[correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.]
Camp of the 51th Va. Volunteers, Near Paintville, Ky., (240 miles below civilization,) December 26, 1861.
I have written two letters to you; but, being cut off from civilization, cannot say whether or not they were published.
I have seen but one or two numbers of your paper since I left home, and they were forwarded to me by a special messenger.
We advanced from
Pikeville to Prestonsburg, and finding that the regiment, or rather the half brigade, could not be subsisted at that place, our General (
Marshall) ordered us forward to
Paintville, the county seat of
Johnson county.
This place is but thirty-two miles above
Louisa, where it is reported the
Yankees are in large force.
We arrived at
Paintville four days before
Christmas, and remained until Christmas day.
During our stay there we were kept constantly on our guard by the frequent reports that the enemy were advancing.
At day light on Christmas morning a messenger arrived at headquarters with the news that five thousand Yankees, composed of infantry, cavalry, and twelve pieces of artillery, were advancing and were driving our pickets in. The General ordered us to strike our tents, pack up, and get ready for a fight in twenty minutes. By the time given by the
General for the above duty; our regiment had every particle of baggage loaded, sent off, and were in line of battle, with guns loaded and ready for a fight.
At this time, we heard the firing of several guns below us, and thought the ball had opened.
The men and officers were cool and calm; they marched out and formed with the coolness and precision of veteran soldiers.
The staff was complete, with the exception of our
Lieutenant-Colonel, who has been absent for upwards of a month.
Why, I cannot tell.
All the officers belonging to the regiment below the grade of field officers were present except three
Lieutenants, who are absent because of sickness and detached service.
I, therefore, take great pleasure in saying that I neither saw an excited man nor officer in the regiment.
One little fact, connected with the Montgomery 7th, a company of eighty-five men commanded by James C. Taylor from Christiansburg, Va., will further show the resolution of the men. The day before Christmas, eight of Captain Taylor's men were on sick roll, but when the news arrived that the regiment was making ready for a fight every man shouldered his musket.
The Captain enquired of them whether or not they could stand it to fight.
Their reply was, that they would follow their ‘"Captain to the devil;"’ if he could stand it, they could do so. So he had no sick men that morning.
The news proved to be false, after standing in line of battle for two hours the General ordered us to fall back three miles above Paintville, where we are now busily engaged fortifying.
This is a hard section of the country.
The inhabitants are mostly unfriendly to us, and until a more decisive change takes place in the political character of this State, I do not see what good will flow from keeping us in these mountains.
A greater curse could not be inflicted upon all Yankeedom than to force them to invade Virginia through, this section and across the Cumberland mountains.
Veto.
