Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
Undated
May 1862

Franklin, Va., May 19

Reports from General Cox, from the Kanawha district are favorable.

The battle of Princeton was, according to these reports, a severely contested engagement, but we were decidedly victorious. The town, which had been taken by the enemy, was retaken by Cox, though the force which held it was considerably the superior of that which General Cox could bring against it.

There are, as yet, no details of the contest. It is only known that the enemy was driven out and that the loss on both sides is severe.

The headquarters of the Mountain Depart are now at this place. The guerilla parties in this region are tolerably active; but our cavalry are continually on their tracks, and the bushwhackers lead an uneasy life.

A few days ago a train with four officers and some convalescent soldiers was attacked by guerillas, between Morefield [sic] and Petersburg, and the whole party was killed or captured, except one surgeon, who got away, and brought in a report of the affair.

Lieutenant-Colonel Downey, who was sent after the bushwhackers with a guard of men, reports to-day that he got on the trail of their party, overtook them, killed their captain and three men, wounded a number, and took twelve prisoners. Lieutenant-Colonel Downey and his party did not receive a scratch. Thus, one more band of guerillas is broken up.

Matters in Western Virginia, notwithstanding the reported success of Gen. Cox, wear an alarming appearance. Elizabethtown, the county seat of Wirt county, within a few miles of the Ohio river, has been burnt by the rebels, also the post village of Burning Springs, in the same neighborhood. Palatine, in Marion county, adjoining the Pennsylvania line, has also been destroyed by the guerillas. In fact they seem to swarm west of the mountains to within a short distance of Wheeling. Gen. Fremont seems to be peculiarly unfortunate in having this class of difficulties to deal with, as Western Virginia to-day seems to be in the same situation as Missouri during the "hundred days."- He, of course, is not responsible for the "situation" in either case, and it must chafe a man of his temperament to be annoyed and harassed by gangs of wretched bushwhackers when his honorable ambition is to meet armies in the field. The rebels are evidently determined to do their guerilla fighting in Virginia, as it is not practicable in any of the other rebel States.-
N. Y. World

If Palatine, Marion county, has been destroyed by guerillas, we don't know it here in Wheeling, and we have pretty direct communication with that place.

Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: Undated: May 1862