Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-22


thousand infantry, knew nothing of Lees
movement until several days after it had
taken place? Or, if the General-in Chief
knew that Lees army was moving into
the Valley, was he not criminally culpable
in permitting the army of General MilrOy
to be surrounded, giviRg him no notice OF
the Overwhelming force moving against
himi aa-
But the facts clearly indicate that the
Department at Washington knew nothing
| of Lees movement in time to check il, or
save Milroy. Milroy was not connected
| with the Army of the Potomac, nor was he
called upon with his small force to partic.
ulArly watch the movements of Lees army,
he certainly having enough to do in guard
ing the Valley north of Winchester, and
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad against
the rebel forces west of the Blue Ridge
He was instructed that in case Lees army
moved into the Valley he would be notified
aud ordered TO fall back, and in view OF this
aud in obedience to orders, he had no sup
| plies on hand, and could not, If Winchester
had been second Gibraltar, stood a siege,
| and subsequent events have shown that If
he bad held out until to-day no assistance
would have reached him. .5r
Surrounded by from forty to sixty thous-
and rebel troops and out of supplies, he, at
the head of his brave boys, cut through the
rebel lines and saved three-fourths of his
command. H
Capt. DeMott, division Quartermaster,
out of eight trains-in all about one hum
dred and fifty wagons-saved one hundred
| and Eve four-horse teams complete. The
Captain also saved nearly all the horses
and harness belonging to the other trains,
he having mounted his teamsters, dashed
with the horses through the breach in the
rebel lines, bringing off about three hun
dred. Of clothing, camp and garrison
| equipage, Capt. DeMott lost less than three
thousand dollars worth. The regimenral
quartermasters mad but a few articles OF
any kind on hand.
The statements taken from the Richmond
papers about the immense stores taken are
base fabrications. fd77i -....
| But in regard to Gen. MilrOy, who has
been so ruthlessly assaiIed on all sides:
Did he disobey Orders!2 Mol Then what
has there been in his conduct to warrant
his arrest and the assaults of the scribblers
of the country? He is charged with cow
ardic. The fact is, his reputation for
bravery is so we'll established that il is
hardly necessary to reply to this Gharge.
On this score l will, however, repeat that
from first to last no officer or private was
more exposed to the bullets Of the enemy
than the General, and in proof of this
offer the evidence of every soldier who par
ticipated in the battles of Saturday, Sun
day and Monday Each charge on Monday
morning was led by Gen. Milroy, and
where, for a moment, the boys faltered un-
der the CALLING FIRE of the enemy, he rush
ed along the line shouting, come on my
brave boys, follow me. They did follow
him, aud drove twice their number. '"
| Who is to blame that our force was sur
rounded by Lees army! Is there not an
attempt on the part of Generals high in
authority to place the evidence of their
! guilt upon the garments of General Milroy,
who, with between five aud six thousand
infantry and parts of three regiments of
caValFy, was left TO protect the valley north
of Winchester and guard the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad and the pass to Maryland
Certainly enough for his small force. And
| yet one would suppose from the tone Of the
New York Herald, and the manner in which
the General-in- Chief has dealt with him,
that he was not only to guard the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad. but was, in adj
ditioD, especially commissioned to watch
the movements Of Lees army.
| 1t is stated Ia some of the prominent pa
pers that General Milroy could easily have
concentrated from other points force of
| fifteen Thousand men. This is simply a
faIsehood, and have no doubt its author
knew it at the time. '' ha
The truth is that Hooker, though brave
and skillful officer, was Outgeneraled-Lee
leaving his frohtiand passing into the VAL
ley without his detecting the movement in
time TO disturb the rebel Generals plan.
Like Macbeth, they have smeared the
blood upon the garments of another, that
they might appear guiltless and innocent
1 q bsad al has 1aH
upon the country The truth is, Milroy
performed his part nobly, resisting the ad-
vance of Lees army, and when finally SUR
rounded by from forty 20 fifty Thousand
rebel troops, cut his way through, saving
three fourths of his command: aud yet, TO
hide the stupid incOmpetency that is 80
clearly manifest in another quarter, he is
placed under arrest, and that in the face of
the remonstrance of two of the best Major
Generals in the army, and the earnest So
iicitatioh of his troops that he should still
lead them. -lit5Ii6" G or
it is true Gen. AIilroy was not ground
out at West PointT Others of our best
Generals have been equally unfortdnate,
and have suffered the penalty which at
taches to the misfortune. Among them
We name Sigel and Wallace. -.-.Ii., rs /.
He has also incurred the displeasures OF
certain papers by not being pro-slayery
man. The Herald has an attack Of this
kind. Its articles on Milroy are all gotten
up with the most rigid economy of truth.
Among other things, that General Ailroy
meanIy abandoned his wife and children
to the tender mercies of the rebels, when
the slightest Investigation would have en-
abled that paper truthfnlly to state that bis
wife and children had not been in Wincbes-
ter for two months prior to the evacuation
of that place, they having left in April.
''Let Justice be done though the heavens
! fall" Let the censnre be cast where II
| justly belongs, but do not sacrifice q brave
and successful soldier to hide the blunder-