Spen[c]er Roan County, West Va
Sept 7 1864
Agetent Generel, Sir
I have to apologise for not reporting in July Times have been and are still quite squally here at one time they threatened so strong that I despatched to Charleston for help and got one hundred of the 7 West Va Cavelry they swept through the country took some prisoners and wounded some and got 3 of there own men wounded two of there wounded are here with us
Rebel Capt Knotts came in here to recruit a Battalion of cavelry for the Rebel service he had gotten several recruits and stealing a good many horses, his men was secreted by there sesesh friends untill they could get a lot of sufficient size and there they take back through the mountains his force was to much for me to go in his midst so I scattered my men in small squads and watched there paths one squad had the luck to catch the Capt Knotts himself and I sent him through to the forces at Charleston
They are now in Camp at Camp Garvis about 25 miles, where 2 Com of the 9th West, Va, was camped last winter there are at this time some 60 or 70 besides there scouts which they have out stealing horses I think they have in all about one hundred and 35 or 30 as some go out others come in as a geneal thing they travel through the woods in squads gather up the horses of a neighborhood and put back to camp when a sufficient number is collected they send them back through the mountains, Last Sunday the 4 of Sept a squad of my men came up with four garillas mounted on four stolen horses my men fiered on them nocked one of and wounded 2 more they got one of there horses which they had stolen from a poor widow woman which I gave up to the woman no Union property is safe here they shoot without halting they have robed a good many houses and plundered in abundance take anything they want to subsist on it is reported here to day that they are gathering up cattle to drive back I am doing all that I can to hold them in check but times look quite squally we may come out better than we expect at present there has been a good many came in here and took the oath I am filling up my company as fast as I can yours
with respect
Hiram Chapman, Capt