Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 8.
Frank Moore, Ed.

Immediately in rear of the battle-field was the rebel commissary building, and they had tumbled out barrels of flour and provisions, with arms, ammunition, accoutrements, clothing, etc., thrown away in their flight. In a short time the horses were brought up, we mounted, and the pursuit began, and Major Gibson, with his battalion, took the lead. In a few moments we came to two broken ambulances, with their contents lying by the roadside; here lay Major Bailey, of the Twenty-second; here, some wounded; there, some dead; a little further on, a large party of prisoners; a little further on, another group; in the middle of the road, a broken wagon, and a large bay horse shot in the head; and a little further on, a burning caisson, with the terrified rebels flying and scattering through the woods, where cavalry could not pursue them, while the road was strewn with the debris of a terror-stricken, routed army. It was late in the day, and we kept up the pursuit for ten miles, until after dark, when we went into camp in a field, around a “sink-hole” that afforded water for our horses, after achieving one of the most complete as well as brilliant victories of the war.

The rebels were commanded by General Echols, and the forces engaged were the Twenty-second Virginia, Colonel Patten's regiment, who commanded a brigade, Fourteenth Virginia, Eighteenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth, Edgar's battalion, Derrick's battalion, four companies partisan rangers, one section Jackson's battery, Chapman's battery, Colonel Jackson's battery of four guns, and the militia from part of Pocahontas and Green Brier were present. Rebel killed and wounded three hundred, and over one hundred prisoners, seven hundred stand of small arms, three pieces of artillery, and one stand of colors. Our loss was two officers killed and four wounded, twenty-nine men killed, ninety wounded, and one missing.

In this battle, as at Rocky Gap, the rebels overshot us. The battle was fought on Friday, November sixth, and on the seventh we expected to unite with General Duffie, and now that the battle was over, we were in hopes that the Kanawha forces would intercept the fugitives at Lewisburgh.

Saturday morning was warm and spring-like, and we took up the line of march for Lewisburgh. After our descent from the mountains, we entered the fertile valley of the Green Brier, which expands to a breadth similar to the Shenandoah, and the same kind of geological formation — Saurian limestone. In coming down the mountain, we came across the brass twelve-pound howitzer that the rebels had cast away in their flight, and all along the road was the same rubbish as near the battle-field. Our march was slow, for we wished to save our horses. We passed through the town of Frankfort, and a short distance from Lewisburgh we came to the camp of the Twenty-second, screened from view in a grove in a “sink-hole.”

These sink-holes are one of the peculiar features of this valley, and the town of Lewisburgh is built in one.

We arrived at the town at four o'clock, where the Kanawha force had already arrived. Here we learned that the rebels had kept on their flight in the direction of Sweet Springs, in. Monroe, and after passing the Green Brier had burned the bridge.

After a night's rest, took up the march for the White Sulphur, the Ninety-first Ohio going with us as far as the ford of the river. On our march, we found two camps that were burning, and were designed for winter-quarters. One was on a hill beyond the town, and the other hid away in the ravine alongside of the turnpike. At the river we discovered that the rebels had destroyed five hundred barrels of flour that were in the mills, and the empty barrels were floating in the water.

Here the Ninety-first took the road to Union, in Monroe, (wonder that the rebels have not changed the name,) and we took the road to the White Sulphur. When within four miles of the latter place, two of the poor wounded men belonging to Ewing's battery came to us. One of the poor fellows had lost a leg, and came on crutches. They were overjoyed to meet us. We arrived at the Springs at ten o'clock, and released the balance of the wounded, who had been wounded in the Rocky Gap battle. The White Sulphur is a beautiful spot, but now appeared lonely and desolate, with its hotels, halls, and buildings closed; and I felt sad and indignant both, that this lovely spot had been desecrated by the foul breath of treason, its beauty marred by the loathsome presence of the wicked conspirators, who resorted here to concoct their plans of treachery. From here we went to our Rocky Gap battle-field of August, where we made a halt, and took a survey of the ground; and after visiting the graves of the brave and good men who repose here, we resumed the march, and halted for the night at Calighan's.

Next morning, as the column started, a party of bushwhackers fired into the Second. One of the rascals was captured. We took the road to Warm Springs, and a detachment of the Eighth, under Major Slack, was sent to make a reconnoissance in the direction of Covington. During the march this morning, we were startled by an explosion, as if a steam-boiler or mine had burst, and a large volume of smoke arose. One of the caissons of Ewing's battery, in crossing a gully, had exploded, providentially injuring but three men, but scattering the contents all around, and blowing the caisson all to atoms. The accident was occasioned by a percussion-shell being carelessly packed. We arrived at the Jackson River road at one o'clock, and made a halt for the detachment under Major Slack to overtake us. We marched up the valley of Jackson River, and after night burned a rebel camp and potash factory. We encamped for the night at Gatewood's, and here was plenty of corn and wheat for our horses; it had been snowing during the day, and a cold, wintry night, but there was