Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-01-07

q flEss, but Ihe Yankees hadsA full Hand,
and rtkec down the whole pile. We
moved on that night through Craig to
Roanoke county, and ~ about 10 A. NJ, +
on the 18th, We dashed into Salem, aud
Immediately commenced the work of de- !
strcying rebel property. There has been
several accounts of the amount of property /
Destroyed but so far as had au opportu. /
nifty of seeing, do really believe they are |
all below the mark, | fesl perfectly con- |
ident that there we're 800 600 bushels of
pork were gFeaIer-in pounds-than any |
peison can tell; leather. shoes. clothing, |
SAT, -four, &C., was piled up 10 immense !
stalks so | estimate the rebel loss, ri !
Sakm alone, leaving out the damage done |
the railroad, at not less than ten millions
of dollars. We burnt four large bridges
an6 two small ones, and tore up the track
for several miles. At 3 p NJ We left for
"ths land ofthe free :" came out seven or
eight miles and camped at the foot of
PoH Lewis mountain. The rain poured
down in torrents all night, aud at A. II
on he 18th, we marched out. but when
we came TO Craig Greek, it was so high we
could not cr5ss. Here was dilemma, and
we lid not know which horn TO lay hold
on; to'try 10 cross and escape, or 10 wait
ton The HIeR were troubled, but our
General put the pioneers TO work, cutting
/ road around the deep ford, thus making
few more miles between Us and the
| %, 900 or 25, 600 rebels that we're after US
buIstill we had to cross some fords in the
creek, some of which swan the smaller
| sized borses; this, after being out in the
rain all night, was Anything but pleasant.
On the 18th, P. NJ, (Gibson's Battery
being the rear gusrd,) while the artillery
and wagons were being pulled across the
stream by ropes, 20 of the "Fincastle
Heme Guards" had tie impudence to at
tack the UeterdRS! They were repulsed
and put TO flight by ten OF the Chicago
Dragons, with the loss of their captain.
who wbs capturedI That captain ought
to know better than to attack old troops
We swan aud waded on to New Castle,
the capital of Craig county, where we
stopped 10 fe d; at 10 p NJ. we mouuted
and moved of. We crossed the mountaiu,
aud halted to rest the men built up in
Vulnerable 6res, and after resting short
time moved on, in the direction OF Co!ing-
ton at daylight next morning the rebels
had our yIres surrounded, -.sthe nest was
warm, but the birds had flown" On the
18Th we reached CoviDgtOn; the rebels had
made All"necsssAry preparations TO burn
the bridge over Jackson river, but our ad.
vance just "gobbled upp the scamps, and
saved the bridge. The brigade moved
on to COViugton, then sent part of the
force to Callihan's. The l4th PenhsyIsa
MIA Cavalry did not come in. They were
train guard, and the road was so yery bad
that they were some dista nee behind the
brigade at 10 p. 81. Tue rebs made a dash
90 the FeAr-at the abFidge-and captured
some few prisoners, but failed to regain the
bridge Capt. SQuires, sd West Virsinia
Mounted Infantry, held the bridge ali
night, and al u o'clock had a, brisk little
fight across the river.
AT daylight, Dee. 20. 'LientJ N. n. Hoff.
man, Lieut.. Roaue, WithsiH cavalry, and
Capt. Law, witt 10 mounted Infantry,
were sent by Maj. Gibson. sto try and open
Communication with the l4th Pa. Cavalry.
They crossed tine river little after sun
up, out had not RdvAuced more than 400
yards when they were bred 90 by the reb
els. aud somPeL!sd . IS f4 s back 6shiad the
mounted aud sent up the hill as skirmish
era. but failed to fiud out the hiding place
Of the cowardly bushwhackers; they then
remouuted and made the second attempt,
when they were confronted byia superior
force in auadvanlageousp position, and after
little maneuvreing, they found il would
be impossible for so small a force to cut
their way through, and so despatched to
Mai. Gibson, who sent orders to burn the
bridge and report Immediately. Lieut..
Hoffman, Ito whom the order was sent.
thinking the 18th might yet come up, did
not fire the bridge, but waited little
while, when he got the second order-per.
emptory-to sire the bridge and come on
Immediately aud at $50 the large Gov
cred bridge over Jackson's river was fred
rgiN Hha IL Ill L.
We overlook the brigade at Callahan's TO
End all our ''oUtlets' hemmed IN; but Gen.
Averill was equal to the emergency, and
took a road the rebels thought no man
could transport artillery over, aud by diut
of pulling, climbing aud putting and
blowing, We got our artillery over road
which the cavalry hsd to go over "by fits."
have rambled considerably, but must
confess. when rode over ibis route, l
thought the artillery. was going another
road! We halted on Anlhony's Greek, to
''eat q bit" aud at 4 9. m. moved of;
| forded Greenbrier river, aad struck the
foot of a hill at least 40 degrees. up which
our battery had to be tAEeul The cavalry,
mostly, walked up: Gibson's Battalion
advanced on TO Hillsboro, picking up sew.
eral Representatives of5the JEFF. Davis
school" Allow me here to pay a lasting
tribute to the brave Virginia lads who dis.
mounted and pushed aud pulled the ar
tiilery up the hill. Such men are desery.
ing all praises every soldier seemed de.
sermined on saving the artillery. God
bless them.
Dec. 22.-At Ram. GtbIou's Battalion
was started from Hills6oro, Pooahontas
county, 70 blockade the toad leading from
HuntetsYille TO Greenbrisr bridge, TO pre-
vent Geo. Fitzhugh Lee, with his 5000
cavalry, from cutting as Of at this, his
last chance. They vent, and found that
Captain Marshall, a rebel guerrilla, had SO
eHeetually blocked the road to prevent us
coming that way, that we deemed it unue-
cessary to tumble another tree" The
road was full of large trees for nearly
mile. Whether thai saved MS or moi.
can't say, but our pioneers are under many
obligations to Captain Marshall. Long
may he2lAaag. ~ y
The brigade came an abont IN n