The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1864-06-17
CAM NEAR LEw1spuRG, Va.
MAY Goth, 1864.


b.ar careful perusal.
CAM NEAR LEwIsprra, VA.
.I ..f . . May Goth, 1864.
DEAR WrFr:-We left Charleston May 18TH
with two thousand picked men and horses, of
which four hundred were from the 34th Reg;
all under Gen. Averill and Duiiie. Marched 10
miles first ferried the Kanawha river May 2nd,
marched to Petony l3 miles, it rained all day
and night. At this point are several Camel
Coal banks, said to furnish the finest coal in the
country. They are owned by a Philadelphia
Co., but are not in operation now. May Sd.
marched to near Chapinsville, 90 miles, bad
roads. May 4th, marched to Logan Court
Horse, IL miles, killed bushwhackcr. 5th,
Marched to Wyorning Valley, 80 miles, cross
ing Guvan mountains seven miles over, by a
horse path, set woods on fire for light, and ar.
rived in camp A NJ During the night lost
seven horses by their falling over precipices.-
One ms-step 6y man or beast and then--death
9th Made SO miles up hollows filled with brush
and logs, passed over Indian Ridge to camp on
tug fork Of Sandy river. 1t was grand sight
to stand on the summit of this ridge, and look
down the windings Of the mountain path and
see the long file of men and horses walking and
climbing the sleeps. Comrades could speak to
comrades Il third of a mile in the rear and the
Col could shout "close up" to officers, half an
hour travel from the front | wished for my friend
Welsh, that he mgth putthis scene on apper, Ar
rived in camp at midnight. 7th. y miles, cap
tured one sentinel on the mountain, road block
AIDED made road of our own and trlvled, it at
risk of limb and slfc: captured squad of six
teen rebs Came into Able Valley in evening
and captured twenty four more rebel guards
They were playing ball, little suspecting that
Yanks could get near them To-day placed us
inside of rebel lines. From this on we kept our
horses saddled day and night. sth. Skirmishcd
for four ours with the enemy. One killed in our
Reg, and one of Averlll's scouts, wounded. En-
envy lost two killed and three wounded -
Marched all night of the Sth and in the even
ing of the 9th, camped on Wolf creek, As miles
over Mts. and through Stony Gap; came in
supporting distance Of Crooks Infantry, captur-
ed wagon train and more prisoners and de.
stroyed quantity of arms and medicines, stored
in a cave 10th. Marched on Wythevile road.
Morgan and Brcckenridges troops held gap
we wished TO pass through. Fought from noon
until ocleck p NJ Enemy near 7O00 men
| with artillery were too strong for us. distinct
| ly remomber of laying for about an hour within
thirty feet of the raseas, we following "Ohio''
at every shot and they returning "b;llet
| signed John Morgrn Our Reg lost seven killed
and twenty-five wounded. We accomplished
onI purpose, vir a diversion in favor Of Crooks
| Withdrew our forces changed our course, march.
cd all night and next day to Dublin on the
Va, and East Tenn. r. R., 80 miles. Here
Crooks whipped the enemy nicely, burned the
great bridge 6c., &c The part of the 34th!
that was in this fight, lost three killed, and
! twenty five wounded
/ llth, swan New river, one man and several
| horses drowned, marched to Christiansburg on
! Stanton pike, 25 miles. 18th, marched through
Blacksburg, roads bockaded had skirmsh al
salt pond gap-out of ammunition. Changed
course, crossed what was thought to be an i'm
possible mountain, in the night, halted ant
stood by horse until daylight, the rain descen
ding in torrents no fires, nothing to eat, mel
sleeping every where.
MAY l4th, forded smaller streams, lost on
man. bushwhaekers plenty, 90 miles May l5tl
arrived near the town of Union, met Crooks
and trains. Nothing to eat in train. Remain
ed in neg,bcrhood Of Union on the 10Th ant
l7th, protecting the rear while Crooks erosse'
infantry over (irecabrier river May 18th an'
18th, marched from Union, through Lewishur,
TO this camp. We have only drawn seven day
rations during these twenty days. Men hav
suffered with hunger and then again when W
could get in foraging country we would feast
We have Travelled upwards of five hlIndre'
miles. fifty miles Of which was through waite
in runs and rivers. Wehave burned tanneres
. cloth Factories and store houses controlled b.
the rebel government .
You would have laughed, If you had seen n
moving along in the day time, after we ha
been out ten days. Three fourths Of the CON
rnand would be sleeping on their horses, Q
bobbing for ecls" "a the boys call it, AT nigh
VIZ found great difficulty in moving on accoun
Of m,n failing asleep, their horses stopping
thereby halting the whole column, which bein
) in sing lie rank would extend for a mile an
half
r The night aft " the battle of Cove Can I wa
q placed a, certsiu dang r,w psssag, 60 ws