Primary Account of the Battle of Cloyds Mountain 

Byington Ohio   October 6, 1910




Mr. Alma Wiley - Forest Hill, WV

Dear Comrad,

I received your most welcome letter a few days ago it does me good to 
hear from any of my comrads. I appreciate your letter so much.  I well 
remember you do you remember who made the charge at Cloyd Mountain May 
9, 1864
if my memory serves me right the 12th Ohio & 14th Va. Run through our 
lines & the Rebels come from their Breastworks with a charge & yell at 
us & then were ordered to charge & I called it pretty warm from about 9 
or 10 oclock in the morning til 3 or 4 in evening do you remember about 
us being ordered to lie down and load & then raise up & shoot that was 
when I was wounded across my forehead one of my comrads probably you 
remember him his name was George. W. Bennett thought I was dead he drug 
me to a bear place so as I would not burn. that was when you saw me 
after I come to myself I was hunting for my hat & was also hunting for gun.
I went to Newburn Station where Lieutentant Grossland burned the Bridge 
do you recolect about the rebels having a 100 pound gun shooting at us 
while the bridge was burning?  

Hitting one of our boys with a limb they shot off & tore his leg off 
and run it into the ground. If I remember we marched onto Staunton do you 
recolect about the tobacco we destroyed there also the brandy at that 
brick house when we was foraging.  You asked me if I knew who made the 
charge at Lynchburg on the evening of the 17th - 64 It was our brigade  
I went through the fight that evening alright and was wounded next 
morning by a sharpshooter while I was getting my breakfast  I was stooped 
to put coffee in my bucket when I was shot.  I did not eat anything for 
13 days & nights except a little whiskey gruel.

I cannot decide how many companys went with the battle to Winchester as 
I was sent to Gallipolis to the hospital I cannot say whether my 
company went with the battle or not.  There is only one of our comrads living 
in this county that I know of his name is Wiley Austin of Co. I Perhaps 
you recolect him   If I am living and well I will meet you at Aronton 
at the Reunion.   

Accept my love and give same to all my comrads if any are there.  


Amos Corn Byington, Ohio

Would be glad to hear from you again

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