Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-09-04
Military Correspondence.
GAULY BRIDGE, Va, :
Aug. 20, 1861.

At this point the river is shallow and rap
i'd Its banks are very precipitOus, and
densely covered with a small growth of
timber and underbrush. This river has
more the appearance of the Upper Missis-
Hippl, with perhaps the exception of the
low marshes between the latter stream and
the adjacent blufa- The hills are quite
as high, but CONF much nearer the waters
edse-leaVing barely room for a wagon
road. There are but few houses at this
plaee-perhaps a dozen, and those mostly
frams,-shOwing the effects of age and a
want of repairs. If it we're not for one
thing they would look considerably decent,
that is the inveterate habit Of the people
Of this entire country of building the
chimney on the outside. No matter what
the style of the house, the chimney must
invariably be built on the outside, and
that, too, a great stone chimney, taking
up one entire side of the house. l have
seen (but the occasions were rare) fine.
white cottages with their green blinds and
and pretty yard full of beautiful flowers,
shrubs and trees, but as l would become
fairly interested in the home picture, one
of these u~ngainly chimneys would present
itself, when the beauty of the spot would
be lesSened one half. 1t is almost impos-
sible for one to believe that there is so
much difference in the condition of the
people among the hills of Western Virginia
and those Of Ohio. The moment one crosses
the Ohio river he might as well imagine
himself among the rugged pioneers Of the
far west instead of in a country which has
been settled. to 4 certain extent, for years.
The people live in the same sort Of log hut
they are only half clothed and half fed,
and use the same rude language. They
obtain a good deal of their living by the
use of the rife, in fact, this, with a little
patch of corn and potatoes, together with
a little bacon, constitutes the entire living
of many of these people. And yet, for
aught l know, they are as happy as most
people. Their wants are few, and propO-
tiOnately easy to supply.
You may wonder how l got down here,
% miles from my regiment. You may we'll
wonder, for l hardly know, myself 1 re-
member of having been loaded into a lum-
Der wagon, last Sunday morning. 1 have
a faint recollection of sleeping in said wag-
on Sunday night, somewhere between here
and Cross Lanes, On the banks Of the Gau-
ly, and of starting early Monday morning
for this place. l remember distinctly to
have suffered amazingly by jOlting over
the rocky road, and hat my bones ached
wonderfully on my arrival here. To cut
the matter short, l, in company with II
others, was sent here On the sick list, as
not being able to do duty. The regiment,
being the advance and expecting al attack.
Col. Tyler deemed it advisable to get rid
of all extra baggage, so We, amongst other
things, were piled into the wagons and
sent to this place. 1 never was SO tired
in my life as on my arrival here, and had
it not been for the kindness of Gen. Cox,
l should have been very sick from the te-
diousness of the journey. As soon as l
arrived l reported myself to him, as l had
dispatches of some Importance from Col.
Tyler. He at once asked me if l had com
Portable quarters. and when informed that
l had only a tent, he at once procured me
a room in a house which the General and
staff occupied 1 owe my present state Of
reasonable health to his kindness l de-
sired very much to return home for a short
time, or until 1 should be improved in
health, but Col. Tyler would in no way
give his consent, but sent me here to await
orders. l am very glad Of the change, as
the sequel will prove.
Gen. Cox is well fitted for the position
he holds. He is esteemed by those by
whom he is surrounded, both for his cour-
teous habits and military knowledge and
capacity. He has the faculty of being
agreeable and still maintaining the digni-
ty of his position. He can rcprimand
without harshness and praise without an
appearance Of fattery. In short, he is a
gentleman. Nothing an inferior 50 dis
likes in 4 superior lin rank. mean as
bombast while giving his commands. 1t
is enough to be commanded, without hay
ing the fact constantly presented to one
that he is an inferior.
On going to my room on arriving here,
l found things very comfortable. There
were two windows, and a crate for warm
ing the room. The woodwork was paint
ed green, but although green is not a very
tasty color for a room, in my judg sent,
yet it was painted. The furniture in the
room consisted of one bureau, two chairs,
one mirror and two beds 1t had been so
long since l had seen a bed that l had a
mind to occupy beth of them, but cOnclud-
cd one was as many as could occupy COM
That night. for the first tina
since l have been in the State, 1 wished
home. One in health can endure
hardships; but let him get sick and pat
will hardly drive away a desire for
The house which the General and Staff
occupy is very pleasantly situated, being on
The north bank of the Gauly near its juno
ion with the Kanawha, in fact we can