Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-25
BY LAST NIG HTa MAIL,

PooAHeNTAs, December 22.-To Gen
erGL Halleck: have the honor to report
that | cut the Virginia & Tennessee Rail
road at Salem, on the 10th, and have ar
rived safely at this place with my COM
mand. At Salem three depots were de.
stroyed, containing 10000 ,bbls. flour,
10000 bushels whea-, 100000 bushels
shelled corn, 5000 bushels oats, 1000
barrels meat, several cords of leather,
1000 sacks of salt, 81 boxes clothing, 20
bales cotton, and large amount of har-
ness, shoes, saddles, equipments, oil, tar,
and various other stores, and 100 wagons
The telegraph wires was cut and burned
for half mile The water station, turn
table, and three cars were burned and
the track torn up, and the rails heated,
and destroyed as much as possible in six
hours; and FIVE bridges and several cul-
yerts were destroyed, over an extent of
fifteen miles. A large quantity of
bridge timber and repairing material
was also destroyed.
My march was retarded occasionally
by the tempest in the mountains and icy
roads. l was obliged to swim, my COM
mand drawing my artillery with ropes
across Craggs creek five times in TWEEN
ty-four hours. On my return found $ x
Early, Jones, Imboden, Fita Lee, Jack
son, Eichols and McCoustin, arranged in
line extending from Staunton to New
port, upon all the available roads, to pre-
vent my return a1oq L9sf l3' s'
captured dispatch from Gen. Jones
IT, Nv, a hi nocifinn ud
that of jackson at Clifton Forge. |
marched from the front Of Jones to that
of jackson at night His outposts were
pressed in at a gallop by the Sth Nir-
GINA mounted infantry, and two bridges
across Jackson river saved, although fag-
OTIS had been piled ready to ignite.
Ny column, about four miles long,
FASTENED across regardless of the enemy
until all but my ambulances and few
wagons and one regiment had passed
over, when a strong effort was made to
stake the first brigade, in which they did
not succeed. The ambulances and some
sick men were lost, and by the darkness
and difficulties the last regiment was de
tanned upon the opposite side until morn
ing, when it was ascertained the enemy
seemed determined to maintain their pc
sition upon the cliffs which overlooked
the bridge. .r.oHa sd;.sf ri d g91
l caused the bridges, which were Ions
and high, to be destroyed, land the enem,
Immediately changed position to the FAM
and rear of the detachment, which wa
cut off. / sent orders to the detaehmen
to destroy the remainder of our wagon
and come to me across the river, or owe
the mountains. .-srs1e- sa en-
They swan the river with the loss c
four men, who we're drowned and joine
me. In the meantime the forces of tn
enemy were concentrated upon me a
Galatians, over every available road bu
one, which was deemed impraeticabl'
but by which crossed over the tops {
the Alleghenies with my command-wit
the exception of four caissons whic
were destroyed in order to increase tb
teams of the pieces. ,-;.,.
, Ny loss is six men drowned, one
fcer and four men wounded, and for
i, officers and ninety men missing. "
captured about two hundred prisoner
but retained but four officers and eight
men on account of their inability to wal
We took also about one hundred rar
fifty horses.
Entirely upon very poor countr
!, and the officers and men have snffere
cold and hunger and fatigue with remar
able fortitude. My command has CHM
ed, slid and swan 353 miles since tt
9Th inst W. W. AvERILL.
4. Brigadier General.