Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-11-18
VOL. XVI.
From the 7th Ohio.
I
HARPER's FERRY, Nov. IL, Is

I 4eSb OSApEA4 NEdI,J IeNl6HeQ MS OlfiSlOu
lthe 2d) in which, as you were informed BY
a previous letter, are the only Ohio Regi.
ments in this (the 12th) corps. A few
weeks since the Division was inspected by
General Gordon, commanding the 1st Di.
vision, and with the exception Of the 7tt
Ohio Regiment, none passed an entirely
satisfactory examination. The Sd Del
aware was found to be in a most
filthy condition, even the officers
covered with vermin. In his report
Of, the inspection, General Gorden
submitted that the men should be thor
oughly scrubbed and transferred to other
regiments, and the officers dismissed the
service. The result of this report was the
institution of reformatory measures by
General Geary, and presume the review
was 10 ascertain with what effect SO far
as could be judged from & view of the e1-
terror. The men were in satisfactory
condition at all events, the officers were
eOmplimented by the General upon the
good appearance and soldierly bearing Of
their several commands. There were pres
ems from six to seven thousand infantry
and three batteries Ofartillery. Itwas an
interesting and imposing sight to novice
The strong picket kept close upon our
front by the rebels for some time past, to-
gether with the "reliable information {"
which our credulous Generals almost daily
come in possession of, have, to within the
last twenty-fOur hours, prevented the
slightest movement Of the forces here, the
belief prevailing that the enemy had mass
ed at Winchester 50, 600 strong, and might,
unless the greatest care was taken not to
give them any idea of our strength, pounee
upon and annihilate US. Whether such
was the fact or not, am unable to say, but
for day or two the enemy's pickets have
fallen back, and their number considerably
diminished. The uncertainty of our stu
alton must have been perplexing to the
commander, and with view to ascertain
ing how much Of force was threatening
US, a reconnaissance in force down Loudon
Valley was ordered by Major General
Slocum. General Geary's Division,
with Knapps's Battery, was assigned to
the important task, and little before II
o'clock Saturday night the order was re-
ceived at the camps Of the regiments COM
posing the division to supply themselves
with two days rations and be ready to
march at A. N. Sunday. No "nOte of
preparation" was sounded, everything
being got ready with the least possible
noise, and shortly after A. n. the division
was in motion along the ChRrlestown pike.
Getting beyond our picket lines, skirmish-
ers were thrown out on either hand to
scour the woods and examine the houses
along tho route. The column passed on
unmolested, the skirmishers occasionally
picking up rebel soldier or civilian, the
latter class being kept in custody merely
to prevent their slipping around us, and
preparing whatever force might be in our
front for our coming. About eight clock
the column arrived at Charlestown, where
they found all quiet, most fortunately for
that town, as General Geary had orders to
destroy every vestige of its existence in
the event Of his meeting with resistance
there. A guard was placed over the town,
and the column proceeded a few miles
further, shelling and skirmishing the
woods as it advanced, occasionally turning
out a rebel eaYalryman. Proceeding TO
within about six miles of Perryville, it
was aseertained that force of some three
thousand cavalry, with eight pieces Of ar
tillery, were stationed there. It was
deemed idle to march infantry against
this cavalry I'VE had no cavalry partic-
ularly as there was nothing serious to be
apprehended from them, and the column
was accordingly "sbout-faced' TO return
to camp, where it arrived about seven
O'Clock Sunday evening. At Charlestown
the civilians who had been arrested were
released, the soldiers (eight in number,
believe, being brought in. The recon
nOissnce was daring one, in view Of the
fact that all the information that could be
had led to the belief that very considera-
bic force was not far from US. The result,
however, was highly satisfactory, and for
time we may rest easy in the knowledge
that for sixteen miles beyond our outposts
there is No enemy in force sufficient to
give Us any great trouble.
As is always the case when the Seventh
Regiment is on the march, it had the sd-
vance in this reconnaissance. All the
Field Officers Of the gallant old Regiment
were present, and the men (most Of them
recruits) behaved very hands omely, as did
all the Ohio boys. regret that 1 cannot
say this of the entire Division, but the dis
graceful conduct Of several Of the regi-
ments-particularly the 149th and 18th
New York-was too reprehensible to 60
Unnoted. Both are new regiments, and
early in the march began to take the most
unwarrantable license with everything
that came in their way-sheoting the cat
tie, hogs, chickens, &C., in the farm yards.
At Charlestown these desperadoes entered
stores and completely riddled them, totally
destroying one dealers stock Of hats, bon
nets, ribbons, Sc. Only one Of these ruff
fans-a member of the l49th-wRs placed
under arrest, and he not for any Of the
depredations above mentioned, but merely
for discharging his musket in the air-a
thing which, by the way, nearly every man
in the Regiment did before they returned
to camp. Why such conduct was tolerated
by General Geary-and he did not to my
knowledge, attempt 10 prevent it-I shall
not undertake to say. One thing is be-
yOnd question-We cannot hope for sue
cess if we are to have an army Of such
wretohes as these, nor will we deserve it.
The conduct Of the Seventh may be seen
from the following Circular issued to the
Regiment by Colonel Creighton
HEADQUARTERS 7rH- REa1MENT, o. vi,
BOLIVAR HEIGHTS, Va, Nov. 10, 1862.
fCIRCULARl fTc C
SOLDIERS OF THE SEYENTE: take this, the first
opportunity, 70 tender you my thanks for the