Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-28
Letter from Alf Burnett. Esq.
ELKwATER, VA, NEAR SToN1CKER's, /
September 81. 1861.
To ne Editors Of he Daily Press.

t0ey Will soon De grained. Inc only tOplC
Of conversation at all exciting or interesting Isl
'Where is the Internal cussed Paymaaters2"
There are hundreds of married men, many Of
them with large families, who have been five
months without q dollar, in the service Of
Uncle Sam. Now l have always heard
"Uncle'i spoken we'll of, but must say after
the past experience, that he is the mesnest
cuss ever had any thing to do with; even
the "SeceSH pay their men in scrip" and
their men can get any thing they wish for it,
as the people dare not refuse TO take @. s. A.
money; but we poor devils can't get even
that. | say it fearlessly, aud l say II boldly,
that "Uncle Sam is a id mean man" and
after we've whaled the rebels, i intend to
join a brigade to cuss Uncle clean out of his
boots. To say the least of it, it is truly dis
graceful, that our families have to depend
upon the charities of a City Council for a
mouthful of bread, while the treasury is full
to repletion. So, Messrs. Editors, if you know
the aforesaid Sam, please send him up this
way.-do, that's good Mr.. Editor.
Although very dull now, we had lively
time last week, two Of our companies being
in the advance. The facts are these:
Last Wednesday, about noon, considerable
excitement was created in camp by the fly
ing to and fro Of cannons from one regiment
TO another. During this unusual excitement
there came post haste to headquarters ofthe
calling for two companies to report to him at
once. Lieutenant. Colonel Anderson know
ing that the hurried call meant business, de.
tached Companies B and d, commanded by
Captain j. A. Andrewsand Lieutenant John
@. Parker, and, be it said, to the credit of
both officers, their respective commands were
on the march in five minutes from the time
of receiving the order. At head quarters
they were met by the General, and were Or
IN toly for1 Ioa ,,o 4
vance of our outposts, to meet and welcome
General Lees advance with his rebels. Hav-
| ing proceeded two miles from the outposts
the companies were separated, Lieutenant
| Parker, with his company, proceeding up
| Stuarts Run Valley, and occupied position
| of considerable Importance, with orders to
| hold the same and report, should the enemy
| attempt to advance on our left flank.
Lieutenant Parker having discovered that
Captain Bense of the Sixth had pickets in
| the vicinity, at once sent messengers to him
| TO inform him of bis arrival, but imagine his
surprise to find the house that was Captain
| BIS headquarters surrounded by "secesh"
cavalry instead of Captain Bense. Lieutenant
| Boylan was at once dispatched with twenty
men to drive the enemy from the house,
which he gallantly accomplished, killing one
| rebel and wounding another. 1t becoming
| evident that Captain Bense had been taken
| prisoner some hours before, together with
Lieutensnts Gilman and Shaffer, OF Com.
panies and F and fifty men, two of whom,
Lieutenant Parker found dead, having been
killed while gallantly defending their posi-
ton. After sending dispatches to head. quar-
ters, Lieutenant Parker picketed and secuted
the entire valley and succeeded in capturing
twenty cartridge boxes and one musket
which the rebels left when driven from their
| position.
TIE eompar remained under arms amid
drenching rain, during the entire night
and until twelve NJ. the day following, wheI
heavy cannonading on their right rear pu
them on the alert. Dispatching courier tt
head. quarters, he found that Captain An
drews bad been driven in by the enemy with
shots from six-pounder. At the same time
Company DIS pickets having been fred upon
Lieutenant Parker retired from his position
in good order, just in time to prevent his be.
ing cut off, as there was an entire regiment
of finfantry and two squadrons of cavalry ir
possession of his late position, not fifteen
minutes after he left it.
Company B, upon leaving Company D
proceeded up the main valley on the road
and took position on the left by order, Il
meet the advance of the rebels. After re
naming in position two or three hours, ant
the company to picket the main road for on
and half miles up the road, which was i'm
mediately done, and breathlessly awaited tn
arrival of the advance of the rebels. Abou
seven o'clock the rebel pickets were peste,
about onehalf mile above our advanc
pickets. Several alarms were made during
the night, mostly by the rebels, to find tn
posts of our pickets, but not succeeding. Th
night passed, and the morning opened fresl
and fair the enemy in full sight, over fift
wagons having been counted by picket o
the side of the mountain. About eigh
o'clock Captain Andrews sent ten men
advance as near as possible to the rebE
pickets, and to return and report The
cIept along the road short distance, an
came suddenly upon their advance picket!
The temptation was so great that the boy
had to tumble one of the gentlemen ovel
when the rest retreated into safer quarters
Nearly two hours passed, when our advanc
pickets were driven in by two companies G
cavalry and three companies of infantry ad
vancing upon us in the main road. Afte
falling back to good position the compan
was posted in single file, at intervals of fiv
PAGES, and awaited the advance, which ws
made very cautiously-the cavalry in tn
! valley and the infantry along the base of bot
} mountains, which guarded both sides. Whe
!, the Major commanding the three Indian
, companies, who were posted as reserve aboT
a mile in the rear, saw the precarious situs
tion of Captain Andrews and his men, b
Immediately sent the companies to the righ
Of the valley, to assist in giving the rebels
few Enfield Jerks. When they came near q
practicable, Captain Andrews gave the boy
orders to pepper them and make every sho
tell. Then began the fun. Quick and livel
the shot poured into the rebels, bringin
them suddenly to understand that busine;
was meant.
= They returned the fire for about two hour
but the Indiana boys coming in on the righ
and picking them here and there, cause
! them to fall back till we had the place prett
} we'll cleared. AS we were rejoicing over ou
success, what should surprise us but car
non ball flying just over our heads and Gu
ting the trees branches off, which fell at OF
feet. We sent into camp, and in about a
hour had a cannon planted in position an
fired shell at them, killing and woundin
many of them. AS Company B was in rang
of them courier was dispatched to Captai
Andrews, to move his company back an
await at the entrance of Stuarts Valley, AM
together with Company D, take position o
the side hill and await orders.
Having got the companies safely into pos
ton, and the fire having ceased, orders WEI
sent for both companies to heavily piekC
the main and also Sluart's Run Valley, whic
was done. The next day the skirmishin
continued; many gallant boys fighting in
bad cause fell. About o'clock P. NJ. squs
of our boys brought in the body Of John
Washington, who was shot three tim
through the body, every one Of which mu
have proved fatal. He was with q party
cavalry as body guard accommodating to o
right, and within half mile Of our POI
, up rayine, which was closely watched