126 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



encountered a movement on their part against 

 the Federal left. At the same time the main 

 body advanced in the direction of Mount Craw- 

 ford, and met the enemy on North River, twelve 

 miles from Staunton. A hot conflict ensued, as 

 well here as at Port Republic, but the enemy 

 were steadily driven on the North River, which 

 exposed their right, and thus compelled it to 

 fall back. At the same time Gen. Crook was 

 approaching from the west, and the enemy in 

 falling back retired toward Waynesboro' on the 

 east. The loss of Gen. Hunter was two hun- 

 dred and fifty. That of the enemy was severe, 

 and included the commanding general, "W. E. 

 Jones. Staunton was immediately occupied by 

 Gen. Hunter. Stores and railroad property of 

 a large amount were captured. 



The advance of Gens. Crook and Averill 

 from Meadow Bluff was commenced on May 

 31st. They moved through Lewisburg, White 

 Sulphur Springs, &c., to the Gaston depot on 

 the Virginia Central Railroad by June 5th. 

 This is about forty miles below the terminus 

 of the road. Here the work of destruction 

 commenced. The track was torn up, and 

 bridges and culverts destroyed for a distance 

 of ten miles. Thence the force moved over 

 North Mountain, through Pond Gap to Staun- 

 ton, and arrived on the 8th of June. The 

 enemy attempted constantly to impede their 

 progress. 



On June 10th the consolidated command of 

 Gen. Hunter marched from Staunton on the 

 road through Middlebrook to Lexington, Gen. 

 Crook's command being in advance. Three 

 miles from Staunton the enemy, under Gen. 

 McCausland, were posted behind rail breast- 

 works, designed to delay the movement as 

 much as possible. The steady advance, how- 

 ever, dislodged them, driving them ahead. 

 Seventeen miles from Staunton they managed 

 to kill two men and wound two others, when 

 a strong force of cavalry dispersed them for 

 that day. In the forenoon of the llth Lexing- 

 ton was reached. The enemy had burned the 

 bridge over the James, and were posted on the 

 high bank opposite. They were driven off with 

 artillery, after which the river was crossed at 

 the fords and the town occupied. On Sunday, 

 the 12th, the Military Institute and the house 

 of Gov. Letcher were burned. Ten minutes 

 were allowed to remove any property from the 

 latter. A number of canal boats wece destroy- 

 ed, and considerable ammunition seized. A 

 bronze statue of Gen. Geo. "Washington, cast 

 upon the orders of the legislature of Virginia, 

 was taken down and subsequently transported 

 to Wheeling, Va. On the 13th Gen. Averill 

 was ordered to Buchanan, and the whole force 

 followed on the next day. On Thursday, the 

 IGth, Liberty was reached, and seven miles of 

 railroad and the culverts and bridges destroyed. ' 

 On the 17th the advance under Gen. Crook 

 arrived within eight miles of Lynchburg at 

 10 A. M., and halted for the main force to come 

 up. It arrived at 3 p. M., and moved on within 



an hour. After an advance of two miles the 

 first position of the enemy was reached. They 

 immediately opened with a brisk cannonade, 

 but were soon driven back two miles to their 

 line of breastworks with considerable loss to 

 both sides. Night coming on Gen. Hunter was 

 compelled to halt. All night the whistles of 

 locomotives were heard in Lynchburg, bringing 

 reinforcements from Richmond. On the next 

 day the enemy appeared in force, and advanced 

 to turn the right of Gen. Hunter's force. Af- 

 ter a sharp struggle they were driven back to 

 their breastworks, which were protected by 

 others hi the rear. The position of the enemy 

 now appeared to Gen. Hunter to be so strong, 

 and his numbers so great, as to destroy all hope 

 of success with his army, now on limited ra- 

 tions. In the afternoon, therefore, the trains 

 were started back, and at 9 p. M. the command 

 commenced retreating, and marched until 1 A. M. 

 the next morning, when they arrived within five 

 miles of Liberty. At 9 A. M. the march was 

 renewed until 2 p. M., when a halt was made 

 three miles southwest of Liberty. The enemy 

 followed close, and the skirmishing was contin- 

 ually heavy. The rear was brought up by 

 Gen. Crook. At 6 p. M. the command was 

 again on the march, and reached Bonsack's 

 depot at 10 A. M. of the 20th, where a halt for 

 rest was made. At 8 p. M. the march was re- 

 sumed, via Buford's Gap, for Salem, which was 

 reached at 5 o'clock on the next morning. The 

 enemy continued a hot pursuit, and on the 21st 

 captured ten pieces of artillery in a deep gap. 

 Six were recaptured. That night the command 

 rested all night for the first time since leaving 

 Lynchburg. New Castle, in Craig County, was 

 reached at 6 p. M. on the 22d. On the night 

 of the 25th Meadow Bluff was reached by toe 

 force, being without supplies, except such as 

 could be obtained from the sparse inhabitants 

 of a mountainous country. On the 27th rations 

 were obtained, and Gen. Hunter arrived at 

 Loup Creek during the next day. On the same 

 day the following despatch from Gen. Hunter 

 was issued by the War Department : 



WASHINGTON, June 28 I p. M. 

 Haj.- Gen. Dix : 



The following despatch has just been received from 

 Gen. Hunter : ~ 



" I have the honor to report that our expedition 

 has been extremely successful, inflicting great injury 

 upon the enemy, and victorious in every engagement. 

 Eunning short of ammunition, and finding it impos- 

 sible to collect supplies while in the presence or an 

 enemy believed to be superior to our force in num 

 bers and constantly receiving reinforcements from 

 Richmond and other points, I deemed it best to with- 

 draw, and have succeeded in doing so without serious 

 loss to this point, where we hare met with abundant 

 supplies of food. A detailed report of our operations 

 will be forwarded immediately. The command is in 

 excellent heart and health, and ready, after a few 

 days' rest, for service in any direction." 



Nothing later than my telegram of this morning has 

 been received from Gen. Grant or Gen. Sherman. 

 EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. 



The operations of the expedition were com- 

 mented upon unfavorably by two newspapers 



