Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-06-13
FRoM SHENANDOAH VALLEY.

chosen position with considerable loss on both
sides. The report of the battle will be found
in another column
In connection with this battle the account
of Gen. Banks retreat, as narrated by the
correspondent Of the New York Heraid, who
was taken prisoner and Just been released,
will be read with interest We copy as fol-
lows:
TfE BtrrtE on FRONT ROYAL
Never dreaming that an enemy was In the vicinity
was nusng over the dulncss of the in this depart
mcnt and the scarcity n excitement. This was about
O'Clock the afternoon NJ the 2ld Of May few cracks
NJ muskctry, not many yards distant, dspcllcd
fcvcric but sull could scarcely believe that it was
more than the pckcH dischargiug their pieces, that
few Of the cucnys scouts had made dash al them An.
other and another yolcy followed, and then, looking
FROM the top u the hotel largo NJ the cncmys
cavalry were visible not more than six hundred yaids
OIL while our pickcts were retiring before them. My
horse soon mounted, and u the street perceived
Lieut. Dcyns ofthe division quartcrmastcrs, setting
hrc 70 his stores and preparing to ride to the headqua
ctsoi Col henys First Maryland regiment TO give the
alarm followed and Col kcnly ordered the battalion
out and IL was soon formed In line the crest " hin
about mile from the town. Meanwhile the sNrmish-
ing went on. One Of our two companies engaged IN
picket duty was cut off, aud the other retiring rapidly,
succeeded rcoinng the regiment with loss VI two
ed. Our little force now in battle array. The in
/ regiment which could be REALIZED.
They numbered some siN hundred men, and two com
pauies Of the Twenty-unth Pennsylvania engaged In
u IA
rennsyNauia battery under Lieut.. Atwcll, and COM
pany NJ the Fifth New York cavalry, under Major phip
o. Npught which was across the river Shenandoah
about mile aud half IN the The enemy perceiv-
ing the show of opposition presented to them advanced
cautiously aud slowly The artillery placed on
the left of the lattaiou commanding the road. aud
dropped shell after she'll plump among the rebels off,
en- compelling them TO halt and change their tactics
Col kcniy ordered me TO ride over the bridge aud hur
~ up The cavalry. They were thrown out front
and ordered to hold the enemy in check Our whole
force at thus time did not exceed nine hundred mem Co.
10 HNH let aNaH.si Al
infantry and the cavalry 90 act skmishers and sup
port the cavalry. The force of the rebels appa
cut They had tcentY too thousand under Jpckson
ana Lee". ana 'tNrcnpfty a,a Sriy pieces " cannon,
rh foUr thousand dragons. Part of their cavalry were
ordered TO flank on the right while MAJOR Wheat with
two battalous of Louisiana Tigers aud the 9Th Virginia
cavalry were sent out % perform similar duty the
lef Their artillery was likewise got in position but
usual. its effects caused very tuhiuQ damage The
LIST Maryland iehe infantry advanced TO attack us in
'front.' while the vast force o the rebels being RAPIDLY
advanced to seal the fate " the heroes Of the American
Marathon person came 10 Col kcnly and said: Col
onel you cannot hope 10 withstand the shock OF heavy
a force. Would 1t not be better TO Try and save YOUR
command by hasiy retreat than to risk destruction 3"
mere is nothing for ~, sr but 10 hight returned the
Colonel testify; "u il the only way can save Banks
command The Colonel then directed me down 20 the
river o cut the rope ferry and prevent the rebels under
Wheat fom hankiug our lcn The ferry about half
mile od and the rebel cavalry pcrcoiyiug the
gave chase nc They were not in time 90 prc.
