The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-01-29
POsr SUMMERvILLE, Va,
January Z, 1862.

Posr SuMMERvILLE, Va,
January Z, 1862.
SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY: 4
< Mr.. EDITOR: Believing that it /
mightinterest some of your readers to
hear of the whereabouts and some of
the doings of Company E, of the Both
Regiment, have therefore ventures! a
Communication upon the subject. espe-
cially as Company E has 110 men,
principally from Monroe It will be
|recollected that the 36th was mustered
into service at Camp Putnam, Marietta.
about the ,22nd of August, and. We're
very shortly afterwards ordered to
Camp Union, Parkersburg, Va. From
Camp Union, six companies were or
dered to Elisabeth, under Maj. Slem-
mer, afterwards to Spencer, then to
Sutton, and then to Summersville. Our
Regiment occupied Summersyille very
shortly after the battle of Carnifex.
which is distant from Summersville 10
miles, and Cross Lanes, (the place of
Tyler's defeat,) being 8 miles nearer.
That part of our Regiment has been
in possession of this post ever since.
Four companies, E being one, was left
at Camp Union about IS days, when we
proceeded to rejoin the Regiment by
way of Point Pleasant and Charleston.
We remained at Camp Piatt, 10 miles
above Charleston, on the Kanawha riv-
er, about two weeks. where, by the un-
firing energy, Of our Quartermaster,
Mr.. Levi Barber, we were supplied with
Enfeld rifles, with 100000 rounds of
cartridge, in place of the old musket
heretofore in use in our Regiment.
From Camp Piatt wo proceeded to
Summersville, a distance of about 20
miles, on foot, Of course. On arriving
at Gau!ey, in consequence of a threat
ened attack by the rebels on Summers
Vile. we were ordered on forced
march, a distance of 80 miles. That
march marks a period in the history of
every man, engaged in it. OF course
it rained, as it only can rain in these
secesh mountains nOf course our way
was up creek, Peters, swollen and
angry by the heavy rain;; and who ev-
er saw road leading up creek, in
Western Virginia, 80 miles, that was
not to be crossed something more than
fifty times? s5of s7F1 ,"ou zgaa- ot
aIgPerhaps you can imagine the pleas
ure of plunging into one of these rapid
mountain torrents, and wading it waist
deep, about the hour of II at night,
near the first of November; if you can
mot, I will venture your imagination
would be greatly enlivened by the ex-
pertinent. 49,. l
1t wss, in short, one of those terrible
marches where strong men tainted by
the wayside, and was only ended by
absolute inability to proceed further
But space admonishes me to omit par
ticuiars. . ~ s5s.see.,t, .s..,.a ,a,
We arrived in Summersyille, to find
that our coming had been hera!del
through the country, and that danger
had fed. Summersville, the ecounty seat
Eof Nicholas county, is a pleasant little
town, situated on the edge of small
glade, surrounded by high mountains,
and about 8 miles from the Gauley riy.
er. In size, little larger than Anti
|och, Monroe county. The whole town,
except 2 or 8 houses, is occupied by our
troops; or 8 families, processing g I'm
ion sentiments, still remain The noun
tain or camp fever has made its mark
among us, but at the present time has
greatly abated, and our sick lists are
comparatively small; but its memory
in the history of our company is never
to be effaced, as we have buried from
tits effects two noble young men, gal
liant as ever went forth to defend their
lcountry's honor, to wit: VIM. FL. Gates
and Samuel f Osborn. . e'is
Our Regiment has always been well
fed, abandanty clothed, and is most eff.
cientiy armed That exciting specimen
of humanity. the Paymaster. has paid US
I q visit. and squared up onr accounts to
the first of January Oar Colonel, Geo
Crook. is from Dayton,, Oaio being a
West Point graduate, and most efficient
"uo tho'ooSH otuy uous ouu uctdCucu
from the regular service for our special
benefit, and commands the highest re.
apect from every man in the Regiment.
Company E has borne prominent
part in most of the scouting aud forsgipg
lexpeditions of the Regiment. one of which
resulted 10 the capture of a large amount
of property, to wit: "a head of finely
bred cattle, "a head of horses and mules.
and l12 head of Southdown sheep This
Iexpedition was to Meadow Bluff on the
Meadow river, in Greenbriar county,
within 10 or 12 miles Of Louisbarg,
where we burned the rebel camps, Ie
houses, 40 tents. any amount Of wagons,
picks, shoyels, &c, captured their IN
opened mail. and Considerable amount
of suffers aud commissary stores. Tits
camp on the B.uidsi had, until recently,
been oecupei by from to s Thousand
rebels. and returning, were followed abd
fired upon by 100 cavalry; feturniog the
6rn Sra killod opo xuhao r. ~ IN cInr,<uelv ~