Letter to Eliza Johnson

Scope and content:

Written from Weston, West Virginia. Letter regards the Jones-Imboden Raid and burning of bridge at Fairmont.

Language:

English

Other descriptive data:

Weston
May 5th [1863]

My Dear Wife
I believe I wrote to you from Beverly. I have written to you since but missed the mail. After the affair at Beverly on Friday we left Beverly on Saturday about noon, marched 9 miles and encamped on Sunday. We marched to a point equidistant from Buckhannon and Philippi. Hearing nothing from Jones and learning that Mulligan had reinforced Gen Roberts we fell back to within 9 miles of Beverly. We again started for Buckhannon before reaching that point the enemy had evacuated the place--burnt a [ ] amt of commissaries stores & c. A large no of the Union men going with them.

We remained at Buckhannon two or three days waiting to hear from Gen. Jones, having lost sight of him at Evansville. Gen. Jones arrived at Buckhannon Saturday morning, having been at [ ], Morgantown, Fairmont, [Skinnston], Bridgeport, Philippi. We immediately marched to Weston arriving here on Sunday morning. Beyond Evansville the Railroad was torn up for a considerable distance. The fine bridge at Fairmont was [blown] down. There was a fight at Fairmont, several killed, 400 prisoners taken. 3 killed at Bridgeport & c. Gen Jones command brought in 1200 horses taken from Union and secession men without pay. Father lost about 30 so the men say--he will be paid some day Gen Jones has consented that Dick may take one of the horses taken from Father. I am glad our troops got the horses pay or no pay.

Mason [Hisser] & Ed Payne now along--I do not know when the next move will be made. The enemy are massing their strength at Clarksburg and probably outnumber us. It think it likely that Gen. Jones will make another raid around the enemy before Gen. Imboden advances upon Clarksburg. A fight may take place at Clarksburg, some days hence. Our friends are completely subdued, talk in whispers are afraid to speak out.

At Buckhannon I purchased about two hundred dollars worth of goods, mostly plain dry goods--put them in a box with some purchased by the Qr Master of the 31st Virginia Regt. I believe he has the goods with him, do not know whether he will ever have an opportunity to send them out. I have purchased fifty dollars worth here but do ot know what to do with them--having no transportation. There are plenty fo goods but the difficulty is what to do with them. Porter arrived here yesterday, he is well. I do not know when either of us will return.

Subjects:

Correspondence

Places:

West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

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