This was the place where the southern aristocracy, before the war, came to air their wealth and gamble for darkies.
It must have been a very pretty spot then, with its living springs of clear, cold water, and fine mountain scenery on all sides; but to us, it was simply a place to rest our wearied limbs for a few hours. We now had nothing but meat to eat, and very little of that.
We started again in the afternoon, passing through Lewisburg, and going into camp four miles beyond at mid-night. Just at sunset we waded Greenbrier River, where it was about fifty rods wide and waist deep. We crossed in three columns, forming a beautiful sight to one placed where he could view it. The sun shining on the water and on the polished gun-barrels made it dazzling to the eyes, while every now and then some unfortunate fellow would make a miss step and get a complete ducking, thereby creating a laugh at his expense.
On the 26th, we marched all day, resting once for a little time, when the men drew some beef. We had a nice little shower in the afternoon, the first rain since leaving Staunton. Next day we marched eighteen miles, our regiment taking the advance. It rained hard after we went into camp, and we put up our “Dog-Tents,” the first time we had done it for ten days. We here met a small train, from which was issued three-fourths of a day’s rations of hard bread, bacon, sugar and coffee. The men slaughtered a few straggling porkers they discovered near camp, and then managed to have a real jolly supper in the rain.
We were on the road early on the morning of the 28th, and, at noon, met another train, and drew two days’ rations of hard bread.
On the 29th our march was over quite a hilly road, along the New River, through mountain gorges, and over rushing streams, crossing Gauley River at Gauley Bridge—no bridge however only in name—where the Gauley and New Rivers unite and form the Kanawha. Near this spot is a view of natural scenery, almost rivalling Niagara in some respects. Upon a ledge of rocks overhanging the river, you can stand and look directly down a distance of two hundred feet to the bed of the river, then cast your eyes directly in front of you and see the other river coming down through the mountain gorges and emptying into the New, while all around the mountains tower up in all their majesty and grandeur. We went into camp about one mile beyond the bridge.
The Lynchburg raid may now be called completed, for we have again reached our supplies. This march was very severe on our regiment, and many were now sick and worn out. Our rations were exhausted before we were fully started, and, a large portion of the country through which we passed, being very sparsely settled, we found great difficulty in procuring food, as the country had nothing in it to eat either for man or beast. For four days the regiment marched day and night, not halting over two hours at any one time. For nine days we had nothing to eat but fresh beef and mutton, and a very little coffee. With all this the heat was intense, the roads very dusty, and the men became so completely exhausted, that frequently when the command halted, they would drop down just where they stood, and to get them started again, it was necessary to arouse every man, and not only arouse him, but get him on his feet, and even then they could often be seen in the ranks, marching along, sound asleep. Had there been anything in the country to subsist upon, we might have taken it leisurely, but as it was—it was simply a march for rations, and this fact the men all understood, for it was so stated in a general order from Army Headquarters, and read to each regiment, hence there was little or no grumbling at the severity of our marching.
As the result of this raid—we marched five hundred miles since leaving Martinsburg, destroying a large amount of property, captured fifteen hundred prisoners, over a thousand head of cattle, a large number of sheep, besides living—if it could be called living—off the country through which we passed. Several hundred negroes came through with us, many of them remaining with the various regiments as servants. On the other hand, we lost about one thousand horses and mules that gave out, and nearly one hundred wagons, that we were compelled to destroy, and lost quite a number of men, who were “played out,” and undoubtedly fell into the hands of the enemy. The men’s shoes were giving out some partially, and occasionally one would be seen entirely bare-foot, trudging along with the rest, for it was sure capture to straggle, and the men knew it. The main object of the raid, which was doubtless to threaten Lynchburg, and thus cause Lee to weaken his forces in front of Richmond, by sending reinforcements to Lynchburg, was fully obtained.
The regiment was mustered for pay on the 30th, and remained in camp until July 2d, when we started for Camp Piatt, a distance of twenty-seven miles, there to take boats for some place unknown. It was a very warm day, and by 1 o’clock, we had marched fifteen miles, barely stopping once, a few minutes for rest. The men appeared to suffer more from this day’s march, than any previous one. Each man had three days’ rations in his haversack, and eating very freely, nearly every one was afflicted with that terrible camp disease, dysentery. Resting two hours, we then moved on four miles and camped for the night.
Next morning we were on the way again, reaching Camp Piatt at 5 o’clock. On the morning of the 4th, company A with a portion of the “5th Heavies” (5th N. Y. H. Artillery) and the Pioneer corps were loaded on the steamboat, “Mattie Roberts,” and moved down the river slowly, the remainder of the regiment following in other boats. At Gallipolis the regiment was changed to the “Anglo Saxon.” Then moving up the Ohio, we soon had to change to the “Inno,” a light draft boat, on account of the low stage of water in the river. Opposite Blennerhasset’s Island, we found we could get no further and were compelled to land and march into Parkersburg, a distance of six miles. At 10 o’clock of the 6th, the regiment was loaded on cars and started for our old home again, the Shenandoah Valley, arriving at Cherry Run on the 8th of July and went into camp.