Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-03-19
Arnsy Cerrespenssence.
For the Galiipolis Journal
Car skAs Mr.. SrrRLrss. Kr..}
s March 7th. 1863. Z

q y
Ma. HAapxR-Dssr Sir:-ws have
been absent from camp near Harrods-
burg on scouting expedition for the
last seventeen days. which has deprived
as Of tbe privilege Of hearing from or
communicating with our correspondents
in old -Gallis and Jackson, for what we
consider long time. We therefore
request the publication Of this comuu-
nicstionin your highly respected jour-
nal. which will supercede the necessity
,,of my writing many private letters, In
form our friends and relations as TO our
whereabouts, and at the same time
briefly narrate what came under my
observation during march Of fourteen
days--and ] might say nights too, for
We seldom stopped for the night, and
scarcely slept at night only on our
horses. fEH TEf1T5
We left Harrodsburg on the night Of
the a0lh of February. 1868. Marched
that night as far as DanyiIle. a dis
tance Of ten miles, remained there till
morning when we obtained ten days
ratious and resumed our march for
Grab Orchard, through rain. snow and
sleei, where we arrived about 8 O'Clock
P.M. ] will not here undertake to
sgive description Of the manner in
which we put in that night.
The next day Capt. Campbell, with
Major McIntire and Lieut. Colonel
Miner, started with a detachment OF
men from various Regiments, with a
portion Of the 7th o. V. c., taking the
major part Of our company in the d.
rection Of Mt. Vernon, but l have not
received any intelligence from them
only as IL came through the medium OF
the daily press. since they left US.
On the night Of the same day, be-
tween the hours Of ten and eleven, we
were ordered to Richmond, distance
approaching fifty miles. We arrived
there the next evening shortly after
dark, but learned that we were a day
behind the times; the rebels had been
there the day before, stealing horses,
robbing stores, and committing depre-
dations and outrages too intolerable TO
be borne by 8 free and intelligent
people. We were cbeerfully welcomed
by the good Union people Of this place,
where we remained that night and part
OF the next day. when we moved for
ward in the direction Of Winchester. at
which place We thought to stop for the
night, but on our arrival there we
learned that the rebels were in force at
Mt. Sterling. therefore we moved on for
Mt. Sterling that night, eighteen miles
distant. We went within about three
miles Of town, when a bah was called
by Col. Runkle, who was in command
Of the entire force there. Major Raney
and Lieut.. Carr, proposed marching
right into town with force sufficient
to take them BY surprise, but was ruled
down by the eowardly Colonel. The
next morning about sunrise we ad-
vanced slowly in the direction Of town,
saw nothing until within one mile oI
town, where we scared up the pickets,
perhaps fifty in number; this brought
serious reflections across the mind oI
the Brigsdier General, who imagined
that the rebels were seereted behind a
ravine that was between us and the fa-
gitiye rebels, and therefore drew US up
in line Of battle, squared the battery.
and threw a shell in that direction. (no
rebels being there, Judge Of the number
killed, wounded and missing) The
main body being about three miles be-
yond town, made good their escape
We followed rapidly for sbont one mile
beyond town, where we, to the great
surprise Of The people and men them
selves. halted all that day. However,
small squads OF scouting parties went
out and brought in few prisoners, re-
captured the wagons and mules which
they had taken from The 18th Kentucky
stationed here, prior to our advent into
this part Of the country. That night
we were ordered TO be in readiness to
form inio line Of battle at the first
sound OF the bugle, in case OF an en-
gagement. but no enemy that night.
The next day about three O'Clock p.
NJ, we started in pursuit OF the enemy,
and after marching until dusk we saw
no very strong indications, but here re-
ceived a dispatch announcing that there
was large force marching for Lexing-
ton, under John Morg.n and Humphrey
Marshall, when we faced about and
went on double quick in that direction.
About eight O'Clock the next day we
reached Paris, where we ascertained
that the dispatch was utterly false. and
bad been forged BY rebel citizens to let
rebels come back to Mt. Sterling. The
trick was pretty efectually carried out;
hut notice We left the perpetrators in
earcerated within the gloomy walls OF a
dungeon at Paris, to await their doom.
The next day. small party under
command of Major Raney, left for
Winchester: distance Of fourteen miles
from Paris. Ne went into town with
dash. found no soldiers. but the place
was full Of buliernut gents, who came
into town with the expectation Of seeing
their rebel friends in the army, but in
stead Of that. they found a Federal
force, who had the town under martial
law. No nan was allowed to pass out
OF town. But when we put ont our
p'ckeis, a scouting party Of forty ap-
Proached. four OF them dressed in Fed