Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-07-28
YANKEE RAID UPON wyrHEvILLE.

Virginia, in which they expected to do
great mischief, but were disappointed
because they met with unexpected OBJ
stacles in the form of brave men at
Wytheville. On Friday night, the 18th
inst, they encamped at Capt. VIM. E..
Peery's, 2 miles east OF Tazewell Court
house, from whom they took many hor-
ses and other valuables. Early Satur-
day morning they left for Wytheyille a
distance of 40 miles. When they reach
ed Sharon. Bland county, they were
oyertaken by Col. May with small
force of cavalry, who gave them little
fight.
: though the force under Colonel May
was less than 800, they killed six of the
enemy and took II prisoners, whilst
our loss was only one man. Col. May
followed them up to within short dis
lance Of Wytheville, harrassing them
all the time. Learning that the enemy
expected reinforcements every hour, he
fell back to Sharon in order to cut them
off and at the same time expected to be
reinforced himself.
The enemy entered Wytheville about
six o'clock, P. NJ, on Saturday, the
18th. In the meaatime force consist
ing of one hundred and twenty men,
mostly citizens and conscripts, hastily
gathered up at Dublin and Newbern,
under command Of Col. Bowyer, had
arrived at the Wytheville Depot with
two pieces of artillery. There being no
horses in readiness for the artillery, so
much delay occurred in getting it to
town that the fight had commenced be-
fore it reached there, and the pieces
were captured without being fired
The horses became unmanageable and
ran the pieces further in the town than
was intended, and into the midst of the
enemy, when they were taken possess
ion of. In the meantime the infantry
force had marched up from the depot,
and, together with some of the citizens
Of Wytheville, engaged the enemy in
an irregular but most successful combat.
A correspondent of the Lynchburg Re-
publican, writing from Dublin Depot,
says:
The two forces met about the centre
of the town, and soon a desperate fight
commenced. Our men broke open the
doors of the houses, rushed i'll, and fired
on the enemy upon the right and lett,
shooting them down like sheep, and pro-
ducing great CONSERVATION amongst
them. For some time a general firing
was going on throughout the village
Every man was his own Captain. The
enemy's greatly superior number, how
ever, soon overpowered our men, and
Major Bowyer ordered a retreat. Our
men were too much scattered for this or
der to be available. A few, though, did
escape, and betook themselves to the
adjacent mountains. About this time,
90 o'clock,) two trains were starting
back to Dublin and the whistles blew
their loudest This greatly alarmed the
Yankees, who thought the cars had
brought large reinforcements, and they
thereupon skedaddled at rapid rate
on the same route they had come.
The result of this fight was, that the
Yankees lost Colonel, (Toland) Major,
and had another Colonel PowelD Sc
verely wounded; also, one Captain and
Lieutenant killed, and seven privates,
and some twenty five or thirty more
wounded. Eighty horses were killed
and wounded. Our loss was Captain
Oliver and two conscripts killed. Lieu
tenant Bailey, who acted most CALAMITY,
was badly wounded, Report says that
two citizens of Wytheville were also
killed.
The Yankees captured about seventy
of our men-took them to Walkers
Mountain, twelve miles, and there pa
rolled them. They were forced to do
this, fearing Colonel McCausland's COM
mand, which was in their rear, would
bag them.
The enemy remained in Wytheville
only a few hours, and upon leaving set
fire to the quartermaster and commissa-
ry buildings, burnt the jail and some
eight or ten private residences. All re-
port that the ladies OF Wytheville acted
with the greatest heroism. and cheered
the men in their unequal contest. Many
residents were absent from the town at
the time, and some of the citizens acted
most gallantly on the occasion.
In the fight with the Yankee raiders
at Wytheville was a Methodist preacher,
who made himself quite conspicuous for
gallantry. During themelee he singled
out his man and fired, and at the crack
of his gun the Yankee fell. Horrifed
at having shed human blood, the preach
er rushed up to his fallen foe, and, grasp
ing him by the hand, with tears in his.
eyes, implored his pardon for having
shot him, and finding the man was NOR
tally wounded, fell upon his knees and
offered up a solemn and fervent prayer,
during which the spirit of the wounded
Yankee winged its final fight to the bar
of God. The incident was affecting in
the extreme, and is worthy of record.
The Lynchburg Republican last week
reported that the whole force of the
Yankees were captured by M Gausland's
forces. There has been no official no.
tice of this capture. The Southern Adj
vocate," published at Bristol, dated the
23d instant, gives the following report
at is now reported that Colonel May
cut off their retreat through Burk's Gar
den, and that they attempted to make
their way out through Mercer county,
I, 4 Il, IF +hr