Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/293

Rh naled to touch for passengers, but just before it was too late he realized the situation and the boat escaped, riddled with bullets from the ambushed Confederates. Jenkins reached Point Pleasant on the next day, and surprising the Federal West Virginia company, Capt. John D. Carter commanding, that constituted the garrison, drove it into the courthouse, which was besieged for several hours. The news being carried across the river, preparations were there made to bombard the town, but this calamity was fortunately averted. Jenkins failed to dislodge the garrison, and after several men had been killed and wounded on each side, crossed the Kanawha, and returned on the south side of the river.

An expedition was sent in pursuit from Camp Piatt, by way of Chapmanville, and a sharp skirmish resulted April 5th on Mud river. Minor operations of this period deserving notice were McNeill's brilliant skirmishes with superior forces at Burlington and Purgitsville and Going's Ford, in the vicinity of Moorefield ; the handsome repulse of a Federal assault by Col. G. M. Edgar at Lewisburg, May 2d; Colonel McCausland's demonstration against Fayetteville, May 2oth, and the rout of a Federal scouting party on Loup creek late in June, by Maj. E. A. Bailey, who captured 29 prisoners and 45 horses. June 28, 1863, Gen. Benjamin F. Kelley became the Federal commander of the West Virginia department.

On June 29th, Col. William L. Jackson, Nineteenth Virginia cavalry, commanding the camp near Huntersville, made an expedition against Beverly, which was held by about 1,000 Federals, -hoping to capture the garrison. Advancing beyond Valley mountain, Maj. John B. Lady, with five companies commanded by Capts. D. Evans, W. W. Arnett, Joseph Hayhurst, Duncan and W. W. Boggs, was sent by way of Rich mountain to the rear of the enemy, while Lieut. A. C. Dunn occupied the Philippi road. The pickets, meanwhile, had been quietly captured by Captain Righter, and the main body of Jack-