The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-09-04
Correspondence uf the News.
Lett from the 90 h Ohio.

lCOrreSpchdehCe ut the News.
Lett from the COL Ohio.
WINCHESTER, Va, August "a 1862
DEAR NEWS. i don't know that
can write anything that would interest
your readers, but [ will essay an effort.
The daily routine is about the same
as usuaI-a heavy detail of men for
work on fnrtifcations, guardmouuting,
&c, after which the Provost Marshal
receives calls from those Of our South
ern brethren who may wish passes to
90 out side of our picket lines In or.
der to get pass, each applicant has
first to take the oath Of allegiance, and it
is astonishing with what celebrity some
take the prescribed oath whose former
proclivities were decidedly "Secesh. :"
| begin to hope that the day is not far
the IF. F. VS." may possibly get along
with each other in peace, althou gh, Of
course, to some Of them the idea is per.
fectly horrid Of associating with the
mud .sils." Winchester, in times Of
peace, judging from present appearon.
ces has been very pretty town. The
streets are lined with beautiful shade
trees, and great care and pride is taken
by the citizens to keep them in
good order. The people are un'ifully
supplied with the best of water from a
reservoir, and on every square are one
or more public hydrants, besides Sire
plugs" The town in tine Of peace was
lit by gas, but the works are suspend
ed, during the stay of the RUTHLESS in.
vaders." Near the depot may be seen
the ruins of block of buildings burnt
by Banks, in his famous retreat from
this place. In one of these buildings
were Banks Commissary stores, and not
being able to remove them he was fore
ed to burn the building, rather than to
let them fall into the hands Of "Stone.
wal" and his gallant" crew. One Of
the buildings, however, (I omitted to
mention) was burnt by some New York
cavalry, of Banks division, under the
following circumstances. One of their
number entered the building at night to
"con6scate" some oats for his horse,
when the private watchman on duty
shot him dead, His comrades, on
learning this, set fire to the building,
and would allow no one to interfere in
removing the goods or stopping the
fre-till nothing bot the foundation
and walls remained to tell the story
These of the citizens who are disposed
tn talk anyWise reasonable, admit that
Banks made a good fight here, and
masterly retreat, Winchester, your
readers will probably recollect, furnish,
ed the company which undertook to capt
uro the Harper's Ferry Arsenal and met
with so signal a failure. They probably
would have succeeded in their traitorous
designs, had it not been for a Union
man of this place, who sent word across
the country by borseman, informing
the commander at Harper's Ferry of the
expedition. The "Secesh" afterwards
discovered that he was the cause of their
discontinue, and after receiving nu.
merous indiguities at their hands, he fed
to Maryland, There were three COM
paDies raised in this town for the "Con-
federate" army, composed mostly of
students then attending College here,
There are still great many young men
loafng about tho town, who ought to
eight bleed and die" on one side or
the other. There are others in town
who have been in the army, but have
been taken prisoners and paroled or
discharged There is little boy here
who went with one of the "secosh"
companies as drummer. He was in the
the battle Of Manassas, aud there had
the misfortune to lose one Of his legs.
One of tho 6rst things noticeable to a