Our Northern summary.
the late fight in Western Virginia--the late affair on the North Carolina coast — affairs in New York, Philadelphia and Maryland, &c.
An examination of our Northern papers affords us the opportunity of presenting to the readers of the Dispatch this morning a condensation of the latest news transpiring within the regions of the Federal dynasty.--As a matter of course every account published in the Northern papers of engagements between our brave troops and the minions of Lincoln will be magnified into brilliant Federal triumphs, and therefore whatever may be clipped from them in regard to recent battles, is done more with the view of showing the progress they are making in lying than of conveying any actual facts in connection therewith.
From Western Virginia.
The Cincinnati Times, a paper strong in the faith of Lincolnism, publishes a letter from the Federal camp in Western Virginia, which somewhat differs from the generality of letters written on that side of the subject, inasmuch as it does not hesitate to reflect with some severity on their crack General Rosenkranz, and candidly confesses the superiority of Gen. Floyd over him in a military point of view. It is somewhat refreshing to meet with these cases in the desert, as it were, and we therefore lay it before our readers in full the enemy's account of the recent Engagement in the Kanawha Floyd Acknowledge to be Rosencranz's superior.Calle Braham. Oct., 03, 1861.
In my last you were informed of an expected battle between our forces, under command of Gen. Rosencranz's, and those of the rebels, under Gen. Lee. Roseners marched with his forces, some 7,000 strong, toward Camp Lookout, where his advance guard drove in the enemy's pickets. He afterwards followed up as far as Sewell Mountain a few miles from where General Lee cut his entire force--18,000 men strongly entrenched and fortified. Both the armies cot see each other mainly from their camping grounds — They both stood menacing each other for several days, when, finally Gen. Rosencranz came to the serious conclusion he must fall back on Camp Lookout or Gauley,--Therefore the First Brigade, Gen. Benhafats, which consisted only of the Tenn Regiment, Maj. Burke commanding were back; the twelfth being at Camp Lookout, and the Thirteenth at Gauley. The boys of the Tenth were terribly mortified when ordered back; I never in my life saw men more eager or anxious for a fight than they were.
This fight will not be easily forgotten by them, indeed, it was one of the most foolish movement Gen. did over since his advent into Western Virginia, and, if I mistake not, it was all caused by the inactivity and blundering of Gen. Cox and a few others of the same like. They represented things in a manner that led General Rosencranz to believe that a victory would be easily achieved.--When our army came within ten miles of Camp Sewell, the roads were almost impassable, so much so that some of the wagons and ambulances were broken to atoms: To a cosmopolitan journalist, the menacing attitude of both armies would indeed, be a glorious sight. There stood the Southern troops on Little Suwell grant like in form, while our troops stood looking on with amazement, full of chagrin and disappointment.
It was indeed, one of the most foolish, as well as one of the most flattened-out, expeditions that could possibly happen an army, and it is no wonder that the men felt miserable. And I am surprised General Rosencranz did not see into it before he started. Had he looked matter straight in the face, as a General should, be would have saved the Government an enormous expense, the hospital from hundreds of soldiers, and soldiers from it humor. The fact of the matter is:--Carnifax Ferry, about which so much has been said and written, turns out, more to our cost, a great blunder and a sad mistake; and, instead of heaping opprobrious epithets on Floyd calling him coward, he has in the end turned out to be Rosencranz's superior as an officer and General. He cut manœuvred him in every way and in every sense of the word. We now find him one of our most formidable opponents at Little Sewell; whereas, if Gen. Benham's plans were followed out at Carnifax Ferry he would be strongly confined in our penitentiary at Columbus, together with his whole brigade.--Thousands of men and million of dollars have yet to be expended before the Government gains the advantage Gen. Rosencranz gained but lost at Caounttax Ferry.
Capt. Hudson, of Company C. Tenth regiment, and forty men, were detailed by Major Rerke to reconnoitre the position and strength of the enemy at Sewell Mountain on the 4th. They took a detour of twelve miles, and came in the rear of Gen. Wise's position, where he found a series of formidable earthworks and a line of camps extending a distance of about five miles. He crept through the underbrush to within the distance of about fifty yards of their camp ground. --He stats there until dusk, when, according to order, he made the best of his way back to headquarters, where he reported what turned out afterwards to be of the greatest consequence to our army. Too much credit cannot be given to Capt. Hudson for his discretion and valor in this instance, as well as on many former occasions.
The condition of the soldiers of this division is appalling. There must be at least one thousand five hundred men in different hospitals, and in some of the hospitals they are shamefully neglected. At Cross Lanes there were two hundred and eleven men in hospital, and for two days prior to my arrival there, the men had not one particle of sugar, and had to lay, during that terrific flood in a miserable sop of straw, with nothing but a miserable canvas to screen them from the rains; and in many instances, I found as many as ten and fifteen sick men in one of those miserable excuses. This news will surprise many, yet it is true. Where does the blame lie?
The Generals say it is not their fault; then who is to blame? While at Gauley Bridge, Surgeon Menzies took me to visit the hospitals at that place, and I must here confess that I never felt so much shocked in all my life for there were men in the last agonies, suffering from cold and exposure. They had no blankets when I arrived there, but Dr. Menzies rode back immediately to the Quartermaster and it was with great difficulty he could obtain one hundred single blankets to protect from the inclemency of the weather two hundred men. Then the floors, walls, beds, and clothing of the men in these hospitals and tents present a most terrible and disgusting sight from the vermin which can be seen crawling and creeping along the whole place. Not a book or corner can escape the ermin.
It is indeed lamentable that our Government would so far forget the obligation it owns the brave men who flew voluntarily to arms when its rights were invaded, its dignity and peace threatened by a conspiracy which the civilized world now looks upon as almost triumphant. In connection with this, I must state that the surgeons are not at all to blame in this matter as they have no facilities whatever by which they can alleviate the condition of the sick and wounded. Dr. Menzies is, indeed, indefatigable in his labors to help and ameliorate the condition of the army, so is Dr. Muscroff, of the Tenth.--Nothing is left undone by these men. Dr. Shumard, Brigade Surgeon of the First Brigade, has been unceasing in his efforts to do everything in his power toward helping and even rendering assistance to the sick and wounded.
The only brigade in the whole division whose wants are promptly attended to is the First. Gen. Benham's. Himself and staff. Captains Stanage, Atkinson, and Hawkes, are untiring in their efforts. Major Burke, of the Tenth, to his credit be it said has the most healthy regiment, except the Fifth Ohio, that I have seen during my sojourn in Western Virginia.
The day previous to our fall back on Mountain Cave towards Gauley, the Tenth struck tents at 6 P. M. and at 7½ the whole baggage and tents of the "Bloody Tenth" were on the move. At 8½ P.M. the same night, Gen. Benham received orders from Rosencranz to halt. Consequently, the men of the Tenth had to remain all that night with nothing but the canopy of heaven to screen them, and had to march twenty-two miles without food, as all their rations were sent along before them on the wagons. With such treatment, it is impossible for men to feel healthy or comfortable.
