Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-05-14
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OAMP NO. o. EAlhOEIoh,
AEROnA Co, Va, Nay I'd, 1881.
EDIToRs LEADEE-Asking your pardon
for 90 long Deglscting you, I will try and
give you some idea Of what we are doing
and where we are. We left Raleigh, Thurs
day, April Gath, en- route for this place
(Prlnoeton) and camped on Little Beaver
river From there detachment offour com.
panies started on scouting expedition to
Jumping Branch and mouth OF Blue Stone
river, over one Of the toughest and muddiest
roads ever saw. We accomplished nothing,
as the busbwhaekers fed on our approach.
After a nights rest we returned as far as
Shady Springs, where the balance of the
regiment were encsmped. After resting two
days we again started en- route for Princeton.
We marched twelve miles, crossing Great
Flat Top Mountain, andoamped for the night
Early next morning sharp and rapid firing
was heard some Eve miles in sdvance Of Us
where 90. o of our regiment were in quar-
tsrs. Four hundred and Hfty infantry,
cavalry and bushwhsckers had surrounded
them during the night, and at daybreak
commenced the attack. The company, NUM-
berinQ between ffty and sixty men, kept
them back until the regiment came IN sight
between 8 and 8 o'clock A. n. We, Oom-
pany A, immediately deployed &c skirmishers
over the surrounding hills; our hrst platoon
coming up with a squad of fifteen or twenty
of the fleeing rebels, engaged them In con-
versstiou. They, the rebels, ssked our boys
ifOapt. Bowan was there. Our tall Corporal,
| who was In Cleveland a short time ago,
answered YES, and told them to come down.
They said sNo, come up here, there is lots Of
them coming over the hill, We can see the
wagons" The corporal then asked them
what wagons, and they answered "Yankee
wagons" Here the conversation was ab-
ruptly cut short by q volley from our boys,
which sent them skedadling In all directions.
It was amusing to see them leaving some
went of on all fours, some Of them were
wounded, for we could track them by the
blood. Company A, as well as the regiment
admirably sustained their reputation. Go
which way you would you could meet some
of %. A hunting for Secesh, "a bush
Whaekers. An hour later our tall corporal
gave one of them long furlough that he
might visit his friends in the other world
that is if the rebels have any friends there.
An hour later the right wing of mounted
rifles exchanged g couple of volleys with
them, with what effect we conld aOt learn.
They captured one Of Jenkins Cavalry who
was armed with q Colts revolving rife and
pocket revolver. Nothing more of interest
occurred save an occasional shot at a fleeing
rebel. until we arrived at Blue Stone river.
Here the bridge was destroyed, 90 We were
OBLIGED 70 strip and wade through it waist
deep. Some of the boys fell down aad got
their clothes and equipments wet. 1t would
have been fun two or three months later, but
At this season these mountain streams are
almost as cold as Ice, 30 it was rather un-
/ comfortable. Many was the cold shiver that
erept over us while in the water. After put
ting on our clothes, &c, we pushed on to
Princeton through 3 driEZling rain, which
had been coming down in fact since dark the
night before. The distance travelled was
twenty. two miles, up and down, aside from
the scouting and mountain climbing. The
rebels had all fed, burning the greater por-
ton of the town. Thirty six dwellings and
stores were burnt, most Of which were built
of brick. The town is now 8 pile of
smoldering ruins. / must not forget our
French corporal, (he was q soldier in the
French revolution of '45, who shot one of
the rebels while the company were deployed
over the hills, and made the remark, take
that God d-n you, and coOlly loaded his
rife and started on, paying no attention to
the one inst shot The boys showed by their
behavior that energy and courage was not
wanting They kept up continual exc
change Of Jokes between each other while
deployed out in the woods and over the
hills will venture to say the rebels thought
some of the jokes were rough in the ex-
treme and hard to take, for DR.. Enheld'S
pills generally have the desired effect when
administered by Uncle Sans boys. They
are a sure cure for treason and all such infec-
tioss diseases. l must not forget our Cap
tain, who instead Of giving the command
forward gave the O1zier thus; ''GOin butchers
and giTs the d-n bushwhackers hill"
As near as I can learn the loss Of Company o
| is one killed and nineteen wounded, two or
three dangerously. The rebel loss as far as
known is fourteen or fifteen killed, and
between thirty and forty wounded, some Of
them mOrtslly, and seven prisoners. This
morning some of the boys while out toraging
were fired upon. No one was hurt With
this will send you a Richmond paper Of
April 18th. There is one in the regiment Of
April Gath tried 70 get for you, but could
not for love nor money.
| l remain YOurs ON. b.