Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/229

Rh that the Federals had advanced to Beverly, and consequently crossed Tygart valley and over Cheat mountain into the Cheat river valley, down which he was pursued northward by the Federal brigade under General Morris. On the morning of July 13th skirmishing began between his rear guard and the Federal advance, and when Carrick's ford was reached, the rear guard, the Twenty-third regiment, under Colonel Taliaferro, supported by artillery, took position on the high bank as soon as it had crossed, while the enemy brought up infantry and artillery on the opposite bank, and for some time a spirited fire was kept up across the stream, in which Taliaferro lost 28 killed and wounded, the enemy's loss being much greater. The Confederates opened the fight with cheers for President Davis, and twice drove back the enemy from the ford, but finally, having exhausted their ammunition, withdrew in good order to the next ford, about a half mile to the rear. On the further side of this ford the gallant Garnett, having posted the main command 4 miles further back, was waiting for the rear guard, and when it had crossed placed a few sharpshooters as skirmishers behind some drift-wood on the bank, while the regiment was sent on to a position he had selected. The enemy's advance was close upon him, and soon perceiving that he was about to be flanked, he sent orders to Taliaferro to retreat rapidly to the rear. Under the fire of the enemy now, he ordered his skirmishers to fall back, and at that moment was killed by a rifle ball, one of the sharpshooters at the same time falling dead at his side. His riderless horse, dashing to the rear, carried the sad news of the general's death. Thus fell, sharing the post of greatest danger in a disastrous retreat which he could not avoid, the first distinguished martyr of the Confederacy. His command, greatly depleted by the fatigues of the rapid march over the mountain paths, rendered still more difficult by the heavy rain, continued northward under the command of Colonel Ramsey, marching all the fol-