The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-04-04
APRIL d, 1862.
Ihe Ieffsrsopiap DEMOCRAT
JULIUS o, CONVERSE, Editor.
CHlRDON, OnIO, FRIDAY, APRIL 1l4sCl
From the Seventh Regiment.

GAVh SAU SSNCAeN ObAmNhbs
Tho following letter from Capt Geo l..
Wood, Of the Seventh Regiment, will bo read
with interest:
CAMP SHIELDS, Va, March % 1862.
We are eucamped about threo miles ont
of Winchester, between il aud Martintburg,
in a beautiful country, the fnost We have
ye, found. The land is slightly undulating.
with here and there piece Of oak timber,
we'll waterod and fertile. The foDces arc
principally made of stone, which gives it
the appearance Of an old country. Tho in-
habitants arc wealthy, owning largo tracts
of land, which are cultivated almost on
tire,y by slave labor. Thcy arc kind and
hospitable, aud seem glad to welcome the
Union Army. The last time tho question
was raised, they voted for Secession with
few exceptions, but, since they havo learned
m ore about our motives aud character, have
ropen.ed OF their ways. They frequently
invite US to dine with thom, and, at such
times, seem glad to see u.s. They talk
freely Of the past, aud of tho prospect Of
the future They soem TO bo retired class
OF people, depending principally upon their
own resources for pleasure, seldom leaving
their own spacious mansions to mix with
the outer world. 1t is different, however,
in the villages Of reasonable size; there
they arc strongly imbued with Southern
principles, and put on many wry face
whom the "Yankoes" pass through. Very
few of the male portion of tho inhabitants
remain to witness the coming of tho Fud
eral Army; they fly with the Rebels.
Winchester contains about G 900 inbab-
itants. II is situated on low ground, sur.
rounded by medium sized hills, and has mar
row streets, paved indifferently, and poor
sidewalks. The city contains nothing to
commend itself to the admiror of the beau.
tiful. There is no stream of water nearer
than five miles. The whole town is supplied
with water from one spring, by means OF
pipes. The Notifications about the place
really amount TO nothing. There is ono
fort, tho works OF which arc in tho form of
a square, with sally ports, the whole mount.
ing six or eight gnns. We now have ono
battery mounted there, with the S ars and
Stripes waving to tho broczo. The other
Notifications are not worthy of mention.-
There probably has been to exceed 10 900
troops in the place, since tho Battle of Bull
Run, and generally but about 6,O0O,
We returned on the evening of the 2Od
from very hard march to Strasburg, hav
ing marched 80 miles 10 three days. Or
the 20:b we marched % miles, with but on,
halt, in hours, l3 miles without stopping
and it rained constantly. We had n merr,
time on the 10Th, at Strasburg We wert
the advance, and were ordered to throw ou
two Companies as skrmishurs-Co's ii ant
d. Company B advanced toward the Shen
andoah River, and when near tho railroad
bridge, were opened upon by musketry
from The Rebels in ambush. The Regimen
w5re ordered to their support, but were soor
after recalled. We wore then trlered by
Gen. Shields into tho main road, for tn,
purpose of drawing the fire from tho Rebe
masked batteries. We had advanced fal
enough to unmask tho right wing of tn,
regimont, when we saw smoke rising from
the bushes about 4 mile distant, and, in uI
instant, we heard tho sound Of cannon. -
The she'll, however, foil rfar short. In
moment, We saw the smoke again, and, il
about three or four seconds. we heard tn,
sound Of the gun, and the hldcous screaming
of tho iron shell as 1t came toward us. Thi
time it wont clear over my Company, an'
exploded on tho side-bil beyond. Tho thirl
exploded about thirty feet over our beads
tho fourth, twenty feot behind us in tn
bank, a fragment whizzing past mo, and a
close as desired. After tho eighth sho,
having got the position of tho battery, Ger
y liolds ordered us to fall back. We retiro
in ordinary timo, tho shells falling about
in the meantime. Soon aftOr this, our ar
tillery got in place. and, for about ono hour
there was music. Our artillery fred thirt,
shells almost at tho samo timo. IL was th,
grandcst sight | ever Witnessed. Tho Rebel
fled after fifty or sixty sholls had boon fired
A number of their saddles were omptied
and ono piece of artillery dismounted. OuI
artillery and cavalry pursued them for abon
eight miles, giving them shot at intervals
Tho attractive obj c: of the day was
milk white horse, which it was said Col
Ashby rode, which was soon at all hours @
tho day, prancing up and down tho Reb'
limos. Ho was ofton within rlo rang,
when our sharp shooters would blaze ava
At him, and he would gallop of, leapin
tho first fenco ho camo TO, without any r,
gard to its height. Ashbv is a brave maj
In the first days skIrmish, our cavalry fire
at him in tho streets of little town calc
Newtown. whom he wheeled his horse roun,
and, with a navy revolver, brought ono
our mon to the ground, end thon quietl
rode off. IL is said that, on our return !
Strasburg, no followed us TO within 6y
miles Of Winchester, aud have no doubt
the fact.
The weather is warm but wet, with som
little snow. but none of any account. W
havo but little use for fire, and can sleep o
the ground very we'll without it, though
prosnme it would trouble you some.
Very truly vours. GEO L. WOOD