enemy fled in great confusion, leaving over one hundred of their dead and wounded on the field. We captured four pieces of artillery, three hundred stand of arms and one hundred prisonersthe Forty-fourth capturing their battery, and the Thirty-sixth advancing under the heaviest fire.

abundance, and $300,000 worth of quartermaster fire-a movement that veteran troops find very and commissary stores; also, two locomotives and difficult to make. They then advanced in good three passenger and fifty tonnage cars. order, driving the rebels before them, dealing These facts are reliable, and you may rest as-death to and destruction as they went, until the sured thereof, as I will write you nothing but what I know to be true. We slept on the bare ground that night, and the next morning, very early, were off at a tangent for somewhere on the Winchester road. On our way to Middletown the road was often crowded with prisoners, wagons and horses, which our cavalry had captured, and The result fully justifies the high standard were conveying to the rear. When last heard these regiments were expected to maintain. To from we had fifteen hundred prisoners at Front make particular mention would be invidious, since Royal. Banks, who was at Strasburgh when he they behaved so nobly. The artillery, by a misheard of our doings, cut stick and broke for Win-understanding, was not brought into action. The chester in hot haste; but we cut his force in twain Second Virginia cavalry being held in reserve, at Middletown, sending Taylor's brigade (Ewell's had the most difficult part to perform, that of bedivision) after the Strasburgh wing, who captured ing exposed to the enemy's fire without being many of them and demoralized the rest, and we able to participate. The Medical and Quarterhurried on swiftly after Banks down the valley. master's Departments deserve great credit for Every few hundred yards we passed one of his their energy and zeal in carrying the wounded wagons, left upset, or broken, or teamless, full of and dead from the field. The surgeons and baggage, stores, etc., till just this side of New- assistant-surgeons deserve particular mention town, after checking us awhile with artillery, he for their skill and unfaltering attention to the burned up thirty of the trains, and then the rout wounded. Col. GEORGE CROOK, and flight became beautiful and exciting beyond Commanding Brigade. degree. Prisoners were brought back by scores and hundreds, and then you ought to have heard the boys yell and make the old woods ring with uproarious joy. Three miles beyond Winchester yesterday morning, the enemy made a stand, and the fight began about six o'clock A.M.; in two hours we drove him pell-mell, helter-skelter off the field, and through the town towards Martins-army on a new victory in this department, won burgh. Our loss is very trifling. I think fifty the superior numbers of the enemy. by the skill and bravery of our soldiers against will cover our dead, and one hundred and fifty our wounded.

The enemy had, soon after the fight opened, set fire to the dépôt in Winchester, and destroyed all of his stores, and some say he ordered the town to be fired. At all events, some houses were set on fire, but the citizens extinguished it before great damage was done. Banks is now at or beyond Martinsburgh, with our cavalry and some of our men still in pursuit. Our present expedition is a complete success. There are at least one thousand two hundred prisoners already in Winchester, and squads continually being taken to swell the number. We are all in the highest spirits and enjoy ourselves hugely. -Lynchburgh Republican.

GENERAL FREMONT'S ORDER.

FRANKLIN, VA., May 24. The following circular was issued from headquarters this morning:

The General Commanding congratulates the

The Third brigade of Gen. Cox's division, commanded by Col. Crook, was attacked yesterday morning at Lewisburgh, by Gen. Heath, with three thousand men, and after a lively engage ment the enemy were routed and fled in confusion. Col. Crook captured four cannon, two hundred stand of arms, and one hundred prisoners. Our loss was ten killed and forty wounded.

The results of this victory will be important. The General Commanding is confident that the forces now under his immediate command but lack the opportunity to emulate the gallantry and share the glory of their comrades of the army of the Kanawha.

This circular will be read at the head of every regiment or separate corps in this army. By Major-General FREMONT.

order of

ALBERT TRACY,

Colonel, and Assistant Adjutant-General.

CINCINNATI "COMMERCIAL" ACCOUNT.

