Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-24
Three Cheers for Averil !
He Penetrates Roanoke Coun-
ty, Cuts the Tennessee and
Virginia Railroad, and Des-
troys an Immense Quantity
OF Rebel Stores.

Dec. 2l-vi, Beverly, Dec. ~.
H. It llcUtCk, GcreTdi-iE-Chie':
] have the honor to report that | cut the
Virginia and Tennessee railroad at Salem, on
the 10th instant, and have arrived safely at
this point with my command, consisting of
the "a. 80. aud eth Virginia mounted infantry,
18th Pcnns !lvauia, Dobson's battalion Of cav.
airy, and Ewing'z battery. At salem three
depots were destroyed, containing 1000 barrels
of flour, 10000 Dushel, of wheat, 10000
bushcl. Of shelled corn, 30 900 bushels Of oats,
! 600 barrels Of meat, several cords Of leather,
800 sacks Of salt, 81 boxes of clothing, ~
bales Ul cotton, large amount Of harness.
shoes, aud saddles, equipments. tools, oil, tar,
and various other stores, aud 100 wagons. The
telegraph wire was cut, cooled. and burned, Tor
halt mile. The water station. turn.table and
three cars were burned. and the track torn up,
aud the rail, heated and destroy cd as much az
pos ,ibr in sN hours. Five bridges and sew.
cral Culycrls were DESTROYED, over an extent of
fifteen miles. A large quantity of bridge tim
Der aud repairing materials were also DESTROYED.
! My march was retarded occasionally by the
: tempest In the mountains aud the rOnds.
was Obliged 10 swim my command ami drag
'my artillery with ropes acrnr, Cragg's Greek
So, cu times IN twenty four hours. On NV re-
turn ! found siA separate commands under
GrG-. Early, Jones, ltl Lee, Imboden, Jack
son. EchoIs, and McCourlln. arranged 10 u line
extending from stanton 10 Newport, upon all
NLl' iOA'9 W ll'NtLl IfluIU. /
captured a dispatch from Gen. Jones TO Gen.
Early, giving me the position (and that Of
Jackson ~ Clifton Forge aud CovlngtOu, }
Nh.cl he was selected to carry.
marched from the front OF JoIr, To that oil
Jackson during the night. Hi. outpos,s were
pressed In al gallop by the >th Virginia
| mounted infantry, and the two bridges across
Jackson river saved. Although iaggols had
been piled ready 10 ignite, my column, four
miles long, fastened across. regardless of the
enemy, until all but my amhlHanccs and a few
wagons and one regiment had passed, when a
strong effort was made 10 retakc the fret
bridge. which did no. succeed.
The IN uiances and some sick men %ere
lost, rDd 10y the ddcl knees and ditiicultlr, the
last regiment wa. detained OH the opposite eide
unit. morning, when it was ascertalDed tina.
the enemy secIncd determined 10 maintain his
position ny the cliffs which oN crlookud tn,
bridges, which were long and high; to be des
troyed, aud The enemy immediately changed
I his Position to the flank and rear OF the dclach,
| mcut. which was cut oil. ! sent orders to the
/ Remnants - dr,trOy our wagons and come to
me across the river and over the mountains.
/ They swan the river with the loss of only
four men drowIcd, and joined me. In The
meantime, forces were concentrating upon Inc
at COla2han's, over every available road but
one, which was deemed impracticable, but by
/ which crossed over the top of the Alleghanics
with my command, with the exccp ion of fUui
. CdissOn-, which were destroyed in order 10 In.
crease the teams Of the pieces. My loss il
Fix men drowned, one officer and four mer
wounded, and four officer. aud ninety mel
| missing.
We captured about zoo prisoners, but hav,
retained but four officers and eighty men, on
account Of their inability to walk.
We took also about 100 horses. Ny met
and horses subsisted entirely upon very pool
country, and the oificcrs and men have suffered
,old aud hunger and fatigue with rcmarkabl,
! tortItude.
Ny command has marched, climbed, sld
and swan three hundred and Nifty miles sine,
| the sth instant.
W. W. AvVRILL, Brig. Gen.