Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-12-19
letter from the e7th ohio neslment.
UoFFefnondence of the Jonrnal.


Camp Suffolk, Va, Dec. 4. 1862.
On the afternoon Ofthe LIST a scouting party,
consisting Of the 39th Illinois 61d Ohio, I3Oth
New York and 103d Pennsylvania infantry reg
in'ents and companies Of the I1th Penssylva-
MIA caval, y, LEFT Suffolk for a three days scout
along the banks Of the Blackwater. Colonel
Spear Of the IIth Penn. cavalry in command
They proceeded in southwesierly direction to
Carsville, on the Roanoke or seabrook Railroad
where they bivaoucked for the night Early
the next morning they set out for a well known
church where they expected tn find the rebels
fortifying. But when they reached the church
there was not a rebel to be seen. A squad of
IL men and a sergeant were sent out to the river
some two miles distant, as advance guards
Soon alter the pickets were sent out report
came TO headquarters (Col Spcar's) that the 10
men and sergeant sent out as advance guards
had been taken by the enemy. This news set the
camp in an uproar. Two companies of cavalry
were Immediately started in pursuit Of the sup
posed eaPtors. Col. Spear led the charge On
they went like wild men, and as they were so
anxious to make haul, the order was given
every one go in on his own hook" They had
not gone mile, when on rounding short curve
in the road they came almost upon a body of 400
rebel cavalry, coming directly towards them, but
they did not see our boys until they were right
upon them. In an instant they dismounted and
took TO the woods, but our men rode among them
with such dash cutting and slashing right and
left, that II utterly confused them and they really
did not know what to do. Some held up their
hands aud cried out Il surrender" but this did
not save them from the sabre--all must have
touch of Yankee steel; aud in this way
they were cut up until our boys were sat
isfied that they had done enough and then went
tn n
every one Of whom bore the mark Of the Yam
kee sabres, 10 or - hOsses and the famous rock
ct battery which they took from Mcclellan in
front of Richmond last summer; also 100 rounds
OF ammunition (roekets.) This battery is sim
gular piece OF artillery. The gun is made of
19-inch round iron bars set in rings and bolted
securely ON tripod as to give it the proper
elevation. The fuse in the shell is then set on
fire and as as it communicates with the
powder off IT starts flying through the air much
like 4th of July fire rocket; after the powder
has burned to a certain point it communicates
with an inner chamber which explodes sending
its bullets and broken fragments in every direc-
ton. 1t is said to carry one and half miles
The whole concern consists ofa 2-wheeled cart,
with two ammunition boxes and two of these
stove pipe guns, with both ends open. When
our cavalry first saw it they supposed it to be
part of a caisson and dashed past it in pursuit
Of the gun; but for this they might have taken
double the number Of prisoners. After the ex-
citement had subsidized, Col Spear ordered the
chief artillerist to fire the gun that he might see
how it worked. One thing which is singular
about this gun it makes no report until the shell
has travelled mile or so, when it bursts with
tremendous roar, but none can tell from whence
it came.
From the appearance of the prisoners taken
we imagine some of the Cd regiment Of Georgia
volunteers would have sore heads the next day
A few more skirmishes Of this sort will learn
them how to take joke. Yours, J. G. G.