Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-08-12
Letter from Hnrper,S Ferry.
HARPER's FRRRY, July 80, 1864.
iIifoTs InfeI[ioencer :

Editors IHteILigenceT:
Please ALLOW me TO eulighten you With a
brief detail of facts that should becomela
trsrt of the history of our struggle, and
the share of ft 30 gaIlantly iborhe by our
West Virginia troops, as theS occurred on
she goth iu5t.' Ia front of W4heheetsg. Il
The published heeountstof said eogage-
meut do 40: sb JHlt sBdhity SulSa tho auboEs
dinates to whom the honor of the victory
Justly belongs, as the publication of the
whole truth at the time would have been
Conformation to the euemy"-but now that
said exigency does not exist, please let
those have "honor, to whom honor is due.''
Gen. AveriIl left Martinsburg with part
of his cavalry command and Col. j. 81. Du..
| walls brigade of infantry, consisting OF the
| 18th West Va. (Col. Johnsou,) 9th West
Va, CMsj. Skinuer,) 9ltt Ohio. (Lt. Col.
Coates,) part ofthe Bath Chic (Lieut. Col.
Shaw J on the 10Th inst, going in the di-
rection of Winchester. They met and
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
ryville reinforcement of 1000 infantry,
!, 500 cavalry aud eight pieces of ar
tillery. All this took a position near Ste
pheDson's Depot, four miles north of Win
chester, with heavy line of skirmishers
II 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 endesvoring
to flank US on our right. Gen. Averili
sent his cavalry to the points indicated,
and withdrew his batteries mile to the
rear. Col. Duval was ordered 10 advance.
which he did under heavy skirmish fire
until within 200 yards Of the enemy's
guns, when they received most terrific
FIRE of grape and canister from their five
inch Nspoleons, supported by double lines
of infantry. Our men received the wither.
ing storm without finching or checking
their advance.
The Colonel saw at glance the critical
position of his little brigade and knew
what they would do if called upon. q Fir
6Gyonets," rang ont from the intrepid COM
mander and went like an echo from mouth
to mouth, right aud left, to the extremes
of the line. "Chdrge, double quick" aud
lam -HaierR9a ;ensbsd YELLING lu<a nadmep
} of the guns were gained, the artillery men
fought with their hammers aud had their
! headslsplit by the dubbed muskets of our
men. The enemy got off four of bis guns
and left the other four in our hands. Nxet
came the double lines of infantry supports.
There was no time to load, go firmly grasp.
ing their En6elds by the muzzles they
dashed into them. The amazed Johnnies
we're 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 contesting every foot of ground
for miles, the whole force, cavalry, in
fautry, artillery, wagons, formed a con-
glomerated mass en- route tor Winchester.
Tired aud with empty cartridge boxes, the
glorious little brigade. but not the 1850,
tnrned back to secure the fruits, if not the
honors of their gallantry. .
They gathered up 500 stand of good arms,
snd left as many more; 200 prisoners;
hne brass Nspoleons, and what saddened
their joy, their dead and wounded COM
rades, All in number. They buried twelve
rebel officers on the field. The rebel loss
was from 900 to 400 killed and wounded,
200 prisoners and guns. Our cavalry !
lost one killed and three wounded. Gen. |
Averill, who Witnessed the, action from q |
point mile in the rear, pronounced il the |
most gallant charge and complete victory
over vastly superior numbers be had ever /
beheld. Gen. Lilly, (rebel) who was Wouu-
ded aud 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