Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-02-24
WAR REcoLLEcTIoNs
The Three Months Campaign OF
the First Virginia.
Marching and countrs-aarehing Over
West Virginia hOuntains-lnter-
ssting "reminiscences Of
Camp Life.
SsniaI % he Redister.

Special 10 tie REGISTER.
wELLsBUse, w. Va. February 81 re-
sumo my recollsctions of the war history
of the First Virginia Infantry:
July AN hail glorious Fourth. We
remarked on yesterday that We were going
10 have Q big time to-day. At sun rise
this morning the Cleveland Artillery fred
thirty-tour rounds. The bands played the
national airs. The boys are as merry as
crickets. At one o'clock P. N. all the troops
assembled In front OF headquarters for re-
of the til Indiana Infantry. The
Declaration Of Indspendence was read, the
"Star spsngled Banner" sung by q selected
choir, and the bands discoursed their
sweetest music. One Of the Ohio soldiers
delivered an grafton, then the choir rem
dered Red, White and Blue; music by
the bands, closing with the benedic.ion
by the chaplain. The whole was
AGrand Affair,
and contributed much 70 the enjoyments
Of the day.
July 5-Spent part of the day packing
up our citizens clothing for shipment
home.
July 6-well, there is always something
exciting transporting with US. Two men Of
the Sectsh fraternity were escorted into
heaGQuarters to-day. Much excitement
among the boys. A soldier belonging 20
the Second Virginia Infantry was shot by
a sentinel by mistake. All the soldiers
here, except companies F and G OF the
First Virgins, are under marching orders,
leaving all their baggage behind. ,
T.,l,. Ola - ~ Et-aR ina oil
some, save companies + and G. the camp
tas q desOlate appearance this morning
end We feel lonesome. All the camp
Cquippsge Of the departed troops is being
piled up on the dress parade ground. A
plumber Of prisoners were taken 10 Grafton
to dsy. Companies F aud G go out for
picket duty To night. A train OF thirty
seven wagons left for the advanced forces
to dsy.
July s-whstsupnow We don't know.
Part of The supply rain that left last night
has returned.
July 9-Rsports from General Morris
forcSs say that be has bad some
sharp skirmishes
with the enemy.
July l0-MOre rumors. 1t is said that
there was lively sklrmish at Laurel Hill,
resulting in the loss of ten men or our side
and twenty on the rebel side. II this be
thrash two GSnks seems to be reversed.
July ll-Four more prisoners and oar
own sick sent to Grafton. Information has
reached rs of the death in hospital of
Henry II. Hale, fellow-soldier of this
command. He resided at Richmond, JET.
fsrson county, Ohio.
July l2-CompaDy + left for Laurel Hill
to-day. Rumor says that the rebs that
were up there have skipped. Company
is the only company Of the First Virginia
here now. We are more lonesome now
than ever, and, besides that, some gang OF
IebS may drop down upon US and wipe US
out Colonel Hubbard and Adjutsnt LII
kens left for Laurel Hill. Major [. II. Du
val returned yesterday after brief absence.
He is in command Of this post. Liter re-
ports from Laurel Hill confirm the depart.
ure of the rebs from that locality.
July lit seems necessary that the
bridge across the river here be kept under
strong guard; therefore il receives q large
share Of our attention. 1t seems dull here
abouts. Some of the citizens are
Returning 20 Their Homes
something frightened them aud they left
rather unceremoniously.
July l5-Reported that Gen. Mcclellan
has wiped out good sized rebel force aud
took many prisoners. Strange that We
cannot set anything at first as . fs;'; a.
thee reports for effect upon the boys.
July f-Wsgon train arrived from
Laurel Hill They, (the wagonmen) knew
nothing about reos or tights, II they do
they will not tell us.
July ls-Some Of the patriotic citizens
NJ home think so much of Us that they
come out here to see Us. The arrivals to
dsy were Adam Kuhn, Joseph Apologize,
C. H. Brseken snd Rev. Watkins, OF the II.
Z. Church, Wellsburg. They all seem wsll
blessed with their visit. / thought W.
would get enough of soldering by and by.
We are getting tired Of staying here, it,
getting to be monotonious and I'VE want
to 60 home" The member Of the Second
Virgins, who wes accidently shot few
days since, died from the effects OF the
wound and was taken home by friends.
July l9-Whst under the sun have We
hsre2 As sure rs the gun is iron its
A Real Genuine Bacon Ham.
Wei cook it. Now, this is something ike
meat. It's the first bite Of ham We have
tasted since We left home.
July 2O-SOme of the Indiana and Ohio
soldiers returned from Laurel Hill to-day;
they are enrOute home, their time hayius
expired. We wish We were going too. The
setting sun reminds rs that il will not b.
long until taps" and then We can reGrr
and get good sleep. Hsrk! What Is thai
We tear without our tents? Pack up,
boys. and get ready to march, We are going
to Beverly" Bully for that. We are tire
of old Ph:llippi anyhow, but We would
rather you would walt until morning be
fore you start. Eleven P. v, sll ready;
Fall in; forward, march" and We star,
for Beverly. At A ". II the morning OF
the 2lSJ We arr We at Laurel Hill, OF which
We have such wonderous stories; said II
be sixteen miles distance fron Pnlllippi;
We cont know as to that as We did not
measure the distance. The miles out here
seem long. We enquire how far it is to the
next town of every citizen by the Wsysid-
spd the nearer We get to the Aforesaid
town the greater is the number OF miles
Wonder BY what rule OF mathematics they
compute their distances. Well sure enough,
there has been
a Little Set to
between our fellows and the rebs on the
much talked of Laurel Hill for here are the
entertainments and the marks for the reb
batteries and our fellows are tear ng down
and filing up so that n the rebs want any
thing OF the kind in the future at this
point they will have TO rebuild them.
Then here Is the proof that there was an
engagement At this place for We ind ten
graves in one place, three olwhich have
boards 10 them inscribed as follows:
Charles H. Goff, Of Richmond, Va,
Company II. Twenty third regiment, who
was killed in action July 7, 1861, seei IL
ytsrs."
"Jobn z Blake, of Richmond. Va, Con-
papy H. Twenty. third regiment, who VS.
killed In action July 10, 1851, sged 10
years"
Nv. s. Clay, First Gesrgis rsgimsnt
July Z, 1851, sged IL years. W. R."
Poor boys There are
-." several other Graves
In the vicinity with no marks to them.
Onward towards Beverly. Arrived there
about 2PM
Beverly, July 22-Weathsr, rainy AMI
dissgreeabls. Things in an unsettled state.
We seem TO be awaiting orders to do some
thing The march from Phillippi made Us
very tired
July give call our camp Camp Bsy.
srly." The forces OF General Mcclellan
Jeff 10 day. Ths Nineteenth Illinois In
fsntry left for home to-day. Out of crack
ersl Have to fall bsek on slap jacks.
July 24-Ysry cool last night. The
nights sre seemingly as cold IS in the Pan