New-York daily tribune., 1861-06-20
VIRGINIA REFUGEES In MARYLAND.
THEIR SuFFERINsS AND THEIR INDIGNATION
EVACUATION OF HARpER'S FERRY
It's Causes and Incidents.
From Our Special Correspondent.

Forward, MarCnl 1b lne uTutT NOudY. Wpio
write, in the early hours of this still and lovely Sum-
mer Sabbath Day, the camp of the brigade which ar
iyed here Yesterday from Greencastle s all in
zion, striking tents and packing wagons preparatory to
the invasion Of " the sacred soilP of Virginia.
The chvaly having fed in such hot haste from their
hn3regnable stronghold, Harper's Ferry, the only
chance Of charging them is to push on precpitatey
and hence the sudden order to the Potomac. Ii
may be a necessary move of strategy In the altered
condition OF affairs, but from all accounts the Timber
legged Rebels are too far ahead be oyertaken, and
they are not likely make stand anywhere this SIDE
of Manassas Junction. We hear they are at Win
chester nt all reports are indefinite and uncertain for
communication has been almost entirely cnt oil for
some days mast with Virginia. Last night L saw an
Obj gentleman tthe young and abe-bodied men have all
He'd or have been imprisoned or pressed into the Rebel
eryicel lust from Martnsburg twelve miles south of
this place. and his information is the latest received
He Gays no Rebel troops are in Berkeley County, ex
eept one company just mustered at Martnsburg, and
that he thinks left before night, they bad pressed
two wagons into their service for carrying baggage
He saw no soldiers on his way here.
think there can be no doubt that the sudden evacua
ion of Harpers Ferry was the result Of alarm and not
through strataeem or design, to make q combined
movement against Washington, rs some persons inn
sgine. They certainly had report at Harpers Ferry,
last Thursday that Gen. Patttrsons column had then
reached this point and crossing the river, and
also that Gen Mcclellan column was advancing on to
Winchester from Romney. These facts L learn from
reliable source and they noty generally known
The fear of being hemmed in overcame the indomi-
table valor of which they have boasted loudly, and
"a rumor and fear magned forces they wisely re-
treated This appears to be the explanation of
el,a, itota is a
their making head against Gen. McClellans column,
CD the mountains if be is now moving on from Cum
berland or Romney and if his advance force is small,
they NAV endanger it before reach it from
the West or from Gen. Patterson's column. l shall
not be surprised 10 bear Of collision in the mountains,
though think they are running from and not toward
m enemy.
The troops had q hot march yesterday, but bore it
we'll though some gave out the road and left the
ranks TO follow up they could. AL reached camp
before night.
Yes,erday u small lot muskes and ahovSi,zer were
ssixed at Funksown and a small nest of Secessonss,
three miles below Hsgerstown. They have had arms,
while the Union men here had none.
There are probably one hundred Virginia refugees
and deserters from Harper's Ferry at this place. |
have conyersed with a number of them, and learned
many interesting particulars Of their personal expert.
ences of violence and persecution from the Rebel
troops and SecessioIsts of their own neiehborhood
These will form chapter for future historians and
shroniclers Of the incidents Of the war; stirring in
interest if not so bloody, those Of olden time in
4be civil wars of England and the border strife Of Scot
hand. Union men were subjected 10 gross abuses;
they were all disarmed and robbed o. every weapon
of wbateverkih they possessed rifles pistols and shot
guns. They were pressed into the service of the
Rebels imprisoned driven from their homes and
IRE reported to have been hung. They robbed Of
provisions, and their property taken and used without
permission or compensation. Their houses were
searched and ransacked and many fed foT their lives
III the dead Of night escaping narrowly only by hiding
IN wheat fields and tbckets till they reached the Po
touac, which, being at high stage of water some
days ago, they had TO swim get on logs, the
boats on the Virginia side having been seized by the
Secessionists. Some left their families and large
property unprotected while others left their families
not only unprotected, but without any of sup
port. Many who pressed into the service of the
Rebels were poor men whose families in desti-
fute condition, and much suffering has ensued.
The men have seen who have escaped are bitter
In their feelings toward their prosecutors, and
vengeance against them. They especially excited
sgninst the Secessionss of their county for in
sulting and betraying them to the rebel soldiers
They have lists of these traitors whom they have
marked for punishment. Each of the refugees has his
own particular grievance TO redress and all have their
special objects of revenge "spotted" l have never
seen 20 determined expression of revengefu spirit,
under sense of being the victims Of outrageous wrong
among any set of men, and if they not restrained
by the strong arm Of military authority there will be
some bloody work in Virginia. "Coercion" has no
meaning now for these exasperated men; they 60 for
exermnaton Of the Of traitors. Serious sensible,
and respectable say emphatcsly, that their vio-
lent and treacherous neghbors longer live in
the same community with them-hey must die or fly
The malignant spirit and tyrannical principles of Se
eessionism have been brought out with such unblush
ing and cruel ferocty that they foswear all fellowship
with them as frends-famies and old neghbors will |
be forever separated. One gentleman Of high standing
from Virginia referred TO this result among his own
neghbors and relatives with deep emotions of sorrow.
He considered retribution certain He thought many
would move off South with their families and negroes,
immediately, and there were numbers among them Of
his old friends and kindred he expected to
again.
The destruction Of the railroad bridges dams locks,
and canal boats which millions Of dollars will not re-
place, they regard 80 wanton and atrocious that
there h but voice upon the subject of the policy of
confscaon Of the property Of the Secession traitors,
which is demanded as just retibutiou, which shall
make the losses of loyal private citizens good and 10
pay the expenses of the
At the same time that the bridges a. Hsrper's Ferry
and Shepardstawn were destroyed, two more bridges
were burned on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the
Cspsn Bridge, over Capen River, 10 miles above Han