Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-10-24
Letter from, Our Original StVVheeIInR
Boy" Correspondents
HARPRR's FERRY, VA, Oct. Al, 1863.

Editors LntelligeHcer .
On Saturday night and Sunday. morning
there were quite stirring times about the
foot Of the valley. The famed HJim Bo-
den," as the soldiers call him, was around.
At Charleston he captured two hundred of
the 9th Maryland six months men, and q
company of cavalry, with arms, ratiOns,
wagons and other equipments. "A report
of the affair in the Baltimore American has
been published bya correspondent giving
our troops great credit, but undoubtedly
the whole affair was most disgfaceful.-
No scouts were out, and the town was
completely surrounded, the first 'intlma-
tion of the presence of an enemy being
the flag of truce and q simmons 10 surren-
der. This the Colonel of the 9th Mary
land refused. The attack occurred just
after daylight. Imboden opened six pieces
of artillery on the Court House, 10 which
our troops were quartered. They never
formed a line or showed any fight, but ran
panic stricken or surrendered by compa-
nies. They suffered no loss In killed or
wounded to justify any confusion, six or
eight wounded and two or three killed be-
ing all. The Field aud Staff, except the
Adjutant, who was wounded, got out safe.
One line officer and not thirty men, all told,
escaped. Rather signifcant. The men are
not to be blamed; or-line officers either,
for not doing better, when their leaders
left them incontinently. = d. ...-.I Z.
i 1t Is the universal testimony of those
sent in pursuit of the enemy from this
post, that no considerable foreeI lhe reb.
els were between CharlestoWn and here -
Had the eth formed In line and charged
they must have scattered the one or two
hundred and got OF safely. Itis lamenta-
bic the garbledt tales aud untrue state
meuts that are palmed of on the pabIIC as
accounts of 1UuoVut6rH With tho enemy,
conceaIing and juetiiying disasters in or
der TO shield some taVOrite officer, who has
given paid correspondent a fat dinner, a
drink Of whisky, sete.7 It would not be
worth whileto correct such stories but for
the infinite importance of holdiOg every
coward and skulker to an accountability,
and ferreting them out from our army
On Friday night last Go, G., Capt. James
Motfat commanding, took part iu q very
neat surprise on the gperrillas commanded
by Harry Gilmore. This company of
rebels, about forty, were hidden in q secret
mountain nest, waiting chance to gobble
90. g, and burn Back Creek bridge, Iu-
formation by scouts being gained, 80 men
from Co. G. and 90 from the 1l6th Ohio,
the whole commanded by Capt. Moffat,
went In, and routed the gentlemen from
their camp and slumbers, tookT prisoners
and IL or 10 horses! The Cl2th Pennsyl-
vania cavalry and the lst New York Cav,
airy foutside Increased the number Of
80 aud the captured horses 70
40, by picking up stragglers as they ran
] have seen an account of the affair in the
Baltimore American, in which no mention
is made of the 18th Virginia, and the whole
credit is giveneto the cavalry I would
thak 81.
there Is OsPeeial oorrSspoudeht CONNECTED
with the 18th Pennsylvania cavalrya + : d
Al tbe pRpsrslhaSe made you aware, We
are anticipAling the adyeuto OF the rebel Lee.
Gen. Sullivan ordered us, therefore, from
M&rtinsburg here,IdaWe are. enCamped on
Maryland Heights! oq eu'1lt
K Yours SEQ feet nearer heaven, 'l .''.i
Il --sa nj I,-5 Than ever before.
18th W. VA.