Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-07-15
Editors MttlEigencer

that another had done so, but ascertsining
my mistake ! now proceed TO furnish you
all the particulars in nut shell, and with
out Varnish.
Gen Crook left Meadow Bluff on the 3Ist
of May, and marching by Lewisburg,
/ White Sulphur Springs, Callaghaus, Hot
Springs, Warm Springs and across the
Warm Springs Mountain, arriving at Go
sheu depot on the Virginia Central Rail-
road-about 40 miles below Jackson river
depot, the present terminus of the road on
the 9th of June. Here the work of de-
struction commenced. The track was torn
up, and the Calf Pasture Bridge and 9TH
ers, besides a great number of culverts,
were destroyed for more than ten miles
This work fully accomplished, the COM
maud moved on over North Mountain
through Pond Gap, via Middlebrook, to
| Stauutou, and went into camp on the
morning of the 9th of June. There was
no regular engagement during the march,
but the bushwhAcking commands of Nc
| Causlaud and Jackson were out in force,
and made every effort to impede our pro-
gress by occupying all strong Positions
| Gen. Crook would have been up in time to
have rendered good service 10 the battle
| between Geo. Hunter and the rebel Jones,
but for the miserable, sinking, rotten con-
ditiOn of hi transportation. Think of
mules, one and two years of age, and colts
| four only, drawing wagons across " noun
| EdhHS t1ithout roads, and streams IIithoUt
| GoTds," and do not wonder that Gen. Crook
was not able to JOIN Hunter in time to cap
tnre the whole rebel force under Jonos; es-
pecially as he was delayed some eleven
DAYS at Meadow Bluff for the want even of
sucking mules and colts to transport his
supplies of provisions and ammunition
m ha nth tho command left
| General Crooks division taking the Lex
ington pike by way of Middlebrook, and
come upon Gen. McCausland, commanding
| some 1000 men, three miles out of the
town. The skirmishing was very heavy
all day, but we marched "a miles and
camped at Brownsburg. We lost 3 killed
and wounded, the rebels losing more
| than three times as many. AT Brownsburg,
wounded rebel was asked where McCaus.
land would make a stand, and he replied
that his General said as he was leaving, if
you can tell me when Crook will stop pur-
suing can tell you when L will stop run
ming.
Alto a. m. on June llth, the command
arrived opposite Lexington, having march
ed IL miles since . o'clock.
Two miles this side of the town citizen
bushwhacker was executed for shooting a
man of the Seth o. V. l.
The rebels opened upon us in spirited
manner with both artillery and musketry,
which continued for FIVE hours without the
least cessation. But when they observed
that the End brigade had succeeded in
crossing the river on our right, some dis
lance above the town, the rebels beat
hasty retreat, leaving everything in our.
hands, Our loss in this engagement was
several killed and number wounded but
il I1s
the bridge over North river on the pike,
and fought US from the town, thinking, no
doubt, that the 'principles of civilized
warfare" would prevent US from "throwing
shell and canister" amongst them, but we
"shot it to them" upon the principles of
good gunuery, smashing up their houses,
| breaking their bones, and driving them
from their "own dunghills," of which we
took possession at 8 o'clock p. m, and
went into camp in sight of Stonewall Jack
sons tomb, ut the head of which stood a
pole stripped by traitors hands of the en-
blem of treason, rs we entered the place.
i We remained 10 Lexington on the 18th
aud engaged a portion of the command in
burning the Military Institute, Col. Smiths
and Ex-Governor Letcher's house-the
. former being Familiarity known as "Old
Specks,n and the latter as "Honest John ,
rendered notorious and loathsome to al
honorable people for his endorsement of the
Ruffner pamphlet and his subsequent de-
nial+of the act simply for the sake of office
Here too, we captured and brought off {
number of autograph letters from George
Washington. A command, under Captair
, Blazer, was sent down the river by Genera
Crook, in search of "a plumber of boats re
ported by contrabaud, which were found
seven miles from the town, heavily ladeneC
with all kinds of supplies both of pro
visions and ammunition, besides Rumbei
of pieces of artillery, all of which the rebel!
neglected to destroy in their eager flight.
On the 18th Averill was ordered to Blu.
: chanan with the cavalry, aud the mex
: morning at o'clock Hunter and Crook
marched for the same place, and arrived Al
O'Clock, p. NJ, having travelled twenty.
six miles.
On the 18th we crossed the Blue Ridge
reaching Fancy farm, at the foot of the
} Peaks of Otter, at P. NJ. Here it was
reported that breckenridge was marching
on our flank with n large force, and Gen,
Crook halted his division to give the bal
ance of the command time to come up. Ia
passing over the Blue Ridge we killed a
citizen bushwhacker.
: On the 10th, having ascertaiued thatthere
was nothing serious to be appreheuded
from Breckenridge just then, We set out AT
8 A. N. and arrived at Liberty at 10
! o'clock, where we found three hospitals
filed with Lees sick and wounded. Here
we pitched into the Virginia and Tennes-
see Railroad, and tore up the track for II
miles, piling the rails on and across the
ties, and burning hem when they were
worth burning. We burnt a number of
culVerts and pieces of trestIe work, besides
several bridges, one of which was upwards
OF 700 feet long, and camped that nigh. on
Wilks' farm. eleven miles from Liberty. on
the Fouut road, in the direction of Lynch
burg. This WorkvOf destruction was all
done by Crook's division The rebels de-
stroyed the bridges on every road and
built barbados without number, but on
On the l7th at o'clock Crooks dfvi.