, 1862-05-27

aud Gen. Shields Gate Gen. L1ndcr's) diVi- :
E!on- /
Oh February 10TH II was r11mored that the |
rebels had evacuated Winchester, and our t
tccuts advanced to within four miles, meeting i
10 resistance. Gen. Jackson, With the rebel |
army in force vas at Middleton five miles: /
north Of strasburg on the 18th, and during |
the following week continued his Eetrograde
rr the Valley toward uarrlsonbprg. Mean
While so certain were the Federal forces that
ttc rebels conld not again occupy the Valley
aid vicinity CT the POTOMAC kiver that not only
Was it In contemplation to have IN readiness
Tie line q the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
" April LIST, but arrangements were made TO
permanently open Lie 1me OF tue fotom1e
ana Winchester Railroad. on Sunday the I'D
OF March, the Federal troops achieved glo'
s1ous victory over the combined forces OF
Jackson Smith and Longstreet. Inc baltic
was fought Within four miles Of Winchester,
FROM 10 T. N. until dark. The enemy NUM-
hczcd about 15.ooo-our force not over S, ,00o.
The cnemS's loss was double that OF ours
In this battle Gen. Shields was wounded in the
a.m-
On Monday the main body OF ten BANKS
division moved from CharlestoTn to Berry
vile, where there was , 1a1se 1otce "1lhln len
mues OF Winchester JACKSON ocgau ais
retreat, hoping 10 feaeh etrasourg, ns1ter
position, on Monday, sending o1f all his guns
very quietly At hrst, and When 1ney we're vel
on their way, his baggage, and 1or three days
be was moving. on wednesday, tue Federal
advance went IN and took winchester; foNo"'
ing mp the rebels so as to get tight with their
rear guard on Saturday and Sunday. Straspurg
is about thirty miles beyond winchester, and
las railroad connexions bringing 1t nearer
RICHMOND
on INC @oln ol A1area Gen. banRs and den.
Shields reached straspnrg' jackson being IN
sight. Most OF the population OF strasourg
had been on1onlsts throughout the WaE, and
| were 60 still. The agent OF the Manassas rail-
| road, and the station master, who had been
hiding for weeks In the mountains to avoid
Gen. JacEson's 1orces, had returned and gave
valuable information to Gen Banks. Many
| Of the Inhabitants had been residing for weeks
| IN the mountains.
The pursuit Of the lying enemy continued,
and on the 26th our plckets were six miles
beyond Strasbug.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad vas re-
opened through to Baltimore on the 51st with
eye,y guarantee on the part OF the Govern
| ment and from the position Of the forces that
the line would be maintained, The operations
:. ~ c,,a-s,,aon,, f,- ~. ,,,o,+h ~ a,.;1
An 'no s'"eA'Neo"" 1oA sne A.ontu VI op'n -.
we're OF no great magn2luoe, out comprised
active, dashing work IN clearing out rebel
guerrilla and marauding parties In this busl-
| ness The command OF Col GeaTy was espec-
1aliy active lie pressed fol"a1d to thorough.
fare Gap, station On the Manassas Gap Kali
zoad, fourteen miles west OF MANASSAS, and
the work Of constructing this railroad was be-
gun. Gen. Banks swept forward, moving
down between the Allegheny and Blue Ridge,
! southward from strasbuTg, sweeping before
him the hordes of the rebel Jackson, and car,
ryirg the Federal flag in triumph through
tie magnificent valley Of the Shenandoah Or
| the 18th our troops occupied Mount jackson
ard were to reach New Market, twelve mile
further South, on the same evening. Ou III,
18th the Federal advance guard VAS at Sparta
On the 20th Of April, Gen. Banks offcia
dispatch stated that Tie flight Of jackson from
the valley by the way Of the mountains, iron
Harrisonburg, towards Stannardsril1e and o.
ange Court House. on Gordonsvil1e, was con
, firmcd By our scouts and prisoners. Thrc
! days later, tho following was his dispatch:
|. jackson has abandoned the valley OF Vii
g1I'1a permanently, ana Is En- 7oeae ioT 5oi
, Az hr;nrs Ks n1isnners and numerous ieserj
! e,s from the rebels.
The dispatches Of the 25th state that JACK
sons retreat from the valley had benciici;
effect on the volunteers and drafted men fros
Rockingham and the surrounding countie
y Large numbers Of them we're daily comm
into our lines and delivering themselves III
1t was stated that hundreds Of them were
a the mountains, hiding from Ashby's scout
c only awaiting an opportunity to escape al
l. claim protection from Gen. Banks.
. On the 29fh ot April the dispatches statt
4 that the rebels under Gen. Edward Johnso
were 5 600 strong few miles from staunto
and 15,0 600 at Gordonsvillc, With prospe
:, that the former would uhite with Jackso
For some days there was no change in the
= positions. The valley Of the Shenandoah "
s. cleer and the SUCCESS wasso be1alded throuG
u out the press. On the Eth Gen. Banks' arm
s was still at New Market. Their only du