The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1864-08-25

the whole command, except Col. Ad.
ans brigade, which had remained or
ganized He was also alarmed TO dis
cover that not more than one third were
armed. Having left Athens, he
marched day and night, thinking by
these long and forced marches TO eTude
the enemy, who he knew was following
him.
THE SURPRISE.
The night before the morning of the
attack he made a march of nearly forty
miles. His object was 10 pass all cross
roads so that when he halted there
would be less danger Of an attack, be-
cause. when beyond these, he supposed
thai the enemy could only come from
the front or rear. A large number of
contrabauds had followed The brigade,
and heretofore at night had slept any.
where within the picket lines, but this
morning, OF one o'clock, Col. Cspron
ordered them to encamp together on the
left of the road. The rebels, instead of
coming along the main road, iiverged
before they came to the pickets. and
came in through The woodson both sides.
They came upon the negroes first. Each
one lad two or more horses they were
bringing through to our lines. The
stampede of the negroes, and hundreds
ofhoT5es rushing into the camp, fright
enei BY thefendish yelIs Of the rebels,
was the fGt evidence Of an attack =
Here the scene Of CONSERVATION it de-
scribed as being terrific, Horses from
pling upon our sleeping men, the armed
foe numbering the unarmed, Captains
and Lieuienants waking, and crying out
for the men to form in line.
Captain Lord, after placing an armed
guard in the rear allowing no one to
pass, succeeded in rallying ebout one
hundred men. Col. Cspron was on his
se,without saddle, everywhere shout
ing to the men not 10 separate but to re-
main together and fe6'ein good order;
but the overpOwering number of the en-.
emy rushed on with all the momen um
of an avalanche, About this time Col.
Capron finding it impracticable 10 ride
without saddle, and had just finished
saddling when a dozen rebels rushed
past, knocking him under his horse, and
firing upon him with their revolvers.-
The Colonel finding that he was un.
harmed mounted his horse and started
for the road where about $50 men were
in line, but before reaching them anoth.
er squad dashed against him, using the
most obscene anathemas, and rending
the air with those yells which are descri-
bable only TO those who have heard
them. The Colonel cndCayored to flank
them. They saw that he was an officer
and pursued him to creek, into which
he Immediately plunged his horse and
reached the opposite bank in safety
his son followed him, but the "chivalry"
we're afraid to jump the creek. During
the forenoon Col. c. met citizen who
professed to be loyal man, and he en-.
gagged him to pilot him TO Decatur. He
rested awhile at his house, when the 10y
al man advised him to leave his horse,
as it would bo impossible to get through
on horseback, This proved true, but
the loyal man was quite pleased to know
that it was true. He went with them
until about ls o'clock that night, and
while The Colonel, his son, and Lieut..
ColknS who had Joined them, were
asleep, the very patriotic man, who was
so willing to serve his country, went
home to take care Ofthe Colonol's hor-
ses. He, with his son and the Lieut.. {,
were now left alone in the swamp.
Finding himself without a guide, the
Col. resolved to move westward to the
ChattahoOchio river. This march
through woods was heart.sicke ming. =
The ,cOmen were even scouting the
woods for Federns. They we're scout
ed and hunted down like beasts. Very
often this trio would find it convenient
to conceal themselves until their mat
ronly scouts had passed. The only ar
ticle Of food they could obtain, was a
few berries and sometimes a biscuit a
friendly negro would give thOm. Fl.
nslly they reached ford on the Chat
tahoocha Az the Colonel lav concenl" !
in the brr.' NJ uF 4 lie saw
a party n about a. aWa J robe.s
witt f',r O, g-| F.aa0r .r' their
conservation r.a aaV rom GROSS 1n