Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-02-03
FROM NEW CREEK.

Our Loss Pretty -eRvy-The R bels
Supposed to be In Large Force.
We have various reports and rumors
from New Greek, Cumberland and other
places concerning the late, and still exist
! ing, demonstrations of the rebels at Peters
burg aud between that place and New
Greek. II seems to be generally believed
that the recent open weather has merely
developed the scheme begun prematurely
10 the cold snap at the first of the year
and that very considerable force of reb
els under EARLY, Imbodeu and others, have
suddenly concentrated in the Moore6eld
Valley and vicinity, determined to effect a
break up in the Baltimore road, the plum
der of our stores at New Creek, the disper-
sion of Union citizens and the capture of
as many men in arms as possible.
Such are the rumors that reach US by
letter. telegraph and by word of mouth
Passengers by the trains tell different sto-
ries, and the talk is wild aud unreliable as
to the actual force OF the rebels along the
South Branch. Some firmly assert that
Early has divisiou amounting to fifteen
thousand men, parceIIed out under him
self, Rosser, Imboden aud others, aud that
all are in cooperating distance of each
other, and that they are recounoitefiug for
decided aud earnest attack upon the
railroad and its various depots of stores
We have before us letter from a broth
er of SenurOr Carskadoa, written from
New Greek, at which point he is refugee
FROM his home in Hampshire county, in
which he states that our loss in the fight
near Wi!!iamsport, in Hardy county, on
the road from New Creek to Petersburg,
was about $50 men killed, wounded and
missing. valuable wagon train, we'll
| loaded with valuable stores, was taken
| from US, after protracted and severe fight
as heretofore noticed in our dispatches
Our escort consisted of 500 men of the 4th
W Va, $50 I'd Maryland, Co. D. I4th W.
Va, and a squad OF Pennsylvania Cavalry.
The rebels used their artillery with effect
and we had none. The 23d Illinois was
also in the fight, having come down from
Petersburg to meet the train. They were
! forced also to retreat towards New Greek.
The stores on the captured train con-
sisted mostly of sugar, coffee, aud such
| like, and was The most valuable cargo that
had been sent up to Petersburg for long
time.
The rebel loss is unknown, but is as
serted to be equally great with oar own.
The substance of the following newspa-
per dispatches from Cumberland has been
already given in our columns:
Again we are IN the midst of excitement
and activity, caused by Il severe conflict
| that took place yesterday afternoon in the
ueighbOrhOol of Williumsport, Hardy
| county, aud which lasted. with considera-
BILE persistence and severity, for four
| hours.
Or Thursday night train of about
eighty wagons was sent out from New
Creek, heavily laden with commissAry
stores for the garrison at Petersburg, and
! accompanying the train was m escort of
about eight hundred men, being detach
meuts from the Twenty third Illinois
tlrish Brigade) Fourth West Virginia
Cavalry, Second Maryland, First and Four
| teenth West Virginia Infantry, aud one
hundred of the Ringgold Cavalry battal-
| iou, the whole under command of Colonel
J. W. Snyder.
Nothing unusual occurred until the
train got about three miles south of Will
Transport, when it was suddenly set upon
at different points by open and concealed
forces of the enemy.
Although somewhat surprised by the
suddenness of the attack, the guard at
once formed aud deploysd for action
Then it was that D hard Eght eusued, COM
meuciug at three o'clock in the afternoon
and lasting for over four hours, at the ex.
piratiOn of which time it was found that
| We had about eighty in killed and wound
ed, rank ana fle. The enemy's loss was
said to be about one hundred.
1 PIN the early part of the fight the rebels
opened fire from four pieces OF artillery.
The superiority of the enemy's strength
there being in all about two thousand
meu-alsO gave them the advantage in
outfankiug movements, aud the enemy ex-
ercised his ingenuity simultaneously to
operate on the front, rear and TANKS ot
Col. Syuder's command.
The enemy, however, completely failed
o. his object, which seemed to try and sur
round, aud, if possible, capture the whole
party. Several times the rebel lines were
broken, and several times the rebel charges
were repulsed.
At last, as night closed, the superior
numbers of the rebels, and not their good
fighting qualities, gained them success
Our men were 80 exhausted With march.
ing, eountermarching aud operating in va.
rious ways that it was as much as thel
could do to successfully defend themselves
let alone make further efforts to retake tn,
train.
ks- Al,