Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-06-05
4elmomt Chronicle.
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BANKS RETREAT.
Incidents and Particulars.
The only Full Account Published

means htOpetner ubeAptcteus
Ewell had been well known TO have his 9
camps still located upon the Shenandoah at t
Fix Run. Jackson was also known to be in G
the valley, upon road communicating di {
rcctly with our own position, and johnson I
was also near by, having but lately attacked
the advance guard Of General Fremont. a
Situated as these forces were in relation to |
our position, il seemed more than likely that
We should be assaied by them, weakened as t
we were by the untimoly Withdrawal of Gen. q
Fremont. Many were in constant .expecta- I
tion Of attack, and it iequircs but the slight
est intelligence to perceive that the column
oi Gen. Banks was desperately exposed.
When, therefore, the lst Maryland, sta
toned at the head of the Luray Valley, at
the other end Of which Ewel was known to
be encamped, was first ascertaned to have
been attacked and 80 disastrousy overpow-
cred, il was only result which, il would ap-
pear, might have been easily forcsecn and
prevented.
The attack Of tho enemy, although fore
seen, was not expected at the time it was
made, and his approach was not observed
until he was upon us.
He did not come directly through the
Juray valley, though bis pickets thrown out
through that part and the position OF his
camp would have suggested that would
have been his plan of attack.
He descended upon the little force at
Front Royal through the narrow gorges
which iun parallel with it down between the
ranges of hills beyond
Ills appearance was sudden, and, cutting
Immediately the telegraph wires and de-
stroying the railroad bridges on either side,
he prevented the transmission of dispatches
and the sending OF reinforccments. Thus,
oo,,. ,latal,, o,,t nH did tta M,rvl,n1 raa,
ment maintain themselves against the three
brigades of the rebel Ewel until they were
completely surrounded, destroyed or captur-
ed.
Ny conversation with several Of those
engaged In that fearful massacre confirms
the worst of the terrible statements in re.
gard to the inhumun ferocty Of the rebel
soldiers.
Wounded men without a doubt were
pierced with bayonets, and the bodies of our
dead mutiated and desccrated by an aban-
doned and unmerciiu soldiery.
''Show the id Yankees no quarter, "
was the cry, and men were heard to say,
XIII them (the wounded), we can't carry
them"
This is Of piece with an affair occurring
but mile from where | was myself stop.
ping upon the same day. A company of the
SdItic IUTCt CTUSStu tIiC tlOuUtdItlS anu CNuit
down to the banks of the North branch OF
the Shenandoah, and, finding three mer
bathing in the rivera Lieutenant of ar
tllery, private, and negro servant-fret
from secluded position full voey o
musketry upon them, and the private
pierced with three bullets, fell upon tn,
brink of the river, crying, my God, m.
God l am killed. Write to my mother
Lieutenant.
The Lieutenant and negro escaped by al
most miracle to camp their naked bodie
scratched aud lacerated with tborns am
bushes and tho Lieutenant with a Sigh
wound from musket ball in his leg. Wha
a contrast between this and the conduct o
our soldiers at the battle of Winchester
who kindly placed the wounded of the re
bells in the midst of tho fight against tire
or wall or hay stack and gave them waite
to drink from their canteens.
Tho few who escaped at the battle of From
Royal from the enemy surrounding then
wcro surely saved so as by fire.
Upon the same night force was sent ou
from Strasburg, by the road which branche
from the main turnpike near Middleton
toward Front Royal, and proceeded as far t
Cedarville.
This is where the stone pike from Fror
Royal to Winchester approaches closely tn
broken country through which the streai
called Cedar Run flows.
Upon Saturday morning q strong fore
was moved toward Aiiddletown, and at Oh
same time force Of artillery and iniantr
proceeded on the road from Strasburg {,
ward Front Royal.
A reconnaissance was also made on Satu
day morning, OF cavalry, from Middleton
toward Front Royal. When this fore
reached Middletown, Col. Murphy, with
portion OF his regiment, the twepty-nint
Pennsylvania was met with two guns. I'll
accommodating party Ind expected to have
but were obliged to proceed without it.
They moved on as far as Ccdarvillc, droy
in the enemy's pickots, and withdrew, so
not to bring on general engagement, al
also because 1t was unsafe for unsupportC
cavalry to proceed further.
Coming back to Middletown report WI
sent TO Gen. Banks, aud aid was all
sought, aud soon its need became eviden
for the enemy advanced in torce, with infn
try, artillery, and cavalry, upon blind di
road, and cut of tho detachment betwc,
our infantry and the baggage train. The
artillery consisted Of Armstrong arms
The most disastrous and bloody slaught
of our cavalry which has occurred during d
three Gays ngntlng now followed.
Cut on as they were from the main bo,
of our troops by vastly superior numb
Of the enemy, most critical situation W
before them. There were Eve compani
of the First Maine Cavalry, and two col
panies, A and q, Of the Vermont.
Lieutenant-C Colonel Doughty, Of Mai
Cavalry, was there, and Major Collins,
Vermont Cavalry, also, inferior in con,ma
to the lieutenant colonel and to Gonel
Hatch.
A charge was now made, 10 doscri
which Is not an agreeable task. In su
desperate straits, nothing seemed 10 dau
the determination Of the men, which OF
served 10 make their destruction the m,
sure and terrible.
DasLing onward with drawn sabres, at [
greatest speed, the foremost were sudder
stopped, andthose behind, unable to restr,
their horses, fell.one upon another, form
large pile Of men and horses, some
whom, pierced through with the sabres
their own comrades, were killed, and ma
in the promiscuous heap were crushed .
died, unable TO help or extricate themsely
A few only escaped, fleeing across the iie