W. M. S. Smith to Joseph A. J. Lightburn, November 18, 1861

== SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my regiment in the recent rout and pursuit of Floyd’s forces: On the 6th instant, at 4.30 o’clock p. m., we crossed the Kanawha River, together with the remaining portion of the First Provisional Brigade, under command of Brigadier-General Benham, and encamped — . pear the mouth of Loop Creek, where we remained until the morning — — of the 12th instant. We then marched up the left bank of the Kanawha River to Montgomery’s Ferry, and thence by the Fayette road over Cotton Hill to a point near the crossing of Laurel Creek, my regiment leading the column. While the command was yet upon the eastern declivity of Cotton Hill a halt was ordered by General Benham, and Captain Carey’s com- — pany of the Twelfth Ohio and Captain Beach’s company of the Thirteenth Ohio were ordered to make a reconnaissance of the Laurel Creek ravine just in advance of us and through which our road lay for the distance of about half a mile. These companies had but fairly entered the ravine when they came upon a strong outpost of the enemy lying in ambush. A sharp skirmish ensued, our men instantly taking cover and returning the fire of the enemy, which was poured in upon them at short range. Both officers and men behaved with great coolness

y -— and intrepidity, driving the enemy steadily before them until he was strongly re-enforced, when General Benham, after having ordered à detachment of the Thirty-seventh Regiment forward to support Captain Beach, ordered our skirmishers to retire, and sent my regiment forward to scour the woods and bring off the wounded. In this skirmish John Remley, of Company A, Thirteenth Regiment, was killed, and John . Heister, of the same company, was very severely wounded. Several of the enemy were seen to fall,and one of them was found dead upon the field the following day, not carried off, after having been dragged a long distance.

The night of the 12th we bivouacked on Cotton Hill, and on the morning of the 13th moved forward toward Fayette. After proceeding about .

and then marched forward again through Fayette, continuing our march until the moon set, about 3 o’clock a. m., when we halted at a point 5 miles beyond Fayette, in the direction of Raleigh. Here we rested until about 6 a. m. (14th), and then moved forward again, keeping our skirmishers well out on both flanks. We had proceeded but about 4 miles when my skirmishing company, under command of Captain Gardner, came suddenly upon a scouting party of the enemy’s cavalry, number- . ing 40 men. A sharp skirmish ensued, during which Col. St. George Croghan was mortally wounded. -Several of his men, as he stated, were also wounded, though they escaped, leaving their horses to the number of five. The colonel was left at a farm house by his men and treated with the utmost kindness by our assistant surgeon, Dr. Chase, up to near the time of his death, which took place at 2 o’clock p. m.

After this skirmish we moved forward and came upon the enemy in force near McCoy’s Mill, where the firing became so sharp, that our forces were immediately disposed for battle. Companies A, D, F, and I, of – my regiment, were immediately thrown well to the front as skirmishers and put under cover. The remainder of my regiment was thrown behind the erest.of a hill to the left of the road. When these dispositions had been made, different regiments of the enemy were seen to be retreating over the distant hills, and a body of cavalry, apparently 400 strong, was seen winding around the base of a hill about 1 mile distant. Iimmediately put one of my two rifled cannons, under the command of Captain Schneider, in a position from which we had an enfilading fire upon the road, and opened upon the enemy’s cavalry, throwing them into the utmost confusion and putting them to flight. At the first discharge from the rifled gun the enemy’s skirmishers broke from their – cover and ran, taking the fire of the four companies constituting our advance as they went. Here, again, several were seen to fall, and. in their precipitate retreat they threw away their guns and equipments, which we found strewn in every direction on the field. The enemy seemed thoroughly demoralized and thoughtful only of a safe retreat.

Our officers and men behaved with the greatest coolness and courage, their obedience to orders and the accuracy of their aim eliciting my highest admiration.* As the enemy ran we pursued, following him as

* In separate letters Colonel Smith specially notices the gallantry of Capts. Albert F. Beach and Isaac R. Gardner’and Private Robert K. Siez. A T ;

ee . KANAWHA AND NEW RIVER, W.VA.

LA ) ; far as the Blake farm, which we reached at 4 o’clock p. m. Here a halt

` was ordered, as our men were exceedingly weary, and it was ascertained

that the enemy were so far ahead of us as to render it impossible to overtake him again before nightfall. We were moreover with short rations, . and were informed that none could come forward for us that night.

At about 2 o’clock a. m. (15th) we started on our return, and reached

Fayette at 3 o’clock p. m. The following day (16th) we returned to.

this camp, having been exposed to ten days of such hardships as men 7 are rarely called upon to endure, but exultant that it had been our

privilege to give the last chase from the valley of the Kanawha to ‘

the very troops which first fled before us from Ripley before the advance of our troops up the vailey, and having driven General Floyd and his forces nearly 40 miles from his position in sight of the headquarters of this department of our army.

Very respectfully submitted.