Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-12-29
4 Brilliant Winter Raid.
EpRAY. Pocahon,as Co, Wes: Nire,


To N,j. Gen. H.licr:, Geaerdl IA ChtJ /:
have the honor to report that | cut
the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad, at
Salem, on the 10 inst, and have arrived
safely at this poin. with my command,
consisting Of the %, Sd and Sth Virginia
mounted infantry, l4th Pennsylvania,
Dobson's battalion Of cavalry aud Esiog' :.
battery.
A, Salem, three depot. were destroyed,
contsiuiug two thousand barrels OF ti1ur,
teu thousand bushels of wbeat, one hund-
red thousand bushels Of shelied corn, FIFTY
thousand bushels of oats, two thousand
barrels of meat, several cords OF leather;
one thousand sacks of salt, thirty-one
boxes clothing, twenty bales OF cotton,
large amount of harness, shoes and saddles,
equipments, tools, oil, tar and various
other stores, snd one tuudred wagons.
The telegraph wire was cut, coiled and
burned for half mile. The water station,
turutable ard three cars were burned, and
the track torn up and rails heated and de
s,royed as much as possible. In six hours
FIVE bridges and several culver,s were
destroyed over an exien; of fifteen miles.
A large quantity Of bridge timber and
repairing materials were also destroyed.
Ms march was retarded occasionally By
the ,empes, in the mountains aad the icy
roads. | was obliged to swim my com
msnd aud drag my artillery with ropes
across Crog's Creek seven times IL tSeuty-
four hours.
Ou my return, / found six separate
commsods, under Geuerals Early, Jones,
F.'zhush Lee, Imboden, Jackson, Echols
and N Cousin, arranged in a line extend.
ing from Stanton TO NeFport, upon ali
the available roads, to prevent my return.
| captured despatch from Jones TO Early,
giving ne bis position and tha, Of jackson
at Clifton Forge. | marched from toe
front Of Jones 10 that of Jackson, al
night. His ouipos's were pressed in at
ga!lop BY the Sin Virgiuia, and the two
bridges across Jsckson's river we're saved,
although taggo;s had been piled ready to
ignite. Ny columns, about four miles
long, hssteuei across, regardless Of the
enemy, until all but my smbulances, a
few wagons aud ore regiment bad passed,
when a strong effort was made to retske
the first bridge, in which they did Dot
succeed. The ambulance and some sick
men were lost, and By the darkness and
the las, regiment was detained
upon the opposite side nDui morning,
" ben it vas ascer,aiDed that the enemy
seemed determined to maintain his posi-
ton up the cliffs which overlooked the
bridges. Icaused the bridges, which we're
ong and high, to be destroyed, and tie
enemy Immediately changed his position
10 the flank and rear Of the de;acb ment,
: hich was cut of, AID sent orders TO the
to destroy our wagons and come
o NE across the river or over the noun
aims. They swan the river and joined
ne.
10 the meantime the forces Of the enc
ny were CONCENTRATING upon me at Callag-
lan's over every available road but one,
was deemed imprac,icable, bu, by
which | crossed over the Top Of the ALE
.benies with my command, with the
Of four caissoDs, which were
destroyed in order to increase the teams Of
be pieces.
Ny loss is six men drowned, one officer
nd four men wounded, and four officers
nd ninety men missing.
We captured sbou, two hundred pris.
ners, but have retained but four officers
nd eighty men, on account Of ,hsir ina
iIi,y to walk. We took also abou, one
undred end ffsy horses. /,
My borses have subsisted entirely upon
very poor country, and the officers and
len have suffered cold, hunger and fatigue
nth remarkable for,i,ude. Ny command
as marched, climbed, slid and swan
nree hundred and fifty FIVE miles since the
th instant
". W. AyERILL, Brig Gen.