Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-01-29
PROM NEW CREEK.
An Interesting Resume Of Matters
aud Things ln that Locality
CAMP AyisAysEL.

NEw CGEEE STATION, Va, Jaa. 20.
Edi,srS hbHymecr:
Presaming that few lines from this
section ef the country Wouli interest your
many readers, am at present seated for
that purpose.
On the llth Of January, Col, Anlsansel
received orders 10 report himself aud regi.
mrnt 10 Cumberland. Aher working all
OF Saturday night loading baggage and
rurryiug our horses, We lef. Clarksburg.
Nothing Of interest occurred dnring the
trip. On arriving in Cumberland, We re-
ceivsd orders to return to New Creek and
take quarters. The weather was very
cold, and The boys were nearly frozen, hut
"nAry word OF complaint did they make,
for they all thought that Il would not be
long until they wonld have gHm enough
work 10 the neighborhOod Of Romuey or
Winchester. In a day or two after our
tents were pitched, il began to rain, and
has rained almost ever since. The "Saered
soil, - I know, was five or six inches deep.
Scouting parties were sent out every day,
always bringing in a rebel or. two. The
Iirst party that went out, caught rebel
Major by the name Of VandOver. lie was
riding splendid hcrse, aud fixed out 10
the mark Of his high calling.
Daring the eight days in which Col, An
isanSel was commander Of this post, We
had exciting rumOV, thrilling kilograms
from headquarters, and most active opera
iious generally. General Jackson, with
twelve thousand men, was reported TO bs
marching ou New Greek. Two thousand
rebel militia, his advance guard, were within
ten miles Of this place. Several times our
scouts drove in their piekets-ones sur
prising and capturing two Of them, who
reported to US correctly the forces At aud
pear Romney, as iolloFsi Gen. Jaekaon's
infautty, Col. Ashby's celebrated Black
Horse cavalry, between six and eight hun.
drcd, and Sheets cavalry Of about one
hundred, all well armed with breech.load.
ing rifles and reTolvers, and all spleudidly
mounted, while We had at New Greek about
three hundred aud ffly cavalry, armed with
pistol. .carbines, sabres, but no revOlvers.
Il was in this emergency that our Colo
mel showed himself the truO military man
that he is. Hc rode on horseback more
than half Of every day, viewing all the
roads leading to this place for FIVE or six
miles out; building block houses in posi-
lion 10 command the roads with small
force, aud posting picksts at the proper
places on every approach to the town. in
linC, nothing short OF seeing with bis own
eyes that eytfything was right, would sat-
isly him. will here mention one Circum'
stance which illustrates the character Of
the man, and think also reflects much
credit upon him.
New Creek is so situated that large
force could easily flank it both right and
left. There are Eve or six roads approach-
ing it from the South, while the Potomac
river, which was greatly swollen at that
time, cuts OF all possible retreat to the
NorthWaFd. The Colonel was fully persua-
ded that the rebels prsmedilatsd descent
upon the place ia the night, in order to
capture bis horses aud commiSsary stores,
and tue ouly means to guard against this
was to plank the railroad bridge, No. 81,
over tue Potomac, one aud n quarter miles
east Of New Creek, which is about $50 feet In
length. He telegraphed to the General Of
this necessity, and was answered that men
and lumber would be sea; Immediately to
do it, but the day passed and night came
but no men, no lumber. Midnight drew
on /. rained incesSantly, and We knew
that the rebels must attack US by daylight
or else be prevented by the swollen Condi.
Iion Of The creeks which they would have
to cross to get here, In this emergency the
Colonel ordered ont all his teams, gathered
on enough plank and proceeded without
delay for darkness OF rain, to plank bridge
No. 81, the bridge across New Creek aud
Two small ones intervening, and by three
o'clock, \. ", all things were 10 readiness
at the irsl alarm, to pass horses and stores
10 the North aide Of the Potomac, exchang-
ing a weak position for a strong one where
We could have held ten thousand men IN
cheek &eFhonrS 1t not for days. In the
morning came the train with lumber, but
| il was too long 10 getting here, the work
was done. The streams raised 90 rapidly
that the rebels we're afraid TO yeuture over
lest they might be cut OF from their main
force, The next day reinforeements came
pouring in TO New Greek, making Us per-
feeuy safe against any number that would
likely be thrown upon Us. 1t iS high
commeudatlou to our excellent Colonel to
SAY that bis plans in detail were carried
out by Brevet Brigadisr Gen. Dunning, AZ.
terra large force was concentrated here. II
lis at this place that New Creek flows into
Ithe north branch OF the Potomac, which
divides Virginia from Maryland There is
ono thing IhdEI must say OF this place
that the scenery is the loveliest / eVetIAW.
There ii certainly no place in the Union
that equals il 10 SOME places massive old
rocks loom up hundreds Of feet in height
some covered with moss as In summer
others gay BY the wind and suns ofcen.
turies In other places the hills rise 4
thousand feot in height, The music Of The
waves Of the river as they dance out upon
The beach, dies far away among the pines
Tho winds are ever sigbing through the
latter, lulling us to sWee. repOSe then We
dream Of fame and home. The picket
guard at his lonely post far up on tho
mountain top, lOVe' them beeauls they
cheer bis loneliness. As I write, all with