Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-09-22


Letter from one OF our Boys in Camp
Near WashIDEtOn. 7t7Tff+
CAMP NEAR WASHINGTON Cry.
September l6, 1862.
Editors IRtsiIgfHeer:y 8 80 avn,
GExTLEMES:- Thihkiug that you would,
doubtless "like to be after hearing" some-
thing from the First Virginia Cavalry, and
other of the brave troops from West Vir-
ginia who ran to the rescue of the glorious
old flag of Washington, l concluded this
evening to give you few sketches of0Nr-
or, aslthe Governor says, nly-Regiment.
All last winter this regiment was crushed
down by the beautiful name of cotrards;
and why, the men composing it could never
md out. They were never given "A chance
tosfght, but were always guarding railroads,
or the headquarters of some chicken heart
ed Colonel or General. Time rolled on and
| still tie First Virginia was in the back
I ground, men talked of taking French
leave aud some did 30. But u bright sun
at'l last shOne upon our horizon. General
! Buford took us under his protecting wing
The next thing we knew, was that the First
Virginia Cavalry was ordered to the 'front.'
What next2 A certain Colonel rendered
( his resignation Immediately which was at
once accepted. Lieut.. Col. Richmond then
II NOuh COulllhuhY duQ uC bSluB u ubu 'hllu
sand in his craw," the old regiment soon
stood "a, No. L. 1t WAS the Gdrance in
nearly every mnreh, aud the rear is all re-
treats. Tue 1t. Col. talked to his men, and
,said:-"I never want one of you to go in
unless go with you, and never leave until
l tell you. | will not tell you to go where
would not go myself, will look out for
your safety as we'll as my own" &c, &c.-
We took him az, his word, and found in
II short time that he was the very man to
redeem US from the stigma uniustly cast
upon US by the coVGr0tlce of former COM
mander. That is plain talk, gentlemen, but
| it ia the universal talk of the brave lads
l-composing the First Virginia Cavalry
They are now proud that they have COM
mander who is brave enough to lead them
wheFG. they can show the lworld thet they
are made of the right material. That man
is Lieut.. Col. Richmond. He now has com.
mRud ofths regiment, assisted by Major b.
f. Chamberluin, two as brave men as ever
drew a sword ia defence of the Stars and
Stripes. t6fA
AT the battle of Kelley's Ford,I the. First
YIrginia-thRt is, four companies of it.
were deployed MS skirmishers, and put into
the woods. After going about half a mile,
they suddenly cdme upon regiment of
rebel infantry, who gave them n volley at
the distance of not moro than 20 yards,
killing one man and Two or three horses.-
Did the four companies run? MOI but they
gave them two or three rounds from their
revolvers, thus making several rebels bite
the "sacred SOIL" In about fifteen minutes
the balance of the regiment came upon an
other regiment of infantry audsone pieceof
artillery, and made one of the most daring
charges that ever was seen, and had the
5lst New York infantry came 10 the rescue
a little sooner, they would have captured
1.-THE cannon and half of the rebels in the
squad. They run them away however,
and that was glory enough for one
nalf day. 1t was a complete vic
tory for the Union men, because we,
with not over 1000 men, had engaged
Longstreet's division of 10000 men; but
as our force was small and quickly and
cunningly managed, we drove them back
By cunningly moving about, we made them
lbelieye that our force was very large. We
had four pieces of six-pouuders, and could
fire at them from different places every
hour. They were fooled, and fell back !;
then we recrossed the river and went to
Rappahannock station, then to WnFrentou,
thon TO Salem and White Plains, where we
captured sixty five rebels; then to Waterloo
Bridge, sWherc we again met a superior
force of rebels, but with the aid Of two
pieces of "Gen. Sigel's Jackass Battery"
little brass pieces, drawniby one mulel-
we fought them for five or six hours, when
Gen. Milroy came 10 our relief, with the
Cd, Sd and 9th Va, 92d Ohio and one bat
Iery. Thus relieved, we went back to
WHrrenton. and made preparations for a
sleep, but could not get it. AT one o'clock
at night we were ordered to mount, aud in
a few minutes We were off for Thoroughfare
Gap. Gen. Rickets division was with rs,
! or we with them, and it WAS again our Iot
to be brought up in front of the rebel Gem
eral tEougstreet. After Sighting for two
hours, night drew his sable curtain around
the scene, and stopped the action AT day
i light Longstreet took up the line Of march,
and although we had only 3,5Oe men lin.
fantry), three regiments of cavalry and a
small battery, we held his immense,diyfs.
ion at bay for near Jour, hours, thus pre-;
venting him from Joining jackson at Bull
Run until the afternoon, when he should
have been there at A. M, so prisoners
4 told us. We fell back to Manassas and
4 got ono nights sleep. Next morning, n
gust Both, was the great battle of the war,
and by a little piece of mismanagement we
were outflanked and forced to withdraw to
IOeutreville. Here We met corps of Gen.
1 IMcClellans army, which saved us from an
other Bull Run panic. The Infantry were
getting scattered little, when Gen. Porter
told them not to .'be scEret:., Ihave 4o,-
900 fresh troops right here" As If by
magic, the army halted, and If the rebels
had come on next morning, they would
have met with awarmer reception than the
day before.
But am ahead of my story. The cav.
airy charge of Buford's brigade was a
\ grand affair. Alter being ambnshed by
1.-TWO or three batteries, the Brigade rallied
behindEa hiil until 4hs (rebeT Ist Va. and
/ the Black Horse Cavalry came, when the