The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-01-01
EDEAY, POcahOntas Co., Va, Dec.
Pin RrvEPIy Decambpr %

va BEVERLY, December %. !
GENERAL HALLECK / have the honor to
report that cut the Virginia and Tonnes
see Railroad at Salem, on the 10th, and
have arrived safely at the front with my
command.
At Salem three depots were destroyed,
containing 1000 barrels of -four, 10000
bushels of wheat, 100000 bushels OF
shelled corn, $4,000 bushels of oats, 1900
barrels of meat, several cords of leather,
1000 sacks of salt, thirty one boxes of
clothing, twenty bales of cotton, large
amount of harness, shoes, saddles, equip.
ments, tools, oil, tar, and various other
stores, and 100 wagons. The telegraph
wires were cut, coiled and burned for half
mile; the water-statiOn, turn-table, and
three cars we're burned, and the track torn
up and the rails heated and destroyed as
much as possible in six hours. Five bridges
and several culverts were destroyed, over
an extent of fifteen miles A large guam
tity of bridge timber and repairing mate
rails was also destroyed. My march was
retarded occasionally by the tempest in the
mountains and the icy road, l was obliged
to swim my command and draw my artil-
lery with ropes across Crogg's Greek seven
times in twenty-tOur hours.
On my return, found six separate COM
mands, under Generals Early, jones, Fitz
Hugh Lee, ImbOden, Jackson, Echols, and
McAustin, arrayed in a line extending from
StauntOn to Newport, upon all the avail
able roads, to prevent my return.
l captured dispatch from Gen. Jones
fo IAN Forl1 w HI, ,>oe;+;o, ord
that of jackson, at Clifton Forge l
marched from the front of Jones to that of
Jackson at night His outposts were
pressed in at gallop by the 9Th Virginia
Mounted Infantry, and two brigades
crossed Jackson River, although fagots
had been piled ready to ignite. My col
umn, about four miles long, fastened
across, regardless of the enemy, until all
but my ambulances and few wagons and
enc regiment had passed, when strong
effort was made to retake the first bridge,
in which they did not succeed. The am
balances and some sick men were lost,
and, by the darkness and difficulties, the
last regiment was detained upon the OppO-
site side until morning, when it was ascer-
tanned that the enemy determined to main
tain a position up the cliffs which over
looked the bridges. l caused the bridges,
which were long and high, to be destroyed,
and the enemy Immediately changed posi-
ton to the flank and rear of the detach-
ment, which was cut off. sent orders to
the remnant to destroy our wagons and
come across the river or over the noun
tain. They swan the river with the loss
of four men, who were drowned, and
Joined me-
In the meantime, the forces of the enemy
concentrating upon me, / moved over a
very available road, but one which was
deemed impracticable, but by which
crossed over the top of the Alleghanies
with my command, with the exception of
four caissons, which were destroyed in Or
der to increase the teams for pieces.
Ny loss is six men drowned, one officer,
and four men wounded, and ninety men
and officers missing. We captured, also,
about 200 prisoners, but retained but four
officers and eighty men on account of ina
bility to walk. We took, also, a number
of horses.
The officers and men have suffered cold,
hunger and fatigue with remarkable forth
tude. My command has marched, climbed,
slid and swan 355 miles since the 9th inst.
.(SigneD w. w. AVERfLL.
Brigadier General.
SAN FRAKoIsoo, Dec. 1.-THE follow
ing dispatch was received from Los Ange-
los TO-DAY rr.