Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-05-30
BANKS RETREAT.
Incidents and Particulars.
The only FUN Account Published.

The only FUN Account Publlshed.
tPrOm the Correspondents the New York World,
HAsERsTowH, Nd, May 26.
The sudden descent of the enemV's forces
though realIyea surprise, was mot by man y
means altogether unexpected. Gu
Ewell had been well known to have his
camps still located upon the Shenandoah,
at ElE Run. Jackson was also known to
be IN the valley, upon a road cOmmunica.
ting directly with our own position, and
johnson was also near by, having butla
ly attacked the advance guard Of General
Fremont.
Situated as these forces were in relation
to our position, II seemed more than likely
that we should be assailed by them, weak
ened as we were by, the untimely with
0rawal of General Fremont. Many were in
| constant expectation of attack, aud Il re-
quires but the slightest intelligence to per-
ceiVe that the column of General Banks
was desperately exposed. H
When, therefore, the slst Maryland, sta
toned at the head of the Luray Valley, at
the other end of which EWell was known to
be enc1mped, was first ascertaiued to have
been attacked andso disastrously overpow.
cred, 1t Was only result which, it would
appear, might have been easilyi foreseen
and prevented. fia
The attack Of the enemy, although fore
seen, was not expected at the time it was
made, and his approach was not observed
until he war upon as.
He did not come directly through the
Luray valley, though bis pfckets thrown
out through that part and-the position of
his camp would have suggested that that
would have been his plan of attack.
He descended upon The little force at
Front Royal through the narroWj gorges
which run parallel with it down between
the ranges of hills beyond
His appearance was sudden, and, cutting
Immediately the telegraph wiresyand de-
stroying the railroadbriiges on either side,
be prevented the transmission of dispatch
es and the sending of reinforceuients.-
Thus, completely cut of, did the Maryland
regiment maintain. themselves against tho
| three brigades of the rebel Ewell until they
were completely surrounded, DESTROYED or
captured. = GtFif r .1ttsst
My conversation. with several of those
engaged in that fearful massacre confirms
the worst of the terrible statements in re-
gard to the inhumau ferocity Of tue rebel
soldiers.
Wounded men without doubt were
pierced with bayonets, and the bodies of
our Geau Iuuuta'eu suu uesecreted oy an
abandoned and unmeretfql soldiery.
"ShoW the Id Yankees nolquartsT,H =
was the cry, and men were heard-to. say,
skill them (the Wouuded), we can't carry
them" ry- 4Fs gs f.iy
THIS is of piece with an affair occu Stiug
! but mile from where was myself stop
ping upon the same day. A company of
the same force crossed the mountains and
came down TO the banks of the north branch
/ of the Shenandoah, and, finding three men
I. bathing in the rivera lieutenant of ar
til!ery, private, and negro servant
fred from a secluded position a full volley
of mnsketry upon them nd the private,
pierced with three bullets, fell upon the
brink of the river, crying, MY God, my
God, am killed. Write to my mother,
lieutenant" -zrFq= sr-
The lieutenant and negro escaped by, all
most a miricle to camp, their naked bodies
scratched and lRcerated with thorus aud
bushes and the lieutenant with q slight
wound from a nusket ball in his leg. What
a contrast between this and the conduct of
our soldiers at the battle of Winchester,
who kindly placed the wounded of the
rebels in the midst of the fight against a
tree or wall,Or hay stack aud gave them
The few who escaped at the battle Of
Front Royal from the enemy surrounding
| them were surely saved $50 us by FIRE. I"
Upon the same night a force was sent
out from Strasbufg, ,sby the road which
branches from the main turnptke near
MiddletOwu toward Front Royal, aud pro-
| cee1ed as far as Cedarville.