Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-09-25
The Retreat OF Col. LIEhtburn-.
Scenes at POmsFOY.
Erom &c Pomeroy Telegraph.

u
Our town has been the scene of intense
interest and excitement for the last few
days. News in the form Of a Thousand
rumoTs, reached US, of the marching of
the rebel forces into the Kanawha Valley
-tl1e battles at Fayette, Gauley and
Charleston, and the retreat of our forces
We had both armies victorious, and both
slaughtered dozen times, by rumors not
profitable to repent
So far rs we can get at the fants, they
seem to be, that a very severe engagement
between our forces, and an overwhelming
force of the enemy, occurred ut Fnyette,
in which our troops exhibited bravery
not surpassed during the war. They
suffered severely in the fight, but did most
terrible execution upon the enemy. The
particulars we are unable to give. They
held the superior force of the rebels at
bay until night. and then retreated in
good order and Joined Colonel Lightburn
at Gauley. The Colonel, satisfied that he
could not withstand the superior forces
of the enemy, and determined to save the
immense train left in his charge when
Cox was withdrawn. fell back upon
Charleston, fighting all the way. From
there he sent the train across to Ripley,
holding the Rebels at bay at Charleston,
until it was fairly started. Ordering the
bridges on the Kanawha, between Charles
ton and Point Pleasant, to be destroyed,
and the roads obstrpeted. he commenced
his retreat in the rear of his train. Some
skirmlshing occurred on the way, but it
was brought safely TO, and across the
Ohio, ut Burlington. ,
During all this time, the most exciting
rumors reached this place. The Homo
Guards of Pomeroy, Middleport, Miners
vile, &c, turned out to meet the Colonel
at Rayenswood. They had gone no farth-
er than Racine when they were mot and
advised that their services were not need
ed, Some returned, and some went on
upon their own hook. Safely upon the
Ohio side the train commenced its move
ment toward Point Pleasant, which
brought it through this place. We don't
know the number of teams, but were
tuld that the train occupied eight miles
in lenth. 1t was such show as was
never before seen in POmeroy 1t occu-
pied good portion of Tuesday and
Wednesday in passing through town. 1t
was followed by host of fugitiVes, both
white and black. For two or three days
they have been resting themselves in
groups under every shade tree along the
road. Many of the soldiers had not an
hours rest for four days aud nights, and
the fugitives had none for more than
half that time. They might we'll be
weary. Scores of old men and women,
scarcely able TO walk, and little barefOo-
ted children. from three years old and
upward, walked all the weary march
wi 20 Al NJ
along the road from this place to Racine
on Tuesday morning, and founditliteralIy
lined with these weary pilgrims, who
had laid them down 70 sleep, and rest on
the free snil of Ohio, which, to them, was
. land of Canaan. reached at last. we
stopped aud talked to many of them, aud
heard tales that the novelist could never
coin from his fertile brain to grace his
fiction. We may recall some of these
hereafter
The retreat was undoubtedly a masterly
movement, and does great credit to
Colonel Lightburn. The rebels were
undoubtedly apprised train
'ofhorses, mules and wagons lSfs In the
charge of Col. Lightburn and of the
inadequacy of his fUrce to protectis it The
bait was a tempting one, and worth a
With this train, and the Kanawha salt
works In their possession, they could
return to ''Dixie" with salt enough for a
winters supply, The niasterly retreat of
Col. Lightburn disappointed them in
their prey. "A large nmodnt OF Govern
ment stores at Charleston, which could
not be brought away, was destroyed, so
that the rebels will have their raid pretty
much for nothing True they will strip
the Valley of what is left in it, and will
leave it q desolatiOn but it will yield them
neither friends nor, in large amount, the
material of war. Unless they make a
raid into Ohio, we think they will not
iad supplies euough'to last them .lyng at
Charleston. VIII they attempt to cross
the 0hidi We cannot say But it behoo-
YES the citizens to perfect their military
organizations at once, and be prepared
for the worst. taHl
The reports Of the destruction of the
salt works on the KanaWha are untrue.
They are not injured Aud we rather
suspect the. rebels viii spend tba next
month in making and transpotting salt
TO Dixie instead Of invading Ohio. Salt
has been the great necessity Of the rebels
for the last year. It could no longer be
had in the South at any price. q must B.
hda, ,ShOweyer, or they could not support
their armies. And hence the necessity
Of taking the RaHawha Valley.
1thas also been reported thai all Charles.
ton was destroyed. This, We learn, is not
the Sase, qnlsss drives destEpyed by1ths
reSels aftss our tfooPs lee. The GoEsta;
ment stores were destroyed 6y order ol
Co.'s ightbuFu, which Rsl right and prop.
er. Some houses caught ere from the
bursting shells from both parties; bat we
learn. on what Ne beiietesto be reiiabis
authority, that but q small portion Of the
place was injured. We hope this may
prove to be true
All the s7ftifs Union people lhaFo. left the
Valley Hundreds of them followed the
rettFs,atinR trsia, and hlndFsds nete elca.
ped down the KanRwhA in boats, aud skifs
and canoes, aud riffs of ell descriptions, al
we'll as bV all aortg of land con VaVa nee5