The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1863-01-30
For the Virg;nian.
TOWNSVILLE, Va, Jan. I'd, 1868.

Mess7s. Editors :
1t is not often, imagine, that sou have = cor
respondent from these noun: ain regions. News
does not come from such sources; but do not
propose giving you any thing like news-mine
is q selfish motive in writing-t being rather
quiet in the town Of Jonesville, it occurred to
me- by way Of spending pleasant hour, to send
you - short communication.
Your worthy correspondent, ':Meshac Hor-
ner," has told you of the extortioners in and n
bout Abingdon. hut me thinks the ''old man.
ne,d not have troubled hims elf get out OF DIS
comfortable quarters and scarm slippers in Bear
Cove, to ride all the way. through the mud, to
the goodly town of Abingdon, to fnl these in
human specimens Of the ''genus homo" On
our way to- these parts, owing to the bad roads
and worse weather. our progress was necessari-
ly slow. We were compelled, more than once,
to take refuge by the way side from the peltings
of the pittiless storm, and many time did we
desert our jaded steeds, to warm our frozen feet
and hands by some smouldering fire. Now, let
me tell you, friend Horner, our bills were not
small--in,leed, they were not One ancient son
of the mountains was immensely disturbed about
his.rails our cavalry had burnt Shocking that
Southern sol Tiers can't keep warm without burn
ing railso We looked at the damage that was
done him, and we thought of the ,lesolated homes
in Eastern Virginia Wepromiscd tospeak to the
authorities about the matter, but the goodness
in our heart vanished when the morning bill was
presented; for we thought at this rate, he could
speedily reimburse himself.
The town of Jonesvile, Lee county. Va, may
be calleba finished town, soubriauet some-
times applied to your own ''hurgh." The streets
are muddy. and the houses at this time, are fill
| cd with soldiers.
Accommodations are hard to get, and man
and beast fire badly However, ue have Moth
ing to complain of, for we are in good comforta
bic quarters We have found the ladies most
pleasant and agreeable creatures. Swrethearts
and beauxs have not, even here, forgotten to
| murmur their soft s'noth ngs," and tell tales of
fond hearts, deeply smitten by Cupid's never
weary darts. How fortunate for the soldier that
| love is not contraband Of aear. The long days
would pass YEARLY by, were it not for that
'sbright smile ever haunting me still But there
is no music so sweet to US amid the noise Ut fife
and drum, as the soft notes OF the old tune. 1.-The
| girl left behind me-" AT any rate, so says
my travel ng companion think he must have
| left his heart in Abingdon or there abouts
! Our neiehbors at Cumberland Gap are very
quiet, with nothing to DO. The talk about a
Yankee force threatening the Gap seems ito be
all 'gammon." We hear.of nothing OF the sort
now Indeed, the General in command there.
| understand anticipates no such movement. The
Yankees, however. are evidently Of the impress
| sion that we contemplate movement into Ken.
lucky. How this may be, 1 know not.
! General Marshall is for the present at Rogers
| VILE Where he will make his head quarters, is
not yet known.
Correspondents of newspapers are still howl
ing at General Nlarshalps failure to catch the
/ Yankee bridge-burners. We noticed an article
in the Lynchhurg Virginian, from a facetious
chap ut Cumberland Gap. He is SHOWN heavy on
| the General for not pursuing the Yankees, after
getting possession of Jonesyille. We think
| however, that he displays more wit than wisdom
Every man acquainted with the country herr
knows that such an attempt on General Mar
| >hall's part, would have been worse than folly
| To pursue an enemy double your numbers, aftel
nightfall, into these mountain Businesses, wouis
be simply madness: Every man of common
sense. who knows any thing at all. knows this.
But the brave correspondent of the LyDchbur.
! Virginian, ''Pungo," knows no danger. He wonlt
rush after the foe ambuscaded in the narrow de
| flies and passes of the Cumberland, and wha
| then?-have his men cut to pieces and be called
a fool for his pains General Marshall surtl.
], would not ride very rapidly into Major Gene
ral's saddle at that rate.
Whatever mistake General Marshall may hav
made in this affair, certainly his failure to pur
sue the enemy into Crank's Gap after nightfall
was no mistake. The great man, commander:
Post of Bristol. and the. witty "Pungo," will tel
you how easy thing it is to catch 1000 cavalr.
with 500, and handful of infantry. All no,
fortunate would be the young aspirant after mi
ltary glory, could he set at their feet and lear
wisdom, and the way to catch Yankee marau
ders! !. Not in the whole history Of the world d
we read of any campaign in which a caviar.
force thus making a raid has ever been captured
1 Will "Pungo'' tell us Of an instance Surel
the Quixotic Knight Of Bristol will! Will the.
tell us why it is, that McClellan's grand army
on the banks of the Chickahomny. did not cap
ture the Rebel Stuart when he made the entir
circuit of the Yankee CAMP. Why was not thi
same audacious Rebel caught when he went
i Pennsylvania Why is not Forrest bagged, an
John Morgan hourly entrapped as he leads hi