Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-10-25

The Places where the Rails Were
taken to.
from Baltimore Letter in the y. Y. ITeraldl
The readers of the Herald no doubt won
der why il is that the Government has so
long permitted n few miles of the BulGi-
more and Ohio Railroad. west of Harper's
Ferry to remain in virtual possession nf
the rebels. That break in the road, al
though a few miles in extent. has COM
pletcly broken up the business Of the com-
pany as n through route from the West,
and the complaints of western merchants
for its repair have been long and loud.
The facts of the case, ascertained from the
highest authority, are thesc:-The portions
of the track that have been injured-Only
about thirty miles in extent-lie between
Harpers Ferry and the CacnPoon river,
which is fifty miles tby the railroad) east
of Cumberland. This portion of the road
crosses four considerable streams, the
bridges over which-all of them costly and
expensive structures-have been destroyed.
1t also crosses Il number OF smaller streams,
and several dry runs" (that is, deep hOl
lows, where streams of water are formed
! in rainy seasons. but which are usually iry),
by means of cnlverts built of stone. All of
these culvcrts have been blown up and de-
stroycd. The superStructure of the road
itself, the rails, crnsstieS and slceperS, have
been carefully taken up and carried away
on the railroad leading from Harper's Fer
ry to Winchester, thence wagOncd across
| to Strasburg, and transported thence to
Manassas Junction and GordOnsville.-
There is Il railroad surveyed and laid out
| from Fredericksburg to Orange, near Cor
louisville, distance of thirty-live miles.
! This was done two or three years ago. In
| 1850 the road was graded; but when this
distance was done the company who had
| CHARGE of the work were compelled to
abandon the enterprise for the want of
| funds. | understand that the rails and
! ties thus taken from the Baltimore and
| Ohio Railroad track are now heinE used to
/ finish this road from GOrdOnsville to Fred
erickshurg. y glance at the map of Nir-
! winiu will show the great importance Of
/ such a road to the rebel cause, in connec-
ton with the line Of defence which they have
established 1t will he remembered that
this defensive line, beginning at Lcesburg
| the Headquarters of General GuStavus
smith, commander of the left wng,) pass
es through Fairfax and Manassas Junction.
along Bull Run aud the Occoquon river,
and takes IN the line of batteries erected
along the Potomac, from the mouth Of Oc-
cuquon to Matthias Point.
| When it is necessary for them to fight in
defence of that line (for the necessity will
surely arisc) this new railroad will greatly
| increase the facilities which already exist
! Tor bringing up supplies and reinforce
mcuts from Richmond, from Norfolk aud
from Southwestern Virginia.
But to return to the railroad thus denu-
! dcd of its rails, crossties sleepcrS, bridges
and culyerts 1t has been virtually in the
hands of the rebels for many weeks past;
but there have never been more than few
hundrcd rebel troops between Harper'S
Ferry and Cumberland at any time since
the battle of Bull Run. Three regiments
of Union troops, stationed one at Martins
burg. one at Harpcr'S Ferry and one at
| Cumberland, would be sufficient to drive
from the ueighborhood all the rebel troops
in that part of the State. The company
will begin the work of rebuilding the road
tomorrow if the government will assure
them of the necessary protection. The
reason why the government have not taken
hold of the matter before is on account OF
/ its complication with the military move
ment now in Progress in front of Washing
ton. JohnstOn's left wing, under General
! Smith, is now at Leeshurg, only fifteen
miles from IIarpcr's Ferry. True, river
and a range OF hills separate him from
the latter place. But the military author
( tiles are determined that when they move
! this time there shall be no mistake and no
repulse. When a movement is made, there
fore, for taking possession of that part of
the road it will be made from the dircc-
ton of General Banks division, and with
such force as 20 overcome all possible op-
position. Once in possession of the road
the government will hold it and protect
the road in rebuilding it. The company
have provided everything necessary on
their part, and will put force of several
hundred men on it Mt once. Both the gov
ernment and the company understand the
necessity for immediate action in this mat
ter. TIE present weather is splendid for
the purpose, but it cannot last more than
six weeks. The road must be opened by
that time, aud have no doubt it will be.