Brilliant Exploits of Gen. Averill 

BRILLIANT EXPLOITS OF GEN. AVERILL

THE VIRGINIA AND EAST TENNESSEE RAILROAD DESTROYED

Great Destruction of Rebel Stores

EXTRAORDINARY LABORS OF THE TROOPS

Edray, Pocahontas County, West Va., Dec 21, 1863

Via Beverly Dec. 22, 1863

To Major-Gen. Halleck, General in Chief

I have the honor to report that I cut the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad at Salem on the 16^th inst., and have arrived safely at this point with my command, consisting of the Second Third and eight Virginia mounted infantry, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Dotson’ battalion of cavalry, and Ewing’s Battery at Salem.

Three depots were destroyed, containing 2,000 bbls., of flour, 10,000 bushels of wheat, 100,000 bushels of shelled corn, 50,000 bushels of oats, 2,000 barrels of meat, several cords of leather, 1,000 sacks of salt, 31 boxes of clothing, 20 bales of cotton, a large amount of  harness, shoes and saddle, equipments, tools, oil, tar, and various other stores, and 100 wagons. The telegraph wire was cut and burned for a half mile.

The water station, turn-table and three cars were burned, and the track torn up and the rails heat and destroyed as much as possible in six hours. Five bridges and several coverts were destroyed, over an extent of fifteen miles. A large quantity of bridge timber and repairing materials were also destroyed. My march was retarded occasionally by the tempest in the mountains and the icy roads.

I was obliged  to swim my command, and drag my artillery with ropes across Crog’s Creek seven times in twenty four hours. On my return, I found six separate commands under Gens. Early, Jones, Fitz Lee, Imboden, Jackson, Echols, and McCoustin, arranged in line extending from Staunton to Newport, upon all the available roads, to prevent my return. I captured a dispatch from Gen. Jones to Gen. Early, giving me the position, and that of Jackson at Clifton Forge, and Cornington was selected to carry.

I marched from the front of Jones to that of Jackson at night. His outpost were pressed in at a gallop by the Eight Virginia mounted infantry, and the two bridges across Jackson’s River  was saved, although faggots were piled ready to ignite.

My column, about four miles long, hastened across, regardless of the enemy, until all but my ambulances, a few wagons and one regiment had passed, when a strong effort was made to retake the first bridge, in which they did not succeed.

The ambulance and some sick men were lost, and by the darkness and difficulties, the last regiment was detained upon the opposite side until morning, when it was ascertained that the enemy seemed determined to maintain his position up the cliffs which overlooked the bridges. I caused the bridges which were long and high, to be destroyed , and the enemy immediately changed his position to the plank and rear of the detachment which was cut off. I sent orders to the remnants to destroy our wagons, and come to me across the river or mountains.

They swan the river with the loss of only four men, who were drowned, and joined me. In the meantime forces of the enemy were concentrating upon me at Collaghan’s over every available road except one, which was deemed impractical, but by which I crossed over the top of the Alleghanies with my command, with the exception of four caissons, which were destroyed in order to increase the teams of the pieces. My loss is six men drowned, one officer and four men wounded, four officers and ten men missing.

We captured about 200 prisoners but have retained but forty officers and eighty men, on account of their inability to walk. We took also about one hundred fifty horses.

My horses have subsisted entirely a very poor country, and the officers and men have suffered cold, hunger and fatigue with remarkable fortitude. My command has marched, climbed, slid  and swam three hundred fifty-five miles since the 8^th  inst.

W.W. Averill, Brig.-Gen.