From the Mountains.
July 9, 1863
Buckhannon, W.V., July 4, 1863.
Editors Intelligencer:
Gents: -- On Thursday, the 2d inst., the militia of Upshur county, some 600 strong, were in this place going through the formula, of organizing, preparatory to a draft, -- said formula consisting in part as follows, viz: -- electing officers, listening to a speech from their eloquent Colonel, and getting exempted! the latter class, be it said to the credit of Upshur county, consisted chiefly of Coppernuts and Butterheads. After they had gotten through with their business they left for home, but hearing some 'rebs' were at Huttonville - in fact 12 or 14 miles this side - Capt. Hagans sent out and called back all who had arms, in order to "defend the place to the last extremity," but the 'rebs' didn't come.
The Kelley Lancers are her, fat, ragged and saucy as ever, and doing more hard duty than any other company of the same size in the service. They scout five or six roads every day, from three to fifteen miles, and on Friday they went twenty five miles, yet they are in good spirits and do not complain.
Quite an incident occurred there on Friday evening. One of our citizen scouts was out on the Beverly road, and, seeing a body of cavalry, he dashed into town - his eyes popped out something less than a foot - and said the rebs were coming. The Lancers were in their saddles in less than three minutes and scampering out in the direction of the supposed foe. They met them about one mile from town, when it proved to be Capt. Potts' company of the 3d Va. Mounted Riflemen.
Saturday, 12 m. - We have received the glorious news that Gen. Averill had arrived at Beverly with the 8th Va. and 14th Pa. cavalry, and had made a dash on the rebs. they did not expect. The report runs that they threw down their arms and skedaddled as fast as their skin-and-bone legs could carry their trifling carcasses. We captured 1200 stand of small arms, two pieces of big guns and a number of prisoners. This is only reports. The wires are down and we can get nothing certain.
The 10th Va. Infantry deserve great praise for the gallant manner in which they fought against a superior force, until reinforcements arrived. Long may they wave. They have convinced the rebs that these "West Virginia hell-hounds," as they see proper to call us, are not to be trifled with. God bless them.
We are now repairing the telegraph line between this and Beverly, and I presume we will have something reliable by Monday.
Yesterday we had a most glorious rain, after a long dry spell, and to-night we are having more. The corn, oats, & c., are growing finely. Crops of all kinds look very well.
Yours, & c.,
N. N. H.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: July 1863