Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-08-12
MORE EMIaRANTs COMING.
Letter from Harper's Ferry
HARPER's FRRRY, July 30, 1864.

Editors LHteLEigeneer:
Please allow me to eulighten you with a
brief detail of facts that should become
part of the history of our struggle, and
the share of it so gallantly borne by our
West Virginia troops, as they occurred on
the goth inst. in front of Winchester.
The published accounts of said engage
ment do not specify sufficiently the subor-
dinates to whom the honor of the victory
justly belongs, as the publication of the
whole truth at the time would have been
| t'iufOrmation to the enemy"-but now that
said eTigency does not exist, please let
those have "hOnor, to whom honor is due"
Gen. AVerill left Martinsburg with part
of his cavalry command and Col. ]. n. Du-
vRIs brigade of infantry, consisting OF the
l4th West Va. (Col. Johnsou,) 9th West
Va, (Msj. Skinner,) 9ltt Ohio, (Lt. Col.
Coates part ofthe 94th Chic, (Lieut. Col.
Shaw } on the 18th inst, going in the di-
rection of Winchester. They met aud
skirmished with the enemy Cavalry near
Bunker Hill, and drove him steadily back
toward Winchester. During the night the
rebel General Early, sent over from Der
ryvile a reinforcement of 4 900 infantry,
l 800 cavalry aud eight pieces of ar
tillery. All this took position near Ste
phenson's Depot, four miles north of Win
IL miles in advance. Our infantry met
them on the morning of the Goth, and eau
! tiOusly drove them back upon their main
line of battle. During this time there were
| rumors that the enemy were endeaVOring
to flank us on our right. Gen. Averill
sent his cavalry to the points indicated,
and withdrew his batteries mile to the
| rear. Col. DuVal was ordered TO advance,
which he did under a heavy skirmish fire
until within 200 yards of the enemy's
guns, when they received a most Terrific
fire of grape and canister from their five
inch Napoleons, supported by double lines
| of infantry. Our men received the Wither.
ing storm without hinching or checking
| their advance.
The Colonel saw at q glance the critical
position of his little brigade and knew
what they would do if called upon. "FTx.
bayoHets," rang out from the intrepid COM
mander and went like an echo from mouth
! to mouth, right and left, to the extremes
of the line. "Charge, double quick" aud
1900 veterans rushed yelling like madmen
into the very jaws of death. The mnzzles
of the guns we're gained, the artillery men
| fought With their hammers and had their
headsjsplit by the clubbe1. muskets of our
| men. The enemy got off four of his guns
| and left the other four in our hands. Nxet
came the double lines of infantry supports.
There was no time to load, so firmly grasp
ing their Enfelds by the muzzss they
dashed into them. The amazed Johnnies
were unused to that mode of warfare and
after pouring into our ranks a murderous
FIRE they threw down their arms and fed.
We pursued them, capturing or running
over hundreds of prisoners, which We had
not time to secure, to their second line,
where they made q stubborn resistance,
but after contestiug every foot of ground
for ! miles, the whole force, cavalry, in
fantry, artillery, wagons, formed con-
glomerated mass en- route for Winchester.
Tired and with empty cartridge boxes, the
glorious little brigade, but not the 1850,
turned back to secure the fruits, if not the
hOnors of their gallantry.
They gathered up 500 stand of good arms.
and left as many more; 200 prisoners; 4
6ne brass Napoleons, and what saddened
their joy, their dead and wounded com
rades, az in number. They BURIED twelve
rebel officers on the field. The rebel loss
was from 300 to 400 killed and wounded.
200 prisoners aud 4 guns. Our cavalry
lost one killed and three wounded. Gen.
AVerill, who Witnessed the action from a
point q mile in the rear, pronounced il the |
most gallant charge and complete victory
over vastly superior numbers he had ever |
beheld. Gen. Lilly, (rebel) Who ives woun- |
ded and captured, said that they expected !
to capture every man we had, and was |
wonder stricken when he saw so small q .
body of men WITHOUT cavalry or artillery |
venture an issue Of battle against $500 old |