Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-11-05
LETTER FROM COL. FROST.
PARKERsnune, o.. 81, lse2.

PARKERsRuRG, Oct. 81, 1862.
| Editors LntetLigeMesr.
Your issue of Thursday morning con-
tains communication signed r. D. which
requires some little notice ut my hand. 1t
did not put me in bad humor for have
long since learned that we distinguished
military gentlemen have our defamers as
well as honorable and honest newspaper
editors, I console myself with the refiec-
| tion that Gen. Mcclellan, Gen. Buell., Gen.
Fremont, Gen. Mcdowell and many other
respectable officers have their traducers, aud
why should escape.
Now have unwittiugly done something
10 somebody. have jostled some one in
my weak efforts to do good, who i: is 1
couldn't say. You have the writer's name,
anduof course you win give it to me. i
think know the ear-marks, and as know
every man in Jackson like book. I'll ven
ture an oyster supper for us two, that when
get in possession of the name I'll show
him 10 be either tainted and suspected
individual, or Union man who wants the
| Union as it was and the constitution as it
is. The hastily written letter to which the
writer alludes, and which, of course, was
not intended for publication, contained the
whole truth aud nothing but the truth. AS
the writer says, did stay upon the Ohio
side of the river all night. did send two
trusty persons over to toreconnoitre, had
but the two soldiers with me, and thought
it at least prudent to wait for Gheir report.
They returned at midnight, and reported
the town clear of rebels, and Lieut. Lytle
somewhere in the neighborhood, thereby
rendering it perfectly safe for me to go
over. AT daylight crossed the river, and
remained until ten or eleven o'clock. / had
asked leave of absence of Col. McCook u1-
til Monday night started for Parkers.
burg Sunday afternoon and on Monday
night after a ride of nearly one hundred
miles reported to Col. McCook, and he, for
the first time, ascertained where had been.
There was NO necessity for my remaining
at Ravenswood, and indeed, there was but
little for my going there at all. i had in-
structed Lieut.. Lytle what to do, and feel
satisfied he would obey my instructions to
the letter. But having sent him upon my
own responsibility felt anxious about the
result of the expedition and determined to
be as near him us possible. In my letter ]
stated that be passed through Raveuswood
before reached there. So, Nj. Editor, you
see that am censured for doing just as you
or any one else would have done under the
circumstances. | Tt
Now, let US see what Lieut Lyle did do
With his forty men. He left Parkersburg
Friday afternoon at A o'clock and marched
forty miles reachiug Ravenswood by dark
Saturday evening, marched through the
town aud early the next. morning was in
front of Ripley. He ordered his men to
FIRE upon some mounted men who were in
the street and bad the satisfaction to see
them run like frightened deer. He enter
4 ed the town, took down Confederate flag
(now in the possession of Col, G.. W. Nc,
Cook from the Court House. de remained
there as long as he thought prudent, then
meandered down Mill Greek and on the
route captured two rebel soldiers l6 horses
and 6 guns, and returned to RdVenswood,
and crossed the river.
| We. have the testimony of the, rebels
\ themselves to the fact that Lieut.. -Lytle
drove 300 of their men back seven or eight
miles from Ripley, on the Charlestown
road. claim none of the credit of the
expedition myself To be sure planned
it, aud started to see 1t well done, as |
knew it would be, but the Lieutenant WAS
too fast for me. The rebels left thecouu-
i ~ in a day or two after LytIe routed them,
4 And see in the same paper that contains
the communication referred to, that Jen-
kins' cavalry have recently re;ppPeRred
\ there. Nov, whatever may. be my demef-
its and shorteonipgs, l am determined every
/ l I.an.L.. ,Eatt haya On far na0 aHart IL