Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-08-06

Freedom make Freedom universal the
object of their efforts, can we expect an
ultimate, enduring triumph TO crown oru
efforts with t..e glories of success. For
that comsummItion, devoutly to be wi>Led,
let all work and pray.
As ever, BERNUM.
From the 9Th Cavalry.
Below Is I. private letter from Capt. Jas.
S. Abel of the 9TH o. V. C., from which
we are permitted To make q few extracts
for publication:
LURAr. PACE COUNTY, Va.
July lIth, 1852.
DJar WJs:-Tour letter July ID, was
received a few days since but have not
had a chance to send you a letter since
until now.-We are here at the county
seat of Page Co., surrounded by rolling
land, and n few miles from us are lofty
mountains, good water and grass. We
left Middletown on the 8th inst, and
reached here on the 10th about IL o'clock
P. NJ, might of the 1Ith.) We moved
our camp about two miles. and camped
in the woods near the .road,-fearing an
attack, we left our pickets in their old
places, and a force in the village. About
8 o'clock, A. NJ. one or two companies
of rebel cavalry came dashing into town
and took six prisoners, who were some
ways out of town on different roads on
guard. There is a creek running through
the middle of the town, with high banks
and but one bridge. Our force was driv-
en- across the creek and made a stand,
the rebels came to one end of the bridge,
here they had quite a skirmish, one of
my men G. w. Bale wagon maker
Powers Corners, Mecca was wound
ed, shot in his hip, the ball passed
through three thickness of leather,
cartridge box, wife's likeness, and lodg-
ed in his clothes. He rode back to camp
and says it does not hurt him much,
no bones hit, getting along fine. <
A man belonging to another company
was slightly wounded in the heel, not
hurt much, had the heal and sole of his
boot torn off by the ball. James Web
ber's horse was wounded so bad that we
killed him, also Henry Beaker, one of
my boys, had his horse killed. So we
lost two horses killed, and one man kill
ed, Corp. James Chaffee, (son of j.. G..
Chaffee, of Mecca. Two of my men
were headed off by the rebels, and had
it not been for Chaffee's presence of
mind, all three would have been taken
prisoners. They had been on a march
for two days, and one night without
feeding themselves or their horses, they
were ordered by the Lieut.. in command
TO 60 out on a by-road and let their horses
feed. While there, the pickets were
driven in by the rebels, and before they
could bride their horses, the rebels had
formed a line directly across the road,
and between them and the village
Chatfee put spurs TO his horse, and rode
up to the other two boys and said don't
surrender but follow me" he drew his
revolver and pushed forward on the men,
firing as he went, the others followed,
and all came through the rebel lines safe,
,0inus SIC loads Of ammunition from Chafec's
r~ecOlper. Isaac Faunce was with the boys
at the bridge, fired his revolver once, and
looked. Once more he fred and looked,
and so on until he fired all the loads, and
then rode a little way up street to load
again. While he was loading two shots
were fired at him from a window, he
laughed and halloaed to hold on, or
dozen could come their smoke house" At
this time the relief guard came from
camp galloping over the hill, when the
rebels run.
Serg't. N. o. Jayne, had the rim of
his hat shot away, but he done good SER
vice in the fight. The alarm soon reach
ed camp, and we were all in our saddles
and after them in a short time. We
chased them all away from camp and sent
to the army about five miles from our
camp, for artillery to keep us shelling
them out of places when we could not go
in large force. The artillery three can
mons and a regiment of infantry, came
to our assistance, we followed them about
six miles to the Shenandoah river, 1.-THE
bridge was burnt some time ago. and the
water up to the horses middle. | took
a part of my company onto a hill where
the rebels could see me, (they were over
the river, and then two OF three officers
of other companies, dressed as privates
rode down the hill in different positions
to coax the rebels down, keeping our SOL
diers out of sight, the rebels came dashing
down the hill on the other side of the
river we laughed for we knew there. was
ahead, on the river bank they came,
pretended to move away, sounded the
recall and the men in the valleys below
commenced returning fast, and | turned
my horse and moved slowly to the top Of
the hill. The rebels fired ON US, but were
too far away to hurt even if they had hit.
Now and then we conld hear a. bullet
whistle but went very slow. The artil-
lery had not come up yet and we were
impatient; o the heavy rattle was heard
on the pike, (stone road and they whirl-
ed behind the hill so that the rebels did
not see them, our men all moved out of
sight except about a dozen officers who
we're anxious to see the shells burst among
hem. Guns loaded with shell were roll
I'd up the hill far enough to be sighted
being seen, the first shell burst
where it wa aimed and scattered about
dozen horses that / suppose vas hitch
ID. The next she'll burst among a party
If Is or 20 cavalay, 1--WE could not help