M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1861-07-25

Gen. GaTnett-Gainntry or the
rroOps-Our Loss and Ihat OF
tae Rebels.
CANP DuMcHf, Corricks Ford,)
Eight miles South OF st. George,
Thicker Co., Va, July IS,
I have dismal recollection Of a
dreary, weary, forced march of nine.
teen miles over almost impassible
mountain roads, mud knee. deep, with
L steady heavy rain falling all the way,
and terminating u fierce engage.
iuent OF hall an hour, the total ront Of
the rebels, and the death of General
Robert =. GarnetL Adjutant General
Of the State of Virginia, and Oomman.
der Of the Confederate army in West.
trn Virginia, Of whCm all that is NOR.
tal lies out few feet from our tent,
The right Of our division proceeded
TO within 0 milcS Of Beverly, where
Capt. Benham, who commands the ad
vance. ascortained OF tho village of
LeadsViile that the rebels, after pro.
csediDg nearly TO Beverly, and find.
ing the road blocked by McClellan's
advance, united with those that had
been routed at Rich Mountain, and
turned back and struck off on the
Leading Creek pike, half a mile this
side OF Leadsville, aud wera moving
in the direction ofSt. George, Tucker
County. We had tracked the rebels
thus far easily. For three miles from
their camp the road was literally shin.
gled with cards. The trumps we're
against them, and they had thrown
down their hands. Every few rods
We found stacks Of tent poles, tents,
blankets, and ether camp equipages,
which they had thrown out of their
wagons and of their shoulders, to
tighten their burdens and facilitate
their retreat. Several wagons had got
of the track, and were found upside
down in tho gorges Of the mountains.
The right OF our column turned off
on the road the rebels had taken, and
after proceeding some two miles halt.
cd for the night. The rear came mp
in couple Of hours, with only four
provision wagons. In the haste Of
starting most Of our troops had left
their haversacks behind. The supply
OF crackers averaged about Ne to ev.
cry man; little sat pork was served
out, the men generally cutting it in
thin slices, distributing it as tar as it
would 60, and ealing it raw with their
crackers. Hundreds, however, sup.
PEERLESS to their bivouack in the bush.
es, lying down OH their arms, and
sleeping soundly.
We were under way in the morning
by three o'clock. The sky was over,
cast and the weather was cold. A
drisling mist commenced falling which
in an hour or two, turned into astoady
chilling rain, the clouds pouring down
thei. burden in such torrents az you
are accustomed to in a June thunder
shower. We forded Leading Greek
twice, and by the time we reached the
miserable little village Of New Inter.
est, at the foot Of Laurel Mountains,
(another range Of the AlleghenIes,
from which the Laurel Hill range is a
mere spur) there was not a dry thread
in our clothing. Every hair on our
heads became conduit for the descend.
ing bounty of Jupiter Pluvius. Pass.
ing the village few miles we struck
directly over the mountains, for Cheat
River, by q by.road which the rebels
had taken. II was Of tho worst des.
cription, OF every step the mud grew
deeper and the way moro difficult,
and one felt as though somebody was
tugsing at his heels to pull off his
shoes. Now slipping down in tho
mud, now plunging into G pool knee
deep. staggering. about in the mire
like drunken men, the soldiers, ela.ed
with the prospect of fight, pushed
steadily and bravey on. So thour.
oughly was the mire kneaded by the
feet OF the thousands, pursued and
pursuing, that it flowed down the
mountain road like thick tar. Every
rivulet, too, became torrent, whilc
the creeks, swollen with the burden OF
the rains, became dashipg and foam.
ing rivers. In the laurel Monntaine,
we found more evidence of the disc,
derly flight of the rebels. For miles,
tents, ten! poles. knspsscks, every
thing, indeed eYsn to personal appa.-
el, was strewn in an indiscriminate !
litter, and trodden down under their
flying feet. Hsre were more wagons
upset, and kept from plunging over
gorges down which it made me DIZZY
to look, only by the dense thickets Of
chapperel and the trunks of trees
Every where II was disaster following
upon disaster. Occasionally we halt
ed, ard those 80 fortunate as to have
them, munched their wet crackers
with as much satisfaction as you
would sit down to a. banquet at tile