A Hunt After Horse Thieves.
June 9, 1864
Headquarters, Co. H. 11th W.Va. Inft.
Weston, W.Va, June 6, '64.
Editors Intelligencer:
We received intelligence on the 4th inst. That there was a gang of horse thieves in the vicinity, stealing Union men's horses. Capt., G. W. Parriot, commanding forces at this place, immediately started a mounted scout of 15 men under the command of Lt. Blayd. They soon found the trail of the rebels, and rapidly pursuing them for near fifteen miles come up with them. The thieves formed a breast work of their horses, and fired on our boys, their balls passing close around them but fortunately doing no damage, only killing one horse. The skirmish then become quite lively for a little while, but finally the Rebs thought best to skedaddle to the bush, leaving their stolen horses, &c, in our possession. They had stolen 10 horses, one of which was severely wounded. Lt. Blayd brought the horses into camp, where the owners are coming, proving property and taking them away, with many expressions of thanks to our boys for restoring to them their property. Capt. Wilkinson, of the State Guards, (or swamp angels as they are called here,) was along, with two of his men. They acted with bravery and skill. The force of the Rebs is not known, but is said to have been from twenty-five to thirty. Some of the loyal citizens turned out, and went in with a will. The Rebs belonged to Capt. Spriggs' company.
Yours, &c.,
E.B.
June 11, 1864
Guerrillas. - We learn that on Saturday last, the 4th inst., a number of Bill Jackson's men made their appearance in the vicinity of Weston, Lewis county. - the account we received of the affair is substantially as follows: A detachment of Company H, of the Eleventh West Virginia Volunteers, with a detachment of Captain Wilkinson's State Scouts, left Weston at 10 o'clock A.M. Saturday last, in pursuit of the rebel horse thieves, and overtook them, ten in number, about twelve miles from Weston, and fired into them killing one and wounding three horses, and recapturing all the horses stolen, some ten in number. The rebels dismounted and returned the fire, killing one and wounding another of our horses, then retreating to the woods. We are informed that the rebels stopped in the woods in that vicinity during Saturday night, and on Sunday morning made good their escape.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: June 1864