, 1862-05-27
THE DISASTER OF THE
SHENANDOAH.
Further from Gen, Banks Defeat.
IFCIDEN"IS OF TIE REB-
Ell ATT.4GA.
AContraband Saves aFatal
Surprise.
EVIL OF WEAKENING GEN. BANKS,
DEVELOPED.

EVIL OF WEAKENING GEN. BANKS,
DEVELOPED.
WASHINGTON, May e0.-Thc following Is
the latest received at tie War Department t
from Gen. Banks:
Wt11u4scoar, sd. May as, 1852.
To Hen. E. II Stanton. Secretary Of 1Far:
We believe that our whole force, trains aud
all, will cross in safety. The men are in fine
spirits, and crossing In good order.
TIE labor of last night was fearful. The
enemy followed US last night on our march,
but has not appeared this morning. The
news of our movements South has unques.
tionably caused them to look to their safety.
Your dispatch was read to the troops this
morning amid the leartiest cheers.
(stguedo n F. BARRs;
Major Gcne1zl Commanding.
statement Of Capt. Geo. Smith, Of the 1st
Maryland regiment, who succeeded in effect
ing his escape in the Gght at Front Royal:
"Abont one O'Clock in the afternoon, a ne
gro, mounted npon horseback, came dashing
into camp, crying out that "the rebels were
round you and cut Eou off" At first the men
laughed at him. saying they had waited so
long for them that they didn't believe word
Of it. AS soon, however, as CD. Kenly saw
luC A4A01 LIZ UEL-AuE SAL1eAtl Vi kAE1I Up
proach. The long roll was beaten, and the
| men responded, springing hastily to arms and
| forming In line By companies.
Very soon the rebels made their appearance,
and, strar@5e to say, not single gun was fired
| By The pickets Of the LIST Maryland regiment.
| 1t may have been il consequence OF a sudden
| turn Of the road They were surprised and
captured. Company Awas ortersd to dep1oyas
/ skirmi=hers, and support . section Of knapp's
| Pebne} lvania battery, which mustered about
| fnrtY plFn Tn fltp meantime The Ti,.ut Gn1
| of the 29th infantry, with Z small detachment
Of bis men, who flal been acting as 4 pioneer
corps, also formed md prepared to meet the
enemy. The battery was soou engaged, and
discharged shot and shell for nearly two hours
until nearly all it's ammunition bad been ex-
| pcDded. The firing was spirited, aud there is
10 doubt Of its efficiency.
Unable, however, to Withstand such au
overwhelming force, the order was given to
retire, which was done, and the entire column
moved over the Shenandoah river, the retrest
htirg covered by company Of the. 5th New
| YORK cavalry, about eighty strong. While
passing ever thc bridge, the Captain distinctly
saw the rebel force
Thcre was very strong column Of cavalry,
| say four squadrons, eight companies, and five
regiments oi infantry. Of this force, two reg
inIents OF infantry and two sqnadrons OF cav
J airy were tording the stream, the water being
very low. The order stdouble quick" was
| given, and the Fedcrals took to the pike,
where another stand was made, Col. Kenly
addressing the men, telling them that their
! only chance was to stand and fight to the last,
, especially as the rebel cavalry we're fast push
. ing on and displaying black flag. Captain
:. Smith states that he did not see them display
{ | ll4. white flag.
4 second stand was made. and many shots
! exchanged, when the New York cavalry, still
: | in the rear of the column, broke and retired
: riding through the ranks Of the infantry. a
7 part Of the Maryland command retired to 8
e wheat field, and there made another stand
, | firing rapidly, and With deliberate decision
Presently on came the rebel cavalry, cutting
right and left, yelling like Indians, In soMt
q instances neither dying or wounded wert
e spared, and in two instances, the captain SAN
= the rebels draw their pistols and shoot then
in the head whilst lying on the roadside. Til
= captain told the men they had better cscap
IS as best they could.
IL HEADQUARTERS BEYOND MA1TrHsBuna |
:, May 25-5:45 p. m.
