Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-05-30

road communication with Richmond, at new
and important point and will undoubtedly
tend to the discontinue of the rebels.
Maj. Gen. Mcdowell and aid spent the day
in the city, and after q protracted interview
with the President and Secretary of War. re-
turned to Fredericksburg.
The above item about Gen. Porter, doubt
less refers to the capture Of Hanover G. H.
MoCLELLAN's HEADQUARTERS,
May 1880 p. N.
10 Stanton, Secretary of War:-I find
that some of the newspapers publish let
ters from their correspondents with this army,
giving important information concerning our
movements, position of troops, &C., in positive
violation Of your orders. AS it is impossible
for me TO ascertain who these anonymous
writer's are, | beg to suggest that another Or
DER be published, holding the editors tespon-
sible for its information.
[Signed] G. B. MCCLELLAN, Maj. Gen.
NEW YORK, May %.
Sick and wounded men, who escaped from
Strasburg, say that the rebels deliberately at
tackled our sick, firing into the ambulances
and upon our fainting men, by the way side,
killing, in cold blood, men incapable of making
any resistance The traitors displayed q
white flag with black bars.
A letter from Union prisoner at Rich
mond, dated May lst describes with graphic
force, the terrible barbarities inflicted on our
troops now in rebel hands,
New YORK, May %.
The Herald has pretty full accounts Of
Banks retreat, from its correspondents. But
100 men out of 800 or 900 engaged, escaped
from the Front Royal fight. Forty of our
sick soldiers were captured at Newton. One
named David Dickinson, of Goth Ohio, was
killed in the skirmish of Saturday, The Yer
mont and Maine cavalry suffered severely.
Go. A, of the Vermont cavalry, were all cap
tured, lost or killed, except Capt. Plat, his
Lieutenant and half dozen others, who made
their escape. Maj. Collins is among the cap
tured, and Maj. Sawyer, whose horse fell under
him and injured his foot, made his escape
without further injury.
During the Sunday fight, which continued
two hours, before the retreat from Winches-
ter, Donelly's troops behaved admirably and
repulsed the enemy, but being outfanked by
superior numbers they were compelled to
withdraw. Our force, Donelly's brigade on
the left and Gordons on the right, were in
position along gorge, between two hills. The
enemy are said to have fought WE'LL at one
point they came up IN large hollow square,
single file on the front and back, and double
on the sides. Marching up thus in good or.
der to within certain distance, they were
commanded to halt, fix bayonets and charge,
which they did in good order.
| Col. Gordon and staff are safe also Gen.
Williams and staff. While retreating through
Winchester women from houses opened fire
with pistols on our soldiers and killed q great
many of them. Lieut.. Brown, Of the 18th
New York, is said to have been killed.
Col. Knife, of the 46th Pennsylvania, was
wounded and taken prisoner. Col. Murphey,
of the 10th Pennsylvania, was killed, and
many others. The column retreated in good
order, pursued by the enemy beyond Mar
tinsburg. The baggage train proceeded as
far as the Potomac and many of the teams
have been conveyed across on ferry boats
The operator at Martinsburg had left
the town on the first rumor of q battle al
Winchester and taken the instruments with
him. The whole town seemed deserted The
stores were closed. Many Union people and
negroes come along with US. Gen. Banks
was in the rear of the retreat and shell ex.
ploded only 4 feet from him, fortunately
without njuring him. Winchester is report
ed to have been burned. The enemy has
stationed force at Berryville to prevent our
retreating towards Harper's Ferry, and We
were compelled to take the road to Martins
burg.
New YORK, May %.
The Baltimore american, of the 9th, says
Gen. Banks has already received reinfore
ment of $4,000 well disciplined troops, al
Harper's Ferry. Several car loads of seige
guns, each weighing about six tons, have also
been sent up from the Washington navy yard
In one of the trains for Harper's Ferry
was Assistant Secretary of War, Watson, and
Gen. Hamilton and staff, Of the regular army
FoRr MoNRoE, May u.
The Norfolk Day Book, which was allowed
to continue its issue, by Gen. Viele, after the
occupation of Norfolk, on condition that il
should be respectful in its tone, was, to-day
suppressed, in consequence Of a communica'
ton in yesterdays paper, signed Enquirer u
which, in severe language, assails those
Union citizeus who have taken the oath of al
legiance to the United States. A meeting
was held last night, in which the course Of
the paper was discussed, and a committee
having waited upon Gen. Viele, and stated
their request that the paper should be stop
ped, he acquiesced, and the orderiwas issued
this morning.
Boston, May %.
Gov. Andrews has issued an order reliev.
ing the militia, who rallied in obedience to
the proclamation of Monday, and they arr
returning to their homes, except such as vol
unteered for three years, or the war, The
men, generally, expected to serve three or
six months, not knowing that an act of Con
gress required the service for an indefinite
period. - -....--
BEsoKE CoR1NrH, May ~.
/ Gen. Halleck has issued an order prohib-
iting skirmishing Pickets on each side are
Fnow frequently within conversing distance
which they improve Last night five rebels
including one sergeant, came over our lines
Our forces are within two miles of the rebel
works, and in some places our heavy guns
are within battering distance, but the dense
woodland, intervening prevents either party
from opening fire.
Sickness in their army is fearful and in
creasing, while ours is rapidly improving.
| Their officers have sent all their baggage
and personal effects to Grand Junction.
D. c. Stoover, the stock swindler, leaves
indianapolis to-day, with guard for New
York. He is not very communicative, and
says he used all the blanks he had and can
not tell without examining books how much
spurious stock has been issued.
A number Of companies of the Indiana
Legion were arriving at Indianapolis to guard
prisoners.
The Sixtieth Indiana regiment, Col. Owen,