Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/298

84 On the 4th there was a severe skirmish at Petersburg Gap, and on the i5th one at Smithfield. On the night of September 6th, 26 men under Captains Burke and Blackford attacked the camp of two companies of Pennsylvania six months' men at Bath, killed Captain Hebble and a number of his men, and brought away 23 prisoners and 50 horses. On the nth, Captains Imboden, McNeill and Hobson, with about 150 men, attacked 300 Federals under Major Stephens at Moorefield, at dawn charging into their camp with a yell, effectually surprising the enemy. Thirty Federals were killed or seriously wounded, 8 officers and 138 privates captured, and all the ammunition and supplies taken in charge. Two attacks were made upon the little band on their retreat, but they escaped with the loss of only 8 or 10 men and some of the captured horses.

Reconnoissances and skirmishes continued all along the line. On the 24th there was an encounter at Greenbrier bridge with Averell's command. Bailey, Morrow and Gilmor made a demonstration against Charlestown, October 7th, and encountered a detachment under Captain Summers, who was killed. The West Virginia, U. S. V., garrison at Bulltown was attacked by Colonel Jackson October i3th, but after a fight which continued through the day, the Federal troops held their fortifications. Being reinforced the next day they pursued Jackson, but were checked at Salt Lick bridge.

The continual fighting about Charlestown had weakened the Federal force there, but it was thought by the Federal authorities that the Ninth Maryland regiment, under Colonel Simpson, was sufficient. He made a reconnoissance, and found no force in his front except the Forty-first Virginia battalion under Maj. Robert White, at Berry ville, "not the old White (E. V.), but another man," the Federals reported, "whose men say they have been in the valley but two or three weeks." But Imboden joined White, and on Sunday morning,