Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-08-10

insinuste that there is the least doubt ofmy
Yirtue2" f.....
Not the least, Madsme,' was his salts
factory reply. .ss
letter from the I5th Virginia.
CAMP AT MECHANIc's GAP, !
NBAR RoNNBY, August 6, 1869.
Editors I,teliigencer: -,s
In order to render my promise made in
my last letter, to let you know if anything
of importance should occur in this COM
mand l avail myself of the privilege to let
our friends and relatives know that We still
exist My last letter was written from
! Cherry Run since that time we have bad
some very warn weather. As some of the
| details OF the march here might interest
your readers, will give you short sketch.
On Friday morning, July Path. we were
again ordered to move forward to
Hedgeville. You will remember that
General Kelly was competed to fall
back from HedgesviIle, a few days before,
| 10 consequence of a superior force of reb.
els endeavorpg TO flank his command. We
started on our return to Hedgesville about
eight O'Clock iu the morning. We arrived
at cur cid camping ground, near Hedges
Vile 10 good time. The march WAS very
hot one, though the distance was short
| Our division laid at Hedgesville seven days.
Nothing of Importance OCCURRED while We
lay there. s-....
On Saturday morning, August LIST, we
| we're ordered TO strike our tents. Soon
| everything was in readiness, and our di-
vision set out on the march. There were
many surmises amongst the boys as to
where we were going. Some said we were
bound for Winchester, and others for Rom
uey. But no one knew except those Who
have a right TO know such things. Our
march on Saturday was not very rapid, aud
not very far, though it was indeed very
warm. We were very glad when we halted
for the night. We encamped short dis
lance from little place called Shanghai.
We set to work cooking our supper, and
preparing to take good sleep SO as to be
ready for the morrow.
We were walked up early next morning
Sunday and ordered to cook breakfast
before starting. Just before we started
the mail came, it having followed us from
Hedgcyille. At six o'clock we again started
. on the move. We marched pretty briskly
that day. The 18th Virginia had the adj
vance. The sun came out very warm, and
the heat was intense. We did not halt but
very few times to rest. Many of the
men were overcome by the heat, and were
. forced either to get into wagons or else
take their time, and follow en- after the
, regiment IN their rear EEi+- ...
II By the time we halted, nearly every
wagon in the train following the different
/. regiments had some few men on them who
had "pegged out" Indeed, it was great
q wonder that greater number did not give
out, considering the fact that We were
marching in the hottest mouth of the year.
i. On Saturday afternoon, all the surmises
and copjectures as to where We were
: bound were dispelled. We struck the
, Northwestern turnpike about nine miles
from Winchester. and turned of ia the
e direction of Romney, II is impossible to
q tell Hbetber the boys liked to go to Rom
; uey or not Some were disappointed be-
. cause we did moi 90 to Winchester, while
I others were pleased Mt the idea of going
q to Romuey. We encamped Sunday even.
I ling in large field, near Buck Greek. The
bows took advantage of this, aud immedi-
ately after supper the creek was literally
swarming With them, whittier, they had
gone to wash and battle themselves.
On Monday morning We started at six
lO'cloCk. We did not march very far; it
was too hot. The men were very glad of
this. In the morning we passed through
I a little village called Pewtown. Itconsists
a of few houses, blacksmith shop and
! the other uecessaries to constitute coun-
! try village. We halted about the middle
, of the afternoon at Cacapon Bridge for
supper. Ii was The intention to proceed
on further, but heavy storm coming up,
it was concluded to encamp there for the
night We proceeded to pitch our tents
and make ourselves as comfortable as pos.
sible. Here we found an excellent spring
of pure cold water, aud the boys were not
long in availing themselves of the benefits
it afforded. C4capon Greek was soon also
put to use for bathing and washing pur-
poses. H-
/ We did not get started on Tuesday morn
ing until about O'Clock. By this time il
bad grown very warm and suItry.N Never.
Iheless, we pushed steadily forward, al
though the heat was increasing every hour
as we marched on. Ia the afternoon I'VE
passed through Blues Gap, which lies
some twelve OF sixteen miles the other side
of Romney, through which, you will doubt
less remember, the LIST Virginia once charg-
ed. This Gap is q wild looking place. 1t
is about thirty feet wide and on either side
huge rocks rear themselves alott. The
road which passes through the gap is very
narrow, and is the rockiest ever beheld.
To look at it, one would think il impossi-
BILE to haul artillery through it. One thous-
aud good men with artillery, could hold
Blues Gap against all the force that could
operate against them. ~
We did not halt for supper on Tuesday.
until about eight O'clock. Then We had to !
pitch our tents and get our suppers in the
ram.
The scenery about this Gap is the Wild |
| est aud most picturesque ever behtld.-t