CHAP.XII.] IVY MOUNTAIN AND PACHYTENE, KY.
Clay on the River road to Prestonburg, to observe the movements of the enemy. This was on the night of the 8th. Captain Thomas discovered the advance guard of the enemy about 15 miles from Pachytene. I went in person with Captains May and Hawkins, with their companies of infantry, and Lieutenant Van Hook, with 20 mounted men, to the position of Captain Thomas, near Ivy Creek. I found that Captain Thomas had burned the bridge there. The men were allowed to refresh themselves and the horses were secured in a deep mountain cave, and the whole party of 250 men moved on foot to a strong position half a mile in front of the burned bridge, here to await what we supposed to be the advance guard of the enemy's force.
I returned to our camp at daylight and met the report of Captain Holliday, who had been fired upon by an advanced guard of the enemy of about 150 men. He gave them a gallant fight, killed 8 of them, having only 1 of his number wounded and 1 horse killed. I dispatched Captain Shawn, with his own and Captain Cameron's companies, to observe the movements of the enemy on John's Creek with instructions to engage any party not more than twice his number, but not to attack the enemy's full force.
At 1.30 o'clock on the 9th instant the enemy moved up to Captain May's position [Ivy Creek] with a force of 1,600 men and a battery of six pieces, and were received by 250 rifles and shot-guns, in point-blank range, every one of which took effect. Their column wavered and fell back, but returned in good order, and attempted to carry the pass by assault under cover of their cannon, but were repulsed again with terrific slaughter. They then withdrew beyond the range of our shot-guns, and their infantry up the hills soon outflanked our little band, compelling them to fall back behind the burned bridge. Here our force made a stand, but the enemy advanced no farther. I then ordered three more companies of infantry to sustain Captain May's command or to cover his retreat if necessary.
At 12 o'clock at night Captain Shawn reported to me that the enemy were advancing in full force on the John's Creek road with great rapidity. I then ordered Captains May, Shawn, and all the outposts in. I made a display of forces in Pachytene, send the exhausted infantry in the direction of our retreat, and waited with the balance of the command the arrival of the enemy. They came up slowly and cautiously, but were detained for an your by Captain Thomas' company of sharpshooters, stationed near the ford, which prevented their artillery from getting into position to rake the town. As they approached I moved the rear guards of 400 men off in good order. They opened upon us a tremendous fire of artillery and musketry, and were replied to by our sharpshooters. We had 1 man killed and 3 wounded, while the enemy had 6 killed.
In the Ivy fight our loss was 10 killed, 15 wounded, and 40 missing. Some of the missing men have gone back to their homes, and others join us daily. We lost Lieutenant Rust, who fell gallantly in the discharge of his duty. My first belief was that the enemy had lost but 150 men, but from subsequent information received from spies, Union men, escaped prisoners who have joined us, and others who have examined their burial ground, I am satisfied the enemy lost over 300 in killed, with the usual proportion of wounded. I cannot speak in terms of commendation too high of the gallantry of Captains May, Thomas, Hawkins, and Clayh, and Lieutenant Van Hook and Sam Clay. Indeed, the officers and men behaved with so much courage and coolness that to discriminate at all would be invidious.
