Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-05-02
THE WEST TIRGINI CAMPAIGN.

VALLEY Mt, September Il, 1861.
-uy Dear G0rCI9tol' Il received
| your very kind note of the 9TH inst
as ] was about to accompany General
I4oring's command on al expedition to
tie eneny's works in front, OF would
! have before thanked YOU for the inter
. est vou t;,zg in M welfare and youI
too ii,stt"TinEs expressions of my ability.
Indeed Won Oyorrate ne much. and
feel lu:n!,icd when I weigh myself by
yCT1r standard.
am, however, very grateful for
your confidence. and / can answer for
my sincerity il the earnest endeav0rs
l make to advance the cause [ have so
much at heart. though conscious OF tie
slow progress | make.
[ was very sanguine Of taking the
enemy's works on last Thursday morn.
l had considered the subject well.
| With great effort the troops intended
for the surprise had reached their des-
tination, having traversed twenty miles
of steep, rugged mountain paths, AID
the last day through "A terrible storm,
which lasted all night. and in which
they had 10 stand drenchcd to the skin
in cold rain. Still their spirits were
good, and when morn broke I could
sec the enemy's tents on Valley river.
at their post on the Huttonsviilc road,
;us: below me. It was Il tempting
sight. We waited for the attack on
Cheat Mountain, which Was to he Il
signal. TIL 10 y. H., the men were
cleaning their unScrvicoa bic arms But
the signal did rot come. All chance
for q surprise WIS gone. Their provis-
ions had been destroyed the preceding
day by the storm They had had no.
thing TO eat that morn. could not hold
out another day. and were obliged to
be withdrawn. The party sent to Cheat
Mountain to take that il rear had also
to be withdrawn. The attack to come
off from the east side failed from the
difficulties i'll the way, the opport,ln:ty
was lost, and or plans discovered. It
is q grievoUs disappointment to me.
assure you. But for the rain storm [
have no doubt it would have succeeded.
This, Governor, is for your own eve.
Please do not speak Of it. We, must
try again.
Our greatest loss is the death OF nv
dear friend, Colonel Washington. He
and my son were accommodating in front
of the enemy. They came unawares
upon 4 concealed party, who fired up
on them within twenty yards, and the
Colonel fell, pierced by three balls.
My sons horse received three shots,
but he escaped on the colonel's horse.
His zeal for the cause to which he
had devoted himself carried him, fear,
too far.
We took some seventy prisoners,
and killed some twenty-five or thirty
of the enemy. Oar loss was small, be-
sides what I hav" mentioned.
Our great difficulty is the roads. It
has been raining in these mountains
about six weeks. It IS impossible TO
get along. Z is that which las para
lyzed ali Or efforts.
With sincere thanks for your well
wishes, I am, very truly yours,
r. E. LEE.
His Exc'y, Governor John Letcher.
GEN. LEES sOLICITUDE FOR SOLDIERS |
FAMILIES IN DISTRESS
Headquarters ARMY Nor. VA, |
Nov. 9th, 1863. |
His EccelteiacV, .joA3s Lctchel, Cor
ernor Of Virginia GoEernor-At it's
late called session the Legislature
made an appropriation for the relief
Of the families of soldiers. / find that
there is great suffering among the
people in this region for want of the
of life. The farms and
gardens have been robbed, stock and
hogs killed, and these outrages COM
mittcd, am sorry to say, by our own
army to some extent, as we'll as by the
Federals. I hear of like restitution
n Stafford, where the Federal army
,lonc has been. Would it not be we'll
o forward such supplies OF flour al d
neat as can he obtained to Culpepper
Courthouse and Fredericksburg, with
agents for its distribution to these SOL
liers' families in distress, SO as to re-