The national Republican., 1861-10-18
WESTERN VIRGINIA,

The Cincinnati Hsqiir~, Of last Saturday,
says: # # M M
" The steamer Mary Cook arrived last even.
Ing from the Kanawha river, bringing from the
camps near Gauley Bridge ia sick and
wounded soldiers, who were Immediately
taken from the steamer to the Marine Hospital.
Our fellow. citizen, Mr.. Quinn, who has been
spending q few weeks 10 Western Virginia,
was also a passenger on the Cook and from
him we learn very important particulars from
that section Of the State. He corrobprates the
statement of Colonel Frizell, that the entire
country of the Kanawha Valley Is devastated,
and that farmers are leaving as rapidly as
transportation can be found to bring them
North. Forage is out Of the question, and
provisions cannot be procured.
The condition Of the roads and country is
such that an army Of 1000 men could not
winter there, the impossibility Of transportation
being 80 great, and the risk Of reaching the
army with supplies, &c., being so hazardous.
Generals Rosecrans and Cox are at Noun.
tain Gave, only thirteen miles from Gauley
Bridge, with only sic thousand troops ,ho are
able TO perform dctiue duty, and are available
Between Gauley Bridge and Camp Lookout
there were, on Tuesday last, 1,640 patients in
the hospitals, prostrated with the camp fever
At Cross Lanes, near Carnifex Ferry, and about
l60 patients. Those that can bear moving, are
to be brought here as rapidly as steamers can
be secured.
During the past two weeks, there have
been continuous rains, and the roads are almost
impossible.
"The campaign 10 Western Virginia is vir-
tnally ended, and preparations are on foot to
withdraw portion Of our forces there and
send them into Kentucky, leaving only sufi-
cent force to prevent the rebels from approach.
ing north Of Gauley river or west Of Cheat
Mountain. The probabilities are, however,
that the seceshers have no desire to come
through country they had already laid waste
and left bWren.
"Mr. Quinn was at Sewall's Mountain when
battle between our forces and the rebels was
so imminent. The enemy were entrenched on
q mountain four miles and half from our
army, and the camp-fres were plainly visible.
The enemys pickets fred upon the Federal
pickets, but no damage was done. On Sunday
evening, General Rosecrans fell back on Camp
Lookout, and then to Mountain Cave. We will
not be surprised to hear Of Rosecrans In Ken
lucky within ten days. The enemy have al
ready gone in the direction Of Cumberland Gap"
A correspondent Of the Wheeling Press,
writing from Charleston, on the Kanawha, un-
der date of October 8, puts down the force Of
Gen. Rosecrans at $4,000, (of course, including
the sick,) and talks as If further enterprises in
that quarter were meditated.
So far. while Western Virginia has been well
defended, the movements to break through the
enemy's lines have not been successful, and,
perhaps, the general plan Of the campaign has
confined our forces there to defensive posi-
tion. The falling back Of Gen. Rosecrans from
Sewel's Mountain is described above. As to
Gen. Reynolds, the full accounts of his bril-
liant reconnaissance Of the Sd instant show
that 1t was reconnaissance merely, and that
he fell back after some artillery practice against
an entrenched camp Of the enemy.
Our army in Western Virginia, in addition
to Its uniform valor in battle, has patiently
endured great hardships in the mountains, in.
cluding much suffering from cold. That region
is pronounced by our soldiers to be even now
Arctic" This is q part of the country said
to be uninhabiIable by white men, ON account
of excessive heats. We shall learn good
deal Of geography, If nothing else, by this war