Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-01-06
AN IMPORTANT CAVALRY RAID.
Gen. Averill's Official Report.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-The following
dispatch has reached Washington

WASHINGTON, Dec 23.-The following
dispatch has reached Washington
| EDsAY, PoCoHoNTAs COUNTY, VA, !
Dec. 2I, ct0 BEVERLY, Dec. %.
Mayor General III. W. HdHack, Geaerat-
| IN Chief.
| have the honor TO report that cut the
Virginia and Tennessee railroad at Salem,
on the 10th instant, and have arrived safely
at this point with my command, consisting of
the I'd, Sd and Sth Virginia Mounted Infan-
| try, l4th Pennsylvania, Dobsen' S Battalion
OF Cavalry, and Ewing Battery.
At Salem three depots were DESTROYED,
! containing 1000 barrels of -four 10000
bushels of wheat 100, 600 bushels of she'll
ed corn, 30, 600 bushels of oats, 2.000 bar
rels OF meat, several cords of leather, 900
sacks of salt, 81 boxes of clothing, 20 bales
of cotton, and large amount of harness,
shoes, saddles, equipments, TOOLS OIL tar
and various other stores, and one hundred
wagons. The telegraph wire was cut and
colled and burnt for half a mile The
water station, turn tables and three cars
were burned and the track torn up and the
rails heated and destroyed as much as pos
sible in SIX hours.
Five bridges and several culverts were de
stroyed over an extent of fifteen miles. A
large quantity of bridge timber and repairing
materials was also destroyed
My march was interrupted occasionally by
the tempests IN the mountains and the icy
roads. | was Oblidged to swim my command
and drag my artillery withropes across Croy S
Greek several times in twenty-four hours.
On my return | found six seperate com
mands, under Generals Early, Jones, Fitz
Lee Imboden, jackson, Echos and Nc
Causin, arranged in line extending from
Staqnton to Newport, upon all the available
roads, to prevent my return. | captured
dispatch from General Jones to General
Early, giving me their positions and that of
jackson.
Clifton Forde and Covington were selected
to be carried.
l marched from the front of Jones to that
of j ackson during the night His out
posts were pursued in at gallop by the 9Th
Virginia mounted infantry and the two
bridges across Jackson's river were saved,
although faggots had been hauled ready 70
ignite them.
My column, about four miles long, has
tened across, regardless of the enemy, until
all but my ambulances and few wagons,
and one regiment had passed when a strong
effort was made to retake the first bridge,
which did not succeed.
The ambulances and some sick men were
lost, and by the darkness and the difficult
tiSS the lstSt regiment WAS 0eIdl1cu upon the
opposite side until morning, when it was as
certained that the enemy seemed determin-
ed to maintain his position upon the cliffs
which overlooked the bridge | caused the
bridges which were long and high, TO be de
stFoyed and the enemy Immediately changed
disposition to the flank and rear of the de-
tachment, which was cut off.
| sent orders to the remnants. to destroy
our wagons and to come tome across the river
or over the mountains. They swan the
river with the loss of only four men drown
ed, and joined me. In the meantime the
forces of the enemy were concentrating on
me at Caiaghan s over every available road
but one, which,was deemed ilnpracticable, but
by which | crossed over to the top of the
AIleghenies with my command, with the
exception of four caissons, which We're de-
stroyed in order TO increase the teams Of
the pieces
My loss is six men drowned, one officer
and four men wounded, and four officers |
and ninety men missing.
We captured about two hundred prison |
ers but have retained but five officers and |
eighty men, on account Of their inability to |
walk We took also about one hundred and |
fifty horses
My men and horses have subsisted entire |
ly upon a very poor country and the officers
and men have suffered cold and hunger and |
fatigue with remarkable fortitude.
Ny cOnlBtdBdjMs marched, climbed, slid |
and S1cdp1 255 miles, since the Sda instant
(Signed) w. w. AvERILL,
Brigadier General.