Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-06

wounded and captured. Lieutenant New
ell was also wounded and captured. We
now discovered that we were nearly half
mile in advance Of our main column, which
had hailed, while We supposed them to be
following US closely, and, so many horses
having given ont, we had only about forty
men. We therefore fell back at trot
across a large bridge to the column.
Breckinridge had quickly wheeled,b his artil-
lery so ss to rake the road, and we no SOON
or got beyond the bridge than shells came
screaming after US. An amusing incident
occurred during this encounter.
The rebel fRnkers on our right
SIS soon as we commenced falling back,
fell upon our rear and captured Lieuten-
ant Dehgh, Of company L, who led comps-
ny F SO splendidly at Mount Sterling. he
fully surrendered, being surrounded by
some dozen horsemen, but when an AFRO
giant scoundrel coolly struck him with his
sabre, the Lieutenant was SO much en-
ragged at the insult that he drew his sabre,
dealt the scoundrel blow which felled him
from his horse, cut right and left through
those who were following US, and spurred
his horse to the utmost-the bullets flying
like snow flakes about his hesd-ioine US
beyond the bridge, laughing over his
H Yankee trick"
This opened the battle of Marion, which
lasted thirty-six hours, December 18th
and l8tb) and was warmly contested On
the night of the 18th, Colonel Buckley
coming from desh oying the lesd mines,
fell upon Breckinridges rear, which had
the effect to drive him of pTecipitstely to-
ward North Carolina.
On the morning of the 18th, finding no
battle-line confronting US, we declared our
salves victors, and marched on Ssltville.
This pillar of the Confederacy was now
left un Unprotected, save by four hundred men,
by Breckinridge's pilgrimage to North
Carolina
The Notifications are very strong, and
they received US warmly with artillery.
But cur lines entered the works in the
night, finding them evacuated, and on the
morning of December 2lst we all had the
extrome pleasure of triumphal march
through SalLVille. The town, however,
consists almost entirely of manufacturing
establishments We captured eight pieces
of artillery and few prisoners. Wede-
stroyed everything which could give salt
or comfort to the enemy, including thou
| sands of barrels of salt, absolutely too
sanne three hundred salt buildings, and
broke 1000 ketties, ryishout both of which
| in kind, salt cannot again be made.
We had now reached our objective
point, after travelling General Burbridge's
oommand) four hundred and eighteen
miles, from Crsb Orchard, and accom-
plished our whole object. We had de.
stroyed four military posts, eight railroad
| depots, thirteen trains Of cars with locomo-
tiVes, the salt works, the lead mines, an
extensive ir)n furnace where ordnance
was manufactured, mills, factories, &c, and
captured about nina hundred prisoners in
/ ell, two thousand hoFses, one thousand
| mules, and sll eatsbles for man and horse
/ wherever We went. Our loss did not ex-
ceed two hundred ia killed, wounded and
missing Lieutenant Colonel Boyle was
killed ut the battle Of Marion in the thick
est Of the fight.
We started from Saitville December
22d, during another severe snow storm,
luch as We had just one month previous
on our departure from Crab Orchard, Gen
erals SLoneman and Giilem for Knoxville,
BuFbridgo for Lexington.
We we're not molested on our retreat
| ssYe by Colonel Prentices bushwhackefs,
while fording the Clinch river. This Col
Prentice Is a son Of George d. Prentice, OF
the Louisville Journal and an unscrupl0ui
| villain.
Several negro families followed US back
from SRlLville. As test Of their prefer
ence for liberty veTsRs slavery, some Of
them failed to get across the river Before
the rear guard, and 'inste sd Of turning
about, the women, just at twilight, wsded
that river, four Ieet deep in the middle
and travelled all that night without.having
an opportunity to dry their clothes. We
heard the poor creatures walking along,
with their skirts frozen stiff, all thatAFeez-
ing night.
We should be doing injustice TO the
spirit Of the soldiers not 70 mention that on
our retreat for many days our soldiers
lived on pRrched corn and the fresh beet
we killed daily, that many were without
| boots or shoes to protect them from the
snow and frost, that during the expedition
we often marched three and four success
sive nights without any Sleep and yet ali
bore it eheeriully, recognizing the neces-
sity, and glorying in the results of cur ex-
| pediIion.
We returned by Pound Gap, and arrived
to-day, January %, in Lexington, with
the spirits of h0me-returned travellers from
a long journey. We often heard the boys
inquiring chow far back it was 10 Gods
country
But one man was killed in cur regiment.
We had Lieutenant Fl. Il. Lohmire and
thirteen men wounded, besides the officers
already mentioned.