Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-08-06
Letter from the Iath Regimont.

Letter from the 18th Regiment.
H'DQ'Rs, 18th RIG, W. VA, Vol. ISY.1
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, July 90, CT.
Editors InteEligenesr:
On Sunday morning, July 24th, this regi
ment Was marched with our other forces
towards Kearnstown from or camp at
Winchester to meet the enemy. We met
him q good deal more 'muehly" than we
expected. We retrested in tolersble order
to Bunker Hill during the day. At Kesrns-
town four companies of our regiment were
deployed as skiTmishers on our brigade
front Il soon became apparent that the
enemy were fsnkipg Us on both sides. A
retreat wss ordered and our main line fell
back leaving the skiEnish line unsupport-
ed, and through some ones fault not noti-
fed to fall back. 1t stood, the rebel cav
airy charged in force, and it was nearly all
captured. We went on in line of battle to
the rear past Winchester, the Johnnies af-
ter us hot footed, cheering and firing and
we returning the FIRE as we went. They
got their batteries on Winchester Heights.
Instead Of our marching on without halt
after We left those heights till out of
range from them, We halted and made
a stand under them and the rebel can
non punished US for it very badly
Then We started on. Their cavalry
charged our forces on the right of the
road leading to MsrtiRsbQrg with yells.-
They were repulsed, but our forces on the
left of the road were ordered to double
quick to the left, and did not get on the
road any more till We got to Bunker's Hill,
IL miles out, at midnight. Msjor r. q.
Brown had charge of the skirmishers at
Kesrustown, and was probably captured
there with most of his men in those four
companies. After nIght-fsll in our retreat
the regiment with one whole brigade be-
came involved in a dense woods, where the
darkness was literally Egyptian, and if it
could not be felt, the unseen depths into
which man or horse, or both would be
suddenly precipitated could. Here order
was lost and some emerged into the Mar
tinsburg road. The rest scattered and the
rebel cavalry got more of US in this way.
Men would lose their direction and walk
right into the enemy. Col. Thoburn and
Col. Curtis on coming out of these woods,
finding that most of the division were still
in the woods went back to find them, and
lost themselves. They went back toward
Winchester, wandered two or three days,
and came out finally via Sleepy Greek and
Hsgerstown to this place. At one time they
lay in the blackberry thickets 400 yards in
rear of the rebel artillery which was play
lug on OuE AuhFS just
we lost no artillery whatever, and 81 wa
CONS had to be burned to prevent the
rebels getting them. This was occasioned
by a tesmster's stampede. When the
rebel cavalry charged, many teawsters
cut loose their horses and left their wagons
in the road standing where they had to be
fred. am sorry to add that the artille-
rymen cut their horses from some three or
four guns and left them. Our infantry and
cavalry brought them out by hand. This
is hard on certain battery, but il is true.
Many of our men were worn out by the
hardships and fatigues of Hunters raid,
and the constant marching of the last
three months. These we're SO faint as to
be unable to get away, and helped to swell
the enemy's list of prisoners. They went
into the fight and were unable to keep up
in the retreat. When we were coming on
from Parkersburg we left a great number
at MartinsbuTg and this place Of "played
out" men. AS these have now rejoined us
and swelled our strength SO that We are as
formidable as we ever were, il will not do
any harm now to tell how much exhausted
we were after the great raid. Our regi.
ment started with about $50 effective men
on that expedition. On our return to
Msrtinsburg we had $50 fit for duty
There was not man in the regiment who
did not feel pretty "oLd' aud debilitated.
And this regiment did as well as any, and
better than most. AS long, however, as
they can keep up at all, or there is dozen
lett, vouch for it our West Virginia boys
are willing to meet them.