The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-06-13


Its Objcet-what Was Accomplished by
the Move nae nt-RsheI Asssa~ss - -shs
Affair, Sc.
Mr.. rHEoDoRE O. Wilson'S DESPATCH.
SHENANDOAH VALLEY, May 81 1854
Through the courtesy Of officer high IN rank. who
was present At the late engagement a. New Market your
correspondent enabled the following extract
from letter written by said officer to member Of the
Committee the Conduct Of the War; The extract is OF
both interest and importance, as il accords with the ON
eia report subject Therefore the public oy read
ting this can form their opinions, they having, no
doubt already read other side Of the question
sIGELs CAMPAIGN
According 10 the general and final arrangement, the
ais Oh ci troops the Department OF West Vr
enia was 10 make offensive movement from the Ka
nawha valley, under Generals Crook and Aver for the
purpose Of destroying Tennessee Railroad and espe
cialy New igc, about ten miles east OF New
bern 10 be favored aud assisted by the
advance small firce from Beverly and a demonstra
strait the Shenandoah valley threatening stanton,
and thereby ucing the enemy TO detach part o! his
force which stationed Lewisburg and along
Tennessee Railroad bet Lynchburg ard Neweern.
Under this presumption the troops Of the department
distributed Reinforcements OF the best infantry
and the best cavalry, under General Averi
10 General crook bile the remainder concentrated
a, Mrtnsburg, and small rec % infantry al cavalry
was stationed at Beverly. On the Goth Of April three
hundred cavalry advanced from Beverly
Sieel who was unwilling to send small edition up
The Shenandoah valley without sharing himself the dan
ger proceeded 81 Martinsburg 10 superinend tho
mcni o the troops-whom he had raced under command
q the senior officer, Major General stahelconsstine II
eight regiments OF infantry besides tho cavalry and
artillery.
The START AND ADVANCE
The c. umn moved from Martnsburg to the front
About the 18th 81 April, occupied Bunker Hill aud VIM
chester, and advanced as TAR Midileo@n and Cedar
creek. Here II ascertalred Eat no troops except
limb deus forces in tie valley, and il seemed,
therefore, necessary to advance further ~ the valley 10
n vtp.y-
rid 40 make his arrangements for me decoce Of St1un
sen he advance was mde ana tae troops were mayea
Market. At Woodstock the whole ieeeraphic cores
pondence between Hreckfaridse and lmboden and the
comma der of Gilmorcs cavalry, stationed at Wood
stock, Eel into our hands. Among these dispatches was
rned by Breckenridge dated Dublin station. May S,
that four thousand men from Jackson
river depot also that the quartemaster should furnish
horses another and later despatch dated stanton aud
signed by Breckiurdge, directed Captain Davis at Wood
stock TO Ind out the strength of forces There
doubt Breckenridge was in the valley and
that be had detached oar thousand from his
near ewisOurg 10 possession Of this Information,
General sisei resolved TO march 70 Mount jackson,
battle
Rrcovyo;ssAxcE
10 the meantime the advance guard, with strong
toce o. cavalry was sent forward take
Mount ckscn if pos ble, and gain more in
formation fnis orce met Imboden near Mount Jackson
ordgc, hnd. animated by this success followed him
far % New Market
gei Information OF this little exploit late
ight on the liih it, at Woodstock and ordered the
cavalry TO move AT four o'clock. aud the infantry I've
O'Clock, morhing the 18th. He tried by this
movement The bridge across the shenan ooah
and the important position OF New M'rket would
gie him control OF the turnpike Luray AMI Cupepper,
aud the road by Eroc,s Cap leading through MoordeId
and Petersburg. FIR m these explanations R is evident
shat General sigc hts forward movement according
and in conformity the general plan 10 be
followed Il also shows that be did no; the dark
but wei informed of the position and movements Of
Inboten and Breekin dge. aad forces
the exception OF such ren.orcements had joined
Ire knridge from lexington and Lynchburg and from
che eoantry between New Market and staunton why he
marched to New Market instead OF stopping this side Of
the shenandoah is also sufficiently clear
RATTIx THE REFUSE
As TO the baltic itself and reasons which led TO
rcpuIse the following Information mas been received
The order General Sigei for the troops 10 march
precisely at -four and Gve O'Clock etricty
pied with The cavalry impeded the march Of the IN.
fan,ry fir No dstocx for more than an hour, which
delay was so fatal 10 Its consequences.
During the battle two regiments OF infantry Of one
thousand fv, hundred men, we're ,,ed one mile behind
tne line o. battle and did not come up, although repeat
ssel's staff The gap occasioned BY want Of abort
one third OF the whole infantry force had filed
With cavaiy and artillery which able resist
was lodged and the enemy advanced against the left
undsr Tue personal command Of General sisel. 10
sisted sud repused with four regiments and batteries
abe principal attack OF the enemy During this critical
time the four regiments about hundred men In
Killed nd woundeda strong proof OF their resistance
s. General Si.e being numerically weaker, depended
much 90 bis artillery but after the battle had COM
nenced dreDchng rain the ground really imTas
sable ard prevented the maauuverng OF the pieces
the held and their prompt advance removal at the
4. Tie atantry -four companies) who were posted
behind tie Two batteries the right TO protect them.
and who ordered advance between the pieces 10
check she encmys infantry in their charge did ad
vance ard three pieces ~ this battery lost after
mos, of Tic horses we're shot General sige himself by
bis personal exertons tried 10 get away &c those
pieces a the mm ent peril oi his life and Of capture by
8 potion OF the cavalry was not reliable; another
portion very coed bat falci az the right and favor
able eai 10 charge the enemys rs IA ok when be
j
bgtt the cavalry covered the we'll
and gaze the other troops an opportunity TO form again
into line.
indisputablc that the nemy made only
week Efforts bet cen New Market and Mount nckscn 10
follow up his "erca" victory and furthermore
fact that en- Size had resolved and fully prepared 10
fight another battle the nsxt day. II he had had any
troops spare take back and guard sufficiently his
trans and all the wounded who had to be escorted to the
rear
Z tits uSblushngy false that any Of our hospital cr
ohe TENS wagons burned otherwise destroyed
oar troops marched in perfect order to Ednburg,
where the ,rairs were stationed and where they 90
ard creek the nth occupied Sirlsburg,
ard M cavalry dyanced es ar as Woodstock
.. must he added that q the Of our
behind Cedar creek, instead Of remaining Mount
jacks n. this th4t The enemy alter repue had
adyarcei his cavalry on the road to Iuray and Front
Roy whct movement In followed up would have eTec.
tuRfy cgi our commGn cations between Mount JACKSON
ard Naflit sblFg-a distance o. about seventy miles
IN ~ those fHcls anl considering the condition Of
The department when General sRol took command, the
immense dicaes he had 10 contend with, the par he
teok u taxing command q small force TO as ST his
inforar of cor Is operations the kanav ha valley,
and tae part lie o In The battle itself sharing the dsn-
gcrg Gad fakIrg the fate or the soldier and
rdsrng he that bis little perfect order
src dsciriipe and IN ert spirits after It's arrival
~ tedlf cr.rs-aficr rsidcr1g all these tbiuga. 4
seems st-aafe oat the government should have taken
this opportunity depse him, and 10 take from IN a
cast he chance ~ retrieving what mi hi he regarded
misfortune. aud Tor which he could rot personally
- ac5mmsnder &c held accountable
Williamsburg cray News.
TRE EXTENSIVE HooF SKiRr FACTORY. shortly
a'er eleven O'Clock Saturday night, Gre was dis.
lNanad M a lraa Two Einrv hrlck Lndina cnrnnr on