The Yankee Force on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
February 24, 1864
From gentlemen from the Lower Valley we learn the Yankees have a large force in that region, strung along the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, from Harper's Ferry to Martinsburg. This force is estimated at from 15,000 to 20,000. Since the raid of Gilmer's cavalry, in which an express train was captured, the enemy have been much more vigilant in guarding the road, increasing their pickets at every station, and posting forces on every avenue leading to the read.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: Undated: February 1864