Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-10-31

Having business at this point | take occa-
sion to drop you line in regard to glorious
victory achieved by one of Virginia's noblest
sons. allude to General Kelly.
General X. had but few days since ex.
tracted from him the bullet he received at
the battle of Philippi Finding an oppor-
tune moment, regardless of his sufferings,
be headed his brigade, and with deter
miDation to do or die, he marched to Rom
ney, a Secession den, from whence so many
raids have been made upon the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad. He was there met by a
Secession force fully one-third more than his
own, and after q brief engagement of two
hours Romney was vacated.
General Kelly took twenty prisoners three
cannon, twelve wagons loaded with muskets,
and all their camp equipage. The Union
loss was only one killed and five wounded,
the rebels firing too high entirely.
The hends incarnate of this damnable den
at Romney have been in the habit of send.
ing out midnight parties of desperadoes who
would tear up the track, or secreting them
selves, fire from their ambush upon inoffen
sive travellers, irrespective of sex or nge
RomDey is situated about sixteen miles from
the road, and was very easy Of access from
the railroad. General Kelly still holds this
important point. " esterday he received re
Inducements from Captain Dau6ls aud Cap
tain Nixon's batteries Captain Nixon was
formerly ordnance sehgeantat Clarksburg.
The rebels in all probability retreated to
ments there is no doubt Bat that the General
quality.
Colonel Hoy islyf command, of this post,
which is very important one. it was by the
especial request Of Gen. K. that the Colonel
accepted the position. find the Colonel
very popular. Colonel, Hoy has supreme
command here; he has seven companies sta
toned at this place Of his own regiment. To-
day saw him review and drill his battalion,
and it was a review that many of those
higher in command might envy. Those who
saw Lieutenant Fl. at Dennison, aud would
see him now, would ackno wledge him a close
student of military matters.
The want of systematizing the army is
severely felt at this point; day after day and
week after week poor, enfeebled, emsciated
soldiers, men who have nearly worn out their
lives in sustaining the honor OF our common
country, are sent BY this route to their homes;
some come by passes, some by discharges
from ignorant captainsS Others get here upon
the simple say-so of apNofficer; at any rate
here they congregate, seventy or eighty a
day. What is to be Aone ? NOut of health,
pei niless wanderers, they haye0o means to
reach home.
Captain Comley7tor Dick ComleS, as be is
familiarity called St Dayton-has, in the
kindness of his heart, established a place for
win bless him and, Colonel II. for their kind
ness x
The country around this place is dreary
and desolate enough. Every thing bespeaks
the terrible neglect that inevitably follows
war like the present. Houses are vacated,
fields gone to ruin, and desolation marks the
places that have been the abode Of those once
in opulence.
Public meetings are being held in nearly
all the towns, and strong Union sentiments
are promulgated. Men for miles around con-
gregate, and are beginning to understand the
policy of the Federal Government. Many
have heretofore been blindly ignorant in re-
gard to the aims of the "powers that be'--
supposing, and hitherto insisting, this was
merely war of the North against the South,
and not for the maintenance of the Govern
ment. Only to day an old veteran said to
me, at Philippi: "Wall, sur, you have
opened my eyes. l thought it was 'Abo.
litioners' against shareholders, and you
wanted jest to free the niggers, and that
would end the war; and sooner than have
blood shed, l would go in for freein them.
Upon my explaining the matter to him he
seemed perfectly surprised, and said that all
the speakers he had heard had said all the
army were nigger thieves, and nothing else.
He concluded by giving me cordial invi-
tation to go out to his section of the country,
and explain to the people; but recollection
of "Newport" admonished me to ''shun the
fire." and your correspondent did not ac-
cept.
Clarksburg, A>with us tonight. l do not
suppose there ise, more 'unipstly abused man
in the service. WhZtheypick at him (uews-
paper paragraphists spGall) can not con-
II, TX ~, la1k aaIr -,
the highest terms of him an6-his abilities.
General ROeecrans, who ought to Nhnow him,
is waIn in his encomiums Of him.
Colonel Marrow, of the Third Ohio, told
me he had never met with kinder treatment
snd more sssiduous attention than from
| Captain Lieb the same was said of him by
Quartermaster Shoem aker. Every want
that it was possible for him TO supply to the
Ohio boys he did promptly, and it behooves
0hioans, and those who would denOunce q
man, ITO think twice. before they speak once
and not berate a man, Just because some
jack a-nape chooses to speak i'll of him. He
may be abrupt at times in his manner, but
then there is so much red tape with which
he must naturally come in contact, that il
destroys the temper of any man of sense.
Colonel Hoy presented me with Secession
trophy-a flag captured from the rebels by
Captain Showalter, of Company A, Sixtt
virginia, when l VIII sena 10 Olnclnnauth
first occasion offering 1t was in Genera
Lees army in Marion County.
The Odd Fellows have applied for dis
pensation to open lodge in the army a
Elkwater. | suppose now the Scripture
quotation will come in play:
"Oh for lodge iB some vast wilderness."<
hcan not close this letter without spsakinI
in thehighest terms of the Grafton Hous
aud its gentlemanly proprietor, Arthur Res
ley, ESQ. He-keeps a hotel Yds is a hotel,
and sets table tbatWould do credit to tn
"Burnet" 60 from hsfeto Wheeling upol
some business, whence l may write yo
again. Respectfully,