The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1862-04-04
WAR NEWS.
WASHINGTON, March 26.


Tho following dispatch from Gener
Shields to Senator Rice, dated to day al
Winchester, was read in tho Senate this af
ternooD:
"On the morning of the Esd my com
mand, 1000 or 5000 strong, was attacked
near this place by Jackson, with eleven re-
giments of infantry, and an Irish battalion
about l,500 cavalry and twenty eight pieces
of artillery. After severe fight the enemy
was put in complete rout, leaving behind
two pieces of cannon, four caissons, and E
large number of small arms and about 3OC
prisoners.
"Our loss is one hundred and fifty killed
three hundred wounded. The enemy's loss
is five hundred killed and one thousand
wounded"
The first notice of the enemy's approach
Major Copeland, of Gen Banks's staff, with
about twenty five of the Michigan Cavalry,
kept skirmishing with the guerrilas Of Col
Ashby from the time of ther first appear
ance until 5 clock in the evening, when
ascertaining the approach of Gen. Jackson
in force, he sent word to Gen Shields of
the threatened attack upon the town. Upon
this information Col. kimbal's brigade and
Capt Huntngton's battery, First Ohio, were
Immediately advanced upon the Strasburg
road, the direction from which the enemy
were approaching, and only mile frcm the
outskirts of the town met the enemy's bat
terry in position at the right Of the road,
npon hill, their guns all pointing down
the turnpike. Capt. Huntington's battery
was Immediately placed in position likewise,
at the right of the road and in hollow, and
Gen. Shields, with his staff rode to the front
aud himself gave the order to fire, when a
shell from the enemy's battery exploded
near him, fragment striking his arm and
causeing fracture of the long bone, not
making the slightest rupture of the skim
The skirnish closed at dusk, the only other
| accident of which was the killing Of one of
the artillery men and one horse.
During the fight Gen. Shields continued
to give his orders as if nothing had happen
ed, and in reply to an office who asked,
~ You are hit General, are you not z" he said,
"Yes, am, but say rothing Of it, and be
continued to issue his commands with firm
ness and apparent unconcern, until the Sc
verify of his wound caused faintness, and he
was necessarily removed from the field.
-Four times has the general now received
wounds which have endangered his life
three times in Mexico, and now again.
From the Chicago Timesl
Plans of the Confederates for the Spring
Campaign.
WAsHINGToN, March 20.
The military authorities here are in pos
session of intelligence which, if true (and it
is believed to be true,) goes to show that the
ConfedefateS, SO far flom being disheartened
by their late reverses, are making prepara-
tons for most vigorous campaign in the
spring and summer. They have now in
the field armies amounting to 100000 men,
all of whom are enlisted for the war. In
addition to these (all OF whom are now
comparatively wellrained soldiers, having
had from six to nine months experience in
the 6eld,) the Confederate authorities are
now raising, and expect to put into the fed
between this time and the lst of May, $780,
900 more. One half of these are already
under arms and drilling, in their respective
States. They will thus have force of
100000 men for the summer campaign.
The effect at the South Of the recent
Union victories has been to convince the
military authorities there that a complete
change in their policy i'll the manner of con-
ducting the war is now necessary, if they
would not see the South completely van
pushed before the Fourth of July next
A ko, ho Por,1o, tl,
ent, then, they intend to concentrate their
forces for the defense of the Atlantic and
Gulf States. They hope that by making
it necessary for the Union Armies to |
march SO far South to attack them, they can
the more easily defeat them. But they do |
not intend to confine their operations to de
fense. 100000 troops, among them one
half of the new levies, are considered ample
for the defense of the States indicated, and
for the defeat of any Union Armies that
penetrate those States According to their
for the campaign, the other
100000 troops, who are to be the flower OF
the Confederate Army, are to be led in two
columns to the invasion of some point in
The North. The eight iron-plated steam
vessels described in my last are to make
offensive movement, but
whether against the same points, or against
others in order to divert attention from them,
of course can not be ascertained.
Every day demonstrates more clearly that
he retreat of the late rebel army of the Po
.omac, and the subsequent disposition of
me troops Of that army, was guided by
military mind of no ordinary capacity. The
radicals who have been bowling and clam
bring for battle will be boodier one than
Bull Run, Big Bethel and Balls Bluff COM
oned. The Confederates have retreated to
he Roppahannock, but there they will stop.
The army that advances on an enemy who
S retirclng, can not choose its own battle
ield. 1t must fight the enemy wherever it
IAN find and overtake him. The battlefield
wherever it is, must be on ground of the
snemy's choosing. If the Cofederates had
emained at Manassas, we should have had
o attack them in their strong works at Cen
erville They have now crossed the Rap,
oahannock, and we must fight them on that
inc. My former letter described its natural
advantages as defensive line, and the arti
icial works along its right banks by the
Jonfederates during the last nine months. |
To dislodge them from this position will be !