RECONNOISSANCE AT GREEN BRIER, WESTERN VIRGINIA.

OCTOBER 3, 1861.

General Reynolds, commander of the Federal forces on Cheat Mountain Summit, who had so successfully resisted the attempt of the enemy to flank his position on the 12th of September, having learned that General Jackson had a fortified camp on the Green Brier river, at a point where the Staunton turnpike ascends the Alleghany mountains, about twelve miles distant, determined on a reconnoissance in force, and if possible a surprise of the enemy's encampment. On the night of October 2, at twelve o'clock, he started from his encampment, with the Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth and Thirty-second Ohio, and the Seventh, Ninth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth and Seventeenth Indiana regiments, with Howe's, Loomis' and Daum's batteries, thirteen pieces, and a small force of cavalry, in all about five thousand men.

About daylight they came in contact with the enemy's outposts, at the first Green Brier bridge, which resulted in their being driven within the entrenchments with considerable loss by the Twenty-fourth Ohio and Seventh Indiana.

The rebel camp was located on a steep elevation, known as Buffalo Hill, their entrenchments rising one above another along its terraced sides. Howe's and Loomis' batteries were soon put in position, and were effective in silencing a number of the enemy's pieces, which had opened on the advancing Federal columns. The infantry were impatient for the order to advance to the assault, while for thirty-five minutes every gun of the assaulting batteries were actively engaged.

One after another of the rebel pieces were dismounted, until only one remained, which replied with spirit, while the lower entrenchments were almost wholly evacuated by their defenders. Rockets were thrown up from the enemy's camp at this time, which the General supposed was a signal for reinforcements from another encampment known to exist a few miles distant. It was not long before the surmise was verified. Down the mountains in the rear of the camp came a column of men, estimated at two thousand, bringing with them several pieces of artillery of a superior character. They were received with loud cheers by their hitherto faltering comrades. The fresh pieces were soon mounted on the upper works, and took part in the engagement.

In the mean time the infantry Colonels were clamorous for permission to storm the upper works, but the General opposed this as unnecessarily inyolving a great sacrifice of life, which would not be justified for the possession of an unimportant position. A flank movement was permitted, however, to gain a more accurate knowledge of the enemy's

entrenchments and force, in which most of the regiments participated. The men were brought under a cross-fire of shell and canister, and the General discovered the works could not be carried without great exposure and loss. As the artillery had nearly exhausted their ammunition, he deemed it prudent to withdraw his force, which was done without any molestation from the enemy.

The entire Federal loss was but eight killed and thirty-two wounded, while that of the enemy was about double this number, principally in the skirmish outside of their entrenchments. Thirteen of the rebels were captured.

DEFENCE OF LEXINGTON, MISSOURI.

SEPTEMBER 12-20, 1861.

One of the most exciting events of the war in the West was the defence of Lexington, Missouri, by Federal troops, commanded by Colonel James B. Mulligan, consisting of the Chicago Irish Brigade, eight hundred strong, four hundred Home Guards, and a part of the Missouri Eighth, under Colonel White; the Missouri Thirteenth, six hundred and fifty men, Colonel Peabody; Illinois First Cavalry, four hundred men, Colonel Marshall. In addition to these, Captain Graham, Lieutenant-Colonel White, Lieutenant-Colonel Given, and Major Wright had also small commands-in all, 2,780 men.

Lexington is the capital of Lafayette county, and contains a popula tion of about five thousand. It is on the right bank of the Missouri river, one hundred and twenty miles west of Jefferson City, and three hundred miles from St. Louis. The heights on which the town is built command the river, and to a considerable extent the back country. Old Lexington, an earlier settlement, is situated east of the new town, back of the river, on the hills, where the main body of Price's army was posted, while the attack was made from different points. Colonel Mulligan's fortifications were between the two towns, and consisted of heavy earthworks, ten feet in height, with a ditch eight feet in width.

On the 1st of September, Colonel Mulligan, whose regiment was then encamped at Jefferson City, received orders to march to the relief of Lexington, then threatened by the enemy, and in six hours the regiment was on its way, and in nine days after entered the town, which they found occupied by Colonel Marshall's cavalry, and a body of Home Guards. On the 10th a letter was received from Colonel Peabody, saying that he was retreating from Warrensburg, twenty-five miles distant, and that Price was pursuing him with ten thousand men. A few hours after, Colonel Peabody, with the Thirteenth Missouri, entered Lexington.

On the 12th, as the enemy drew near the city, two companies of the Thirteenth Missouri were ordered out as skirmishers, who recognized General Price (by the aid of glasses), leading on the advance guard of his men. Company I of the Irish Brigade held them in check until Captain Dillon's company of the Thirteenth Missouri drove them back. Subsequently six companies of the Missouri Thirteenth and two companies of the Illinois cavalry were dispatched in search of the retreating enemy. They engaged them in a cornfield, fought with them gallantly, and harassed them to such an extent as to delay their progress, in order to give time for constructing intrenchments around the camp on College Hill. This had the desired effect, and the Federals succeeded in throwing up earthworks three or four feet in height. This consumed the night, and was continued during the next day, the outposts still opposing the enemy, and keeping them back as far as possible. At three o'clock in the afternoon of the 14th the engagement opened with artillery. A volley of grapeshot was thrown among the officers, who stood in front of the breast works. The guns within the entrenchments immediately replied with a vigor which converted the scene into one of the wildest excitement. At seven o'clock the enemy withdrew and the engagement ceased for the night.

Next morning General Parsons sent in a flag of truce, asking permission to bury his dead. The request was cheerfully granted, and the Federal troops willingly assisted in burying the fallen foe. On Tuesday the work of throwing up intrenchments went on. It rained all day, and the men stood knee-deep in the mud, building them. Troops were sent out to forage on the three succeeding days, and returned with large quantities of provisions and fodder.

All this time the pickets were constantly engaged with the enemy, well aware that ten thousand men were threatening them, and knowing that the struggle was to be a desperate one. Earthworks had been reared breast-high, enclosing an area of fifteen to eighteen acres, and surrounded by a ditch. Outside of this was a circle of twenty-one mines, and still further down were pits to embarrass the progress of the enemy. During the night of the 17th they were getting ready for the defence, and heard the sounds of preparation in the camp of the enemy for the attack on the morrow. At nine o'clock on the morning of the 18th, the drums beat to arms, and the terrible struggle commenced. The enemy's force had increased to twenty thousand men and thirteen pieces of artillery. They came as one dark moving mass of armed men, as far as the eye could reach. Two batteries were planted by them in front, one on the left, one on the right, and one in the rear, and opened with a terrible fire, which was answered with the utmost bravery and determination. The batteries opened at nine o'clock, and never ceased