A correspondent of the Lewisburg Chronicle, writing from Camp Garrett,
Barbour county, Va., June 20, gives an interesting account of scouting expeditions in that neighborhood.
It appears that
Capt. Moorman, with twenty of his command, went close to the enemy's camp on the night of the 18th, and met with some exciting adventures.
Says he letter:
‘
We passed the enemy's scouts all along the road, but they had not even the courage to fire upon us from the roadside, though they were concealed by the darkness and the bushes, which were as thick as the hairs on a dog's back.
We come back in a walk, after firing a salute of twenty guns immediately by the towardly devils.
On the next day, the 19th, squads of four of our company took possession of the pike, within four miles of
Phillippi, and waited patiently, in ambush, for the enemy's scouts and spies.
Calvin Renick.
Cyrus Creigh,
Chas. McClung,
Lewis Peyton and
Addison Bell composed the advanced guard.
About 11 o'clock three scouts came along They were halted by young
Peyton.
One of them drew a pistol and fired five shots at our young friend P., the distance being only about fifteen or twenty paces.
Young P. fired upon him and broke the fellow's arm. Just as young
Peyton fired,
Calvin Renick let loose upon the rascals, and killed one of them instantly.
This caused the sentinels stationed along the road to give the alarm, and in one hour's time our whole Cavalry corps was most in gun-shot of
Phillippi.
Our company was then divided into squads of four, six and eight, and we concealed ourselves in the brushwood.
About six o'clock in the evening a footman came walking along the road, very deliberately.
Mr. Burkhart, our bugle man — than whom a braver man does not live — on his horse, halted him in the road.
In an instant, the scoundrel leveled his Minnie musket at
Mr. B., but it failed to go off. He then drew a five shooter and snapped it five times at
Mr. B. By this time
Capt. Moorman,
M. B. White,
John Gilkeson,
Dr. Campbell, ourself, and a citizen of the neighborhood, came up, and commanded the belligerent rascal to surrender.
He refused, and started to run, when
Captain Moorman discharged one of his horse pistols at him, which only took effect upon the two buttons on the back of his coat.
He then ran like a devil,
Mr. Burkhart on horse back, and we on foot in pursuit.
After a somewhat exciting race, he stopped and gave himself up.
Mr. B. got several severe blows, but is not seriously hurt.
The prisoner fought bravely.
He is a German by birth and education, and belonged to the 9th Regiment of Indiana Volunteers.
We brought him to the camp that night, and he is now in the
Guard House.
He gave us much valuable information relative to matters at
Phillippi.
The only excuse he gives for volunteering to invade
Virginia, is that he was thrown out of employment and had to fight or starve.
He says, that the principal portion of the
Northern army is composed of persons thus situated.
Our scouts, numbering about 20, and the enemy's scouts, numbering about 40, had a little brush last night.
None of our men were hurt.
Several of the enemy were killed and wounded.
’
