t a turn in the road, an old
woman rushed out from a log cabin, and, in a loud and commanding voice,
exclaimed,--

'Halt, artillery, or I'll shoot every one of you!'

Not obeying the order, she fired three shots at us, none of which took
effect. At the same time three men rushed from the back of the house
toward the rebel camp at the foot of the hill, shouting at the top of
their voices to give warning of our approach. A squad of our fellows
took after them, and soon overtook them in a corn-field, when they
denied coming from the house, and said they were out planting corn! A
likely story, as it was hardly daylight, and the rain was falling in
torrents. However, during the forenoon they took _oath_, and were set
free!

Past the log house we went at 'double-quick,' and in less time than it
takes to tell it, the artillery took position in a small piece of wood
on the summit of a hill overlooking the town. At once the order was
given, 'Action front!' and the first the rebels knew of our approach was
the rattling of canister among their tents. Out they swarmed, like bees
from a molested hive. This way and that the chivalry flew, and yet
scarcely knew which way to run. 'Bould sojer boys,' with nothing but
their underclothes on, mounted their nags bareback, and fled 'over the
hills and far away' towards Beverley, firing as they ran a few random
shots. Before the infantry reached the town most of them had made good
their escape, leaving behind, however, nearly all their baggage, a large
number of horses, wagons, tents, and about eight hundred stand of arms,
together with a nicely-cooked breakfast, which they had no idea they
were preparing for 'Lincoln's hirelings.'

We took about fifty prisoners, among them the man who wounded Col. (now
General) Kelley. They were retained until the next day, when the oath
was administered, and they were let loose to rejoin their companions in
arms. About four weeks after this, we had the pleasure of retaking,
several of these fellows; some of them, in fact, were taken three or
four times, each time taking the oath, and being set at liberty, and
each time, true to their nature--and Jeff Davis--immediately taking up
arms again against the government.

Phillippi, from any of the neighboring hills, or rather mountains,
presents a rather picturesque appearance. It was, previous to the war, a
place of about one thousand inhabitants. It boasts a good court-house, a
bank, and two hotels, and wa