CAMP THIRD PROVISIONAL BRIGADE,

MEADOW BLUFF, WESTERN VIRGINIA, June 8, 1962.}

A battle was fought at Lewisburgh on the twenty-third of May, between the Thirty-sixth and Forty-fourth Ohio regiments, under command of Col. George Crook, Acting BrigadierGeneral, and three thousand rebel troops, under Gen. Heath. Without doubt, it was the most brilliant and complete victory ever won in Western Virginia, and it is quite unjust to the brave

Buckeye boys engaged, and to their many loving friends at home, that no notice whatever has been taken of the gallant affair.

had formed its line of battle, it marched up a steep pitch, almost a ledge; and arriving at the top, where the slope became more gentle, receivGen. Heath came up with great rapidity and ed the fire from the foe, drawn up in line waiting boldness, driving in our pickets, which were to receive us. The battle at once became genthree miles distant at Greenbrier Bridge, and eral, and the firing was hot and incessant. The took a very strong position on a high ridge which Thirty-sixth never broke its line of battle, but commanded the town of Lewisburgh, and also moved firmly, and at times rapidly, forward in our camp, which was on a hill just north of the the open field. The enemy slowly yielded, yet town. On the alarm being given by our pickets, disputed desperately every inch of ground. They company G, of the Thirty-sixth, and company took advantage of every fence, and from behind D, of the Forty-fourth, were sent out to investi- their fancied cover fired rapidly and bravely. By gate the nature of the alarm, and to check any these fences their killed and wounded lay thick. force that might approach; but they were met a Neither their bravery nor old Virginia pride could mile out by Gen. Heath's whole force, as they resist the steady onward movement of the Thirtywere forming their line of battle on the ridge. sixth. After being driven steadily back nearly They received a heavy fire, and fell back before half a mile, to the summit of the ridge, they at the overwhelming numbers of the enemy. The last broke and fled in utter rout. The Thirtyrebel guns were promptly put in position, and sixth lost in killed, five, and forty-one wounded, shells were at once thrown into our camp. We two of whom were mortally wounded, and died could see a large force deploying on Gen. Heath's that night. Col. Crook, of the Thirty-sixth, beright and left; but, nothing intimidated, Col.ing in command of the brigade, Lieut.-Col. Clark Crook ordered the Thirty-sixth to march to at- commanded the regiment during the action. Matack his right, and the Forty-fourth his left. jor Andrews was in his place on the field. Both This forming in line of battle, under fire, might of these officers exhibited great coolness and well try veteran troops; but none of our brave courage; and it was greatly owing to them that men flinched. One man in the Forty-fourth was the Thirty-sixth regiment behaved so nobly. killed by a shell, in the ranks, as they were leaving the camp. That regiment moved gallantly on to meet Gen. Heath's left wing, by this time advanced to a wooded knoll on the outskirts of the town. Col. Gilbert ordered all to reserve their fire until they were within about forty yards of the enemy's line, when they and their foes belched forth their volleys at the same time. The next volley from the Forty-fourth completely broke the enemy's line, and while a few still fought from whatever cover they could find, they could not rally to resist so cool and determined a foe. So rapid was the onward march of the Forty-fourth, that the enemy could not find time to remove their cannon. A well-directed volley from one or two companies, killed and wounded so many of their artillerymen, that there was soon no one to remove the guns, and thus four fine pieces, two of them rifled, and all that Gen. Heath brought upon the field, were gloriously won by the Forty-fourth. After this they had only to fire as they could get a shot, upon the scattered fugitives. The Forty-fourth lost six killed and eleven wounded.

The field-officers of the Forty-fourth were Col. S. A. Gilbert, Lieut.-Col. H. Blair Wilson, and Major A. O. Mitchel, all of whom behaved with great bravery and coolness.

The loss of the enemy was one hundred and fifty killed and wounded, of whom sixty were killed, or have since died. A considerable number of the wounded were carried away. One hundred prisoners were taken, including Lieut.-Col. Finney, Major Edgar, of Edgar's battalion, several captains and lieutenants. Besides the loss of the field, their guns, their dead and wounded, and captured, and three hundred stand of arms, their army was greatly demoralized by the terrible discomfiture, and we have reliable information that one third of Gen. Heath's whole force has since deserted him. Our victory weakened him in this way at least a thousand men. These men, on their return to their homes here in Western Virginia, will be each a radiating centre of cowardice, and a missionary of submission. These people have a deep horror of personal danger. They are unprincipled enough to be guerrillas, where they can, from a safe covert, attack the unsuspecting; but such square, open fighting as we gave them on the morning of the twenty-third, appalls them fearfully.

