Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-06-06


attending it, from which We make the follow
ing extracts
suNpAYs rfoHrtSo
After long and anxious days march, preceded by
half nights disturbed by uncertain u the dis
of Coz kenb. retired to rest in the town Of Win
chester and dropped OF into quiet sumhers, from vhi,
by do yhreak upon the following morning. the vuuos VI
cannon and tho rattle Of musketr ooming IN through
my open window brought suddenly TO The conscious
that another day must be broken of is peaceful
quiet by the fierce and unnatural pvrsuis q War lis
the hills, but three miles distant The people with
1 whom remained were gazing thiherward - upon 80
interesting spectacle, rooioing that jackson again
coming 20 frvc them from the northern yoke.
During nay breakfast heard thu ,rsmping of horses
upc1 the road ma ne heavy rolling OF artillery over the
| oavements. Certainly, thought, there need be no
hsste shall not be compelled 70 leave Winchester
ordered however. my horse TO be Immediately sadded
aud continued slipping my coffee with very little
Presently there was a coumoon, sobbiug amung the
women, and running 20 and iro which brought me 10
my feet in time hud forces we're started on hasty
| retreat, and A. saw flames rising from the burning
buildings not far o. and heavy columns u smoke ron
upward from them, began TO realize that we we're 10
abandon Winchester. But took 20 my horse with all
speed now. for the enemy In the other end " the
town. the rattle and echo Of the musketry up the
and between the houses plainly Indicated.
All the siaeem were In commouon Cavalry were rush
ing dsordcry away and infantry frightened By the rap
idity OF their mounted companions were In constcTna-
ton All we're trying To- escape aster than iheif neigh
hors, deadiug most of all TO be the last Presently The
onemys cannon boomodn the rear and small cloud Of
smoke ia the sky suddenly appearing and then dissov
ing showed whore the bail had exploded. Some shell
fell among and the panic was quite general for
} short time.
One round shot, FOUNDER passing near me- went
directly the shoulder Of my companion, and brush
ing the blanket Of tho next 10 me fell 10 the ground
Guns kuapsacks. cartridge boxes, bayoucs aud bayo
net cases. lay scattered upon the proInd n great ptnm-
sion, thrown away by the panic stricken soldiers Your
correspondent Wishing 20 leave muskct less for the
maintenance of The rebellion, furnished himself with one
Of the abandoned rd,s and other equipments sufficient TO
furnish thoroughly appointed soldier. Bat this ooniu
sion and disorder not Of long duration General
Banks, riding continually among the men and address
ing them kindly and firmly, shamtd them 10 consdera-
ton of their unbcdting CONSERVATION Al length sta
touinp himself sud stall with several others across
hcdthrough which the soldiers rapidly fleeing the
order TO stop their hght, formed into
line and made 10 march on in more soldier ike man
Our own oGcc diminished IL had been. was not
over 900 The column rctrcntrd after the SLIGHT panic
90 which have alluded, in good order pursued by the
enemy beyond Martinsbutgh. The baggage train pro-
oceded far A. the Potomac, and many u ihe teams
have been conveyed across upon ferry boats this evening
Many Of the soldiers who have been precpiAte their
flight have crossed the river, aud nov at Williams
port and Al this place. The cavalry and many of the
mules totded the liver the water coming nearly over the
horses backs ia the deepest Of It and running quite
rapidly too 10 this your correspondent made
ms escape INTO Maryland ana 10 The nearest telegraph
station and posoh The operator at Martiushutg had
LEFT the town The first tunor Of battle at Whrhes-
ter, and taken the instruments with him. The whole
town seemed des red, the gtores closed aud II the
bells had tOllcd solemny should have impro-
pney in IT, Many Union people came along with US
aud negroes aud negresse children and youth lettering
old men aud helpless babes on foot and some in
wagons. were joining The pfomscuous thtoug moving
]
HAsrusrowS, Md May 90
With fuller information resume the story Of our late
disasters, and proceed TO naue, In fuller details and
with more reliable information the melancholy events of
Friday Saturday and Sunday. The sudden descent "
the enemys forces though really surprise, not by
TO have his camps still located upon the Shenandoah
Elk Run. jackson also known 10 be in the valley
upon road communicating directly with own posi-
uln, and johnson also by having but lately
tackled the advance guard Of Gen Fremont Situated as
these forces were IN relation TO our position, IL seemed
more than likely that we should be Rssaed by them
weakened as we we're by the untmey Withdrawal Of Gen
Fremont Many In constant expectation Of attack
aud 1t requires but the slightest intelligence perceive
that the column OF Cen Banks was desperately exposed
When, therefore, the First Maryland, stationed At the
head Of the uray valley At the other end Of which Ewe
was known to be encamped, first Asoerained
been attacked aud dsastrousy overpowered it was
only result which, would appear might have been
easily foreseen aud prevented Ietother ax the blame
for while own opinion Is firmly established it not
for to depart from the sphere Of recorder Of events
which have actually traBspired.
