Litchfield enquirer., 1862-06-12
Army Correspondence. :.
CAMP NEAR WMLIAMsPoRT, Md, June 2d, 1862,

DEAR ENQUIRER Perhaps g detailed ac- count of the memorable retreat of our division of the army from the Valley of the Shenando- ah, and the battle of the 25th ult., may not be uninteresting to your readers. Your correspon- dent was on detached service at Strasburg, when the appalling news came of the utter rout of Col. Kenly and his Spartan band of Maryland CTS at Front Royal, and then other reports of companies from the other regiments being cut off. This was on Friday the 23d. At midnight, was aroused from sound sleep by the alarm that the enemy had cut us off from Winchester, and that our forces would move immediately. Salying forth, found the town wild with ex. citement, and all sorts of rumors rife. Horse men were gallopipg to and fro, and wagon trains moved rapidly along, betokening sudden move. The regiments were ordered to strike and pack tents at o'clock, @. m., and passed through town at day. y.break. Following at the distance of 6 few miles, I observed piles of knapsacks along the road, each watched by sentinel and crossing the bridge at Cedar Creek, which was burned by the rebels during our pursuit of Jack son after his defeat at Winchester, observed near it the Zeuaves D. 'Afriques with their quaint oriental costume, formerly Gen. Banks body guards,) waiting to burR it when all our troops and wagons should have passed safely over. At this point parted from two friends, officers of I panions so far on the road, they stopping to get dinner, while pressed on.
 Several attacks were made upon the wagon by guerilla bands of cavalry, occasionally caus' ing panic, but without doing much damage. l observed several fat-boats, which had been mounted on wheels, and resembled the secesh wagons quite closely. Later in the day, l no ticed one of the drivers of these unique vehi. cles, who had lost his boat and load, but brought off the anchor in triumph. One or two of the boats were filled with negroes, men, women and children but whether belonging to the Guar ter Master or Commissary Departments, l am unable to say.
 At Newtown saw sad spectacle. Several sick men were in advance of the main body, having started early, in order to reach their journeys end in season. While resting in New town, they were fired upof by the rebels, and one of them was instantly killed. Poor fellow He had his sick furlough in his pocket, and the smile on his face was as placid as if he had gone to his long home with the thought of his earthly home and wife and children, perhaps he hoped so soon to behold, uppermost in his dy- ing thoughts. But his furlough was longer than he supposed-the endless furlough from earth's troubles and dangers. The most hardened to scenes of blood looked saddened as they left the little shanty where he lay.
 l tle OuLSklrtS Ol W luCueSIeF, tHo troops filed off to the right, while the baggage wagons were sent on through the town. Our regmental train left us after we had rationed out few crackets and some coffee, and we then learned to our great discontinue, that all the knapsacks Id been taken. All the little con- | forts and conveniences which the boys had been collecting for year, with blankets, clothing, and In many cases, money, were thus lost at one blow. Fortunately, however, the Zouaves burn ed a large number of them.
 There was no alternative but to make ourselves miserable in the long damp grass, with scarcely any fuel except boards which We tore from a neighboring fence. From the constant popping of the muskets of the pickets, and the answering fire of the enemy's advance, and from the fact, that the next day was the Sabbath, anticipated a battle in tue morning, but was hardly prepared for the sudden and startling manner in which it was opened. We were lying about, some smok- ing, some making coffee, or endeavorng to mas ticate frugal breakfast of hard bread, others warming the chills ot night from their limbs when the batteries on both sides opened fire, and shot and shell came bowling and hissing into our very midst. For moment there was confusion, and every man looked out for himself; then the com, mand to fall in' was given, and the Fifth form ed line under fire with the precision of veterans. Then came shower of bullets from an unseen foe, and advancing steadily in line until we got sight of the enemy, we poured destructive vol ley into them at easy pistol range. The colors of the regiment immediately opposed to us, were twice shot away, and I have since heard that it was badly cut to pieces. Our men are well arm ed, and took cool and deliberate aim, while many of Meir shots were at random. In the meantime the shot and shell from both sides hurtled over over us and on every side as far as our line ex- tended. The air rang with peals of musketry and the shouts of the cembatants. Having driven the regiment opposed to us behind a stone wall, and not being strong enough to drive them out at the point of the bayonet, we retreated in line across the field, and ourselves took refuge behind a wall, where we remained 8 long time target for the enemy's artillery practice. The sport was exciting, though somewhat dangerous. A man would get up to take observations, when the warning cry would be given, "There comes an- otherv' and bang would go a shell, or whiz, a round shot just over his head scarcely giving him time to duck. Occasionally few bullets would stray along by way of variety. It was interest ing to watch the effects of the shot and shell, sometimes hurrowing like badgers in the earth, sometimes looping off the branches of 8 tree, or bursting and scattering dirt, stones and bits of iron about. I have heard of people calculating the direction of such missiles, but whenever un- dertook such speculatlons, was invariably over- Whelmed with the conviction that they were com ing exactly in my direction, and was very glad to keep close until they had passed by. The right wing having been overwhelmed by numbers, fell back, and orders were given us to retreat, which we did by company, and in good order, forming a new line near the city. We, then marched by the flank in the direction of the pike, but 1t became evident that we were cut off, and turning into the fields we made the best of our way for the river. For over thirty miles we pressed on through ploughed lead swamps, wheat fields, forests and by-roads, wading brooks and struggling through thickets and up steep banks, without any rest or halt to speak of, and often on the road heard rumors that the enemy had cut us off. It was late in the evening when the advance reached the river at Dam No. 4, and in most exhausted state, l assure you, having marched forty three miles over rough road, af- ter battle and almost without food. Incredible as it may seem, some of the wounded walked the whole distance rather than fall into the hands of the enemy. By one o'clock our troops were fer ried over, and were sleeping away their fatigue on the cold hill sides. I understand from good authority, that Gen. Banks gave our regiment and the 18th New York up for lost, and in fact he or dered some stragglers to report to the officers of the 46th Pennsylvania.
 Our loss in missing is quite severe, and many prisoners must have been taken. We lament the loss of Capt. Belts, Lieut. Rice Acting Or. Master, and Dr. BisseIl, 2d Assistant Surgeon, from whom we have not heard a word as yet. The two officers of the 45th, to whom referred, were last seen by me at the bridge, and were probably captured, as the wagon train immedi- ately behind us was cut of and compelled to go N kl-. I I.