aide, Colonel Clarkson, with Brocks' and Becket's troops of horse, about 120, thrashed about 200 of their infantry, charging them up the mountain side to its top, driving them in to their cannon, and killing eight known, with the loss of one horse only killed. All we want is your fostering attention. Give us arms and ammunition speedily and I will drive them into the Ohio River and across, and then turn on Master McClellan, with the co-operation of Generals Garnett and Floyd.

I implore of you, sir, two things: First, re-enforce us with men, arms, and ammunition, and ask the President to allow me to increase the legion to 4,000 men. Please obtain for me these requests at once and I will be answerable for the rest.

Inclosed is an inventory of arms, &c., days past. The militia here are literally in the way of action. They require help from us. Let me add two more ideas: We are treading on snakes while aiming at the enemy. the grass of the soil we are defending is full of the copperhead traitors; they invite the enemy, feed him, and he arms and drills them. We are surrounded with extraordinary difficulty of defense. A spy is on every hill top, at every cabin, and from Charleston to Point Pleasant they swarm. We will fight hard, retire slowly if we must, and make a last stand at Gauley. The men we have are true, but the are no deserters to us, an deft we advance to meet the enemy at the mouth of Kanawha he comes down behind us from the north, and if we advance to attack him in the north he comes up behind us from the mouth of the valley. he along us from Parkersburg to Philippi on the north, and from Guyandotter through Gallipolis, Letart Falls, Flesher's, Ravernswood, and Murraysville to Parkersburg on the west. He has sent but few regiments, comparatively, as yet from Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio eastward; holds the whole Northwest in reserve; and has command of all the navigation and railroad steam-power. This all combined makes it wonderful that we make a stand at all. Besides, sir, remember this army here has grown by neglect at Richmond. It has been literally created by Colonel Tompkins, at first beginning with Pattons' company alone, since assisted by my legion, which I have created between this and Richmond. General Garnett's army was sent out with him equipped. Let him come to us; we need his help. In connection with this I have ordered Colonel Tomkins to account for pay-rolls. We have had no pay for State troops, Paymaster-General Hill informs me, for want of rolls, and Colonel Tompkins and Captain Carr will account for them.

Most respectfully,

HENRY A. WISE,

Brigadier-General.

P. S.- THURSDAY, July 18, 1861.

GENERAL: Since mine of yesterday I have the proud satisfaction to report to you a glorious repulse of the enemy, if not a decided victory.

Colonel Norton, * of the Federal Army, yesterday approached the mouth of Coal with about 1,200 men, expecting, as he says, to be supported by two regiments, making in all about 3,000. I had ordered Colonel Patton to retire gradually from Scarey Creek, below Coal, to Coal Mountain and the passes across Coal River, concentrating his forces finally at bunker the passes across Coal River, concentrating his forces finally at bunker Hill, on Upton Creek, on the left bank of the Kanawha. But when Norton approached he returned to Scarey Creek and met him an his 1,200 there with about 800 men and two iron sixes. Norton had one heavy piece of artillery, and the battle across the creek ravine commenced

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*Twenty-first Ohio Infantry.

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