le hoping something would be done in Tygart's valley.
He, however, did nothing more, and soon withdrew to his former
camp.(11)

Captain Coons of the 14th Indiana was sent on the evening of the
18th from Cheat Mountain summit with 60 men of the 14th Indiana,
24th and 25th Ohio, on a path leading to Elk Water camp, with
instruction to take position at the Rosecrans house on Becky's Run.
Kimball, on the 12th, sent 90 men under Captain David J. Higgins,
of the 24th Ohio, to relieve Captain Coons. In going thither, when
about two miles from where Colonel Rust was attacked, Higgins ran
unexpectedly into Colonel Anderson's column from Valley Mountain,
and engaged it with great spirit. The enemy was thrown into some
confusion by this unexpected encounter, but the loss on either side
was slight, and when Major Wm. Harrow of Indiana arrived from
Kimball's camp with two more companies, and ascertained that Anderson
had a brigade in the vicinity, he ordered the Union troops withdrawn
to within about one mile of camp.

Captain Coons, owing to a heavy rain, darkness, and the difficulty
in following the mountain path, did not reach the Rosecrans house
until after daybreak of the 12th. He passed to the rear of Anderson's
brigade as it marched to the pike in rear of Cheat Mountain camp.
When Captain Coons reached the Rosecrans house he found evidence
of troops having been there recently, and soon discovered smoke
and heard the snapping of caps on a mountain spur towards Elk Water
camp. He concluded, however, that he was near a Union picket post
from that camp, and sent forward five men to ascertain who his
neighbors were. As these men ascended the mountain they were fired
on and three were shot down, two killed, and the others captured.
They were not challenged. This was Donnelson's command, General
Lee and his aide, Colonel Taylor, then being with it. Colonel
Savage of Tennessee commanded the troops first encountered. The
Confederates advanced, firing wildly. Captain Coons' men returned
the fire promptly, killed and wounded some, and when they had
checked the enemy retired to higher ground to the eastward and took
position behind fallen timber. As the enemy approached across the
narrow valley, Coons made a most gallant resistance and drove back
the large force attacking him, but feeling his complete isolation,
he finally retired by a trail towards the pike. He had not gone
far, however, until he ran into a bunch of the en