The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-01-21

Amy ~ ne v0lbsy~0G0s J0o&Doos
when Gen. JUckSon, as ~ head Of hid
email bat dauntless army, marched nom
Winchester O the arst day Of tie present
ysar, Il might have been regarded . brilliant
achievement, and one worthy Of he tAanks
Of the country, II b. the ART day Of rsbru.
AIRY hs could expsl from Tie limits Of his
military district the Northern invadsrs. Who
had taken possession Of large portion OF Il.
and who had made their ARRANGEMENTS for
wintsriag there. At that time two-thirds OF
the large and wealthy county Of Hampshire.
with the rich vAIiiss Of the South Branch
and Patteroon's Greek, were In their po.sas.
sion. They had for 20 Of 600 inlaotrv n
Romnsy, with good proportion Of cavalry.
and twenty cannon-all protected By strong
ana formid able artificial dsfsnces, T. 900 troops
At Springfield. nine miles distant, and 900
At Green Spring vallsy. sixteen miles from
komnsy. So, in like manner, the entire
county OF Morgan was in the possession or
under the control Of the enemy. where they
had from 800 to 200 infantry, sixty cavalry
and two pieces Of artillery, besides addi
tional forces and cannon At Hancock, ON the
Maryland side Of the river. Here was for.
midable force Of near II 600 men In these two
counties, besides large endorsements at hand
from Cumberland, Piedmont, and Williams
port.
Gen. Jackson's first march was to Morgan,
from which county he promptly ex PEELED the
invaders, as We have heretofore detailed in
our paper. After ensctually acc omplishing
this work, no returned to Unger's-a point
equi.distant from Winchester and Martins.
burg, and about thirty miles from Romney.
Whilst reposing there day or two TO rest
his fatigued soldiers, and to pre- pare for
future operations, the alarm already pro.
duced by his vigorous movements and the
terror 0f his name caused tho enemy in great
haste TO evacuats Romney and retire into
Maryland; and thus in ten days, without
the necessity Of fighting a battle, and after a
few shots from pickets and ambuscades Of
tho enemy, this formidable hostile force was
driven from those two counties, nberattng
every foot Of soil from the Allegheny to the
Blue Ridge from the presence Of the enemy.
Winter campaigns in that china te are not
accom- lished without much suffering, and
Tor several days during the march to Nor
gan and back the wsath er was unusu ally
wintry and rigorous. 1ranspor tation, from
snow and ice, was difficult, and the priva-
tons and exposure OF the troops appalling;
and yet nota murmur escaped tn cir lips
chesrfulnsss animated every heart. Tue
volunteers from the almost tropical Cotton
states WED with those Of moro Northern
climates in patient endurance OF the rikors
OF the winter; but, n0tw outstanding this
cheerful and patient endurance, many a gal
liant spirit sunk under disease, and the sick
list was frighttully increased.
The fruits of this expedition are already
great. Two important counties have been
rescued from tho demoralizng influence of
the Yankee -armies-relieved from their
plundsring and destructive acts of barbaritv
and vlllany, and confidence restored in the
power and ability Of our Government to give
them protection. Large Quantities OF mill.
tary stores have been captured At Batt.
Hancock Depot, and Romney. One Of tho
prisoners, an Orderly Sergeant, taken at
Romney, estimating probably too largely
the valu of the stores left at thai place, SUP.
poses them to be worth half q million or dol.
lars. The Whole line of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad from Harper's Ferry to near
Cumberland, distance Of near one hundred
miles, 10 In our power, and that link Of con.
nection, 80 important to the enemy, will
be shectually destroyed. So, in like manner,
mercy, and Washington City cut on from
all supplies from the West.
But much more rem aims to be done, and
much more piI be done. We shall not antici.
pate tho future movements OF that army, nor
indicate its prospective operations. It IL
the control of a daring and skillful leader.
and we hope before many days to chronicle
achievements as important in their results
as those already accomplished.