Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-12-31

have the honor to report that cut the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad at Salem
the 10th. and have arrived safely at this
point with my command. AT Salem three
depots were destroyed, containing 1905
barrels of -four. 10, 900 bushels of wheat.
100000 bushels of shelled corr, $4,000
bushels of oats. 1000 barrels OF meat, sew
eral cords of leather. 1000 sacks of salt,
81 boxes of clothing. 20 bales of cotton,
large amount Of harness, shoes and sad
die equipments, tools. oil. tar, and various
other stores. and loo wagons. The tele-
graph wire was cut, coiled 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 destroy
ed. as much as possible in six hours.
Five bridges and several culverts were
DESTROYED to over an extent OF fifteen miles,
A large quantity of bridge timber and re-
pairing materials were also destroyed. Ny
march was retarded occasionally by the
tempest in the mountains and the icy
roads. was obliged to swim nv com
mand and draw my artillery with ropes
across Crogg's- Creek seven times in TWEEN
four hours. Onmy return | found six
separate commands under Generals Early,
Jones. Fiiz Lee, Imboden, Jackson and
McAustin, arranged in a line extending
from Stanton to Newport, upon all ths
available roads; to prevent my return.
/ captured dispatch from Gen Jones
to General Early, giving me his position
and that of jackson at Clifton Forge /
marched from the front of Jones to that of
jackson at night His ouiposts were
pressed in at gallon by the 9th Virginia
mounted infantry. aud two bridges across
jackson River were saved. although fagots
had been piled really to ignite. My col
umn. about four miles long, FASTENED
across, regardless of the enemy. until all
but my ambulances and few wagons and
one regiment had passed, when a strong
effort was made to retake the first bridge,
in which they did not succeed The am
balances and some sick men were lost, and
by the darkness and difficulties. the last
regiment was detained npon the opposite
side until morning. when it was ascertainel
that the enemy seemed determined to main
tain its position up the cliffs, which over
looked the bridges. caused the bridges.
which were long and high. to be destroyed.
and the enemy Immediately changed his
position to flank and rear Of the detaeh-
mept which was cut off, | sent orders to
the remnant to destroy our wagons and
come across the river or over the noun
tain. They swan the river, with the loss
of four men who were drowned, and joined
me. In the meantime. the forces of the
enemy concentrating upon me at Gala
gan's. left over very available road. but
one with was deemed impracticable. but
~ which | crossed over the top of the AL
ieghanies with my command, with the ex
ception of four caissons, which were des-
,r,ysd in order TO increase the teams for
pieces.
My loss is six men drowned and four
men wounded. and four officers and ninety
men missing. We captured also. abcut
200 prisoners. but retained but four Off
GERS and eighty men. on account of their
inability to walk. We took also about
15J horses. We subsisted entirely upon a
very poor country, and the officers and
men have suffered cold. hunger and Ia
tigue. with remarkable forlitude. My
command has marched, climbed, slid and
swan 355 miles since the Sth inst.
Signed, w. w. AvERILI.
Brig. General.