Pursuit of Colonel Witcher.—Soon after the junction of the two forces General Stoneman found a force of rebels, counting three hundred strong, under Witcher, in his front, and the General at once halted the head of his column, endeavoring to hold Witcher in view, while General Gillem, with his brigade, would go round him and get in his rear. But Witcher made off, when Burbridge, with Brown’s brigade, pursued him for seven miles, to Staley’s creek, where it was ascertained that Breckinridge was close behind Witcher with a considerable force of mounted infantry. Just as Burbridge was closing up on him with his sabres, Witcher ran violently into the head of Breckinridge’s column, almost stampeding it, and mixing for a time blue jackets and gray together.
Fight at Staley’s Creek.—The rebels were confused, and a rout seemed imminent; but Breckinridge and Echols restored order, drove back the Federals beyond the mouth of the bridge over Staley’s creek, and held it until their men could be formed. Burbridge at once commenced the engagement with the Eleventh Michigan and Twelfth Ohio cavalry, endeavoring to get possession of the bridge, but in vain, the rebels holding it firmly. The whole of Burbridge’s command soon became engaged, the Thirty-ninth Kentucky mounted infantry (Wade’s brigade) fording the stream above and going into action on the right of the bridge, and the Fifty-third Kentucky, and Forty-fifth Kentucky regiments mounted infantry, with the Fifth and Sixth regiments United States colored cavalry, fighting on the left. The Eleventh Kentucky, Eleventh Michigan and Twelfth Ohio regiments cavalry (Brown’s brigade) held the centre; opposite the bridge, the Fifth Kentucky battery, Lieutenant Judd commanding, being posted in their rear. The rebels held their position until night, when darkness put an end to the fight. Soon after dark General Stoneman with General Gillem and his command came up, and Stoneman directed that the centre should be forced. The Fifty-third Kentucky infantry, Eleventh Kentucky cavalry and part of the Eleventh Michigan cavalry were accordingly formed on the pike, near the bridge, and Major Keogh, of General Stoneman’s staff, and Colonel Brisbin, of General Burbridge’s staff, sent with them to drive the rebels from the pike. The command advanced up the road about fifty yards, when the rebels opened a severe fire and compelled them to fall back to the bridge. This closed the fighting for the night. Early in the morning General Stoneman sent General Gillem to the right, with orders to go round Breckinridge, and if the fight was severe to attack him in the rear; but, if not, to go into Saltville and attack that place before Breckinridge could fall back to the works.
General Burbridge, as soon as it was light, recommenced the fight, and soon after General Gillem had marched, it was ascertained that Breckinridge had a much larger force than was supposed. General Gillem was sent for and he joined Burbridge a little before dark, but too late to take part in the operations of the day. In the mean time Generals Stoneman and Burbridge had continued to engage the enemy from early dawn, and the battle had now lasted nearly thirty-six hours, the fight being particularly severe on the left and centre. The colored troops made a magnificent charge in the afternoon, driving back in confusion Duke’s rebel brigade from a hill near the bridge. On this hill Colonel Boyle lost his life, while gallantly leading his regiment against the enemy. Early in the morning it was determined to renew the battle, but when day broke it was discovered that Breckinridge had retreated in the direction of Saltville.
The Pursuit to Saltville.—Stoneman, with the whole command, started in pursuit. Breckinridge had started in the direction of Saltville, but his column had come back in great confusion, and took the North Carolina road. The cause of this was soon apparent. Colonel Buckley, with his brigade had been sent to destroy the lead mines. He completed the work, and hearing the firing, had come down to the Seven Mile ford, in rear of Breckinridge, charged his pickets, stampeding them and capturing his advance guard. Breckinridge, finding a force in his rear, became alarmed, and put back in haste to Marion, where he took the road to North Carolina. Lieutenant-Colonel Bentley, with the Twelfth Ohio cavalry, was sent in pursuit of him, and about six miles from Marion came upon his rear guard, drawn up in line of battle, which Bentley charged with the sabre, when it broke and fled, leaving in the hands of the gallant Twelfth two wagons and an artillery caisson. Colonel Bentley continued the pursuit until night, when, finding that Breckinridge had blockaded the road in his rear by felling timber, he returned and joined his command at midnight, near the Seven Mile ford.
The Capture of Saltville.—At three o’clock in the morning the whole force moved towards the salt works, twelve miles distant, and at daylight began driving in the rebel pickets. General Burbridge moved to the right and attacked the works, while General Gillem closed in upon those on the left. The garrison was found to consist of eight hundred reserves, under Colonel Preston, and were posted in three forts. General Gillem attacked the fort on the left with his whole force, under charge of Colonel Stacey; while General Burbridge divided his troops, sending detachments of Brown’s and Wade’s brigades, the Eleventh Michigan cavalry, Fifth and Sixth United States colored cavalry, under charge of Colonel Brisbin, to attack the main fort, immediately in front of and commanding the road. Colonel Coates, with detachments of the Thirty-ninth, Thirty-seventh and Forty-fifth Kentucky infantry, of Wade’s brigade, and the Thirtieth, of Buckley’s brigade, was sent to attack a fort on the right, while Buckley, with the balance of his brigade, the Fifty-third and Fifty-fourth Kentucky, was dispatched to hold the gaps and guard the rear. The rebels opened with shell, grape and canister, but were soon forced into their works, and by night the skirmishers had advanced so close to the works that the rebel gunners could with difficulty work their guns. The Federal skirmishers crept up close to the rebels, and then commenced noiselessly to drag the cannon on hills overlooking the works, while an assaulting column was formed, and all made in readiness to charge the forts as soon as it was light.
General Gillem ordered the assault on the left, and the Eighth Tennessee cavalry, with loud cheers, charged into the fort, taking it without much resistance and capturing one commissioned officer and a number of prisoners. Soon after the forts on the centre and right were occupied by the Eleventh Michigan cavalry and the Thirty-ninth Kentucky mounted infantry, having been evacuated by the enemy, the guns being left standing, unspiked. Colonel Stacey, with the Thirteenth Tennessee, of General Gillem’s command, and Colonel Coates, with the Eleventh Kentucky cavalry, of General Burbridge’s command, charged into the town, the one on the right and the other on the left, and occupied the place. The salt works were at last in the hands of the Union troops, and joy filled every breast.
Destruction of the Salt works.—Soon the ringing of the heavy sledge hammers which for days had been carried patiently by the troops were heard in every direction, breaking the metal kettles to pieces. The South Carolina block was first demolished, Virginia next, then Georgia, and so on until all the property of States represented were destroyed. When the thousands of kettles were thoroughly broken the torch was applied, and soon the great pile was a mass of smouldering ruins, so that, by night, scarcely a vestige of what were the great salt works remained to mark where they once stood. The wells were all destroyed by dropping shot and shell into them, and the engines and pipes torn to pieces.
The raid being now ended, Generals Burbridge and Gillem parted, General Stoneman accompanying Gillem’s command to East Tennessee, while Burbridge marched for Kentucky.
The Iron works Destroyed—were, perhaps, the largest works of the kind in Virginia, and had been worked by the rebel government ever since the war began with success. Among other valuable machinery destroyed in them was a percussion cap manufactory, one of the most difficult articles to get in the Southern confederacy. The cap manufactory and works were laid in ruins.
The Lead Mines—in Wythe county, Virginia, seventeen miles from Wytheville, were considered invaluable to the rebel confederacy, as from these mines General Lee obtained nearly all the lead used by his army. The engines, smelting furnaces and entire works were destroyed. Colonel Buckley captured at the mines one hundred prisoners.