES L. CORLEY, Captain, C. 8. A., Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

If as have not axes enough to block up the road with, send down to Beverly for them.

The road to which that order refers is the county road I was ordered to guard. Candor compels me to say that I do not recollect distinctly the time at which that order was received. I know it was not received before I sent Hughes as a messenger to Colonel Pegram. I am satisfied it was received after Lieutenant Cochrane came to me from the mountsin, and I believe I received it after I returned from the mountain and jeached Beverly. If I received it after I sent Hughes to Colonel Pegram, and before I went up the mountain, I doubtless did not obey ii, because I was anxious to hear from Colonel Pegram; and to go high up the county road and secrete my men would place it out of my power t¢ reach him in time to render him any assistance in case he-should reare est my presence on the mountain. If I received it, as I am satisfied

I lid, after Lieutenant Cochrane came to me, I did not obey it, because ! lad ascertained from that officer and his men that the enemy would no\ come along that road, as they had already come around Colonel Pejram’s left flank. But whenever received, it made but little or no imjression upon me, as I deemed it folly to be executed at that time. My lecided impression is, however, that I received it after my return to Ipverly, and late in the evening, while annoyed by a crowd.

M, retreat— Why I did not fortify Cheat Mountain, &ce.—On arriving at Byerly I was immediately surrounded by a crowd of citizens and othes. Seeing among them Mr. George W. Berlin, with whom I had ‘gages 8 in the Convention, and Judge Camden, a member of the Fovisional Congress, I requested an interview with ‘them i in a private bom in the hotel. During that interview Lieutenant Cochrane

consulted me on the propriety “of removing quartermaster and commissazt stores from Beverly, and I ordered him to get all the wagons that cald be procured and fill them with those stores, and take out of – jail soje twenty prisoners and place them under a guard of my regiment. { consulted Mr. Berlin and Judge Camden as to the course I

should jursue, and our interview ended by my determination to go to.

Laurel Jill with,my regiment that night; but on going into the street a7 mae gl . +,

SO a ul te IO Pitan i ate & 282 OPERATIONS IN M. D., P. A. V. A.,/AND W. V. A. (Cmr.Ix

ner mere

in which I left my regiment I found it had gone towards Huttonsville, the opposite direction to that of Laurel Hill, some one having informed my lieutenant-colonel iti was my wish he should gothat way. I mounted my horse, dashed off at a rapid rate, and overtook it between one and two miles from Beverly, and turned it back in the direction of Laurel Hill; but on reaching Beverly I saw two men, who informed me that they were just from Laurel Hill, that General Garnett himself was on the retreat, and that he had ordered his tents to be struck for that purpose before they left his camp. This changed my programme. I saw no use in going to General Garnett, as I would only serve to encumber his retreat. I therefore determined to retreat myself, and accordingly left Beverly, I suppose, between 10 and 11 o’clock that night.

The night was dark, rainy, and dismal; the roads were muddy. My wagons, with those loaded with our quartermaster and commissary stores, munitions of war, &c., constituted a train one, two, or three miles in length. .My regiment marched ,in the rear to protect them fron attack. When one stopped all behind it stopped, and my regimentalso; consequently my progress was slow. After getting about two or three miles from Beverly I was overtaken by a messenger from General Garnett with the following order, which I read by the lantern whieh the guard carried with the prisoners: