The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-11-24

CAMP OF LANES BRIGADE,
near Liberty Mills, Va, Nov. -, 1863


Liberty Mills, Va, Nov. ~, 1863.
Mr.. EDITOR We are again in our old camp.
On the 9th of October struck tents and start
ed in pursuit of the Yankee army under General
Meade, and on the 9th of November entered with
cheers the same encampment and pitched our tents
against the same chimneys we had erected when
here before. My opinion is. when the account of
this months campaign is cast up and the balance
struck, ttill disclose but little if anything in
favor. We chased Meade rapidly from the vicinity
of Culpeper c. H to his Notifications around Wash
ngon, but he conducted his retreat with great skill
and eluded our army. At Bristoe Station ought
to have captured corps Of his army. but instead
of that two of our brigades unskillfully pre-
ciptated upon this superior force of the enemy, adj
mirably posted behind railroad embank ment.-
The consequence was they met with bloody re-
pulse, losing about thousand men in killed,
wounded and prisoners, and seven pieces Of artii
lery. | suppose in advance captured about
2, 300 prisoners
Having driven the enemy to his Notifications, we
fell back eisurely. tearing up the Orange and Alex
andra Railroad to the Rappahannock river. This
operation was to quite novel and interesting. and
really looked like the Genius of Destruction at work
The rails with great labor ripped up, the
ties piled in the shape of pens, the rails laid
the top, and fire applied. When the ties become
thoroughly ignited, the iron is heated in the middle
and theweght of the projecting ends bends the rails
to the ground. Crossing the river, we went into
camp in the vicinity of Brandy Station and remain
ed quietly there until last Saturday afternoon when
tinuous and rapid cannonadng in the direction of
kelleys Ford. You will have learned ere this
reaches you of the result of that noise the capture
by the Yankees of large portion of Hoke's and
Hayes Brigades of Early's Division Ewell's Corps.
On Saturday night about o'clock we received Or
ders to prepare one days rations soon posi-
bic and be ready to move soon as they were
ready. We got off little before daylight, and af-
ter marching about six miles, ordered into
line of battle, brigade being the extreme left
of the left wing of the army. In the of an
hour or two, Gen Wilcox ordered our brigade about
mile to the left which point we barely reached in
time to repel the advance of heavy body of Yam
kee cavalry, who, but for the skillful movement of
our new Division General, would undoubtedly have
turned our flank, and had Cupeper, and in fact,
entire rear at his mercy. AS the enemy came up,
small body of cavalry who had been skirmishing
with them fell back, SO that the infantry (of whose
presence the enemy were not advised) might have
fair crack at them. The brigade in its eagerness
to get at the Yankees, abridged the efficiency of its
volley; giving hearty yell, they dashed at them
and fired; the Yankee intimidated by this demon
stratIon made rapid movement to the A
number OF saddles were emptied as it was; but it
they had been allowed to get little the
cution would have been much greater. Skirmish-
ing was kept up pretty holly until after dark when
we drew in our line and fell back. Our loss two
Killed and eleven wounded. Along the balance of
the line there was no engagement. We marched
with great rapdity until we reached our old lines On
this side OF the Rapldan, a movement on Gen. Lees
part designed, imagine, to create in the mind of
the enemy false opinion of his strength. and en-
courage al attack in his present position. Whether
this strategy will prove successful remains to be
The men are in fine health and spirits, but ter
ribly destitute of clothing, and though Gov Vance
telegraped to Gen Lee, / understand, short time
ago, that he had clothing. blankets and shoes, in
abundance for ell the North Carolina troops. where
upon Gen Lee issued orders that the G.. S. Quarter
IN asters should issue no clothing to North Carolina
troops, except in extreme cases of restitution The
consequence is, clothing, at least very little,
having reached US from North Carolina. ''the best
clad troops in the ield'' rapidly becoming the
most ragged. OCCASIONAL. 4