Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-12-24
AvERILLs EXPEDITION


EpRAY, Pocahontas County, West Virginia,
Dee. 2l, via Beverly, Dec. 22.-To MAJOR
General Hallect, General IN Chif:-I have
the honor 10 report that l cut the Virginia and
Tennessee railroad at Salem on the 10Th inst,
and have arrived safely at this point with my
command, consisting of the ID, Sd, and Sth
Virginia mounted infantry, l4th Pennsylvania
cavalry, and Ewing's battery At Salem three
dep0ts were destroyed, containing 1000 barrels
OF flour, 10000 bushels of wheat, 100000
bushels of sheled corn, 80, 900 bushels Of oats,
1000 barrels Of meat, several cords Of leath-
er, 1000 sacks of salt 81 boxes of
clothing, twenty bales OF cotton, large
amount of shoes, saddles, equipments, tools,
oil, tar, and various other stores, and one
hundred wagons. The telegraph wire was
cut, cuiled and burned for half IA mile; the
water station, turn-table and three cars were
burned, and the track torn up and rails heated
and destroyed as mnch rs was possible in six
hours. Five bridges and several culyerts
were destroyed, over an extent Of fifteen
miles. large quantity of bridge timber and
repairing materials were also destroyed.
My march was retarded occasionally by the
tempest in the mountains and the icy roads
40 N'A w ." liii Cuiullltliiu anu vi az
my artillery with ropes across CrOag'S creek
seven times in twenty-four hours. On my
return found six separate commands, under
Gems. Early, Jones, FiIz Hugh Lee, Imboden,
jackson, Echols, aud MlConstan, arranged in
line extending from Stanton to Newport
upon all the available roads, to prevent my
return. captured a dispatch from Gen.
Jones to Gen. Early giving me his exact posi-
ton. l marched from the front Of Jones to
that OF Jackson at night. His OutpoStS were
pressed in at a gallOp, and the two bridges
across JacksOn's river were saved. My
column, about four miles long, FASTENED across
regardless OF the enemy. All but my ambu-
lances, few wagons and one regiment, had
passed, when a strong effort was made to re-
take the first bridge, in which they did not
succeed. The ambllances and some sick
men were lost, and by the darkness and the
difficulties, the last regiment was detained on
the opposite side until morning, when it was
ascertained the enemy seemed inclined to
maintain his position up the cliffs which over
looked the bridge.
l caused the bridge to be DESTROYED, and the
eLemy Immediately changed his position to
the flank and rear OF the detachment which
was cut OFT. l sent orders to the remnants to
destroy our wagons, and come to me across
the river or over the mountains. They swan
the river with loss OF only four men, who
were drowned, and joined me. In the mean
time the forces of the enemy were concen-
trating upon me at Callighans, our only avail
able road, but one which was deemed mprac-
ticable-buI by which L crossed over the top
Of the Alleghanes, with my command, with
the exception Of four caissons, which were de-
stroyed.
My loss is six men drowned, one officer
and four men wuunded, and four officers and
ninety men missing. We captured Two hun
dred prisoners, but have retained but four Of
fcers and eighty men on account of their ina
bility to walk. We took also about one hun
dred and fifty horses. My horses have sub
sisted entirely upon very poor country, and
the officers and men have suffered cold, hun
ger, and fatigue, with remarkable fortitude.
My command has marched, slid, and swan,
three hundred and fifty five miles since the
Sth inst. w. II. AvERILL.