Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-12-30

d House, to cut of Col. Wells, q COlum
f from Meade's army moved almost to I'd
9 same point to cut of the retreat Of Gel
! Early. Thus it was that in the end Gel
I. Early had to look out more for his ow
: safety thaA the whereabouts Of Col. Well
Q OUR COLUMNS ALL SAYS,
To.da the several columns have re
turned and reported their presence at point
suitable to the wishes OF General Kelley
In a word, they are all safe.
CURIOUS AND REMARKABLE FACT.
Generally, when valuable move is made
the correspondents hasten to set forth on
losses "iu tales" so that the public viii
see at glance chow large" they are. Now
and on the contrary, lam constrained, and
truly with feelings Of pleasure, to place il
italics the fact that our loss in killed and
wounded will not exceed tWeuty, to show
how small 1t 10. When we take into con-
Il Jsidsration the number of tho tFOoPs ca
gagged, the great goo I they accomplished,
the distance they marched and the various
encounters they met With, this fact will At
once show its own extreme remarkAbIeness
without any further comment from me on
the subject.
HOW We STOPPED LoHGsFRRET's RRIEVORcR.
NEsTs.
at the time when our columns advanced
the rebels were about sending Jackson's
aud Jones' commands, with some others
detached, as reinforcements to Lougstreet.
Jackson and Jones had even started for
their destination; but when the Richmond
authorities discoverd danger so near home.
they detained and used Jackson aud Jones
to try and capture Averiil.
THE TEMPEST IN rae MOUNTAINS.
All Of the columns suffered severely from
cold aud even huuges. They moved In the
lfghtest possible marching order. Nothing
but what was absolutely necessary did
they take along with them. But by far the
severest suffering was attached to Averilrs
command. The country through which
they had to pass, even in times OF peace,
was an inhospitAble one. How much
worse is It now, when houses are scarce
and supplies among the things found want.
ing The men suffered the most from the
cold. The nights were bitter. Each chill
ly blast seemed pregnant with thousands
Of cool, prickly points, that pierced their
way and seemed to be seeking for shelter
beneath the very skin. Il rained, showed
and hailed. Few persons know what
tenn pest 40 the mountains is like. Let the
reader imagine The gathering Of the dark
aud threatening clouds, the twilight RP-
pEoASuAuBI hu0 "Hub t0uBut N@uSN
scenery OF the mountains, the jagged rocks,
with icy sickles banging down in all Varis-
ties OF form aud mRhner, the wearied sol.
dier aud the fOotsore horse climbing and
scraping up the steep mountain roads, with
slippiugs both dangerous and laughAble
then the descending Of the BtoEms .ths wa
Ter FreeEIhg as It touched the ground, or
OloWn towards and upon you by hOWltngs
moaning winds, that made eVeEything seem
drear And wild, nse- unnatarallike the
line winding ils way up one side aud dowa
another, entering passes that seemed to be
the terminus Of these mountainous crea-
tions, and then again emerging upon open
lands, but to feel the fury of the storm the
more severe, and anew behold its incTeas-
ing dismaIty and tsTriticness. and you can
form "a mere idea" of what was the scene
on this trying occasion. II was worth a
pilgrimage to behold, but by no means
gratifying nor healthy TO enjoy.
ANoTHER sCESE.
1t was the crossiug of Jacksou's river,
where the enemy had made much prepara-
tion to cutus OF. The crossing was made
in darkness. The flashes of the muskets
of the oonIending parties, who fought at
random and in the dark, the rapid and
mysterious movements of both forces, and
especially the swimming Of the river by q
regiment that was cut of through the de-
struction of the bridges, will not soon be
forgotten, The water was bitterly cold,
ice cakes fOaIed in it close and heavily,
and the Wlud was enough in itself to chill,
without any additions of ice and water
This part otthe march was the most daring
and exciting and remarkable Of the whole
retrogressiVe movement
THE GREAT IMPORFAXCE ATTACHED TO Qua
MOVEMENTS
can be understood by the following &C.
count of the neighbOFhoods Ia which Ger. T.
erAl Averill and the other generals have
been operating; aud ia this account pro.
pose to show that the taking of Lynehburg
would necessarily involve the evacuation
Of Richmond, Rndthat any movement, even
like the present one. tending TO interrupt,
but still more particularly to permanently
destroy, one or more OF the enemy's lines
for receiving supplies. is Of as much, II moi
more importance to our interests In putting
down this rebellion, within any reasonable
period OF time, than would be the fighting
Of great battle and the occurring OF such
successes as we have been In the habit oi
gaining, With enc or two exceptions, sipc'
the commencement OF the war.
LyHoHBUaa
- uePot OF supplies AoE Tue AHoIS EeOe
army in the East. Such has been the re
mark from time to time, while public At
tentiou has been directed 10 other place.
aud to other points coming into prOminene'
id consequence Of our onward movements
But, nevertheless, Lynchburg Is create
depot OF supplies, and Of more importanc,
to the rebels, than IL as yet has receives
credit for; DOT because OF the place itself
but from the fact Of facilities in trauspOr
tation, both by water, and ON land, beinI
associated with its surrounding neighbor
hoods.
Lyuehhurg is place Of about seve'
tho1sand inhabitants, aud 10 this respect
la .n,,,. n1hasa Il IL mt v.a0aefa1IU Slis