Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-06-29
camp corrsspondsnse.

ing from z,OOO TO 5,OOO men all armed ana
eager for action, has been quartered in, over
and about this desolate forsaken village, where
wholesome provisions are unobtaiuable, and
poisonous fog-bauks render respiration danger.
Gus while the half armed dispirited euemy
have been reinforced and emboldened by our
inactivity and by our abandonment Of aggres.
sive forward move ments The principal object
now seems TO be the development Of plan Of
operation, to obtain basis for which, each day.
large number Of scouts have run up and down
the different roads diverging FROM Pbilippi
How long it will take those in command Of this
division in western Va to deduce plan from
the reports Of scouts, still remains problem
which time only can solve. The men are fond
scouting. 1t affords them excitement and OPP
portuuity for plunder. One party of scouts re-
port 1000 IL miles distant on the Beverly road
A force is detailed with orders to march upon
them the ensaeing night. The regiments Tor
the attack receive full Instructions A section
of artillery is to accompany the expedition
Ammunition most suitable is put up the horses
hitched in, the lines formed, and all is ID readl'
ness to move. When fresh scouts arrive and
report column Of the rebels 1000 TO 6,OOO
strong, with II pieces Of cannon, within SIX
miles of our camp, and that they had been driV-
en- back by the advance guard of the enemy.
Now the scene changes. Orders for resist
ance of q night attack are issued. Two pieces
of artillery are planted down at the bridge, and
Que On the road leading to Beverly, on the west
side of the river, all supported by light forces
of infantry. Preparations are made to burn
the town and bridge to afford light for the
coming fight The picket guards thiak fight
certain. at midnight they hear the noise of
footsteps in the brush, and command three
times in hurried aud frightened tones said foot
steps to come to the position of holt. The or.
der is disregarded The picket 6re aud run.
The camp is aroused and silently goes on the
work of forming battaons in hostile and dread
array, in which terrifying position they remain
until daylight dawns, when the scene changes
again. Fresh scouts arrive direct from Bever-
ly, and report that the enemy are few in nuGlber
destitute ofarms provisions making rapid pre-.
parations for o fight beyond the mountains, that
they have made no movement in this direction
since they left SO hastily one morning about the
Sd Of June that they noticed very thin speci-
men of swine, dead in the brush near the post
Of our advance picket, evidently shot during the
night. So the alarm is over, the reports of
scouts all in. Now the soldiers return TO their
straw, disgusted with everything, while the head
of this movement takes careful notes of what
has transpired, preparatory to sending out new
scouting parties aud getting fresh reports from
the enemy, when, with slight variations, the
above programme is reenacted.
This division seems TO be operated on the
great plau Of the circumlo cution Office of how
not-to-d -do-it. After the famous battle and bull
at Phillippi on the Sd, forward movement
would in ten days have driven over the noun
tains or captured the few rebels in arms in this
section, and bowed into blaze the latent en-
thusiasm and patriotism of this people now
hating between two opinions. On the con-
trary here we made dead halt, waiting for
somebody, nobody knows whom aud for some
thing nobody knows what. We have been
alarms. A regiment is marched to Buckhannon
l8 miles south west, and the next day brought
back at forced march. Then few regis. or
parts Of regts. sent to Grafton to be brought
again to Phillippi the ensuei ing day. First we
are eucamped Oh the hill, then moved to the
valley on the west side of the town-then 10
the valley south of 1he town, and then tents are
struck and we are moved Oh to the hill again.
The worst feature Of this vacilation and in.
activity, is, its demoralizing effects on the sol.
dery. Many came to fight, and if they can't
fight they will scout, and general promiscuous
scouting leads to plundering, if not an implied
licence. lis said by some, that if daylight
could illumne the tracks of some Of our scouts
they would be found leading to poultry yards
and horse-pastures rather than the camp of the
enemy.
There has, as yet been no order issued a.
gaiDst theft anl punder and soldiers ore strag.
Cling all around the country on plea of scout
ing. They compel the inhabitants to furnish
them food and BEDS and then press intO the ser
vice whatever they can safely take on thei
route. The Indiana regiments do their shar
of this extemporaueous scouting, protecting
the property Of the inhabitants by taking pos
session of it aud thereby inspiring confidence i
the federal army in a horn would not wis
to be understood as presumng to attempt t
criticize the action of those in command Un
doubtedly all this marching to and fro, mOviu
up bill aud down hill, and scouting and scarin,
is according TO rule aud means great deal t
: men versed 10 the science Of military and give
to war its pOmp and circumstance but to ont
u untaught in its mysteries, this inactivity wears
the face Of imbecility, and general securing
- and pundering Of the country seems yer,
C. SLOW way Of winning tbs confidence aud sup
n- port Of the people.
c. Gen. Hill Of Toledo, is expected here to.da
,e TO take.eommand Of the ohiOrOrces at this poin
It is said that his nerves are steader than tbos
Al of the whimsical old gentlemea now in con
h maud who seems to have disposed Of and tran
ferred their forces with view to protect tber
selves from possible harm, as if the troops he
s we're merely their body guard.
. Scouts reported last night untold forces, wi
a large number Of very heavy cannon, marchi
0 upou ms, This morning the rebel forces