Gen. Heath confessed his defeat by at once burning the Greenbrier Bridge as soon as he had passed it with his fugitives. Had the ground been favorable for a cavalry pursuit, we should have taken many more prisoners before they could cross the bridge.

By a misunderstanding of orders, the battery of the brigade, under Lieut. Durbeck, of the Forty-seventh regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, was not brought into the action at all; neither was the battalion of the Second Virginia cavalry, under Col. Bolles, brought into the action.

No less gallantly moved the Thirty-sixth to the attack of Gen. Heath's right wing. They had to meet the Twenty-second Virginia regiment, an old regiment, organized a year ago in the Kanawha valley, and containing the elite rebels of that region. They had met Gen. Cox at Scarey, Col. Tyler at Cross Lanes, Gen. Rosecrans at Carnifex and at Cotton Hill, and lately, General Col. Crook received a slight wound in the foot. Cox at Giles Court-House; and boasted that they He went bravely into the action, and was where had never yet been defeated. The regiment was the balls flew the thickest. Ohio has never sent large, and very confident. After the Thirty-sixthout a truer and better soldier. A graduate of

West-Point, an officer in the regular army, he
has, during the long winter, drilled and disci-
plined in the most faithful and thorough manner
the Thirty-sixth regiment, and he cannot but be
gratified, and even exultant, that his officers and
men, in their maiden battle, should fight so mag-
nificently. Col. Gilbert is equally proud of his
regiment, the Forty-fourth. Why should not
such a brave, thorough, and accomplished officer
as Col. Crook, be made a real instead of a nom-
inal Brigadier?
Yours, WARWICK.

NEW-YORK "TRIBUNE" ACCOUNT.

They declared that they would be in possession of Lewisburgh in half an hour. They fought bravely, but, notwithstanding the advantages of position and the cover of high, large rail-fences, could not stand the rapid advance of the Thirty sixth. The Thirty-sixth never broke its firm line of battle. In about fifteen minutes the Twenty-second Virginia was driven back over the brow of the hill, and completely routed. Gen. Heth's retreat was much more precipitate than his impertinent advance, and he at once burned the large Greenbrier bridge behind him, to prevent our pursuit.

LEWISBURGH, GREENBRIER COUNTY, Our before breakfast work sums up as follows: WESTERN VIRGINIA, May 24, 1862. Thirteen hundred Ohio Union boys formed their Two regiments, the Thirty-sixth and Forty- line of battle under fire, and utterly routed nearfourth Ohio infantry, of the Third provisional ly three thousand of the enemy, under Gen. Heth, brigade, under command of Col. George Crook, a regular military man, a graduate of West-Point, had a battle at this place yesterday morning with and a General who stood high in the confederate a considerable rebel force, under command of service, killed fifty of the enemy, wounded sevenBrig.-Gen. Heth. We were encamped on a hill ty-five, took one hundred prisoners, including north of the town. General Heth, by a forced Lieut.-Col. Finney, commanding the Fiftieth Virmarch, came from Union, Monroe County, and ginia regiment, Major Edgar of Edgar's battalion, drove in our pickets at Greenbrier Bridge, three a surgeon, several captains and lieutenants, four miles south, and rapidly followed them up with field-officers, all the enemy brought upon the his whole force, which consisted of the famous field, and three hundred stand of arms. How Twenty-second Virginia regiment, the Forty- many of the enemy's killed and wounded were seventh Virginia, Edgar's battalion, a part of the carried away by them is not known, doubtless a Fiftieth Virginia regiment, two companies of ar- considerable number, as a trail of blood was left tillery, and two companies of the notorious Jen- behind them. Had the ground been favorable kins's cavalry-in all, from two thousand five for a cavalry pursuit, we should have taken more hundred to three thousand men. Colonel Crook prisoners, although the rout could not have been sent out companies G of the Thirty-sixth and D made more complete. Our loss was eleven killed of the Forty-fourth to ascertain the force of the and fifty-two wounded, of which the Thirty-sixth enemy and check his advance, and meantime or-lost five killed and forty-one wounded, the Fortydered the regiments to form. The two advance companies drew the enemy's fire, but did not check his advance. Gen. Heth at once got some of his cannon in position, and occupied with his whole force a high hill commanding the town.

