The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1861-09-26

From the 18th Ohio Regiment.

FRIEND bOARDMAN:-lt rs no use
these times to write Agricultural let
tors. Nothing is read now but aoar
nc,os SO give q few extracts from q
private letter just received here from a
member Of Company B, 18th Regiment
o. V. NJ, dated CAMP GAULEy, Septcm-
Der 3, 1861. UNCLE BEN.
"Sinco / wrote last we have not slopt
three nights in our tents We have
been continually on the scout, and last
night we just got into camp and got our
suppors, which was the FIRST bite We had
eaten for tbiTty-siz hours. The enemy
have attacked our out.posts up New
River, and we were sent out to reinforce
our men. We succeeded in driving
them back, so we got to come into
camp last night to get something to cat
and recruit little. 4 # +
Two weeks ago our company and
Company H got between $50 rebel cav
airy and their camp aud surprised them,
while they were shooting at a small par
ty of the 11th. So we had them in a
kind ofa trap-tho 11th on one side and
We on tho other. AS soon as they dis
covered us they undertook to charge
past US. Here they came, pell-moll-
heller shelter towards US, but every man
stood his ground, and when they got
within gun-shOt Company II opened a
valley on them and raised a yell, which
frightened both men and horses so that
they we're completely jumbled and mix
ed up by the time they got to our com
pany, and when we fred they threw
away their guns and blankets and ran
for dear life. We shot from three to
four rounds apiece at them-distance
one hundred yards; killed twenty-five on
the spot and about forty more Of them
have since died; thirty are missing, that
cannot be heard from. They arc sup
posed to be dead, as quite a number of
wounded crawled into the brush during
the firing aud hid.
Every man was tied on his horse, so
that all who did not burst their saddles
loose from their horses as they wero
shot, were carried off the field. I saw
men hanging by their legs and arms,
others lying fiat on their backs, tapping
up and down, perfectly helpless.
The horses and men were 50 frighten-
ed that many of them ran until they fell
dead on the road, and for miles up tho
road men and horses were lying dead
and dying. Out of two hundred and
fifty men there we're but two that were
able for duty next day. They were all
tied on their horses so that Nc could not
tell how many we killed all together, but
this time we we're too fast for them-we
got men, horses, guns, pistols, blankets,
and all of their. equipments.
Since then a company of Kentucky
troops surprised a lot of rebel cavalry
by ambushing them, and killed twenty,
took three prisoners and two horses,
killed their Captain and Lieutenant; so
you see We can Jush0hacb as we'll as the
Virginians, and I think a little better,
for they have not trapped any of US yet,
aud we have them several times.
Our camp at this time is entirely sur
rounded by the thieves in small parties
of from twenty-five to one thousand FIVE
hundred, and every tree and rock has
either a Union man or a rebel behind it,
each looking for the other and expect
ing every minute to be shot at. We
don't calculate on going out of camp
here now without being shot at There
is not an hour in the day that we do not
hear shooting, and it is sharp shooting
too. For example, a party Of rebels
came in the night two nights ago, to a
mill on the opposite side Of the river
from our camp, close to tho falls, and
were grinding corni when they were
discovered by our mon. Seven shots
were fred at them, which killed seven
men, the whole number Of their party.
They have fred into our provision train
several times with but little succoss.--
They are in a starving condition, and it
makes them very bold and desperate. -
This is a very curious kind Of a war 60.
ing on here in this part Of the State; it
is regular Indian fighting and nothing
else" Q. j.
CLOSING UP.-A number of splendid
ly furnished bar rooms were opened in
Washington few months ago in antioi-
patton of driving a thriving business by
selling whisky to our soldiers. The
new law has dissipatod their prospects,
and many Of these establishments have
been closed, Others are offered for
sale. .rr.. .as...
The Overland Telegraph Company
have extended their line 10 Ruse River,
ono hnndrad and lorLR mllaa anaL nf ~