Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1861-10-03


Regiment. stationed in Western Virginia:
CHEAT MoUVTNv Pass, Va !
September IL, 1861.
DEAR sIsrrR:-I received your letter
day before Yesterday, and several from
father since last wrote home.
The scouts OF the 18th Indiana and
some Of the Secesh scouts had skirmish
some seven miles from where the 18th is
fortified, one day last week. The 18th
Indiana was telegraphed for double
quick" They started off about O'Clock
P. NJ. on Thursday, ard marched till l2
VI. that night, and bait ed on the ground
where the skirmish took place. Some OF
our men found the body Of one Of the
scouts Of the 18th, the only one OF our
men who was killed in the fight. They
were attacked twice. The first skirmish
was farther up the road. This scout was
killed there, our men retreatinc, carving
the body of the dead soldier with them.
Thinking themselves out Of danger. they
halted to eat in the place where We found
the dead body. but the enemy slipping
upon them in superior numbers, they were
obliged to retreat again, leaving their
dead comraGe We buried this dead sol
dier Of the 18th by the road side, in the
grand old woods, many miles from any
habtation, with his blanket for winding
sheet
About o'clock in the morning our
Regiment moved on still further, some G
or miles, hoping TO come up with the
enemy's camp ard surprise them, but all
to no purpose, as not sign of Sccesh
could we find. We marched s or 10 miles,
our road a mere mountain path, through
a deep forest unequalled in roughDess in
Indiana. The rain was pouring down,
and we were unable to see two feet before
US, in the worse than Egyptian darkness.
There was no chance TO walk around the
deep mud holes, so We splashed through
them, sometimes knee deep in the mud
and water, often falling down in them, or
over the large rocks that covered the
road. The road led up the valley of a
small stream, which we crossed twenty
eight times, during the march from the
one pike to the other, and not clearing
or inhabited place during the march. The
boys we're completely covered with mud
and water; and when they came to halt
were detailed out, over the hill, in the
woods, as pickets, to prevent surprise by
the enemy, whose camp, 1900 strong,
GeOrgians, was said to be within 6 miles
of us.
Our Regiment stayed up in the noun
tains two days and nights, ENJOYING pic
mic life finely. IL reminded me of the
tales have read of "Robin Hood and his
merry men" in Sherwood forest, or of the
Gypsy lite. The men, scattered around in
groups through the bright green woods,
talking and laughing, telling wild stories,
or humming some gay or home-remem-
bcred song. Some were sitting on the
logs. or standing around the fires roasting
their bacon on the end of long sticks, held
in the red, blazing fire; roasting potatoes
in the ashes, taken from some Secession
patch, or drying their feet and clothes
Some of the boys killed deer, which in
my humble opinion tasted rongly of
mutton.
About 6 p NJ. we were relieved by the
Guthrie Gray (Ohio) Regiment, when we
marched a couple of miles towards home,
(what we call our camp herc) and camped
on the ground with blanket and oil cloth.
We got to camp next day about noon.
Now, | suppose you think we ough; to
be down sick after marching over such a
road, but we were not. We are getting
''aoclimated" to this way of living. and
what We may, at first, have considered
hardships, are now passed through as
nothing out Of the ordinary.
The l4th Indiana. with two or three
Ohio Regiments, and cavalry and artille-
ry, are well fortified on Cheat Mountain.
The 18th Indiana, with tour or FIVE Ohio
Regiments, and cavalry and artillery, are
fortified miles from here On the other
road It's called Wagner's Fort, in hon
or Of the Colonel of the 18th Indiana. The
latter works have seen, and / am conf
dent in saving that 5000 men can hold it
against force Of q, 900. The Guthrie
Grays and l7tl Indiana are stationed 10
or l. miles beyond Wagner's Fort. Our
Regiment i the only one here now, with
three r.aed 10 Founders, and a company Of
cavalry. Gen. Reynolds's headquarters
are here, and Company B, Of this Regi-
ment, is his body guard. The telegraph
wire runs no to Cheat Mountain and to
Fort. and we have an Office and
operator here. The telegraph follows Us
wherever We 70. and We would be appris
ed of anv attack that should be made on
our forces within a moment or SC after
in fact We could hear the firing here, and
could send immediate assistance if neces-
sary.
The health Of the troops here is excel
lent. believe only eight deaths have
occurred out Of the Regiments that have
camped here. The burying ground is
about quarter Of mile from camp
Some have their names rudely carved by