
we built good fires from the fences & made beds 
from his haymows & stacks & cooked & eat & slept 
until one o clock in the morning when we took up 
our line of march & by 8 o clock we over took their pickets 
we took sixteen of the poor Buttrnuts. some of 
them were dressed in in red linsey other striped with 
red & ther favorite (butternut) We then marched 
rapidly towards the ferry. some of the cavelry 
in front then Infantry then the two cannon the 
balance of the cavelry in the rear. Col Dewy rode
 in front with the advance guard. & when they came near the ferry he waved his hat to us. we were about 12 miles 
off we started on double quick then the Artilery came dashing by 
with six large grey horses to each wagon one rider to each 
span then the cavelry in the rear came ratling by with their long
swords. They went on to the ferry the rear guard of the enemy were just in
 sight, the cannon sent four rounds after them but they 
were too far off for them to take effect, we ran until within 
1/4 of a mile of the ferry, & formed in line of battle. It was somewhat 
amusing to see some of the boys about the time the cannon 
commenced firing. We were looking every moment for the 
enemys shell & shot to commence raining among us. It was 
somewhat exciting, yet I think that I was cool & acted delib
erately. there were many that did the same some did not 
The rebels overestimated our strength or I suppose they
 certainly would have stood their ground for they had 
according the statement of the prisiners we took about 
three thousand men two thirds of them well armed. the 
rest with shot guns &c with 4 pieces of artillery 6 pounders 
while we had only about four hundred men in all 
but they were picked men 50 or 60 from a company 
we crossed Currant River the next day & marched 
for Pocahontas we fell in with our cavelry 700 strong
 with two 12 pounders. we sent scouts to Pocahontas but the 
rebels had fled. It was the rapid movement of our troop
that won the victory. we came down on them like an ava
lanch we took 40 or 50 pisiner & a numbe of horses (our 
division in conection with the cavelry) we all returned 
home yesterday evening, amid shouts & greeting of the rest
 of our regiment, nothing of interest ocured on our return trip 
I will write some more to morrow good night
