Dear Father & Mother I will write
you of our journey here
Wednesday morning Apr 30th We left Camp No 3
(I wrote you from that place) Marched about
ten miles to the Summit of Flat Top
Mountain and camped soon after coming
commenced to rain and continued all night
The roads to day were quite good and
the ascent easy: for several miles we
passed over large marshes deslotate of
trees which if drained would I think
make fine farming lands this could be
easily done as the fall is quite great
After making camp Thad Coffin & I
went across the mountains two or three
miles on a foraging expedition-Succeeded
in realizing some fine Hams at a house
which had been lately deserted
We saw some indications of bushwhackers
on the way. Country very rough & broken
Thursday morning. Left camp early
marched about four miles when we
came up with Comp C which had went in
advance of us from Camp No 3
when we came up they had just got
through with a small battle with
the Rebels. One Company of about 60 in all
were camped in an old house situated
in a deep ravine[?] [hole in paper] and on Thursday
morning about daylight they had
found themselves surrounded by about
300 rebels they came down the mountain
on all sides of them and there only
alternative was to fight. Our men
reserved their fire until they were
quite close. They atempted to deceive our
men by calling themselves Bickmonds men
[page 2]
(Bickmond is a loyal citizen one of
the best men of the country and one
who has been much annoyed & much of
his property destroyed by the Bushwhackers
he is now scouting with probably with
some men with him)
Our men sheltered themselves in the house
and opened upon them and fought them
over two hours finaly succeeding in
driving them back When we came up
they were just disappearing over the
mountain some were mounted & some
on foot and took to the mountains
Our Company did nobly 1 man was
killed and 14 wounded some no doubt
mortally. The rebel loss not known some
very badly wounded were left on the
field some prisoners were taken. One man
came in and gave himself up
We immediately followed the F.F. V.
Our Forces consisted of our regiment (except Co
C which were sent back much against their will)
nearly 500 mounted riflemen--(which had
come up with us the night before
I believe they belong to the 3d Va and are
under Comd of Lieut Col Paxton) and 2
mountain howitzers
The Cavalry went in advance and were
skirmishing most of the day. They would
ride up until the Rebels would fire on them
from the mountains sides then dismount
and pe[r]sue them Our Flanking companies were
also deployed on the mountains several
of the rebels were thus wounded & killed
It rained on us all day and the roads were
very mudy. When we came to
River (you will see the rout on the map)
we found the Bridge gone and only two small
[page 3]
skiffs in which to cross. as we were in
considerable parts we immediately stripped
of our clothes and waded through it and
a rather cold bath the current was
very swift and several of the boys
came very near going under.
We reached Princeton about 4 Oclock
found the town in flames. the enemy
had passed through burning the place in
their retreat only a few houses were
left. the town was about as large
as Savannah the situation is very
fine and some of the buildings were
quite fine. When we came in sight
our Howitzers threw a few shells into
the place but they were all gone
We passed a short distance through
'the town then returned and camped
We had marched 22 miles over a
very mountainous roads. I guess there
are few regiments that make such
marches. Our cavalry went out by a
different road fromt hat which
the enemy took and about dark came
in on their flank they charged on them
driving them in all directions causing them
to leave their knapsacks blankets &c
They were in quite a force probably about
500 left this place and were a short distance
from here they were met by reinforcements
I believe the 45th Va Regt the rebels here were under
Comd and the town burned by command of
Col Jenifer. Two of the Captains in command of
the Rebels that attacked Co C in the
morning were badly wounded. The rebels
had several men killed we saw some
left in the woods and perhaps 40 wounded
I saw several of their wounded, some of them
[page 4]
mortally. some were shot in
two or three places on I saw
ball had passed through his head bearing
away his nose yet he was alive and
able to talk. the testimony of all these
men say that they were forced
into this business being called out
as Militia Capt Foley of a passel
of bushwhackers & desperadoes who have
been troubling us for some time past
was badly wounded
We have found some Richmond
papers of as late a date as Apr 18 if I
can get one I will send it to you
I feel very well and I guess after
I eat a portion of the Roast Pig
which Thad is about to place
on the table I could march about
ten miles further this afternoon
We are now occupying a small
house which was not burned.
I was the first boy to enter the Town
and entered the first house
We have a good stove in our house
which reminds me of the old stove at
at home being or the same pattern
The Town presents a truly desolated appearance
Several [hole in paper] brick residences have been
lost and the court House a fine brick
building destroyed some stores & the
goods in them were burned
Many of the citizens left in great haste
at one house they had packed their piano and
carried it out on to the porch but were obliged
to flee. I could pick up a very good Library
about here now. Dinner is ready and I must
close for the present. We will probably remain here a few days
Yours J. D. Templeton
James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23d Ohio
FFV: although the letters usually stand for "First Families of Virginia" Union soldiers frequently changed it to the derogatory "Fleet Footed Virginians."
MSS 10317
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