Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-06-23
Stanton sptetator.
ST A u N TON. V A.
o~o-N-o1r-~~
TUESDAY. JUNE %, 1869.
THE CAPTURE OF WIN CHI ESTER, &c

At the time of going to press last
Week we had no other reliable intelh-
gence concerning the operations of our
forces down the Valley than that con
tanned in che despatch of Gen'l Ewell,
which merely stated that our troops,
under the immediate command of Gen'l
Early, had captured the town of Win
chester, and considerable number OF
pieces of artillery, &C., without saying
anything about the character OF the
fight or the number of prisoners taken.
AS usual, in the absence of official IN
formation, there has been such a con-
trariety of reports that it has been I'M
possible to learn satisfactorily what was
the disposition Of our forces, the charac-
ter of the conflict, and the exact results
accomplished. 1t seems, however, that
on Friday morning, Gen. Ewell, much
to the surprise of the enemy, reached
| Front Royal, Warren county, eighteen
miles from Winchester, and at once
pushed ON to the latter place, encounter
ed force of the enemy when within
some ten miles of the town, with which
skirmishing Immediately commenced,
the enemy retiring and the skirmishing
continuing, our forces being in pursuit.
1t was at the time Of this skirmishing
that Lieut.. Charles Norvell, gallant
officer, and son ofLorenzo Norvell, Esq,
Of Lynchburg, belonging to the 14th
Regiment, Va. cavalry, commanded by
Col. James Cochran, of this county, was
seriously wounded. He was in COM
mand Of Capt. Packs company, who
was absent, and in conjunction with one
other company OF his regiment, the
whole numbering about so men, were
pursuing body of the retreating enc
my, when they were led into an ambns-
cade Of a battery of artillery masked,
and forty of them killed or wounded, a.
mong them Lieut.. Noryell.
On the morning of Saturday our ar
my renewed the advance, the enemy
contesting the ground with some stub
bornness, but they were compelled tc
continue their retreat. About noon o.
that day our forces reached the confines
of the town, when a flag of truce was
sent in, demanding a surrender of the
place. The officer commanding replied
that he would abide the issue Of battle
and if attacked would burn the town
to which Gen. Ewell answered, if any
house was burned other than those fired
by the bombardment, the black flag
would be hoisted and no quarter given
The assault upon the enemy's entrench
ments was then commenced, and con
tinued until dark. At an early hour or
Sunday morning the attack was renew
ed and continued throughout the day
the cannonading most Of the time being
Avery severe. On Monday morning
early, the garrison capitulated, and oul
army took possession of tho town, as
well as the works from which the enc
my had been dislodged.
As to the immediate material truiti
of this capture the accounts vary, but az
near as we are able tolearn at this time
they are as follows:
Prisoners, from three TO four thousand
horses, 500; wagons, from 100 to 200
stores, from 81 100000 to $2,000,000.-
In accomplishing this, we lost, it is re
ported, not more than two hundred il
killed and wounded The only "draw
back" to this brilliant achievement is
the fact that the brute, Milroy. succeed
ed in making his escape. There are
many surmises as to the manner il
which he effected his escape. but the
material fact is that he succeeded. We
think it very probable that he eluded
the vigilance of our pickets by dressing
himself in the garb Of citizen.
What is the main object of the impor-
tant expedition upon which our troops
have entered, is only known to General
Lee and his Lieut.. Generals. They did
not remain any time at Winchester, the
Rapture Of which was but an episode in
the grand expedition, but hurried on to
Mason's AID Dixon's Line, and the fol
lowing despatch from the greatest Cap
tain OF the age shows how soon they
made an eagles swoop upon the town OF
Martinsburg, on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad:
CULPEpER G. lei. June 18th
Gen. S. Cooper, A. & /. Gen:
General On the afternoon of the
18th, Gen. Rhodes took possession Of
Martinsburg, capturing several pieces
of artillery, more than two hundl ed
prisoners, a supply of ammunition and
grain. Our loss, one killed and two
wounded.
Signed Il. Z. LEE, Genl
The column under Gen1 Rodes push
ed on to Martinsburg and captured that
place simultaneously with the capture
bf Winchester Our forces, at least por-
lions of them, have crossed the Potomac
1t Williamsport and at several other
places lower down that river, and some
IRE in Maryland whilst others are in
Pennsylvania. The whole Yankee ma
ion is now in a stir and buzz like a
hornets nest when stick has been
punched through it. They arc running
pither and thither beating up the blood
minded mezish. Lincoln has issued
proclamation calling for 100000 men
tepel the invasion Of Maryland, Penn
Elyania, Western Virginia and Ohio.