Camp White, July 24, [1863].
Dearest: — The
happiness of this week's operations is dashed by the death of Captain Delany
and the probable loss of a number of other good officers and men in our
cavalry. Captains Delany [and] Gilmore, the Thirty-fourth mounted infantry, and
Second Virginia Cavalry left Raleigh, on the day we returned from there, to cut
the Tennessee Railroad at or near Wytheville. On the very day we (the
infantry) were gaining bloodless (or almost bloodless) victories over Morgan on
the Ohio, our cavalry were fighting a most desperate battle with superior
numbers three hundred miles off at Wytheville. Our men were victorious, carried
the town by storm, but they lost Colonel Toland, Thirty-fourth killed, Colonel
Powell, Second Virginia, mortally wounded, Captain Delany, killed, his two
lieutenants, mortally wounded (you know them both), and four other lieutenants,
wounded; thirteen privates, killed, and fifty, wounded or prisoners. It was a
most creditable but painful affair.
I am expecting my two companies, the survivors, back tomorrow.
Wytheville has been one of the most violent Rebel towns from the first. They
always talked of “no quarter,” “the black flag,” etc. The citizens fired from
their houses on the troops as they rode in. Colonel Powell was shot in the
back. The town was burned to ashes. I will write you more about it when they
get in.
We are cleaning camp and getting settled again. The old lady
moved into the cottage when we left; I occupy the tent Captain and Mrs. Hood
were in. Captain Zimmerman went today to relieve Captain Hunter as commandant
of post at Gallipolis.
Uncle Scott and Uncle Moses will feel very hopeful in view
of this month's work. We have taken, as I reckon it, seventy thousand prisoners
this month besides killing or disabling perhaps fifteen thousand to
twenty-thousand more. A pretty big army of Rebels disposed of.
Morgan is not yet caught. He may get off, but his ruin is
very complete. — Love to all.
Affectionately, your
R.
Mrs. Hayes.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 422
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