Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-09-11
Army C~orrespondepce.

letter from Lieut.. WOOD, OF COMPANY H.
9TH R~eg't,-which, want Of space and the
late hour at which it was received, prevent
US from publishing. entire. 1t was dated
at Charleston. Va, Aug. 80. After leav-
ing Gauley Bridge, from whence his last
letter was written, he proceeded on horse
back, to join his regiment. then near TWsn-
ty Mile Greek, which be reached in the
evening Of the Path ult. The next day.
the regiment proceeded to within i've miles
of Cross Lanes. to q place known as the
Junction or Ford. Here we came to . halt
The sun was just setting over the western
hills,-its last rays glimmering over the
slopes of the mountains. Our regiment
had seated themselves; some on road side,
and some on the rocks which projected from
the wall extending above US. The order
had been given to fall in" when our
scouts came in and reported 1000 men on
our old encamping ground, at Cross Lanes.
To have proceeded farther without an In
v~estigation would have subjected US to the
seyerest censure. Therefore the order was
given to fall back. We did so, and took
up our encampment for the night at the
foot of Painter Mountain. For the last
two miles I was unable to walk, and sat
down BY the road side. Our Chaplain.
CMr. Brown soon came up, and very kind
ly rendered me his horse. 1 accepted his
kind offer and rode into camp. On arriy-
ing there, for the first time since l have
been in the service, 1 consented to go to the
hospital. Sunday morning the order was
given to proceed up to the point where we
had halted the evening previous. 1 re-
manned at this point, as DR.. Salter would
not permit me to proceed. Our teams
were kept in readiness to turn back at q
moments warning. We heard nothing Of
the regiment till night, when we learned
that they had proceeded very near to Cross
Lanes, and had received information that
the enemy numbered about 600 and that
they were retreating. Wehad some appre-
hension of an attack on the train, as We
had discovered their scouts, and fred up
on them and captured one of their guns.
We kept out our pickets, and had no diff
Guilty during the night. A little after
sunrise Monday morning, Aug. &c, we
heard the firing of cannon at Cross Lanes,
and then we knew that the fight had com
menced. We started for Cross Lanes, and
had hardly gained the road, when Capt.
Bags ordered the train to Gauley. l
was ordered to take 4 horse and reach the
provision train, which vas N the way
from Gauley Bridge, and start it On its
return. l rode ten miles IN a dead rum
got the provision train on its way back in
good order, and then rode back in the d.
restion of Cross Lanes, till 1 met James
Mosicr, who was in charge Of the baggage
train. There l remained for a short time.
The rebel cavalry came down to within a
short distance Of this train in splendid
STYLE, and would have run into an ambush,
which we had provided for them, had it not
been for two or three of our men who fired
upon them at too long range. They i'm
mediately wheeled, and formed. They
we're we'll mounted and fine riders, and
had good arms. Mosier was cool and col
lccted, and managed the train with much
judgement, and displayed courage. With
one mis-step, the whole train might have
been lost. 1 found the wagon which con-
tanned the dispatches and papers of the
regiment, and started it for Gauley Bridge,
on double quick, and did not leave it till
I saw it safe in front of Gen. Cox's head
quarters. 1 again jumped into the sad
die and started back to meet the rear train.
Monday night 1 had the boys, eight in
number, pitch my tent, and we all lay
down together. 1t was a lonely night for
me- There we were. only eight out of one
hundred and one. l never before realized
the true character of war. We heard that
not one of the company had escaped.
Monday night Capt. Crane and most Of his
men came in. Then 1 had hopes that our
company would come in. But Tuesday
morning found US without much hope; still
1 thought perhaps they might be feeling
their way cautiously over the mountains;
but Tuesday night 1 gave up in despair.
At night as 1 gathered my little band a.
round me at supper l wondered why Prov
idence had made such a severe visitation
upon the 9TH regiment. Wednesday l
collected all the things belonging to Capt.
Asper and Lieut.. Case, and laid them care
fully in a trunk, ready to send them home,
at a moments notice. The collecting of
their various articles was the most mourn
full occupation in which 1 was ever en-
gagged. Wednesday eve, Col. Tyler and
myself were about asking for an order to
proceed to Warren and form a camp and
recruit the regiment, when a dispatch came
IN from Major Easement that he was at
the mouth of the Big Sandy, on Elk riv-
er, with about 400 men. Our camp was
Immediately changed from a scene of mourn
ing to one Of rejoicing. The band struck
up the Star Spangled banner" and after
ward Col. Tyler's March. There was a
general rejoicing that night. In themOrn-
ing 1 was ordered by Col. Tyler to proceed