Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-02-21
Letter rrOm the Editor.

country Dear SAD evidence OF Tue ruin huu
devastation of war. The, stores and business
houses are all closed, and bu, for the little
anipAliopr given 70, the lPlseS hyfPs spiders
stationed here, Il Would ppfresehptke pf appear.
ance OF q ruined and deserted village. Near
" all the able.bodied men are in the Southern
army, and the few 'lsdies that remain seldoni
appear on the streets The magnificent and
costly engine house And machine shops Of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which added so
much TO the beauty and thrift Of ,Nartnsburg,
have been entirely destroyed, and the scared,
blsekeued and crpmbling walls stand forth as
silent Witnesses Of war devastation.
The town is garrison ed by regiments Of
infantry and cavalry. Pickets are thrown
out on sllthsiroads leading to the place and
sleepless vigilance Is exercised to guard
against surprise No one is allowed to go
out beyond the line Of pickets without pass
from the Provost Marshal which, in some
instances, is very difficult to obtain. The
county between here aud Winchester, and
for miles beyond, up the Shenandoah Valley,
presents a most lamentable appearance. Not
u particle of fencing is to be seen, and the
farm houses aud beautiful residences OF this
once prosperous ind hOurishing valley beRr
sad evidence of vandalism, desertion and
neglect. A half century of peace and pros
perity will not serve to restore the country
hereabonts 10 lie former heaut5, and remove
the marks of desolation wrought by invading
armies. al
The country between Martinsburg and the
Potomac, although overrun by contending ar.
mics, has not suffered to the extent Of the
upper part of the valley. About sixlmiles
out on the Williamsport pike is the battle field
of Hainesvile or Hoke's Run. 1t was here
that General Johnston rear guard, command
ed BY Stonewall Jackson, Chen Brigadier,) }
met, and held in check the advance of Gener-
al Pa..ersons army. The position selected
was admirably adapted for thePprpose. Jack.
son planted his four pieces Of artillery on the
brow OF n hill, while his infantry we're drawn
up in u ravlne about thousand yards in the
rear, completely hid from Pattersons view,
and protected from the ere Of his artillery
Patterson was forced by the nature Of the
country to lead his men down the slope OF n
hill in iull view and easy and unobstrueted
range ofJackson artillery. His men adyauced
boldly TO the charge, and thus exposed, sui
fered severely. After two hours fght, in which
the infantry we're engaged at distance Of SIXTY
yards, jackson ordered is men to fall back
and retrealed towards MArtinsburg, skirmish
ing and fighting as they iell back, Thi
tight, or skirmish, as it now appears in com
parison with the terrible battles since fought
had a most important bearing upon the hrs
battle of Bull Run, ss it served to prevent
junction OF PAlterson's army with Mcdowell
t and gave the Confederates victory at Man
e assas. The houses and trees in the vicinit
Q Of the ground on which the ight took plac
4 bear many scars of the conflict large on
d, tree, a quarter Of a mile in the rear Of wher
!, Jaekson's artilley was planted, is pointed on
= by the eitizsns as the spot where old "Stpn'
= wall" stood during the Eight, writing dispatebe
and watching and directing the movements
his men
Jseksoh is great lAvosise with the peop
G Of the Valley When he arrived in this plac
i in pursuit of Banks, he was surrounded by II
n ladies' an d every button taken from his Goa
e He was compelled TO put guard around b
:, horse TO prevent them from cutting OF i
:, name and tail for keepsAkes
The Union sentiment IN this county is ia
= dying out LincoIn's proclamation has dor
70 its work Hundreds Of men who chung to Il
q idea that the war was being prosecuted 4
70 tho sole pnrpose of restoring the Union, al
/. who stood firmly by the adminiStration, ha
,e been driven into the secession ranks by !
ia recent undisguised Aboiitobism, and nc
,s curse him rs bitterly as they ever did seoS
sion. His course has added immensely
u the strength Of the Southern cause, and ne
ID traliEed or destroyed lhebene6ls of all Il
G. victories won by the vAlor aud daring of o.
Id armiea However unpleasant these fEets nil
u be to the friends Of the Union, they must
IN known !. for facts they are, General M,lro
nv now stationed At Winchester. is doing more
i strengthen the cause of she eonfedera,esi thl
y y they are doing for themselves His cOur
y is daily eStrangiug numbers of Union M
go from tho support Of the government l
{. using the government wagoul
of usiug 70 his command for the purpose
lie gathering up the negroes within his lines a
ng aending them into Psnnsylyania Scarce