Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-09-19
tcorre.pOndeuee oftho PhiIadslphiA Inquirsr)'
GREENcAsrLE. n. Sept. u, l962.

Correspondence Of the Philadelphia InGuirsr.l
GnEExCAsrLE, Pa, Sept. 10, 1862,
Sunday evening Colonel Miles, being ig-
norant of all that was taking place ia the
direction of Frederick, gave directions, or
liberty rather, to his cavalry, consisting of
the Twelfth Illinois, Eighth New York,
four companies of the Third Maryland, aud
squadron of the First Rhode Island, iu all
about sixteen hundred, to cut their way
out. ~ Att
They had been in saddle all day, exposed
to the artillery FIRE of the rebels. but ut 8
o'clock in the evening, piloted by man
who knew the locality, they decended the
Bolivar Heights, crossed the pontocn
bridge, took uufrequented roads and cir
cuitons paths among the mountains towards
Sharpsburg. The calvacade was two miles
long. AT ShRrpsbnrg they were fired upon
by the rebal pickets, who Immediately flel
on giving the alarm, frightened by the sud
| den appearance of such force, coming
they knew not from whence.
| Passing Sharpsburg they came upon
| level lands, but avoided the roads and
struck through farms and corn field to-
wards Hagerstown, crossing the HAgerstoWn
ADD WilliamspOrt turnpike about three
miles out of Williamsport, whore the road
from Mercersburg joins it. Il was about
four o'clock in the morning when the head
of the column reached the turnpike. They
heard a rumbling of approaching wagons.
The column was halted, and in the dark
ness they waited for what might appear.
Soon the advGnce of one division of Long
streets ammunition train came in sight.
1t was stopped, and the drivers and
guards asked to surren Ter. II was done
quietly, and the wagon turned up the Mer-
cersburg road. Finding out what the
prize in their hands consisted of, the other
! wagons, one hundred in all, with seventy
three men, were also quietly taken and
turned nothwRrd, the Secesh drivers hold
ing the reins, guarded by our own brave
cavalry. The train passed two miles west
of Hagerstown, struck into the Greeucastle
road, and arrived here about ten o'clock.
Thus Longstreet lost his ammunition.-
Thus the entire rebel army was thrown into
a panic.
Imagine the CONSERVATION of the enemy
to hear ofseveral thousand Yankee cavalry
at Sharpsburg, on the rear, cutting off their
retreat. with General Burnside's command
laundering in front. Imagine them asking,
"Where did they come from2 What is be-
hind us2" Answering, with excited fears,
r 1.-THE Quakers are out in Pennsylvania; the
great army which we have heard of gather
ing ut Greencastle and Chambersburg has
swept down to cut OF orr retreat" What
other solution could they give2 1t would
not occur TO them that it was Miles caval-
~, Tor they supposed he was hemetrically
sealed, wiki no avenue for escape. No
wonder they became panic stricken, aud
fed, casting aside guns, blankets. every
thing that was hindrance to their flight.
Longstreet, on Sunday, FASTENED from
HHgerstown with 5000 men to strengthen
the division which McClellan's advance had
encountered, leaving but a small force in
the town. Had the commander of the cav
airy known what was going on, he could
, have cut up the rear of tue rebels with
great slaughter, aud precipitRtcd the entire
fbody into great confusion. But being in
ignorance, and supposing that he was close
upon the main body, he consulted prudence,
Rn'l made his way to our lines with bis
valuable prize. 1t is in all respects one OF
the most fortunate and brilliant feats OF
the war.