The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1863-07-09
Established 1926.
Letter from Major Ebrisht---capt
YoDtI's Company Captured.
MARYLAND HEIGHTS,
HARPER's FERRY, June 2oth, ,63 7

ho7 DVVH a rug tlilt since nave nal
an opportunity to write you, and com.
munHation having been cut off be.
tween ourselves and our friends at
home, We have been unable to learn
but little from that source, and have
been contenting ourselves with the
great work now before us, preparatory
TO meeting the enemy. .
Long ere this you have had the par.
tculars concerning our evacuation Of
Martinsburg, and hence ] shall not on
ter into any lengthy account Of the af-
fair but will only give YOU Il few items
that transpired after the attack upon
us by the enemy. On Sunday the en-
emy skirlnished with our pickets all
day, (the pickets holding them in
check We had no knowledge of their
strength, neither had We any idea that
they had any artillery, and hence we
+ had concluded to hold our position.
About 3 o'clock P. NJ Col Z. +. Smith
received n fog Of fruce from the rebel
Gcnl jenkins q demand for the sur
render Of Martinsburg within one hour,
and if he refused to surrender to warn
the women and children to leave as he
would shell the town, which if not COM
piled with he would hold him respon-
sible for the consequences To which
. our Colonel replied that he would not
surrender, but wonld notify the women
and children to leave, and that he
might shell the town as soon as he saw
;, proper. Col Smith Immediately mott
) fed the citizens to leave the place and
made all preparations for the attack
: Solid shot and shell soon began to fall
thick and fast, wlfcn at this situation
| Of affairs Col B. f. Smith commanding
= received dispatches from Gcnl Kelly
ordering him and his command to fall
back upon lImpers Ferry, as it would
+ be worse than folly to contend with
y such disparity OF numbers. There
D upon We made our arrangements to
: evacuatc the place about sundOwn, and
! Just whilst we were about to complete
J.. our arrangements and effect our re-
& treat the enemy opened upon us from
+ their batteries planted In the woods
: and | think hail never fell faster than
i, did these death dealing missiles for the
i, next thirty minutes Our regiment
# took Il road leading around hill from
G whence we took the railroad, whilst
l. our artillery took the Williamsport
road. The enemy gave pursuit to til,
V artillery and captured five pieces, anC
o supposing that our whole force had ta
y ken the same road, they still pursued
: whilst we were unmolestcl, and arri
). we'd all right at lIarpers Ferry,
It At the time of the attack at Martins
c burg Capt. 1ontzs company were en-
l. gagged in building Blockhouse about
two miles distant. When the frin.
y commenced this company started f6I
e Martinsburg to rejoin their regiment
IL but before they had reached our caml
l. and Supposing that We had gone out ol
~ =, the Williamsport road, they undertook
to follow upon the same road. 1t be
Y ing very dark Capt, Iontz and hi
o company were soon surrounded by III,
u enemy and taken prisoners, ...
- The following are the names of thos'
1t belonging to Capt. Yontz's compan!
n who, up to this time, have arrived Il
IS camp: G. c. Miller, Jas. lIarclwicl;
} William Strirklef, VIM. Crist, Jasol
4 Smith, and David Snyder, Aarol
Il Walters was with us but now is miss
II ing-cannot tell what hsn become q
y him, but suppose he was captured
!, = Not one Of the men belonging to on
~ ~ regiment (the 126th) is known to hav
st been kilIrd We have learned that tn
lie number of killed and wounded belong
g ing to the enemy far exceeds ours,
Just now, to our great JOY, 1st. Lieu
J. Watson, and I'd Lieut. Smith, ac
companied by corporal A. P. AshbrooE
privatcs Stephen Groves, Isaah Groves
Reuben Sands, Simeon Sands, Jane
Stoncburner, Jacob Smith, Jonathal
McCollistcr, Albert Lovctt, q. 7
Shupe, Gabe Crittcn and Daniel Viii
son all arrived at camp. The balanc
of Capt. Yontz's company all beini
captHred, Gabc Critten is with on
teams at Harrisburgh where all on
baggage has arrived in safety.
Lieut.. Watson thinks that Aarol
Walter and Benton Fall We're bot
captured, paroled and afterwards Of
dercd to report at Camp Chase. Gu
regiment is in good condition and wi
always do their duty
'' Hoping to hear from you sooni I re
main yours, &C., z va ~
J., A. W. EBEIGHT.
ii. The 1ANc AsrER GAZETTE. - Thi