The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-01-29
Army Correspondence.

4 AtgsAl
/ pedition ofthe Ts0emty fifth Regiment :
Huntersuile Destroyed Tom Masters
Scout Other Matters 9} oa asas
DEAR SPIRIT: l have only time tt
write you brief sketch of the doiag
of our regiment since the affair at ALE
[gheny Summit. Soon afser my return to
camp. 1 was sent on an expedition with
SO men,. to capture q, sqnad of "snakt
hunters" which the scouts represented
to be within twenty-five miles of toul
camp, ], started on the day before Christ.
mas, Lieut.. Houghton, most excellent
officer, accompanying asd assisting me.
We marched all day over mountains and
rayines, along a bride path. gOae of the
mountains crossed by US, was he loftiest
have yet seen 10 Western Virginia a
The result of the trip was, briefly, this:
We learned that our General had been
misinformed by his scouts, and there was
no organized force of 'ssuake hunters. -
or any other Secesh, within forty miles OF
as. We had the pleasure of spending
Christmas eve, lying in the open air. aud
in the snow, except where our fires had
melted it off. The following morning We
started back to camp, aud reached it a
little after dark, tired, hungry, cold and
sleepy. This Was on Christmas. Il
AN EXPEDITION GAS WAS" AN ExpEDI
q a'i9 TIoN e'is s'ti98s7Ies
= Z. 4
On the day before New Year, an expe
dition left our camp, composed of 40 men
from each company, for Hun,e;ssile, a
distance of 81 miles, right toward the
center Of Secessiondom, under the corr.
msnd of Major Webster. Capt, Wash
burn was in command Of the, ,detachments
from companies A and B.. and / COM
manded the detac hments from companies
G and 1. Our New Years eve was spent
like our Christmas eve, bivouacking on
the ground in the open air We were
reinforced at Elkwater by 500. of the 2ad
Virginia, q part of Capt, Hollister's com
pany being, among the reinforcements.
On the fourth day out, we arrived at the
advanced pickets of the enemy at Greea-
briar bridge. Here we had jolly piece
of sport. A detachment of Braxlon IS
cavalry, which accompanied us, attempted
to cut of the pickets. about rs or 80 in,
number, at the bridge. They crossed the
river, and dashed down to intercept the
pickets, who fed precipitately toward
Hantersvi!le. 1t was an exciting chase
for a few minutes, the pickets being noun :.
ed as we'll as our cavalry. From our po-s
sition, three quert,rs of a mil, distant,
W. 9 ,uld see the secesh darting out from
the bridge like rockets, and gallopirg to-
ward little run, up which led the road
|to ,Hun.ersvilIe. The valley was me "a
ow, without fences or any other obs acle.
and the point to be gained was the en-.
trance to the ravine. A few of the se-
cesh cavalry reached it before our men
could intercept them, but most of them
were compelled to wheel down the valley
and strike for the Gauley road. About
the time the Secesh changed their course,
our cavalry halted, except one trooper on
q sprightly black geldng He fixed his
| eye on Secesh officer who was mounted
Lon gray horse. and gave him chase.
Secesh had about one fonrth. Of mile
the start, and the race for near . mile
was most exciting Both horses stretched
every nerve, and whip and spur were ap-
piled with the utmost tigor Or man
Lg-adually gained upon him, and when
within about fifty yards. the Sscesh
plunged into the river, crossed over, and
ESCAPED among the pine timber.
! The Secesh who were thus cut of, went
up the Ganley road. on the mountain side.
and stationed themselves about mile dis
tant to watch our forces. Our Major,
thinking that perhaps a large force was u
the road for the purpose of falling upon
the rear Of our battalion after they had
lcross d the bridge, let me at the bridge
with so 'men, with ius ructions that il
they attacked US, to fight them, no mat
ter what their number was, and to keep
lighting them until his return from Hunt,
ersville, six miles distant. : -
barricaded the ends of the bridge
with heavy logs, and pierced loopholes .,
each post. determined to hurt somebody
before leaving our position, however greal
the attacking force might be. We wait.
LED perhaps half an hour for the force
which we could plainly see up the road
TO attack US. but they, didn't come,
then started half q dozen men toward
them. expecting to draw the Seeesh on
Fbut they scampered away up the mount.
ain, and we saw them no more.
/ The force of Major Webster proceeded
on towards HuntersviIle, a distance of
miles, in quick time. They numbered
within dozen Of 500; while the Secest
force, composed of 3 companies Of Ten
nesses cavalry, 2 companies of infantry
and number Of 'Secesh citizens, amount
ed in all to over $50. This estimate o
the forces is strictly correct. being nei
ther under estimated on our side no
over estimated on theirs When within
Il j . s7.lL- q y