10 a prisoner captured this P. m. says th
e rchcl force In our rear is to be strengthened
e that their purpose is to enter Maryland a
IT two points, HaTper's Ferry and Wllianlspbzl
p, He confirms all we have heard in nega1d to til
ty march Of thIrty!!fTe miles -
n. (signed,) N. P-BAEKs, Major General.
20 PHILADELPHIA, May :e6.-Gov. Curtin Ii
~ ~ Gay Issued the following proclamation:
- HEADeuAHIEss PEsxeK5yAz1A 3,. I! MILITARY. NIL
,
GENERAL ORDER No. 2s.-On pressing reqr
II | aition of the Pretident Of the Unit
IL states, in the present emergency, it is {
dered that the several Major Generals, Br1gadi
Generals and Colonels Of regiments througho
~ the Commonwealth muster, without delay, all mi
tary organizations within their respective dvieio
or under their control, together with all perso
willing to join their commands, and proceed fort
as with to the city Of Washington, or such 9th
OF points as may be indicated by future orders.
p. a. NEW YoRK, May 26.--Thel Heratd,s corre
~ pondence from Banks division writes tn
y 7,000mcn had been added to the rebel force
~ "a tie Shenandoah Valley, and that tzthe whu
M force was said to number from Is COO to q, ,0t
~ ~, with thirty four pieces Of artillery, one
~ -, ! which VIA "a FOUNDER riaed guu. On t
'u1 18th of May he said there was large ret
~ IL force in the mountains in their vicinity, b
that General Banks had enough men to Ee
70 70 them in cheek; but itappears that on the LIST
m ~ both Gen Shields and Gen. Geary were Wit
~ ~ drawn from Gen, Banks command. and ths
Of til 17th VIC find that these Generals q
me their forces had left to join McDowell-a
~ -. | that two days previously union had be
49, 49, effected between the commands Of the re.
~ ~ Generals johnson, jackson and Ewell, q
~ ~, they were marching upon the divided and
.19 " duced forces Of Banks. The telegraph n,
ss asc brings the intelligence that Gen. Banks /
~ ~ fallen back before superior force Of I
Ias rebels, who are occupying the whole Of
~, Shenandoah Valley, which has cost Us
~. much trouble to rescnc from their clutches
lam a Tie New York Times special from Washi
ton yesterday, says: ave have passed q Y
~, ~ exciting day in Washington. The intel1igel
received last evening, to the effect that Genf
~. Banks had fallen back from Strasburg to n
~ chester, was understood to Indicate rath.
~ precautionary measure on his part than the
~ suit ofany Immediate Increment Of the eneI
n;T % The tidipgs Of this morning, announcing
~ ~ occupation Of Winchester BY jackson, and
Z ~ withdrawal of Banks, stter An eugageEnen
~" tix hours, In the direction Of MarttnaburE
'o"A Harper's Ferry, placed matters in new III
=, .th and aroused serious apprehension not only
-. -. ~ the safety Of bis little command, hut for
a.sd Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the city Of B
murt, and even The Capita1--
Later in the day the reports Of the rio
!, In Baltimore and Of the ront Of the en-
force Of Banks BY the quick march aud 0
wheaming numbers Of jackson, greatly In
+ IS. | sified the excitemenE- The secession q
pashizers, too greatly elatea to conceal
WIS joy, openly expressed their belief that
ha3 Eosts of JEFF Davis will overrun Mary
amzr | Sud the District within twenty four ho
that The rtports Of rfotipg in Balttn,ora, doub
:reof, GROSSLY exaggerated, bave given the ene
o. the Union heIe increased b0ldnezs
:unto .pirg At no: time afucn the dsast
great Bull .Run; have they been 80 v4unting AM
tol tn fi4t,t. Among the }oIallsts the feeling Ia
~ OF u reg.et That by ;eomehody's hlundor
cantt, IL the Vall-y of the Shenandoah sh
have been 20 seriously set back, and the