The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-08-19
fFrOm de ISaianap0tEo Journal Of Sat,s.lry. /

/
Matters In Western Virginia.
Attention has been diverted from West
ern Virginia for some time by the stirring
events on the Potomac and Mississippi, but
! the announcement that General Lee has
taken large force from the Manassas col
! lection of rebels and was advancing to the
mountain passes into Western Virginia,
where our men are stationed, has re-directed
attention to that quarter, and re-kindled in
terest in the movements there. From Prof.
Fletcher, Superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton, who has just returned from Cheat
Mountain Pass, we learn some items of in
terest in regard to the condition of things
there It would manifestly be improper to
publish particulars of the strength and dis
position of our forces but we may say with
out danger of the information returning
to plague u.s." that there are two passes
from Eastern to Western Virginia through
the mountains, and on the Huntersville road,
Westward of the Staunton road and about
six miles from it, and the other the Staun-
ton road. The mountains ore impossible at
any other points for wagons and artillery,
and nearly so for men. At the first
Colonel Wagner is ia command and
has thrown up strong entertainments
across the whole width of the pass, which
He has force adequate to hold the works
against any force Not0 likely approach to it.
The other pass is held by Gen. Reynolds,
who has entrenched himself strongly. Col.
Wagner is about six miles West and South
Of General Reynolds. Colonel Kimball is
on the Cheat Mountain summit, little dis
lance from the General, where the hill side
is so steep that the tents viii hardly hold to
the ground. ALI three are tolerably but not
sufficiently supplied with artillery, and can
easily come together when necessary. The
enemy holds positions on the roads to both
passes. On the Huntersville road he is
about sixteen miles off, with three or four
regiments of Arkansas and Georgia men,
Another force about as large is under Gen.
Lee in person on the Staunton road, about
twenty miles from our position. The first
attack is expected on Colonel Wagner's po-
sition. He has spared no labor to be well
prepared for it. He has had regular army
engineers planning the works, and has |
turned his whole force into the trenches. He |
is well known to be man Of extraordinary |
energy, but he had not an ounce too much |
for this emergency.
He went into the work himself, and |
worked all the time. On Sunday, when /
the danger seemed very near, he even order
ed the regimental band to "lay down the fid-
die and the bow and take up the shovel |
and the hoe" greatly to the amusement of
the soldiers, who welcomed them to the
trenches with such words of cheer as tsNow
you'll get to blow" we'll make you blow
worse than your horns" The men are
well, in good spirits, and very well pro-
vided for in the main. The chilly and
rainy nights on the mountains makes them
begin to long for overcoats, and Captain 1
1
wearing out faster than good ones ought to.
An attack may be made at any time, but no
apprehension is felt at all, nor. The enemy
las not force enough to endanger our posi-
ion. But he is being constantly reinforced,
Ind there may soon be great danger, and if
he enemy should once get through these
passes, nothing could stop him till he got
10 the Ohio river. Scouting is going on all
he time, but with bad results in some ca
les, as in the skirmish noticed to-day.
where our men were wounded.
A flag of truce came into Gen. Reynolds
amp while Prof f. was there. 1t brought |
proposition to exchange prisoners, which
vas declined, on the ground that our pris- /
,ners, having been taken at Rich Mountain
md been long in our hands, were familiar
With oil our movements e.ad dafances while !
hose in the enemy's hands, having been
AIKEN at Manassas, were strangers in that
ection, could know nothing of the position,
md would consequently be an unequal ex-
.hange, giving the enemy valuable infor-
nation and getting none in return. Gen.
Lees son brought the flag and the proposal,
lad put on airs for time, with his fine
gathers and uniform, over the plain man in
ray jeans who was shown him as our Cen
raj. He supercliously asked who the Cen
raj was, and received the reply that he was
eaeher of Mr.. POpinjay at West Point at
me time. This rather cut his feathers, and
lie behaved little better afterwards. Prof.
Fletcher left on the 18th, and brings US the
Icvyo er,y,,