Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-07-09
From Laurel Hill.
CAMP AT LAUREL HILL, VA,
limo 90 1851

Mr. MAUzY:- Before leaaing Staunten pro .
missed to give you occasioal Eotes of orr progress
to the seat of war, but this morning, for the first
time since leaving your pleasant little village, |
have leisure 20 iot down few of the many in
cidents which have marked cur progress thus
far.
The evening we left Staunton the boys were
thoroughly drenched before they reached Buffalo
Gap and one OF them became so i'll that he had to
return home It was at Buffalo Gap that yourg
o., finding the bar closed, stated in a pc
remptory manner that he was 'sMaj Harmap,n
and ordered it to be opened at once. The joke
cost him q bar bill OF $40, and since then he
pref6rS to be simple private.
| We found The militia congregated at Monterey,
and they were truly woe begone looking set;
! but arrangements having been made to accept
srna.er quota Of volunteers in lieu of them, they
s'went their way rejoicing after having coaxed
and bribed sufficient number to offer them
selves ss food for powder in their stead.
/ At Huttonsville we were joined by Gen. Gar
nett who took command OF the whole expedition
On the 10Th, Saturday night0 orders were ie-
sued for the regiments at Huttonsville to march
at once towards the enemy. Soon after dark
| about 1900 men were on the road reaching Bev-
ery about o'clock Sunday morning. At this
point about 1000 men, under charge of Col
Heck, went on to mountain pass near Buck
hannon, and the remaining 800 pressed on to
Laurel Hill, and about IL O'Clock Sunday were
encamped in cove near the base of the noun
tain and within II miles of Phillippa. This was
a bold move and we'll worthy Of o great Gene
raj. 1t has forced tie Northern vandals to con
gregate large bodies of troops at Phillippa, and
to expend immense Gums in fortifying place
utterly valueless as place of military occnpa-
! tion. On Sunday afternoon and night about 20 of
- -Sx,s-x H.
tain the different routes leading to our camp, and
from that hour to the present. we have had from
20 to 40 men upon the road all the time and you
i can readily conceive both men and horses are
worn down, and beginning actually to suffer for
rest. We have done the work. OF fully three
times our number, and hsd, to some extent, the
7 safety OF the whole army entrusted to our keep
} ing. Your correspondent had but eleven hours
sleep in the first six days after our arrival, and
was in the saddle a greater portion of the time.
Their scouts lave now, though, become intilni :
dated, and the road is comparatively safe for
!, some seven or eight miles from camp Ga Monday
night we went with some 90 men within sight Of
the far famed Philippe, aud fired a salute over
the sleeping enemy. II was amusing to hear the
drums and bugles beating to arms, as they evi-
f IDENTIFY thought the avenger of blood was just
upon Them We returned laisurely to camp,
reaching home little after daylight. On Tues
day, three of cur men had d little brush with
three of their mounted scouts They fred five
shots without effect. Oar scouts fired three
tines killing two of them aud wounding the
third. The same evening We captured one of
!, ti.eir men, who ,ya7e Information that 800 of
their men intended to capture tie devils who
were troubling them. But for this Providential
.ntimatlon our whole scouting party would have
been cut off, as their ambush was to be placed
| "a f,ox ;,,tar Tod A 81
J waited their approach bearer our camp. They
ambushed about 240 men, and sent forward
about sixty men to draw rs or. Our 80 men
waited their approach without firing. When
! within about 100 yards they halted and fred
without effect, with Minnie rifles, overshooting
U.s. We returned this hre, they fired again and
wheeled to run. Without following, we fred our
second barrel, and having no means of reloading.
initiated their example. We do not know The
effects Of our fire, but eight new made graves in
4 the woods look as if some shot at least had
} counted, while tie means and groanings from
their ranks proved that their feelings Lad been
touched. Since then we have been fred at re-
peatedly by single scouts in ambush, b It we had
> no opportunity of meeting them face to face,
though yesterday we were withia abou. miles
j of their braCe thousands.
Our camp is now strongly fortified, and would
defy an attack from any save an overwhelming
force. We have, | believe, about 4,2OO men
armed and equipped eager tor the fray. They
all, on coming, exfress an eager desire to go at
ores to Phjlhppa, but. after few miles tour
/ through The chaPparel liaed read, tsg concur in
4 th.nking that cavalry scouts have hard road 10
travel. Our Commander-in Chief is a cool.
cear-headed, cautious man--one in whose sa-
gacity his men can cobfide.
Major Tyler Editor of the Enquirer. is here.
! and bids fair to make as able commander as he
is a good editor and affabls gentleman.
The general health Of the army is good tho
We suffer somewhat from lack of good water.
This suffering is more apparent upon horses than
men. The poor brutes, accustomed to drink
from pure monntain streams, know not how TO
use water deGled by camp use
We have had one Oh two sad casualties since
our arrival. A sentinel sho: friend and school
mate approaching his post, deenipg him spy.
The sentinel was not, believe, thought blame
| gble. Yesterday man, willie careessly handling
his musket, was shot through the hand and the
| ball, after passing Trough his hand and an ad-
joining tept, was heard whistng through the
air for more than half mile. By the way, the
old n1nsket has been greatly moderated. When
loaded with the Minnie ball, they shoot as far
and as accurately as any of the far famed YAM
kee or English guns.
! Trusting that you viii receive these hastily
written lines, penned in q crowded leaf tent.
| simply as 81 earnest of our kind feeling TO vour
self personally, and gratitude to the good people
of Staunton,
remain, yours truly,
GREENBRIER CAVALRY.