Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-09-04
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THE DAILY SPY.
Erom the Upper Potomnc.
SUMMIT OF MOUNT LOuDoN, !
,,.1 ~ .: ,,, on 1000 Z

Blue Ridge Mountains, Aug. 20, 1868.
Editors Spy One month ago o-day your
correspondent received orders to report to
Major Weyss, the chief engineer of this de-
partment, headquarters at Harper's Ferry.
Since then have been acting as a sort of as
sistant engineer, our services being employed
in aiding the work. During the past month
all of the mountain roads in these parts have
been surveyed, and on two or three OCCASIONS
while engaged in this business in Loudon val
ley. l have very narrowly escaped being cap
tured by the bushwhackers, who, under the
command of one Moblcy, are encamped in
this vicinity for the purpose of enforcing the
rebel CONSUMPTION. The audaclty of these
men is surprising in the extreme Yes
terday afternoon they galloped around the
mountain, to within three quarters of mile
of our camp, and quarter of mile OF a
strong guard posted at the Shenandoah bridge.
Every citizen in Loudon valley, whether
Union or secesh, able to carry musket, and
many who are not able, from the youth of
fourteen to the gray-haired patriarch of sixty,
is being forced, at thepoint OF Mobleys sabers
into the rebel service. Such is rebel con-
scrption in Loudon valley.
Yesterday afternoon we were informed by
Major Weyss that it would be necessary, on
the following day, to take the elevations of
certain points from the summit of Mount Lou
don, which stands on the opposite side of the
Shenandoah river, from Harper's Ferry. 1t
has been known to the authorities that for the
past week has been occupied by portions of
Mobley's gang, and it was deemed unsafe by
the general commanding for our party to as
cend the mountain without a strong guard.
So at s o'clock this morning, with our tr<Jds
and theodolites, guarded by a detachment of
the lst Connecticut cavalry, we assembled the
mountain. Three or four of our engineers
more eager than the rest to behold ''grill,"
by rapid walking, soon found themselves half
a mile in advance of our guard. The crack
of cap, in the bushes by the roadside adj
monished us (foryour correspondent happened
to be one Of the four) to fall back on our
guard. We reached the summit of the noun
tain fright side mp with whole bones; have
accomplished the work which we came to per-
form, and now / find myself, while our COM
panions are partakng of lunch seated upon
the decayed trunk of fallen tree. with port
folio in hand, penning letter to the Spy.
LATER.-Here we are, again, at our head
quarters i'll Harper's Ferry, none the worse for
our little expedition, though somewhat IA
tigued All, reader This is pleasant bust
ness travelling over the mountains and along
the valleys of the beautiful Old Dominion.
A few days ago the field of our labors
was at the northern extremity of Ma
ryland Heights AT this place a skirnish
took place about year ago. Our loss in this
affair was but two or three, | think The
raholS lnSt | bolinv,
killed. Our killed were suitably buried, but
many bodies of tine enemy still remain above
ground, their flesh being devoured by vul-
lures and wild beasts, and their bones to lie
bleaching in the sun. Had we with US at the
time tools for digging grave, we would have
gathered the remains of these poor, unfOrtu-
nate beings together and give them what their
own people neglected to give-a grave. 1t is
notorious fact that the rebels too often ne
glect to bury their dead. The citizens living
near the place of which we are speaking as
sert that ample time was given the rebels, in
this instance, to inter their killed, but they
failed to do it. Is the fault ours that they
were not buried?
The rebels stih continue their depredatons
upon the Ohio and Chesapeake canal A few
nights since the rebels made a descent upon Il
canal boat few miles below here, took all
the mules, stripped the boatnen, took all their
clothes and robbed them of sixty-three dol
lars. This is, without doubt, the work of
Mobley's gang. This young Mobey is only
10 years of age, and is wonderfully. smart
an ms Itne But if the young scoundrel isn't
little more careful in the future he NAV
find himself attached to another line, not of
business exactly, but OF hemp, with a moose at
the end Of ii, and may have the exquisite
pleasure of dancing jig on vacancy. Scout
ing parties from the 34th are often sent out
but as yet no engagement has occurred
large detachment from this regimentlett camp
at o'clock Tuesday morning, eight miles
from this place, and returned the following
morning, What the object of this exped-
ton was none but the authorities have any
business to know.
A recruiting party, consisting of Lieut. Ell
well, three sergeants, three corporals and
four privates, have been sent to Massachu-
sets to obtain recruits for this regiment We
have every reason to believe that they will be
successful, as there is not regiment in the
field that can boast of a better reputation
than the Bath Mass. If the readers If the
Spy have any doubts about it, we refer them
to the Washington papers published during
the time the regiment was stationed i'll that
city in June last. The health of the regi-
ment is quite good, and | believe that no
deaths have occurred in it since we have been
at this place. Our sick receive every atten-
ton, and too much praise cannot be given
surgeon Clarke for the skill and energy dis
played in the discharge of the duties devolv-
ing upon nm. He has been remarkably sue
cess1ul. Deserters from the rebel army are
constantly coming in. OF course they de-
nounce the confederacy as a ..humbug:" saw
"'tis sinking hulk and must 90 down" Dit
to, say we! Amen, say the people!