Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-11-29
THE SOLDIERS OF THE MoUFNAINs.

Col. J. D. Inboden, In an appeal to the people Of Au-
gusta county, Va, on bshalf of bis command, makes the
following deeply interesting statement:
Within the last four months, brave and gallant men
from Augusta, Bath, Pocahontas, Brsxton, Wsbser,
Lewis, Randolph, Tucker, Highland, Pendleton, Hardy,
Hampshire, Berkeley, Shenandoah, Rockingham, and
other countils In, Virginia, aud from Maryland, have
I was originally authorised to raise and organize. Foar
days ago, / received authority from the War Depart
ment, not only to retain all the men l have for service
Ia the mountains, but to muster in as many additional
troops for the war as / can raise In q given time. A
glance Of the list Of counties / have mentioned willshow
thst nearly all thsss men are exilcs from their homes
and cut or from all hope Of getting thoss little articles,
beycud what the Government furnishes, 60 essential 10 .
s ldier's comfort when the blasts OF winter howl around
bis hu. and campfire. Untiltwo weeks ago one company
over 100 strong hal but four blankets, and not an over
coat, and yet without q tent or shelter of any kind, not
Q murmur Of complaint was ever uttered. These men
are fighting for liberty and for the sweet privilege OF
returning some day 10 the loved ones now lonely in their
humble mountain homes, with the triumphant conscious
| ness Of having nobly helped TO achieve freedom for them.
selves and their children. Their families would gladly
assist them, If they could. Ga the OH inst, ! halted
near sunset, by Q log cabin 10 one Of the widest gorges
on the Dry Fork Of Cheat. An aged mother and sev-
eral dau shters were tie only members Of the family at
home. The father has been in Damp Chase over q
| year on q charge of being a rebel, an only son IL a sol.
der 10 one of my companies. / asked for corn to iced
over 800 horses. Tbs old lady said they only had a
little, raised by herself and daughters, but / waa welcome
70 1t II / needed il. / took half she had and paid her
for Il, when she seemed to doubt the ~propriety of re.
ceivipg money from q Southern solder, as she thought
Ii duty 10 give Us what We wanted. Her sons CON-
pmy was not along and abe did not see him. The
eldest daughter said, Colonel, tell brother we are all
well and doing well. We expect our papa will soon DO re
10 lsed from Camp Chase and come home. Tell him TO be
contented in tho army, and to write TO usif he can. we
Ia Lnn-a ,nu mana annnfn0 ua -nuld hava had ta
winter clothes ready 10 send to him, bui We will have no
other chance when you leave. Tell him we girls made
enough cora to do ua, and have plenty of meat. We
have caught FIVE large bsars in a pen and sailed than
| down for winter. The Yankee Sheriff cams with five
| soldiers along, TO collect the taxes and wanted 10 take
thsmare, but / had sold the bear skins for money enough
10 pay him, and | hope IL Ia the last time will ever have
10 pay Yal kee taxs." Ga my honor, az a gentleman,
| this incident is lits rally true and detailed exactly as il oc
CURED. / thought as l rodsawsy into the wilderness thai
the stripping sold er, but II years OF age, whose home l
had Just left would hereafur in the eyes OF a Just and
i'm 1ar.i al posterity have a prouder clIim to honor than
the son OF any heartess Spectator, though be inherited
millions CT a fathers ~il-gotten gains. Such 8 the spirit
Of the loyal mountaineers whose sons, brothers and bus
bands are now here on the borders Of your own county
TO lay down their lives, II need b., in hurting the inva'
der back. call upon you, the wealthy men OF Angus
"a, as you sit beside your bltz ng fires IN the quiet hours
Of toe night, projected from the storm that RACES with.
out, and from the ensny who looks With lu,tiul eye upon
your happiness, and js only held rack by the knowledge
that between you and him the fsithful sentinel treads his
lonely beat In Ice and snow and storm upoa the bleak
summit Of your mouI tain barriers, ready TO summon to
his sids on the fss: approach Of the hated foe hundreds
like himseH, who lie BY their camp free in the Deghbor.
ing gorge with the trusty rids close at hand, to give Of
your aeuudauce something 10 promote the comfort Of
these guardians Of your homee.
In q call for volunteers the Colonel mentions . case In
point, ~ follows:
/ have one good old mao, 66 years Of age, Who Is
not in service, yet be ia with US in every hour OF tro1-
Bile, and has killed more Yankees than any MAJ In the
command since the war began. BE hunts them As be
doss | ,rgs game, and rarely fails to briug down his man
At 200 Yard, with a lorg old RI. He got tv, shots
las, weak ald slys at the sec ond sho! "the Ysnfse be-
haved mighty curioui be put his band TO his aids at
the crack OF the gun and laid down on the horses neck,
ike he vas sick, aud then fell OF" Such was the cd
mans simple count of the fac of one Of The invading
scourdrels. Let each man nov At home 10 Auguss', d.
AZ much, and bis children viii be proud to reesuI the
deed when be is gone, and they are enjoying the happy
fruits Of his hercism. Witbou; organic ltion you eou.d
line the nouatAin siies, Iudsn fashion, and give many
Of these vretclad mercenary tools OF despotism, their
final discharge from the degrading service OF their mas
ter.