fourth six killed and eleven wounded. Four men of the Thirty-sixth, on picket at Greenbrier Bridge, were captured.

This was the maiden battle of the two regiments engaged. They are, however, believed to The Thirty-sixth and Forty-fourth were speed- be the best drilled regiments in the Mountain Deily formed in line of battle under the hill, the partment. Col. Crook of the Thirty-sixth regifirst on the left and the latter on the right, and ment is a regular West-Point graduate, and has began their firm and brave march upon the ene- taken unwearied pains with his regiment in my. We were protected in part by the hill from bringing it to a high degree of perfection in drill the balls and shells of the enemy's cannon, and discipline. He was quartered during the though several shells exploded in the air over winter at Summersville, Nicholas County, Westour heads, and one man of the Forty-fourth was ern Virginia, and there built a drill-house, seven killed. On rising the hill we were at once en-hundred feet long, and drilled his regiment daily, gaged with the enemy's infantry, who reserved and in all weather. He is now amply compentheir fire until we were within short range. On sated by the veteran-like manner in which his the right, the Forty-fourth, by two volleys, broke regiment moved forward and vanquished a greatly the rebel left, composed of the Forty-seventh Vir-superior force. The Forty-fourth, commanded by ginia, Edgar's battalion, and two companies of the Col. Gilbert, is also a well-disciplined and drilled Fiftieth Virginia. Once broken, the left could regiment, and deserve high honor for their part not rally, and the Forty-fourth soon captured their four guns, (two rifled six-pounders, one twelve-pounder, and one large field - howitzer,) and that part of the field was won.

On the left the Thirty-sixth met with a more stubborn resistance. The enemy (the Twentysecond Virginia) was organized in the Kanawha valley, and made up largely of the rebel elite of that region, and had been in several battles, Scarey Creek, Carnifex, Cotton Hill, and Giles Court-House, and boasted of its invincibility.

in this, the most signal victory ever won in Western Virginia. By a misunderstanding, the artillery connected with our brigade was not ordered forward in time to take part in the battle. Indeed, the enemy was routed by the infantry before there was time to make much use of our artillery against them.

Last week Col. Crook marched a part of his brigade some fifty miles south-east of Lewisburgh on the Stanton turnpike in search of an enemy, but found nore, and returned. Gen. Heth came

up from the south-west. I close by asking why
Col. Crook, who as acting Brigadier-General does
so well, should not be made a real Brigadier?
Yours, etc.,
A. B.

Doc. 45.

SKIRMISH NEAR COLD HARBOR.

NEW-YORK "HERALD" ACCOUNT.

COLD HARBOR, Va., May 24. THE most important skirmish that has occurred between our troops and the rebels in front of Richmond, took place this morning. Engaged on our side was the Fourth Michigan regiment, Colonel Woodbury, who fought for two hours with desperate and heroic courage an entire rebel brigade. We lost one man killed, two mortally wounded, and four seriously wounded, and did not lose a prisoner. The rebels lost one hundred killed and wounded, and thirty-seven prisoners. The following is a detailed account of the affair:

Intelligence having reached headquarters that quite a force of the enemy was near New-Bridge, the Fourth Michigan regiment, Col. Woodbury, was sent to feel them, and, if necessary, interrupt their quiet. The regiment left camp at seven A.M., their Colonel at their head, and all in splendid spirits at the prospect of a rencontre with the rebels. A secondary object of the expedition was to obtain information in regard to the roads and fords in the vicinity. Lieut. N. Bowen, of the Topographical Engineers, went with the expedition, as also a squadron of the Second regular cavalry, under command of Capt. Gordon; a company of the Fifth cavalry, Lieut. Coster; a company of the Eighteenth infantry, Capt. Forsyth, and a company of the Second infantry, Capt. McMillen. New-Bridge is four miles from the camp. They went down the main road about two miles, to what is called the Old Mill, and thence turned to the right through a piece of woods, keeping it till they came to an open field, commanding a view of the Chickahominy River.

