Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-05-05
Staantoa Spettator.
STAU N TON v A.
TUESDAY, MAY s. 1868.
FROM DOWN TIE VALLEY.


On the 22d ult., about five hundred
Yankee soldiers rushed suddenly and
unexpectedly into the town OF Wood-
stock at about o'clock, z. NJ, and took
Mr.. Chas. WEIGH and others prisoners
to be held as hostages for the notorious
Smurr who has been sent to the penn
Tertiary, but whom the Yankees main
tanned had been executed by our forces.
They remained but about twenty MN,
ntes, and hurried away, as the wicked
fee when no man pursueth.
The Rockingham Register says that
Mrs. Fountaine daughter OF MIR. WEIGH
went to Winchester, to see Milroy, com
manding the Federal forces at that
place, who told her he understood that
Smurr had been executed, and that he
would hold her father as a hostage, at
the same time declaring it to be his IN
tention to arrest or seize eleven other
men, prominent citizens of Woodstock,
to be held in like manner, swearing that
Smurr was a citizen employed by him
to guide his command through this Val
ley, and no spy, &C., with his usual bru-
tishness stating that 'sSmurr was worth
q dozen id rebels OF jeff Davis.
This whole raid was characterized by
a brutality and fendishnes unparalleled
in the history of the war in this Valley.
In coming through Cedar, Cheek Valley,
where number of friends and neigh
bors had convened to bury w. M. Bau-
serman, decd, "a member of Captain
Pierce's company, the Yankees sudden
ly dashed upon them, causing great a
larm, when many of those present en-
deavored to escape, but were fired upor
by the Yankees, although, beyond {
doubt, they we've known to be citizens
mortally wounding W. J. Conner, (sinc,
dead) and Moses Hammond in leg seri
ously the latter they carried off. They
also captured Lewis Orndof, and afte
he had surrendered himself to their viii
and had been conveyed a considerable
distance to the house of Mr.. John Orn
dof, father Of Lewis Orndoff, they oh
served that he wore pair of blue pan
falcons, whereupon they called him &
id bushwhackerp and said that h
must be killed, when one of them DELHI
erately shot at him with pistol fiv'
times, two Of which shots took effect
wounding him seriously.
a letter written in Woodstock. on tn,
day this raid occurred says that, "Majo
Myers having passed down with pick
ct of about 80 to 40 men this morning
we felt much apprehension on their &C
count, which has been relieved, howev
er, this evening, by learning that he
with most Of his men, is safe. 1t ap
pears that this morning force of tn
enemy's cavalry, advaicing from Stras
burg, made its appearance in front c
him, whom he boldly engaged until h
found their number too great to with
stand, and hearing of the approach Q
the fanking force in the rear, he endeav
ored to reach here before the enemy
but encountered them below Mawry
town, miles from Ais place in the di
reetion of Strasburg. Nothing daunted
he bravely attacked them with his littl
band, and after some fighting his me-
divided, some taking to the Fort noun
tain, and the others to the opposite ole
and we have reason to believe that yer
nearly all have made their escape. Gu
loss will hardly exceed one MORTAL
wounded and a few wounded. The dam
age done the Yankees cannot, of course
be accurately ascertained, bnt they ar
known to have suffered. A young maj
named Pangle, / think, is now nea
town, supposed to be mortally wounded
which he declares occurred after hesur
rendered. He is member of Hess
company. Another by the name Of Day
is said, also, to be wounded. The Yam
KEGS burned couple Of wagons"
Just week after the occurrences a
bove mentioned, Major S. B. Myers will
very small force repulsed two regi-
mepts of the enemy in a fair fight, killed
and wounded a number, and took some
prisoners and horses, and had but ont
man severely wounded. The following
despatch refers to this gallant fight:
"NEAR FISHERS HILL, Z P. NJ, I
April %, 1863. {
TO Lit. Col. Eauasteaa. c0namaGaadaaaQ =
Two regiments of cavalry advanced OF
us to-day, coming from Wardensville.-
Company @ gave them fits. | have jus
been over the scene of conflict, wher,
they left six dead, and two severely, i
not MORALLY wounded. We captured,
think 8, probably 10 prisoners, som'
dozen holses. They have four regi-
ments of infantry ,.two regiments of cav
airy and several pieces artillery. W.
had one man severely, if not mortally
wounded, Our only loss. [ am certain
that their loss, killed, wounded and pris
oners, is not less than forty. 1t was !:
glorious fight"
On Saturday week, a portion of thi
forces of Gen. VIM. E. Jones, had a figh
with two companies of Yankees who ha6
taken refuge in Church at Greenland
In Hardy county. As they refused .tt
surrender, and as they were SO we'll pro
tected as to make the fight an uneven
one, our boys set fire to the church,
When the Yanks could no longer stand
the fire they surrendered uncondition
ally.
In this fight we lost some 4 or 5 kill
ed and about 90 wounded. Among the
wounded, were Col. Dulaney, Major
Brown, and one or two captains. We
IL III =