Shreveport daily news., 1861-07-17
SortL with dispatched Col. Hill, of
he Thirteenth Virginia Infantry,

forthwith dispatched Col. Hill, o
the Thirteenth Virginia Infantry
with three regiments, to Romney-
his own regiment, the Second Ten
nessee, under Col. Vaughan, and tn,
Tenth Virginia, under Col. Gibbons
On the 18th, all the sick were or
dered to be removed from Harper
Ferry, and all the extra baggage
including tents ard cooking utensils
to be sent to Winchester, after pre-
pairing three days food to be take1
with US: This required nearly TWEEN
ty-toor hours. On the morning O.
18th, just at the daydawn, terrific
sound, like the report of Thousand
Columbiads, walked the wearied sol
diers from their slumber, although
most Of the encampments were il
I Bolivar, a mile and half distant
from the ferry. From the point where
the Potomac and Shenandoah rusl
together rose a huge volume of black
smoke bound with spiral column
of red flame, which coiled around i,
like fiery serpent, and weighty
fragments Of burning wood dark ened
the air. The stupendous railroad
bridge across the Potomac was a
charred and scattered ruin. The
bridge at Shepherdstown, twelve
miles, and at Williamsport, thirty
miles above, had been DESTROYED a
day or two before
At 10 o'clock A. N. of TIE same
day I4th) the eight large bull
dings in the Armory Yard were fired,
and having been previously filled
with combustible matter, We're soon
consumed, At 10 NJ. the whole COM
nand, accompanied by the General
and Staff, moved on in the direction
OF Charlestown. We passed through
that place and encamped that nj ght
III q beautiful grove, four miles be-
yond, called Francis's Wood. We
were on the direct load to Winches-
ter.
Some time during the night a cou-
rler came with news that the enemy
had torded the Potomac below Will
iamsport, and were marching on
Martinsburg.
Our route was Immediately chang
ed. and the column put in motion for
Bunker's Hill, a small village twelve
miles on the road to Martinsbure,.
where we pitched our camp, on the
night Of the l5th. On the morninn
Of the 10Th, We We're formed into
line, the baggage wagons in motion. |
and everything in readiness for pros
ecutlng our journey towards Martins
burg, when a bearer of dispatches
ralloped up and stated that the enc
ny were within three miles, Mar
.insburg was ten lriIes off in full
march upon us, with $4,000 Inen.-
Not moment was lost. The bag
,age wagons, with all who had broken
Town during the two previous davs
md were unable 20 DO service. We're
,rdered back on the road to Winches-
er: cartridges were distributed, and
he line OF battle formed. Our whole
Effective force consisted OF 5000
ncn-one company Of cavalry and |
NO batteries Of flying artillery, un-
er Capts. Imbodcn and Aiburts.-
ieader, you should have Witnessed {
hat scene. The sick refused 10 leave, {
nd took their places in the ranks
wild deErious joy irradiated eve 8
V face, and such a shout as one
ears once only in 4 lite time rent ,
ne air. For more than an hour we =
'aited impatiently the encmv's ap- =
roach, but no enemy came. AT =
'st a second messenger arrived, and :
ated that the Federal troops had re- !,
'eated to the Potomac, and would be
n the other side before we could over
Ike them. No further work was left :.
II us in this direction, so with weary !.
mbs and disappointed hopes we took q
p the line of Winchester, where we