The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-09-11
Arm Correspondence.
Ffom the Army rim Western
Virginia.
NEAR HuFToNsyILLE. Aug. 26, e


NEAR HurrossvrLLE Aug 26, 'el.
Dear Sphinx We are among the noun
tains in the midst Of most majestic scenery.
We are between two spurs Of the Cheat
Mountains on u pleasant. clear and rapid
stream. On one side of US is peak
which would astonish .oor Monroe county
hills. II is almost perpendicular to the
top, which. is hundreds and hundreds of
feet above The camp. From my tent door
look at an angle of about forty Eve de-
grees to its summit, and see on Amer
lean. 6ag waving from the top of
tall pine tree. It is q large flag, but
looking at It up the precipitous side of
the monntain 1t looks not larger than a
pocket handkerchief. 1t is said that it
was placed there as q guide to our scouts
and pickets. On the other side of the
narrow valley, few hills intervene be-
tween US and the higher mountains. The
camp is located at the upper end Of the
valley, as guard to- the narrow pass
through which the sStaunton turnpike
runs. ,s5dff afe /
I We have seen some of the severest
bardships Of soldiers life within the last
ten days. "On the 10th cur company was
ordered to Phillippi to guard an import
liant bridge. AS wrote you before. l
Ibid not preeeed with the company at the
time; l followed it on Monday On Tues
day morning at A O'Clock we we're ava
kened by on order to return forthwith to
Webster-12 miles We packed our
traps, slung our knapsacks, shouldered our
muskets. and in three hours and q quarter
[were in Webster. This was considered
Is pretty falpspeeimen ofsmarching. Just
as We arrived there, messenger came to
ds end Informed US that the order was a
Imistake; that eur regiment was togo to
fHuttonsviile, near Chest M Mountain Pass,
Through the point from whichawe had just
marched! hiTHU ,:ssll =
r. On the next morning We about faced,
Iand the whole regiment {with the excep-
ttion of Captain WasBburn' 8, company,
(which was already near Huttonsville)
started on tramp ofi6ftyaGve miles II
ttook the regiment alFday to march the
idistapce which our company had traversed
Flo three and quarter hours.s We camped
lat Phil pi land next day proceeded as far
las Bsalingson, at the foot of Laurel Hill,
the scene OF the battles of Laurel Hill.
We pitched our tents, stationed ou. guards
land proceeded to cook odrpork and beans.
Fit was about I O'Clock H'the evening, and
fthe beans were aboat half cooked when
there came an order "sFRIKE YOUR TENTS
AT ONCE; WE ARE ORDERED TO PROCEED T,
fBEvERLY BY FORCED MARCHES FORTHWITH y
I You might suppose chat after .marching
TAN day through a drenchiug rain, without
tdinper, that wet, weary muddy, supper
fless mtn would receive such an order with
fdspleasurt; but the contrary was true.
There seemed q prospt ctsfor af6ght, and
with shout the hungry men poured their
suppers upon thesgrcbnd, packed their
Kettles ond pans, struck aheirtents, oquip-
ffel themselves, and III fifteen minutes were
frlungiug through the swollen stream, and
going at double sqaiek up the slippery
side of the mountaiagyIg6 ,eaasi7ei
Such Snigh ! ForShoufs thelrain ponr-
ed down in torrentsIaalij we're wet and
I muddy, men and officers alike. e We slip
bed back, stumbled, gfelli down, spIashed
through the torrents that flowed along the
I mountain side, cropping in the thick dark
ness until we reached the summit. With
out haltng to rest, kwe moved down the
4 other side in the same way. d Our sexpec-
tations of finding less laborious marching
along the valley were sadly disappointed,
! when we found the streams full to the
banks and plugging feaffullya across our
road There was some times q foot log,
bnt for regiment ion q forced march,
these were not 10 bethonght of, and with.
out hesitation, the men plunged to their
waists in the foaming currents, and strug-
4 gled TO the other shore. Again and again
was this repeated daring that dark night
I for distance Of eigh' cen miles. ! Men
Scarcely able tetmove onesleg before the
sEother dragged themselves along, obstinate,
iAy r,fusing to yield dh,H their. legs could
'hLo longer bear up their bodies
n We arrived at Beverly about three
Ilo'clcck in the morning our tents aud pro-
visions still at Laurel HiHa We lay down
Fin the mrd with a,siAges bla6ket around
sus, and slept as best we could until m or
fning. We then hsdtbe qualification to
!. flearn that the order which, fIirried as over
Fthat long road on that .dreasy night, was
founded on false alarm f,
!, On our arrival. Col. Jones went to the
Telegraph ONCE, and sent a dispatch to
4 Gen: Reyhoids, reporting his command at
fBsyerly e bis reply Rsssysolds com n
merced bis dispatch e food fcf The 25th,'
!. aud 'conpfinstted a Us Oh isulf our march. II
is universally concede 4 % have been the
best march made during the war a. - Our
/ tield officers. Who all, served In Mexico.
say they saw foeced marches there, bu,
none TO. compare with ours. II has al
ready made Us good name in the brig,
ade. and has won for, US q place in the
fmrthest ad yauce Of the forces IN Western
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