Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-07-10
PHE VIRGINIA BATTLES.

The details Of the skirmishes near Martins
burg, Va, begin to reach US in e somewhat
authentic form It Will be seen by the follow
ing, from several articles in the Richmond
Dispatch, that, although no decisive battle had
been fought, tie confederate forces had Sc
cured a highly ,dvantsgeous position, and that
the abolition fo'ces were in great peril. We
quote from the Dispatch Of the 7th:
It turns out tlat CadwsIIader OF Patterson
Cor both, as the ease may be,O did not Tecross
The Potomac, put followed JOhnston's adj
vanced force, under General Jackson, until it
effected a iuuCtin with tie main body Of the
confederate forces a few miles south of Mar
tinsburg. That town is in Berkeley county,
upon the BaltimGe and Ohio railroad, ten or
twelve miles from the Potomac, and twenty
miles north Of Winchester. Tn federalists,
according TO the nost reliable information we
have, (and IL cones straight enough to be
credited, we belisre,) at once assailsd the en-
tire force under bhTstOn, ard were repuised
with severe loss. Thrice did they try to drive
hin from his position with the like defeat, and
the last time Johnston pursued them into Mar
tiDsbuTg, where, having Outlanked them, be
held them st last accounts. The statement
further is that he had given notice to the citi-
zens Of his intention to fall upon the enemy
there, in order tha, the women and children
might escape.
This is all that has come TO hand. This, as
we say, is verbal; bat then il is from gentle
men who are highly -espectabls and who re-
port that it came to Winchester in a very
straight and creditabs manner.
We are al anxiety to hear that CadWallader,
or Patterson, Whichever be may have been, is
nearer TeinfOrcements ban Johnston. We see
that Stone, with three thousand FIVE hundred men
was looked for In the neighb0Thood Of HarpeT's
Ferry, twenty miles oily from Martinsburg,
on bis way to unite With the federalists at
Martinsburg. A little delay might bring aid
TO them. But Gen. johnston is too great a
stratFgjst to allow any time 10 elspse before
a%vailiDg himself to TIE fullest extent Of his
advantage. A passenger states that the militia
of the region thereabout were assembling and
a considerable force Of them would likely ar
rive in good time to join Gen. Johnston.
LATER-PATTERsoE N A Tar Lx-Gov.
Lowe, Of Maryland, arrived in our city yes
teTday afternoon, from winchester, by the
Central cars. He states that on entering the
stage at Winchester, on Thursday evening,
reliable intelligence was received from Mar
tinsbuTS to the effect that General Johnston's
command had engaged the forces OF the
United States, estimated at 10000, at a
place called Darkville, three miles this
side Of haTtinsbuFg-that General Johnston
bad TepUissd them three times with great loss
on their side, although their number largely
exceeded bic. General Patterson is supposed
to have been in command Of the federal troops.
Gen. Johnston succeeded in driving them back
10 MISUNDERSTANDING them and getting
between them and the river, intercepted their
retreat.
From the topography OF the country at and
around MaTtinsburg, the federal army is thus
held IN d trap, ana between tho upper and ne
Their milistones OF johnson and Besuregard,
who will doubtless grind them to powder, I'M
less the federal commander has judged "discre-
tlon 10 be the better part Of v%sllor," and sur
rendered.
An order had been received at Martins5urs
from Gen. Johnston, to remove the women anC
children.
It was not known by our informant what
was the extent OF the loss on either side. VIZ
shall doubtless have full particulars to day.