Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-02-04
LEfFER FROM THE 2Sd OHIO.
Movements of the 2Srd--DescriptiOn
of Cumberland and its Coal Trade.
The Passage OF Sherman's Army.
Adventures Among MOseby's Guer-
riIIas.-sHand to Hand RighI.
four Cumberland Charvland, correspOpdenco.1


CUMBERLAND, Md, Jan. 81.
EDITORS LEADER 1T has been some
time since 1 have taken my pen to givo q
record of our movements to our friends
through the columns of the LEADER.
On New Years day the 23d left Martins
burg, Virginia, and came to this place, and
the next day began to build quarters about
mile from town.
Company A, commanded by Captain
Thompson, was detached from the regi-
ment, and sent to the First Division head
quarters, to act as Provost guard, Captain
Thompson being Provost Marshal.
Cumberland is pleasant city, of near
ly nine thousand inhabitants, and is one
hundred and seventy-eight miles from Bal
timore. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
passes through the place, and also the Ohio
& Chesapeake Canal. These two great
works cause great business at this point.
The Potomac washes the Southern border
of the town, which appears to be hemmed
in on all sides by the tall peaks of the AL
leghanies.
There is an extensive coal trade carried
on here the railroad and canal being used
to the utmost capacity in transporting the
black diamonds to Baltimore and other
points East.
For several days past there has been q
steady stream of troops going Eastward.
They came from Tennessee, but we cannot
tell their destination. The past few days
the weather has been extremely cold and
/ IS q conseq quence slUso SIOop5 a2ro SUMO %
extremely. Each train as it passes through
stops long enough for the men to get hot
cup of coffee, which is furnished here.
Kettles are kept boiling night and day to
supply all. We have had the pleasure of
meeting great number of our old friends
in the lO3d and other Ohio regiments.
Our boys are now having rest from
the severe labors of the past campaign
and if ever troops needed rest those that
followed General Crooks on his raid in
West Virginia, and General Hunter to
Lynchburgh, and still later participated in
the glorious triHmphs of Sheridan in the
Shenandoah, are the ones.
The 23d o. Y. L, at present commanded
by E. A. Abbott, is in the 1st Brigade of
the lst Infantry, Army West Virginia.
There have been great many changes in
the disposition of our army lately, but Ma
jor General Crook still commands, with
headquarters at this place.
In Hsrper's Weekly, of January 21st,
there is a long article entitled 1.-TWO Days
with Mosby," written by Captain Badger,
Of General Powelrs staff. In this article
the writer gives detailed account of his
experience while captive, and of his SUBJ
sequent escape, taking the credit of the es-
cape upon himself, and doing great MUS
tice to his comrades in misfortune. While
General Sheridsn's army was lying at Ce-
dsr Creek, 8 great many of our men, and
some of onr officers, were from time to time
captured by guerrillas under Mosby. One
day these guerrillas succeeded in making
haul of Captain Badger, and several men
belonging to different regiments, among
whom was G. w. McCauley, of the 9th Va
Infantry, and Brown, Mcintosh and
Green, of the 23d. After passing some
distance outside of the rebel lines the
prisoners were guarded by only five men,
and an opportunity offering itself,
McCanley snstched a six-shooting car
bine and shot two or three of the guards.
Green, at the same time, grasping another
with both arms, held him till Brown shot
him. The whole party then took to the
mountains and succeeded in arriving, with
ont further adventure, at our lines.
My only object in writing this account is
simply to do justice to the brave men who
really did the work. McCauley, Brown,
Green and Mcintosh were the only ones
who executed the bold plan of escape. The
others, including the Captain, were mere
spectators, but, Notwithstanding this, the
writer of the article claims the entire credit
of the adventure. Justice requires this
refutstion of the account given, as the
names are given in the other account. 1t
is difficult for an enlisted man to get his
proper dues il every transaction where
there are officers concerned. salts.