The attack NJ the enemy although foreseen was not
expected at the time 1t was made aud his approach
not observed until hewas upon lie did not di-
fecty through the Luay valley though his pckets
thrown out through that part and the position Of his
camp would have suggested that that would have been
his plan Of attack He d. scended upon the little force
at Front Royal through the marrow gorg' which run
parallel with It down between the ranges OF hills beyond
His appearance was sudden and, cutting immediately
the telegraph wires and destroying the railroad bridges
on either side, he prevented the transmission Of dis
patches and the sending of reniorcemeuts Thus.
Z pletely OIL did the MARYLAND regiment maintain
themselves against the three bgades Of the rebel Ewe
unu they completely surrounded and destroyed
captured NV conyei saon with several of those cuqay
ed In that fearful massacre confirms the Il
rble statements ~ regard 70 the nhuuan cTocy Of the
, rebel soldiers. Wounded men without doubt were
pierced with bayonets and the bodies Of dead mutt
lated and desectatcd by abandoned and unmcrcml
! sodiery. Show the DID Yankees no quarter" was
the cry, aud men were heard 20 say, KIN them Ohc
J wounded y we can't carry them.'
This is OF piece with affair occurring but a mile
from where was myself stopping upon the same day
company Of the same force crossed the mountains and
came down TO the banls Of the north branch Of the shea
andoah and, finding three men bathing in the rivera
Lieutenant Of artillery, private, and negro servant
fired from secluded position a fall yoley OF musketry
upon them, and the private pierced with three bullets
fell upon the brink Of the ryer CRYING Nv God r,
God am killed. Write 90 my mother, lieutenant The
lieutenant and negro escaped hy almost miracle to
camp, their naked dies scratched aud lacerated with
thous and hushe, and the lieutenant with slight wound
from musket ball IN his leg What contrast between
this and the conduct Of our soldiers at The battle u Win
chester who kindly placed The wounded OF the rebels ia
the midst OF the hight against tree or wall or hay stack
and them drink from their cdnteeus The
few who escaped at the battle Of Front Royal fom the
enemy surrounding them were surely saved $50 as by
Are" Capt Mapes, Of the Pioneer corps, cutting his
mules away from their teans escaped through the cloud
OF dus ana confusion caused by their Wild stampede
following immediately in their wake they broke through
the lines Of the enemy who opened ihcir ranks To let
them pass Upon the same night force was sent Out
nom Srashutg by the road which branches hum the
main turnpike near MiddletoWn toward FRONT Roynl
aud proceeded AS at as Cedatvile This is where m,
stone pike from Front Royal Winchester Approaches
cnscv The broken country through which the stream
called Cedar Run flows
wsd Nldletown aud at the same time force VI artilc.
~ aud infantry proceeded the road from Sasburg In.
ward Front Royal reconnaissance vas also made on
SATURDAY morning. ot Cavalry from Middleowu toward
Front Royal When this force reached Middleown Col.
Murphy, with portion Of his regiment, the 29h Penn
syFania' was met with two guns The rc-ounoitcrng
party had expected 10 have supporting party NJ artie
~, and were obliged b proceed without IT, They moved
on as far as Ced,re drove In the enemy kets and
withdrew so As not to bring general engagement
and also because Il unsafe for unsupportt cavalry
70 proceed further Coming back 30 Middietown re-
port was sent 10 Gen. Banks and aid was also sought
aud soon after rs need became evident for the enemy adj
yanced IN force, with infantry stcy and cavalry up-
on blind dirt road and OF the detachment between
our infantry and the baggage train Their artillery con.
sisted Of Armstrong guns The most disastrous and
bloody slaughter Of cavalry which had occurred dur
! ING the three days fighting nov followed. Cut of as
they were FROM the main body II oops by a vastly
superior force ofthe enemy most critical situation was
I before them. There Ave companies Of the first
Maine Cavalry, and two companies, and e. Of the Yer.
mont Lieut. Col Doughty, Of the Maine Cavalry, was
there, and Major Collins OF the Vermont Cavalry also
inferior In command 10 the Lieut. Colonel and General
! Hatch. charge made, to describe which Is
not agreeable task In such desperate straits moth
ing seemed 10 daunt the determination of the men which
only served 90 make their destruction more sure and
terrible, Dashing onward with drawn sahres az the
geatest speed the foremost suddenly stopped and
those behind unable to restrain their horses fell one
upon another, forming large pile Of men and horses
some Of whom pierced through with the sahres Of their
own comrades, were killed, and many In tue proniseu