Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-04-02
Letter from tho EightyFourth
CANr kwBAIL, NEAR WINCHESTER
Va, Msruh 2l, loG2

Va, Msrch "a, l,G2.
Ds5r RlDpjhean ;old you in my last
le,tor would, in all probability, neat
write TO you from Winchester, Well, we
are not exactly in Winchester, but we are
lying within milc Of it in the mud and
mire- Gen. Banks and his bqnd.50r soldiers
occupy the town. Now, YOU should see
these soldiers of Gen Banks They par.
ade the streets in white gloves, white
shirts, and boots black ed to ookiug-glass
perfection upon my word it makes rs
laugh. BY as | mean sc of Gen. Shields
DiyisiOn-lhe mud-trampers, baggage car
riers and feld-sleepers. Gen. Banks has
lain at Frederick for months, in winter
auarters-nicely housed-tents in house
order-and any quantity OF provisions-
On the other hand our Division he's been
moving about all the time--half of the
time without tents sleeping on the wet
ground with one blanket around US moth,
ing to eat except hard johnnies; miles
away from our baggage: no change of
clothes for two or three weeks. Is it any
wonder that we laugh at these polished,
| powdered jl cks?
On last Tuesday morning, with three
days rations in our hatersacks, and our
, blankets slung, we started on a march -
we knew not whe-e, or for what purpose
The artillery was some little distance in
advance, and the first inlimation of the
presence OF an enemy we received, was
/ the roar Of thirty pieces of canuon-and
/ Immediately afterwards, the second report
the bursting of the shells, Immediate
/ Is the whole column Of our fOrce-fifleen
] Al -. l.. Ill
so voluntary that the hills resounded
with the echo. Eager Indeed were the
| boys for a brush--ior, although we had
marched eighteen miles, and tired and
Jagged as they had appeared a moment
harOre-cyery file was closed and covered.
/ The word ran down the line that we were
within t6Q miles Of Strasburg-the here,
.osoye inyincible fortluvu post of the rebel
army. We were Immediately ordereI tor
ward, bu! had not gone far when cloud
of smoke informed us that some bridge ir
our path had gone the way of al thiugs.
And so it proYed-fOr the bridge over a
creek called Cedar Creek had been burned
by the enemy, who weae making use of
the delay by travelling on a double.quioI
.DiXiewayd. Not long We're we forming 8
lJDl pain Ol q INC 4alltU lllllDEI0-UllN al
ter them re sped. About two miles be-
yond Strasburg we caught them, on 4
mountain whore they made stand. EY-
'pecting US to follow the road they took a
position which commanded ii entirely, ana
would have made sad havoc with our lines
had we so confronted them ;--kut we filed
up an opposite mountain, and before
they knew where we were, our cannon
.be!cAed out on them, when they fled over
the mountain in confusion.
We followed them for several miles. but
they lied so last-anG burned all the rail-
road bridges in their track, forming 50
many obstacles, that our troops, wearied
and footsore, abandoned the pursuit and
enoampel for the night. The next day
we marched back TO Winchester making
p miles, without halting. The whole
movement ssems to have been recOnoi-
sance in force Of The natural and artificial
tortications Of Strasburg, and the advan-
tage, if any, to be derived from obtaining
possession of hem. We left small force
of cavalry there. We have orders now ia
keep on hands six days supply Of extra
rations. Where we 90 next we know not
but that some decisive movement is in
GOal TEN blallOll' no Dllb NONDJp sNGCi tbdI
Stanton said this campaign must be closed
by the LIST Of June would that il might.
see by the papers that part Of that
'abie generals command Banks reached
Manassas by way of Strasburg, the other
day" That's the way it goes. Gen.
BaL':s original command has never left
since its arrival there-Gen. Shields di-
vision took possession Of Strasburg - made
the hard rnarches--laid out on tue open
field, and Gen. Banks pockets the credit.
is that altogether faiG?
We in the first brigade of Shields
division, commanded by Col. Nathan
Kimball, Of the l4th Indiana ar able
commander, with the confidence, respect
and love of his command More anon.
Yours truly,
OLD TOWN.
HALE OK FoRNEY.-No man kEew John
, W. Forney better than did Mr.. Buchan