the opposite bank of the river, kept up an incessant fire upon them. Fortunately the enemy's shots passed harmlessly over their heads; but the shooting did not dismay the men in the least. Lieutenant Bowen attempted to cross the stream with his horse, but the latter was shot under him before he had advanced a third of the way across. This prevented field-officers and the cavalry from attempting to ford the stream. All the companies but two passed the river. One of these remained behind to act as skirmishers in the wood on the right, and the other to keep an eye on the bridge and to the left beyond, to prevent being flanked on either side by the enemy.

As soon as our men crossed the river the work of firing commenced. Captain Rose's company discharged the first volley on our side. All the remaining companies had their muskets to their shoulders in double-quick time. The firing was brisk and continuous on both sides. The rebels had two pieces of artillery from which they hurled shells at our men, but the shells, like their volleys of musketry, passed over the heads of our men. Their cannon were planted on a hill beyond, while the infantry still kept position behind the fence, which, in addition to having an embankment as the base, in the style of old Virginia fences, had a deep and wide ditch in front. The shooting continued for nearly two hours. Our men drove the rebels behind the fence and their encampment at the left. They fled, leaving their dead and wounded behind them, taking refuge in encampments on the hill.

On our side the last shot was fired. It was not deemed prudent to pursue the retreating enemy. It was evident that they had mistaken our force, or else acted in retiring more intensely cowardly than we have ever thought them to be. They had four regiments engaged, Fourth and Fifth Louisiana regiments, a Virginia and an Alabama regiment, besides their artillery, while on our side there were actually only eight companies of the Fourth Michigan who did the fighting. Under the circumstances, of course, it was not deemed prudent to follow the foe.

The battle ended, then came the care of the killed and wounded. The following is a list of the killed and wounded on the National side:

KILLED.-Private Abel M. D. Piper, company B, shot through the heart.

A portion of company A, Fourth Michigan regiment, Capt. Rose, was here sent forward as skirmishers, and the remnant of the company kept as reserves. The regiment filed out of the wood by flank, and formed in line of battle very WOUNDED.-Privates Franklin Drake, company nearly parallel with the river, the left extending B, mortally; Wm. H. Chase, company C, moracross the main road. Here the rebels were seen tally, compound fracture of the thigh; George lying behind a fence across the river. The right E. Young, company D, flesh-wound in the arm; wing of Colonel Woodbury's regiment was order- Martin Brockway, company B, compound frac ed to cross the river, which at this point is about ture of fore-arm; Charles Bruner, company A, thirty feet wide. In the men plunged, all ac-flesh-wound in thigh; Charles Bunow, wounded coutred as they were, but contrived to keep in the mouth; Corporal John Campbell, comtheir muskets in condition to use. In some places the stream, which had been swollen by the rain during the night and morning, was so deep that the men were obliged to swim, and none got over without wading waist-deep in water. But this was not the worst. The enemy, who had lain concealed behind a fence close to

pany B, flesh-wound in thigh.

The rebel loss is estimated in killed and wounded at about one hundred. In the ditch were found twenty-eight dead bodies. Among the killed were two lieutenants. One was shot with two balls through the head, and the body of the other was completely riddled with bullets. Of

The insurrection which is yet existing in the United States, and aims at the overthrow of the Federal Constitution and the Union, was clandestinely prepared during the winter of 1860 and 1862, and assumed an open organization in the form of a treasonable provisional government at Montgomery, Ala., on the eighteenth day of FebAll the officers of the regiment behaved re-uary, 1861. On the twelfth day of April, 1861, markably well. Gen. McClellan telegraphed im- the insurgents committed the flagrant act of civil mediately to Gen. Porter that the Fourth Michi-war by the bombardment and capture of Fort can had covered themselves with glory.