Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-05-29

Ed'. PiHsbury Dj'paich Correspondence
published il your paper of the 9Th inst. re
fleets personally on Major John ShowAl,er
Of the Sixth Virginia Volunteer Infantry
for the course pursued by him during th
recent raid into Western Virginia. justice
to Major ShowNlter, and u proper rcgArt
Tor truth, demand that these charges shoull
not pass without notice and criticism.
An appeal to facts in history Of thI
whole transaction will iutOrm the cHndlr
reader and disabuse the public mind.
On Sunday morning, April 2GuI, it wal
Nscertained that the rebel General Jones
with n strong force, WAS at West Union
n:ne miles distant, and advancing TO ut.
tack Itowleshurg. At the latter place was
MnjOf ShOwHltcr, with two hundred aud
seventy mcn, all told. From this number
forty were required for ordinary picket du'
ty, leaving two hundred and thirty men to
guard tho railroad bridge aud town, the
Iroa trestle works on the railroad, two miles
distant, and to resist the onslaught OF M
enemy whose bOaSted strength was three
thousand neu. Jones advanced TO within
three miles OF ROwleshurg, and ordered 4
column OF fifteen hundred men "tO move
on the plnce, demand surrender, Il moi
compiled with immediately, cut right and
itIt, burn the town and railroad bridge,
aud blow up the treslles." Mr.. Morris, Il
gentleman Of intelligence and reliability,
was n prisoner 10 Jones camp nj the time,
aud heard the order given. His estimate
OF the strength OF the column moving on
Rowlesburg WIS fifteen hundred meu. On
tue approaCl, OF the enemy Major SnOwHl.
ter teIegraphed the fact to Col Wilkinson,
commanding brigade ut CIarksburg, ask.
ing for reintorcements, and promising TO
hold hi3 position until dark.
AttWo p. m. the picketS were driven 10,
aud halt Nu boar lnIsr detaehmcnl OF lhH
rueuy we're sSeu hastily forming on Pal.
mer's Knob, RcFoss Cheat river, cast Of the
town. A moment later they came bound.
Ing and believing down the mountain,
yelling like iOrds just up irom the pit
Simultaneously, with this charge Of the
rebels on the bridge was hEsrd the report
OF musketry up the hVer,, On the road
leading In from the Northwestern turnpike,
SerG,, Gallon. Of company +, Lieutenant
M'DounId, OicoupAny l., and Lieut.. Hath
away, Of company X, were suCCeSsively
dispatched with small detSchmen,s to en-.
gage the enemy in this quarter, while the
residue were held to guard tue town and
tresiics nnd check the rebel advance ou
the bridge. This advance WAS allowed to
come within easy rifle rauge, when u con.
STINT and well directed hre was opened
upon them from the town, and 10 half IN
hour not u rebel was to be seen. The eight
up the river continued at intervals from .
p. m., until dark, the rebels being repulsed
with every advance During Sunday night
reiuforccmGnts arrived sufficient TO swell
the whole force to fVe hundred and thirty
men. Inolosph with this was battery Of
mountain howitzers from Wheeling, under
command of Capt. Morris Downing.
On Monday morning II reconnaissance to
Portland on the railroad, twelve miles east
from Poolesburg, RscsrLOined that the reb.
Cls, eight hundred strong, had torn up the
track, destroyed the telegraph Office and
water station Mt that place, and decamped
on the road leading to Kingwood. During
the day Jones was found to baYe abandoned
the siege OF Rowlesburg pro tenn, and gont
to Newburg, thirteen miles west, to destroy
the railroad track and buildings at thA
place. Monday p. m. found Maj. SbOwa'te
and his command at RoWIeSburg, commu
nicatiOn and supplies cut of, both east auL
west, with less than days ratIOnS re
mNining.
THUS General Jones and Col. Harmat
rnvironcd him on one hand and "GenCraI
Starvation" and "Gannt Famine" on every
hand. 10 this extremity 1t was decided Il
evNuuate. The column left Rowlcsburg n
dirk on Monday evening, and reached
Kingwood at 3 p. M. on Tuesday. King
wood is small village, but the people hNv,
large hearts, add CvincCd genuine loyalty
and patriotism by cordial greeting Of th'
soldiers, and II ready hnnl to supply thCi
wants, From this plGce scouts were sen
out to ascertain and report the whereabouts
of the enemy. Refreshed, tho column OF
Tuesday night moved towards MOrgunIowu
making dstuur Of several miles to thl
left to Zinn's mills for supplies. Majo
Zinu furnished, without stint or grndging
grain and meat enough for nearly The Who'll
battalion,
1t was the endeavor to reach Morgan
town by Thursday, hut the report OF Lb
rebels still being at that place Determined
Major ShoWalter to press on aud II possibl
give them II fight on the same evening"
Gu the near approach 10 the town the MH
jor rode from the front to the rear, encOur
aging the men, aud telling them the
would have 10 whip the rebels before the.
could get anything to eat. With this IN
nouncEnent the men pressed forward wit
auickened pace. and arrived Mt Morgan
town by 8 p. IN. on Wednesday. April col
Without finding NO enemy to dispute thci
CutrAncs-Lhcy did, however, find friends
The reception by the people OF M1rgnntow
of these WAy.wOrn nnd almost tamshe
soldiers reaches tho climax Of nObls,a
dislntCresled patriotism.
The citizens in mass, ladies and all, mp
pcutCd n SCIf.cOnsIiluLGd aud imprOmpl
hsoldiers aid society," Shouts and cheer
Of men nud boys in the street, snowy wave
lets by jcwcIcd fingers ffom windows uu
door stones, with Smiles OF welcome irOt
all restored the morale Of the men as tn
abundant ediblcS supplied renewed thei
uLhiql' and combined to render thu nam
OF MDrgautOwu with ShOwaIlers bNttNlio
! -, r.. hn1pttOiiIV II 10 UpurCeu