Our correspondence.
from the Northwest.
A Years Advance Guard put to Flight — Cheat Mission — Lies of the Northern Journals — The Kentuckians &c. Camp. Bartow, Greenbrier River, Pocahontas co., Va., Oct. 2, 1861.
No new act in the drama so long upon the stage in the vicinity of Cheat Mountain, has yet been enacted.
No war, or rumors of war, in our locality is (as might be expected) trippingly conveyed from tent to tent by the double-geared tongue of faithless rumor.
No news, or camp excitement is rife upon the electric wires of information; but a deep, dull stillness reigns unbroken, except by an occasional courier from our advance pickets reporting a shot or two exchanged without up-to-date, the loss of a single man on our side.
On the 10th ultimo, however, the usual camp monotony was dispelled by bright an tions of an immediate engagement.
‘"A y of Yankee, probably one hundred, and supposed by our pickets to be the advance guard of a larger column, had the audacity gave up within our lines, as though they had come to stay."’ They were met by a shower of from our first stand of pickets who after firing fell back to the second stand.
About this time our Col. Rust came galloping up, inquiring--‘"What the hell is the matter here?"’ and, following quickly the heels of our retreating foe with only them no more.
Whether fright to might, or not, they can best answer at any rate, their feint didn't pay.-- make a respectable feint.
when fired upon, they run like turkeys; some puppets have done, publish Yankeedom a victory, a brilliant against great odds, &c. Now, I happen to know something about the affairs of the 11th ultimo on Cheat Mountain, and have , also, the Northern version.--Of all the speaking, contemptible misrepresentations on record in Northern journals, this is certainly the lowest, less worthy, and even to rank with a well-told lie. Further advice would be degrading.
Owing to the recent heavy rains, mail transportation to and from Staunton is completely cut off. We have not had a Dispatch. for four or five days--a grievous loss, I assure you for we Kentuckians are deeply interested in the events now transpiring in our native State.
After getting a Dispatch, we almost fear to --fear that the telegraph will au the imprisonment of father or --fear that a home, the brightest spot in our boyhood recollection, has been has been desolated, our old mothers and sisters driven by the accursed minions of the South and assisted by unmitigated thieves of our fights and honor living in our midst, nd who have grown fat on our charity.
We fear these worst of evils for two good reasons, viz. all we have on earth near and dear to man is on the border, in sight of a State (In warring to the hill against us and our institutions.
Our enemies, some of long standing, want only the guise of authority and the cover of darkness to pillage defenceless homes, steal negroes, and commit depredations and crimes that devils would blush to own the second reason is, the possession of the country is being disputed by the two powers.
Our homes, therefore, can have not the remotest assurance of safety.
Should we, the scattering few who rallied to the defence of our old mother State, under the circumstances be forced to endure this soul-harrowing fortune without the poor privilege of fighting for our own homes?
No Patriotism says no. All the better feelings of humanity says no. Our Captain, (S. V. Reid,) the Colonel of our regiment, and every commissioned officer in the regiment, say no. Yet we are required to remain.
Why is it?
Surely thirty-three will not weaken a command where thousands are in a . when they can accomplish so much for God, justice, and the Souther in the quarter.
Under Buckner we can ; our cause would be as sacred of Heaven, and if tentless, shoe , still there would be music in the battle's . Orderly.
