Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-07-04

came upon and captured part OF Gn
train of wagons removing COnfederat
stores from Staunton, the rest having
been destroyed by the convoy. Thi
was a serious loss to the Confederates
| On the 18th, Averell, fearing tina
he Duffiel might fail in the execution
of the most important part of hi
work, !" dispatched 200 men, who pass
ed by way of Whites Gap and Amhers
g. H. around Lynchburg, doing SOM
damage to railroads, back to the mair
force Oh the 18th, near Liberty. Thi
'fear" of Averell's is characteristic ic o
his whole report, which is long series
of absurd llbels on Duffie. One cal
sympathize with Hunter when b,
speaks of 'the stupidity and concei1
of that fellow Averell.'
The main force marched from Staun
ton on June 10th, and entered Lexing
ton about 3 p. m. on the 11th, al
| though McCausland obstructed it,
march and disputed it's occupation OF
the town. This was a remarkably rap
i'd advance so far. No attempt will bt
made to tell about the fights between
McCausland and the Federal van dur.
| ing this march or that which followed
from Lexington to Lynchburg. He and
his command consisting of the bri
gades of Jenkins, W. J. jackson and
Jones, reinforced by men from limbo.
den's command near Lynchburg] per-
formed their duty well. The fighting
was frequent, sometimes sharp; but of
course, battle was out of the ques-
tion and the losses were trifling. The
great service consisted in retarding
the march of the Federal column by
forcing it frequently to halt and form
line.
On the 18th, long before day, Averell
moved from Lexington to Buchanan,
forcing McCausland to retire. The
burning of the bridge there did not &C
complish much, as the river was ford
able. On the afternoon of the same
day, Duffie reached Lexington; and a
supply train for which Hunter says he
was awaiting having arrived, the
whole force marched at dawn on the
14th, and came up with Averell at
buchanan. Moving by the Peaks of
Otter, the Federal advance on the 18th
occupied Liberty. Here Hunter be-
came awake and ordered an advadce
upon Lynchburg with all possible
speed. Duffie was sent on the Forest
road, Crook followed the railroad, de-
stroying it, and Averell followed by
Sullivan advanced on the Bedford or
Salem road. At New London late on
the 18th the cavalry, now reinforced by
lmboden and some of his men, made
the Fedel ais form line of battle and
then retired. It was on this day that
Breckinridge entered Lynchburg with
bis army, and here is the proper place
to examine the strength of the two ar
lulcS hUOuU w COaI1Ohk OehCn OpdNA wv
the gates of the city. This is, perhaps,
the most important subject connected
with the campaign as viewed from the
military standpoint. For third of a
century it had been the fashion to as
sert that General Early arrived on the
18th of June barely in time to insert
line between the Federals and the city
lone writer even saying that he saw
two trains run in with men inside and
out, they jumped out and rolled off and
formed line of battle just In the nick of
timel and that he had only four old
smooth bore guns; and even to this day
it is sometimes asserted that not gun
would have been fired in defense of the
CITY but for the arrival of Early. Re
cent investigation has made a long
stride towards the truth; but there are
still some facts that. have not been
brought out. The fiction has extended
itself even to the weather. One writer
lay all day on the 18th Ill the cemetery
with the cadets exposed to constant
cold rain, and at night stood in several
inches of soft mud in the trenches.
In fact, the weather was clear and hot,
and the ground dry and dusty.
1t is not possible to ascertain the
exact number on either side at Lynch
burg. The best that can be done is
to determine approximately the numb.
er of June 10, when the Federal ad-
vance from Staunton began, and as
sumo proportional diminution of both
armies up to the 18th.
THE FEDERAL STRENGTH.
The force under Hunter at Piedmont
which was the whole of the field force
in the Valley has already been esti
mated; but it is more convenient now
to estimate the entire army in lump
The returns of May 31st, five days be-
fore the battle of Piedmont, are ex
tant. These include the ''Reserve Di
vision,' or the forces under Sigel pro-
tecting the Baltimore and Ohio rail
road, which did not accompany Hun
ter. Three or four regiments Wer'
added to the field force. but Two of the
Regiments named in the field returns
for June 10 % were at Martinsburg
land 800 men were sent from StauntoI
to guard prisoners through to Ohio
1t is safe, then, to assume the addi
ltions and diminutions as counterbal
ancing each other. So toe troops tina
escorted the train to Lexington ar
counterbalanced by an equal numbe
sent back. with the empty traid fron
near Liberty.
On May 81 there were in the depart
ment "present for duty, 32,l0O." Tag
gregate present, 36, 500" In the Re
serve Division and two small detach