vent the destruction Of the frry however and escaped
with other harm than ballet hole through my over
coat The baggage was now ready 10 move over the
I
loss OF about twenty men hlcd and wounded fell
back behind the bridge over the south fork Of the river
So far the hankug movements Of the enemy had almost
totally Jailed, and Jackson subsequently, roprcmand
Wheat for mot executing his orders promptly No
sooner were our mo ps across the bridge than the
my infantry occupied our camp, and expressed their
EMULATION by repeated cheers which reached stuc-
ed iu it
The enemy soon approached the bridge The "Tiecrs"
were 10 the advance, supported 10y Ashhys cavalry aud
the lst Maryland robe infantry. Twice were they're
fI. "a In ski "A ff1
oi Maryland was knocked off his horse aud wounded In
he arm, and Capt Sweets, admittedly The best officer
in Ashhy's command, was killed. The enemy now be-
came influated rallied the third time in overwhelming
numbers, and drove forces the hrdge about
quarter Of mile beyond Here the artillery aud skr-
mishers held the enemy IN check, while attempt
made to bum the second bridge aud thus delay the
mys advance. About mile beyond there Is a noun
tain pass where Col hculy determined make his nna
stand. Two locomotives which had tried 10 run Sras-
burg, returned with intelligence that the enemy we're in
tearing up The rairoad track and dcstfoying
the telegraph wire. Col kcnly despatched courers
To Gen Banks by different routes TO apprse him OF the
condition II affairs
Some Of these cpuricrs made their way through aud
were the means Of saving Banks division from dcstruc
ton capture The attempt Of COR troops 90 fire the
bridge over the north fork Of the sh andoan failed, aud
the enemy began now to close in around We fell
back about mile further at this juucturo. maintaining
perfect order aud, by sudden iurn ia tine mountain
road, lost sight Of The enemy for. few Hiinutes Col
kenly directed the order the cavalry %
charge upon the enemy when they should appear and 20
fa back upon the infantry for support he artillery
ammunition had given out, and d ordered to the
front The rebels shelled over the hills, but the
ground was soft and most " their shells stuck when
they fcl and never exploded At last the rebel cavalry
again appeared cncirciug three sides They
then made charge and Major Nought with the greater
part of oar cavalry believing further resistance hopeless
fed IN dismay Capt White, however, rallied sixteen
OF The troopers and uu the road repused the
my n the rear This iuio band # heroes had to
ave away, however and came running pe mel like the
rest down through the infantry, tine Sixth Virginia cav
airy pursuing them n hot haste Colonel kculy or
dlrcd the regiment Ga, fence the roadside into
CAV "a GA nIi
the right wing Of the batuin had formed gave the
advance guard Of The enemy horse close ,uuey no
murdcrous that, out Of thirty nine and officers COM
posing IL, only SIX succeeded n passing. Had cave
airy turned now they could have auuhated these, bat
their route vas too complete to rally. Colonel Kenly
rode along 10 halt the artillery 10 give the rrhes round
or two OF grape. lie got mixed up with the cucmy's
cavalry and was shot in the head, the bullet entering
the back Of his head. " Surrender, cried rebel win
drawn sabre. keuly took mo- notice Of the summons
and was Instantly killed by sabre cut
In the meantime the lct wing NJ the regiment under
Mayor Wilson delivered scAthing volcy among the cav
airy they passed down along the battalion thinning
their ranks very pcrcepuby. he artillery aud cavalry
were now mingled together and the infantry completely
oycTpowered and surrounded, while the word surrender
passed everywhere. Many officers and men were killed
ana "'9ndeu' ana al iengih all was confusion With
sahtcs drawn over their heads, Of our force laid
down their aims Adluiant Fart Of the First Maryland,
was hhoeNed nom ms horse 70, sabre cut. "Suuen-
der cried the man who struck "Not yet" said the
Adlutant as he attempted 20 draw his sabre. second
cn followed and three or four rebels collected around
him Stl the Afnttnt persisted in drawing his sabre
xiii the damned Yankee said one Of them, be drew
his pistol 10 hfe him. third sabre rendered the
Adlutant almost scusecss The rebels then rode off,
one Of them rematkng, "lhat is the braves Young fell
low ever iset" Before this had dofed nay ovorcoat
and dspay ing gray one underneath passed myself re-
peaedy for rebel officer, and rode among their cavalry
This enabled me 10 be the Adiutant when he fell
but AS had no arms was powetess TO assist him
ne raised MS eyes and recognized me. "Ah Mr.,
am in bad fx 90 SAID he. but before more
could be said the encmy's cavalry swept me
along with them, and found myself surrounded on all
sides by enemies before was we'll aware Of h. They
captured our two guns passed them, and pursued the
cavalry. My object was 20 escape, / kept in the
front rank as long possible but my horse gave signs
Of fatigue aud could not pass their hcclest animals.
AZ length the sragglefs Of our cavalry uyertaken
some Of them dropped from their saddle each side Of
me, and one was cut down close that the blood
spouted on my hat and cheek. Soon after hi any horse
was slightly wounded and had 10 surrender with the
rest and found myself marched oil a prisoner Of war
with pistol At my head and threat that If moved
hand or foot for tive minutes my brains would srew the
road rebel officer Captain Candell, Of Eweis STAFF
came along and gave myself up to him then He had
already taken charge or the Colonel Lieutenant Colonel
Dushaue, and the Major Of the First Maryland while
d. Mitchell, who was himself slightly wounded, was /
untemitlng IN his attendance upon the Colonel aud the
Apu'aut, who were in an ambulance before us.
Inc btlte was now over, after having continued from
two L. NJ I'LL dark Our forces lost about 20l killed and
wounded, while all we had either captured or de-
suoied list Of the killed aud wounded has already |
beon sent through the lines friends Of the victims
= n N|. N a