Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-06-19
ARMY CORRESPONDENTS.
SnENANDoAH VALLEY, SIGEL's DIVISION
NEAn FRONT ROYAL. June 6, 1862.

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siesta in the secession city of Fredericksburg,
Va, of which town the 1929 N. Y, (to which
regiment, whose laurels are yet growing, have
The distinguished honor to belong had been
appointed provost guard, under Gen. Double.
day, we received the news of Banks "skedad-
ole from winchester, and were Immediately
ordered to Harper's Ferry. Soon after our ar
rival there the town was evacuated by our for
ces and the inhabitants -heavy siege pieces
were dragged up the Maryland heights. and
every preparation made for a desperate strug-
gle in case the enemy should attempt to cross
the river. The confedcrates under Irimble and
Ewall were intrenched behind the Blue Ridge
commanding Harpcr's Ferry and the 1O2d N.
y, and Sd Maryland held the post of honor in
front, with orders to hold the railroad bridge to
the Maryland side at all hazards. 1t was at
this time when Gen. Saxton was holding the
combined forces of Ewall and Trimble at bay,
when we were occupied day and night shelling
the rebel intrenchments, and when the enemy
would certainly have crossed and perhaps
pushed on to Baltimore, had it not been for the
Potomac 10 loaming torrents and rendered for
ding impossible then it was the public were
informed that lIarper's Ferry was in no dam
ger! Verify the newspapers don't know every
thing. Finding they could make no crossing
the enemy retired, and Gen. Sigel having ar
rived with reinforcements we have been pur-
suing them by forced marches to this place but
have rot yet found them.
The advent of Gen. Sigel in the this valley
has inspired the troops with new confidence.
Banks though liked as man is known to be
deficient in Military skill. His "masterly re-
treat" from Winchester was neither more or
less than rout. But he had a cunning enemy
to deal with in Jackson, and his forces had been
sized man, of not very prepossessing appear
ance, and dresses palmer than any general in
the army. His great fault is working his men
too hard. After three days carrying guns and
heavy ammunition to height of over a thous-
and feet, we marched from Harper's Ferry to
Winchester in most terrific storm which lasted
without intermisson during the two days we
were on the road. The turnpike rendered al
most impossible by the the artillery, and swol-
len streams, breast deep, was strewn with KNAPP
sacks, blankets and overcoats, and at the first
nights halt our poor fellows lay in the road,
most of them with no covering but the clouds,
which pouring floods of rain formed most un-
comfortable bed-quIt. Few regiments take
any tents into the field, and we are destitute Of
even one for the hospital. Nothing shows the
unconquerable energy Of our men more than
their endurance of such trials as this to which
the terrors of the battle field offer no COM
parison
Our march through Winchester was a fine
sight,-the bands playing "Yandee Doodle"
and the amirble ladies who fired pistols and
threw aquatortis on our retreating army, scowl-
ing from the windows. They evidently did not
like the tune A few Union ensgns were dis
played and some dirty white handkerchiels as
flags of truce. Winchester, situated in the
heart of this garden of Virginia, has the char
acterstc traits of all the towns have seen in the
state-flth and dilapidation. The streets are
narrow and ill-paved ard the house es generally
mean looking. The women who are about the
only inhabitants, are neither intelligent or
handsome, and are evidently addicted to snuff
chewing. But though deficient in personal
charms they are chock-full of what goes in the
South by the name Of patriotism. So are all
the dear creatures through Dixie Whether
engaged in the aristocratic amusement of spit
ting in our soldiers faces, (as have seen them
do at Fredericksburg,) or as angels of mercy in
cutting the throats of our wounded men as they
have done at Winchester; they are animated
by the same pure patriotic motives. l lose pa
tence when think of the continued insults
we receive from the unsexeG women of the
South, and the rosewater clemency which
court-martials starving soldier for capturing a
fowl or struggling porker!
Fresh meat being scarce, our boys used to
take some secession hogs, and by an easy pro-
cas- convert them into tender pork, and at every
encampment the screams of dying porkers filled
the air. But this is now forbidden, and with
the exception of fences used as frewood all
kinds of property is held sacred. 1t is the
opinion of the undersigned that this kind Of
concliation is 'played out" especially in thi'
section, where we have been so barbarously
treated.
Deserters from the rebel camps, who are pro
badly spies, keep coming within our lines, anC
although they do not look much like princes
we take scripture advice and "put no trust il
them"
There are not so mans oontrabands in th
section as further South. At Frederick sburl
they are constantly shipping them to Washing
ton, via Acquia Creek. On the boat by whicl
| came to Washington were some eighty, mos
of them women, many of whom had children
of various degrees of color. In the afternoon
they favored us with plantation dance, thougl
not the most decorous, riyalled all the efforts 0
Dan Bryant in that lie. The negroes in th
towns occupied by our troops are very imperti
nant to their former lords and mistresses,-st
much so as at times to need checking. Lieut.
Jones and myself rescued a couple of secession
damsels from darkey insult short time since
The ladies were profuse in their thanks, bu
lamented with tears the absence of their boys
under whose rule such thing would not hav,
happened These girls were good specimens o