The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-07-29
Ernrn tha saat OF War.
CAMP HAsoALL, near ParkersburgI
July %, 1861.

July S@I AOOA'
READERS JOURNAL: Since I last wrote to
the Journal, the 18th Regiment has been at
this camp, but to-day are getting ready to
leave some time tomorrow. We first go |
one hundred miles over the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad, to Webster, near Grafton |
Here we leave the Railroad and take the |
turnpike leading toward Richmond. Our |
orders at present are TO proceed in the Rich |
mond direction, about sixty miles beyond |
Grafton, passing in a Southwestern diree- |
ton, between the Allegheny Mountains
the Blue Ridge, through Philippe and Bev-
erley, and stopping at Huttonville, in Ran
dolph county, where We expect to meet
Gen. Mcclellan, with a large portion Of
his force. The Federal army in this part of
Virginia, as well as the forces in the Big
Kanawha Valley, and in the NORTHEASTERN
counties, is all moving to one point, appar-
rently with the design of concentrating in
a short time the entire federal force in Vir-
GINA, at Richmond. By examining the
map of the seat of war, in Virginia, and
| looking at the position of the troops in the
| State for the last two months and their
| present movements, this will appear plain.
/ The strength and centre of secession in
| Virginia is at Richmond, and if the rebels
/ were driven from that stronghold, as they
easily can be, it would not be long before
the stars and stripes would be respected
and obeyed iu every part of the State.
The general opinion of the army officers
here is that the Government is 100 slow is
not handling the traitors as fast, and in as
! rough a manner as they deserve. They be-
Z kat
common foe, contending with US about
principle or a peeuniary consideration, but
should look upon them as rebels, fighting
against government that has given them
all they have, and should treat them as trai-
tors deserve. Since this regiment has been
at this camp, a portion Of the regiment have
gone out on detached service, to neighbour
ing counties, where We learned the Union
people were in danger Four companies of
our regiment, under Lieut.. Col. Wilder, and
four of the 22d Ohio, left last week, to make
tour through Writ, Roane, and Calhoun
counties. The four belonging to our regi-
ment returned yesterday. During the trip
they captured about sixty secessionists.-
Some of them, by taking the oath to sup
port the Government were released; Others
were handed over to Col. Gilmore, of the
: 22d Ohio. Regiment. hen Qqgg ys tJrf0eQgR2s
ed the American flag upon the Court House,
and quartered in the building and yard
The citizens soon commenced coming in,
and many who had voted the secession
ticket, came voluntarily to Col. Wilder to
take the oath, or gee themselves up, as they
called it. portion of Col. Wilder's COM
mand, hearing that an armed band of seces-
sionists were at Arnoldsville, in Calhoun
county, moved by night to that point This
night march we called forced march, The
: distance was only fifteen miles, but the men
had to travel with the greatest care. They
were cautioned not to make any more noise
than they could possibly help while walk
, ing, and not to converse above a whisper.
They came, in the latter part of the march,
to where the secessionists had torn down
the bridges but when they reached the
town the secession company had left and,
although this village was a place ordinarily
of 500 population, all bat about fifteen or
twenty persons, mostly women and children,
had left. Arnoldsburgh is the residence of
Perry Hays, very wealthy man, and the
leader of the secessionists in this portion of
Virginia. He was absent in the rebel army
when our men arrived at his house. 1t was
now morning, go the boys killed three of
his sheep, and had secession mutton for
breakfast. As they had got somewhat tired
of living on hard bread and salt bacon, they
RECALLED themselves, during their stay at
this village, with mutton, fowls, and such
other things as suited their tastes. At one
time one of the messes could be seen sur
rounding huge camp kettle, in which was
three turkey gobblers and five chickens
They put their hard bread in this and
formed a sort Of chicken pie of mammoth
dimensions. 1t reminded one of stories of
the heathens who sometimes kill and boil
missionary and have missionary soup. The
physician of the company, DR.. S. Mumford,
| of Princeton, took possession of Doctors
Office, who had left for the rebel army, and
used the medicine for the sick under his
charge. The different companies that came
back yesterday, had a number of horses,
several Jokes Of cattle, jack, and a num-
Der of other articles which they had taken
from the secessionists. They used the oxen
for hauling the sick, and some of the worn
out officers were riding the horses. The
jack was rather an Anticipated looking fell
low, and belonged, no doubt, to some of the
+. +. VS. fast Fleeing Virginians), and
appeared as if he had seen service As he
came into camp he was covered all over, ex-
cept his eyes and ears with tired soldiers
packs and looked like an ancient dromeda-
~ crossing the Great Desert. This proper
ty viii be turned over to Uncle Sam. When
our troops left these deserted towns, many
of the people had returned, and were pre-
pairing and organizing to defend themselves.
They are very ignorant, simple people, and
have been imposed upon and put in fear by
the secessionists, who have made them be-
lieve that the Union forces were numbering
and plundering as they went, and when
they see our troops come to help them, they
rally and defend themselves.
N. B. REEssINGER.
sag@ Hon. John Law will accept many