Nebraska advertiser., 1862-03-20
And leave UneIe Sam q MILLION Of Dollar
WASHINGTON, March IL.

" VI AVA AN
of 20 inch Dahlgren guns.
The Washington Star of this even
ing says we have positive information
that the rebels have retreated as far
as GordonVille. Our scouts have
probably penetrated the country at an
early hour this morning, as far as
Culpepper Court House, thirty-fve
miles in the rear of Manassas.
The statement published that a
council of war in Washington decided.
six 10 fOUF, InaC the army OF the Po-
tomac could not be moved against the
enemy at present, is entirely untrue.
The General were unanimous that an
anvance was possible and proper; the
only difference was as to the plan of
the proposed attack.
A correspondent of the Times, who
accompanied the advance upon Cen
t%reville and Manassas, has just come
in. It was only last Friday that the
retreat of the rebels from Centreville
commenced. GeneralJohnso left on
Friday morning. General Smith left
on Saturday p. M, and Colonel Stuart
last Monday, the day u army left
camp on the Potomac. ea
The retreat was conducted very
orderly at first, and nothing was left
at Centreville that could be useful to
us. The forts were all planned and
very formidable. The fire of not less
than a hundred guns could be con-
verged upon any approach to the de-
lenses, but the guns were never bro't
from Manassas to mount the Centre
vile forts.
A railroad track extended from
Manassas to Centreyille, and a tele-
graph line. The rebel Generals had
their headquarters at Centreville alto
gether, and a mor convenient and
complete military establishment could
not be found in Washington than those
they had. Through Manassas the
enemy continued their retreat as
quickly as it began.
They carried off all their heavy guns
from Manassas, 40 or so in number,
part of their army marching by turn
pike Warrington, and part to Cor
a6nville, Fherei il is said they would
make stsnd.
HFas on Monday evening that the
FIRST sign of panic was noticed at Man
assas.
A part of Stuart's real column was
preparing a train to 10 Southwark
by railroad, when they learned some
excited rebels had set fire to the bridge
ahead of them,sand they Immediately
began to burn and destroy, and run
away in general confusion.
500 barrels of -four, piled up in
ranks, had their heads stove in bar
rels of molasses suffered the same
way +; 100 barrels or kegs of powder
were left, which they did not know
how to destroy in safety to themselves.
1t seems to be confirmed that the
enemy had Two weeks since between
$4,000 and 10000 troops at Center
vile and Manassas, and that they on
" began their retreat last Friday
Why they went is a mystery, as that
number of men in their Notifications
would have been equal to three times
the force assailing them.
They must have feared to trust their
men, whose enlistments were expiring,
or their powder, which many accounts
agree is of very inferior quality.
The strangest news brought by the
Times correspondent is that General
Jackson and one half of his army,
whom General Banks yesterday sup
posed he was closely watching in Win
chester, went down the railroad to
Manassas one week ago, and quietly
marched off southwark. The other
half are said to, be moving southwark
in the valley of the Shenandoah.
WINCHESTER, March II.
This place is at length recovered
for the Uniona The march of our for
ees to Berryville, and the reconnois-
sance in this vicinity succeeded in
misleading the enemy; so that they
did not know where to expect an at
attack.
Yesterday afternoon they com
menced ~evacuating the place. Gen
eral Hamilton in the meantime ad.
vanced from Bunker Hill, the Michi-
gan cavalry leading; 1900 of the
enemy's caValrygaF battle, supported
by a section of artillery. This was
about 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
A battalion of the First Indiana regi-
ment reinforced our cavalry, and one
of our sections of artillery came up
and repliedto the enemy's guns. The
fight was soon over.
The enemy fed, leaving their two
guns, several horses and about so men
killed and wounded, all of the First
Maryland. Sarge stores of ammuni-
ton, provisions and many horses have
fallen into our hands. The Union flag
floats triumphantly over Winchester.
The reception Of our troops by the
people has been most enthusiastic.
-5a1s New YoRK, March 70:
An Elizabeth City, n. c., letter of