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West Virginia Correspondence.[fcpecial Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial.]The Expected Battle at l.aurel Hill—Plans of the Rebels—Will they Figbtf—Gen. McClellan to Command in Per- lt;son—Mutiny at Cheat River—The Ohio ;16th and their Complaints—Off forPhillippi.Grafton, Va., June 28, 1861.We are all awaiting the event for which Itich great preparations have been made. We hink more about powder than pens, and nore of muskets than messages. Indeed, iffairs are in such a condition that I cannot write of the movements of troops without betraying the very plan of the attack soon to be made on the rebel force now entrenched 1 [n both sides the Beverly pike, between Bur- , Lingtonnd Laurel Hill.It is now very apparent that the rebels are * moving upon Western Virginia in two col- ^ cmms, intending to concentrate in the Vicinity j af Grafton. Their plan may have been modi- j tied, if the report that Wise has gone on a 1 wild goose chase into the Kanawha region to ' meet a supposed division under Gen. McClel- i Ian be correct. Such a change in the pro- j gramme would be fatal to Wise, for before he 1 aould possiblv recover his position and rein- ] force the column advaucing from Staunton j upon Phillippi, it will be utterly cut to pieces, ] ind our troops be ready to perform the same 1 surgical operation on Wise himself. jBut even if the original movement is ad- ] liered to, the rebels will never be permitted ! to form a junction. They will be taken in ] detail, and disposed of piecemeal. Nor will i the force now at Laural Hill be permitted to s retreat if the plans of McClellan are promptly 1 executed. They will be outflanked and at- 1 tacked in the rear by a stronger column than ] will move upon them in front, and fight or lt;surrender be their onty alternatives. iThere is, so far, no disposition on their part lt;to fall back, and the impression gains“grouod that they intend to Tisk an attack and fight \ to the bitter end. The Carolinians, Georgi- ] ins, and Alabamians, who compose a consid- i erable portion of their force are not the men j to fly without striking a blow. TheCaroli- i Qians at Romney, when attacked by Wallace’s Zouaves, did not, it is true, manifest much , more disposition to encounter Uncle Sam s i Qayonets than Porterfield’s rebels at Phillip- lt;pi; and that Carolinians were there was evi- I dent from the nature of correspondence left lt;!ehind, and a musket on which was engraved i rattlesnake, with the legend, “ Don’t tread 1 m me.” iAs I write the columns of the “grand irmy” are in motion. The attention of the lt;rebels is engaged by advance movements from Phillippi, which, however, will avoid a 1 :ollision till the flanking column has had Lime to come up. Then the whole force at Phillippi will move forward and the conflict commence.Brigadier Generals Morris and Schleich will proceed to Phillippi to-day, and it is reported that General McClellan will also advance to the same poinf, and that he will take command in person. Brigadier General Hill will remain in command here^ with a sufficient force to hold the position and throw forward reinforcements on any menaced point on the B. 0. road and the Parkersburg branch.Something very like mutiny occurred at Cheat River yesterday. The several companies of the Ohio 16th, (seven, I believe,) sta-tioned there, stacked arms in concert at the firiDg of the morning gun and absolutely refuged to go on duty. They complain that they have not been uniformed and have not had halffenough to eat, while the companies of the 15th Ohio, now there, are clothed in new uniforms and are better fed. After some talking to by their officers most of the boys picked up their guns and returned to duty.— Some twenty of them were placed under arrest and sent back to Grafton for trial on a charge of mutiny. *I do not know how much cause the men have for disaffection. None of them looked as if starved when I was at Cheat river, though the regimental commissary department had not then been regulated. They have not received the complete new uniform of the State, grey jackets and breeches, but most of them had been supplied with new pants, and had what is far more comfortable than the jackets, the blue blouses, which every private and officer in other State regiments envy them, and beg or buy whenever they can. This disaffection, I am glad to say, is now quelled, and those who encouraged it are under arres^ It is fortunate that it is so, as the 16th Ohio, with the detachments of the 15th, And 1st Virginia, now there, hold a very important position, not only protecting the famous trestle works on the B. and 0. Road, but a turnpike bridge over the Cheat river, a few miles from Romney, over which the rebels wouldj have to pass in attempting any flank mo/ement in that direction. All that the Ohilt;A6th or any of the Ohio boys need to rlt;*ise nxjhem the enthusiasm which moved them to respond to the first call of their country, is an engagement. Give them that and they will think no more about poor breeches and scan^rations. The poet Hafiz, when withopt shoes, money, or friendg, felt dispesed to complain till he «aw apoor wretch, who had lost his feet, hobbling by rnitchest He thanked God things were no worse with him. Let those of our troopswno are iwt, wVirginia boys and ^ee what they endure cheerfully and manfhliy.tCol. Wheat, of Wheeling, has received the appointtoent of Adjutant General to the Virginia djjisipn. It is an appointment that will be^Jeteiveilwithscarcely less satisfaction than the promotion of Col. Kelly to a Brigadier Generalship. Adj. Gen. Wheat is now here looking after the interests of the Virginia troops.I have already advised you*-by telegraph of the recent skirmish at Difcis’ Creek, ten miles from Cumberland, between mounted scouts of Col. Wallace’s Zouaves, and the rebels from Romney. We have no further news of the affair at this writing, but hope to hear that the detachment sent out by Col. Wallace to intercept the scout, and recover t he horses which the Zouaves were compelled to leave, succeeded in their enterprise.I hope to be able when next I write, to an-1 nounce that the rebels at Laurel Hill have been met and routed. TTiL something has happened, do not expect any further intelligence*^ Igfcteri as no mail is carried between j this aifa Phillippi, and we must trust to chances and the couriers for getting our let-, ters and dispatches through. P.Grafton, June 28.
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Cincinnati Daily Commercial
Cincinnati, Ohio, US
Mon, Jul 01, 1861
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Cincinnati A.
OH, USA 25 Aug 2023
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