The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-12-16

l7frr- fl1fl'lif
transportation. Hospital tents and
stores were moved up nearer the scene 6l
conflict that wAa 70 be, atnbnlanrel,
with their red fiaEa, aud the wagons
at00d hitched up,i In readiness 70 move
at any moInent.H y glllep grF ~ ~
Night folded the beieaguefed camps
under her peaceful wing. At The ford,
pickets had been thrown forward and
carefully posted Tho support ON Tho
hill side, worn with the ioss or laRt
nights sleep aud the reaction follow.
ing the excitement OF the day, carly
lay down 10 reBt and slept pndiaturb.
cd. In camp, seven cotnpaniAn of, the
Third Ohio and companies u, a and II
Of the Sixth 0hiolhhd received march.
Ing orders, constituting them an expe-
dition, which, under Col. Morrow, was
ordered 70 force q passage. v tho sum
mlt, and reopen communication, at all
hazards. Tho Thirteenth Indiana from
the Pass, and aih6 the Second Virginia
were directed 70 cooperate An this
Il was In tended that the colnmn
should start at A. NJ, but thiBllk fail.
Cd 10 do by fully twohours. Less than
two miles from camp, tho detachment
came npon path stfewn with blankets
and cAst-oif gray clothing, from whioh
10 began 70 be inferred thatthe rebel6
were retreating. The advance was,
nevertheless, continued with great
caution, with the Sixth Ohio compA.
pies thrown out as skirmishers. Aus
thentlc information OF the enemy
movements was soon obtained. His
attack upon Rmball had been met by
q most gallant resistance, and now hfs
exhausted h bnttallonB were In panic
stricken flight towards JackSon's camp
on the southeastern slopes or Cheat
Mountain, Pasaing . CORY and hofri.
Bile scene, where o party OF rebels had
been repulsed the day before, the ex-
peditlon kept on 10 the summit. Next
day Il returned. ~ NRI'i' X f''55.
This, however, % anticipating the
progress ofeyents at Elkwater. The
troops ut the ford were In line at day
break on Friday morning, but they
waited In vain for the expected as.
sault. As no tidinRs had yet come frnm
the summit, few surmlsed the real
cause OF the enemy's inactivity. Il ID
clear, however, that the miscarriage OF
Anderson's expedition was by this
time well knownat Lees headquaf.
ters, and from thence, forecaBting the
failure OF the campaign, the rebel com.
mauder was already wayerinr In hla
purpose ofattackinE Elkwater.
During the forenoon a skirmiah marty
from the Fifteenth Indiana was sent
out for tue purpose OF feeling the enc.
my, and, II possible, TO dlslodge hla
pickets from the apple orchard. This
work the men did handsomely, with no
further loEs than having one OF their
party wounded In the arm, Aud then,
having filled their pockets with apples,
returned leisnrely TO the ford. While
this little affair was going on, Loomis
again opened out on the head Of the
rebel column, compelling II to with.
draw 70 q more respectful distance In
some haste. The rebel guns remained
silent and motionless, although plainly
visible from the tree tops ON the sur.
rounding hills. -,a,.B5l l1Fi
Between Sand 4 o'clock In the AFTER
noon, the troops on the hillside were
startled by sharp volley OF musketry
not far up Elkwater run, on the right.
In few minutes squad Of the Seven
teenth Indiana was seen coming down
the run carrying rude litter, on which
lay the dead body OF n rebel officer,
The corpse was borne 10 camp and there
recognized by Capt. LoomlB and Lieut..
VIM. p. Anderson, as that OF John A.
Washington, once the sordid possessor
OF Mount Vernon, whose treason bad
secured for him Lieutenant Colonel,s
rank upon the staff OF General Lee.
In company with twolothef officers, he
had been reoonnoitering, and unawares
rode directly Into a body OF pickets go.
creted among the bushes. He fell from
his saddle at the hrst volley, pierced
through the breast with three bullets,
but his companions succeeded In
making their escape, although one Of
them was badly wounded. Col. Wash
iugton lived alshort time, but never
spoke, except to feebly ask for water.
Upon his person were found maps OF
the region around Elkwater, and yarl.
GUS plans, together with q printed scrap,
originally published In a Northern
newspaper, giving the strength OF Gen.
Reynolds command and describing the
Elkwater fortidcatlons. i1g'i III ri
Another lovely morning dawned In
the same quiet az that OF The preced.
ing day. Il had been decided to return
the body Of Col. Washington 10 his
friends, and soon after breakta fast Lieut.,
Col. Wilder, ofthe Seventeenth Indiana,
and TO whom this duty had been intrust.
ed, rode forward under flag OF truce,
followed by an ambulance bearing the
corps. A short distance out, he met
Lieut.. Col. Stark, Of n Louisiana resl.
ment, coming towards the Union lines,
with a message Of inquiry from General
Lee In regard 10 the fate OF the unfortu.
nate officer. Lieut.. Col. Stark was yisI-
bly, affected at the sight OF the body,
but speedily recovering his composure
the -lij.14 s635l'5
u. -"foemen side by Gide IS
Sat peaceful down like brothers tried,n
and verssd together at some length.
Uppermost In the thoughts OF each, no