Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-06-07

scrupulous enemy, who had the whole State
filled with his spies, and that enemy thro'
information derived FROM the polls has been
made aware of every opponent of State
Rights, and his location. It would have
been just as wise to have furnished Abra-
ham Lincoln with list of his friends in
Virginia their names. locality and show
ing where he could find aid and comfort
among US. The noble old State has gone
by a majority Of some 100000 for Secs
sion, but Lincoln has been told by the pre-
tended lovers of popular supremacy that
one little corner Of our State is by heavy
majorities opposed to her sovereignty, and
that too Oh its border most exposed to in-
vaSion.
By that fatal vote on Ratification, the re-
cord Of the North West shows Mr. Lincoln
the names of his friends. and bow quickly
has he availed himself Of the Information
His armies are already there, and our brave
defenders-our own sons and brothers, are
in imminent danger The latest intelli-
gence from that quarter informs us that our
little force at Grafton hare been compelled
to retreat from that place to Phillippi, be :
fore superior numbcrs Of the Northern for
ecs. thus leaving the 1}al,imore and Oh,
Rail Road from Wheeling nearly TO Har-
por's Ferry in undi~puted possession Of the
our men were surprised and driven from
Phillippi. with the loss of e vera iives.
many arms and all their stores. and that
they have now retrcated 10 beverly; in
Randolph county. Tbis news is somewhat
mitigased by the intelligence that by a
brave stand Of Capt Moomaw's company,
and perhaps others, in a wood SOME two
miles from Phillippi, the enemy were sur-
priced in turn, and driven back with great
loss Five of our men are said to have beea
killed, and about sixty or eighty Of the en-
emy in the conflict. But we have lost our
position and the loss of arms and provis-
ions must have left our little force IN bad
condition. There is an old saying that holds
good ia all the affairs Of life, but especi-
ally in war, that ''whatever is worth doing
at all, is worth doing we'll IF our North
Western border is not TO be given up to the
Northern enemy. surely some efficient rein-
farcements should be sent there at once
We are Informed that the condition Of our
heartening. With no artillery, and not
more than ten rounds of powder for the
small a M S, GU. men too, raw ard undls
cipined, and badly Differed. Ore Of the
brave men who brought the news Of the re-
treat from Phillippi, expresses the convic-
zion that wcl-appointed force Of $500
men could master in sheir mountain passes
any namoer that might be sent a 6 al s t
! them.
/ We appeal to our ruIers to know whether
! the protection of the loyal men of our Dor
der. and the relief from alarm and the dan.
ger Of incursions. Of those further 10 the in
terror would not justify such force in the
Northwest, and another of the same size In
the West Our fighting men have been
drawn from among Us to the East and to
/ Harper's Ferry, SO as to leave all West
/ Virginia in very defcnceless condition. -
Will not this fact, without more vigilance
on the part of the War Department, invite
our invasion, or at least expose our popu-
lation to alarm and panic? We hope the
able heads Of our War Department Will
have an eye to these things.