Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1862-12-02

a. derness of mountains intervening, while the e
y emy were Watching every known pass to inte
ir cept our return So after ascending the. Dl
3f Fork some 18 miles the command crossed tn
e stream on as dark night as ever sscaiae down
i and struck into the mountains towards Bsyeriy
d threading a blind path through what appeared, a
s ter the rising of the moon, to be the widest an
o most ragged of mountain districts. About
IO'clock we halted in a clearing on the mountail
g top and were fortunate to find corn enough TO
our now fast failing horses. This was on Sun
j day night and was the first grain our horses hat
tasted for 80 hours. though performing immense
service all the time, and regret to say 1t wa!
the last they received until the following Thurs
day Alter resting two hours we again started
still in the direction of Beverly; and here the
reader will observe that the Col. had relinquish-
ed. if indeed hesever entertained the idea of re-
turning by the route we pursued On our outward
trip. This day our horses showed evident signs
of failing in the sspath of duty and after trav-
i cling some or 10 miles we halted to feed our
horses some hay, and ourselves some beef, hav-
ing had no bread since the day before 1t was
the intention of Col. Imboden to encanp that
night (Monday) at well known place called the
clipper Sinks in Pendleton county, but the
difficulties of the path which led through derse
and at all other points impenetrable forest, to-
| gcther with the jaded and worn out condition of
| our horses rendered the accomplishment of this
object impossible and after performing q journey
of miles in hours, encamped in a small
clearing in the forest, just in the edge of High.
land county. There we rested all night being
bod
our now beloved camp in old Hardy. In the
morning our guide, becoming by this time en-
tirely rusiicated, and disdaining all paths and
signs of human existence, dashed into the thick
est of the forest, and leading our horses through
jungle and over cliffs, we struggled on some
times belly deep to our horses in mire, some-
ines climbing on hands and feet steep accliv-
ity, only to slide down the opposite side in an
inverted position, and finally rested after our
days toll at the ssUpper Sinks,' having accom-
plished the distance of miles in one day.
On the following wednesday, morning after
our usual repast of hay ard beef (our horses eat
the former) we again took the forest regardless
of roads, and after toiling until high noon we
made two remarkable discoveries one, that we
had travelled miles into the wilderness where
no human foot had ever preceded us, and the
other, that we had reached very large jumping
off place from which there was no possible exit
but by the way we came. Hence the command,
right about, was passed aloIg the line, and we
returned to our old camp in time to prepare
usual supper of hay and beef, with the glorious
addition of two potatoes for each man, which
was unanimously voted quite treat.
On Thursday we travelled as rapidly as our
crippled horses would go, and as quietly as pos
sible for we were getting near the enemy's lines,
and, as 1t proved, near their camp also and arri-
we'd on the North Fork about noon, where we
procured corn for our horses, being the first they
had received since the previous Sunday. To-
ward evening we started down the Fork and pass
ing within one and a half miles of camp of 400
Yankee and Union Williams who posted
there to catch US, we turned by path into the
hills and crossing over to the South Branch 10
miles above Franklin came upon some camp fires
that 1900 of the enemy had just left. Following
down the river few miles we crossed it five
miles above Franklin, and striking again into
the mountains that divide the waters of the South
Branch from those of the South Fork. bade fare
we'll to danger and bad roads, and encamped at
O'Clock on Friday morning near the head of the
Fork almost exhausted with incessant marching,
and weak for want of food. There the command
rested until II o'clock to give the men oppor
tunlty to buy bread of the inhabitants, which
they took advantage ofwith a will On Friday
night we reached point half way between this
place and Mount Solon, and the next morning
landed safely at this point with the whole com
mand except some 10 or IL horses that gave out
by the way, during the toilsome march of Tues
day, Wednesday and Thursday.
And now let me state that considering the
length of the march, the character of the country
travelled over, and the fact that not less than
5000 of the enemy were on the watch at differ
ent points to intercept us-our escape was re-
markable, e,--wonderful! After pitying our poor
horses (the word poor is applicable in every
sense) that rendered unfit for service for the
next months, too much praise cannot be award
ed to the men who endured the labor, fatigue,
deprivation and almost starvation, of this long
and dangerous march through country of alter
nate mountain and swamp, uninhabited and en-
tirely destitute of roads.
/ wish had time TO describe the winter see
/ merry of these nteTminable forests, with their
giant growth of frs a and feet through and
| eight or ninety feet without limb; wild cherry
8 and feet through at the base, the most mag
nificent beaches, and the broad leaved laurel 30
feet in height and heir stems Is or 20 inches in
circumference. But most remarkable and beau
tiful of all is the growth of MOSES which cover
! the ground, the rocks, the trees and every other
object for more than foot in depth, spreading
the earth with a rich carpet, over laying fallen
trees, clinging fondly to the smooth barkiof the
gigantic mon archs of the forest, and hanging in
beautiful festoons from their spreading branches,
ornamenting Nature in her widest form, may
not say, in her native beauty
/ 1t was sight to fill the soul with emotions of
love for the works of Nature in their original pu-
rity, and 1 look back upon it with desire to re-
turn again to these solitary wilds, but unfortu-
nately for the poetic feeling, glance over my
shoulder at a once fine black charger, vainy en-
deavoring on three legs to crop the surrounding
herbage and with feeling akin to anger curse
the mountains and the ssoavalry trip'' which has
been anything but profitable one to
RANGER.
The outrages committed by the Federal soldiers
north of Grand Junction are without parellel,
even in the history of the depredations of this
war. They were so fragrant that the northern re-
porters and correspondents do not attempt to
conceal them. A despatch from Cairo, dated the