Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-02

q the mines is narrow pass, almost on
/ the State line. This is the Coal-Branch
/ outpost. which has been one Of the most
| important and periloUs OF tho guard posi-
tons II is here that most Of the nrlnE
on the picktts has been done. IT was
/ here that a Jcn.Idyis Riaemau, or Sa-
! lem. bayOuetged a nluio alid was AFTER
wards fired upon a dozen times or more.
! Two members Of the Monticello guard
/ held up a gang Of seventeen West Nlr-
glnians at this place. The situation is even
more favorable for bushwackng than the
surroundings OF Cemetery H.I, and u is
not so easily commanded by the artillery.
There Is also branch of tho railroad
which curves around the foot on me
mountains on the loff. This goes 70 lfr
operation Of Colonel Growing, about a mile
from the town. Here is another pass
leadlng to West Virginia, hut tho way is
not so direct to the West Virginia coal
region as by Coal Branch, and the picket
position, while perilous, has not been so
much so as that at Coal Branch. There
has been some firing on the plckets here
and in the event Of a serious attack TINS
would be the most dangerous OF the out
posts
BUT A NARROW GORGE.
II is one Of the widest places in all
this mountain region. The pass Is mt
narrow gorge, and its rocks. steep clihf'
and brush would prove greatly 10 the adj
vantage of sharpshooters.
with these three strategic points Sc
curely guarded Major Simons has easily
made himself complete master OF the
situation. II has been practically impos-
sible for the ElkhoIn strikers, or any
evil.disposed persons, 10 gain entrance 10
the town. and there is little room to
doubt that to this Is 20 10 attribut d the
quiet that has reiensd here since the
arrival Of the soldiers.
Soldiers who have beer here have found
the duties deyolVing upon them 10 De
anything but picnic. All Of them nave
been glad enough 20 go home when re-
lleved, although they have all done their
work manfully and without complaint.
TO man these outposts, maintain The
camp-guard and carry on tha quarter
master. commissary, and medical depart
ments has required nearly 100 men con-
etantly on duty. Much Of the tine this
requirement has been greater frequently
running 10 l25 men. Two hundred ana
hfty soldiers was about the average mum
Der here during the earlier days OF the
strike. Then the details demanded OF
each man an average Of ten % twelve
hours service every day-much more
severe duty than most OF them were ac-
customed TO. 20 say nothing Of the char
acter of the work which they performed.
OUTPOST EQUIPMENT.
Each outpost has been I'm charge OF an
officer a captain or lieutenant, with a
detail OF two or three sergants and cor
uorals and fifteen TO twenty-five men.
Each detail had IT'S camp, and went out 10
the post with blankets ratiOns, and other
necessary equipments. for a stay OF
twenty-four hours. The men on actual
duty walk a beat with gun in hand, and
are relieved about every four hours, but
they always put in from eight to sixteen
hours in actual service They have 10
so and stay rain or shine and much OF
the time II has been necessary for them
TO encounter no little cold and disagree
able weather. The Cemetery Hill outpost
guard built its campfire nightly near the
gate Of the city Of the dead, and when