Extract Of A Letter From The 75th Regiment

On the 12th inst. a messenger from Gen. Millroy, at Montery [sic], came to the 75th, encamped at Crab bottom, 6 miles out, ordering them up immediately. We received the order a little after 5 o’clock A. M., arrived at Monterey a little before 9 A. M., and about 10 our pickets began to fire rapidly. Two companies of the 75th, viz: D, Capt. Metcalf, and G, Capt. Swope, were ordered forward. They went up the mountain on [Staunton] pike in double quick time, met the enemy coming deployed as skirmishers and opened upon them. They had driven in our pickets some distance. Capt. Metcalf and his men behaved nobly, and actually drove back the rebels before other companies which were also sent forward could get there. One of our pickets who was so closely chased as to be compelled to hide behind some logs says the rebels had a regiment of infantry, two squadrons of cavalry, and two cannon, and that it took them ½ an hour to pan him. Two of Capt. Metcalf’s men were wounded, viz: Amos Dowler, in the shoulder, (no bone broken) doing well; Samuel McDonald, in the leg, amputated above the knee; doubt his recovery. No one else hurt in our regiment. On of the Virginia Cavalry was wounded in the leg, but not badly. A negro just in from McDowell (where the rebels were encamped) says they came back through that place in a hurry, and have gone to the top of the mountain beyond that place, that they had 5 cannon with them, and when they came down they said they intended to drive the d----d Yankees back to Ohio. We hope they may always drive them just that way. We have force sufficient to hold this place and will soon have enough to go on to [Staunton].

– Published in The Athens Messenger, Athens, Ohio, Thursday, April 24, 1862, p. 2