The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-11-13
SHEN ANOOAH,
~~~~~>~~~~~~~~>>~~>~~~~~>
REC0NN0ISSANCES IN The VALLEY.
The Main Body of the Rebel Army
Not Discovered.
no SUBSISTENCE FOB TIE ENEMY.
The Inhabitants Removing to
ESQ ape Starvation.
General Sheridan Takes Position
Nearer His Base.
Tho Guerilla MOsby Reinforced by Rebel
Maryland Regiments THE Line,
Hr. Charles "A. Hannam's Despatch.
HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY CoRps
MIDDLE MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Nov. 10, 1864.

Hr. Charles n. Hannam's Despatch.
HHApoUA RrERs SIXTH ARMY CoRps
hnprs MILITARY DgsARrasST Nov. 10, 1864.
rgE SHENANDOAH VALLEY AND The WAR.
IN the absence OF anything like military Il has
appeared 10 me that short account OF this
sheuandaah valley may prove Interesting. Ever since
the outbreak OF the rebellion 1t as battle
s.ic. Rarss Airoy, Fremont, Hunter Sge Averlli,
ssridsn and other Union generals have hero met ths
GsFcs shock OF battle forces under such leaders
- Stonewall Jackson, Ashby, Erly, lmbodeu Rosser
and others Of lesser note What was once highly call
vsed country, which literally "blossoed the rosen
is desoate and unproiuetive. Towns and viii ages
which before tho thriving and popaious arc
nos almost dsssrei aud partially destroyed Where
orchards and ccrnaeds onos beaut'fed tue ,scdscaps
IRE to be found the remains OF camp nras Dad
hc-ses are to be seen along Ito road sies sodicrs
graves, sin5ly or in clusters, dot many OF
She nelda Where the plough once turned I'D
She rich soil artillery and baggage wagons row
cut the earth. Tho turnpike, and well
preserved, has been deeply furrowed by the continual
passing to and fro OF unumerable army Wagons Such
IN bref is an outline OF the past aud present condition
Of the valley OF the Shenandoah 1t
The valley proper Includes all that extensive tract OF
country which bounded the by the Blue Ridge
mountains, and on the west by the Great North Little
North and other mountains. Tho mountains run north.
SHENANDOAH q
considerable magnitude rises in the Little North noun.
tain, and flows for distance OF about one hundred
miles, In northessteriy direction, until emptes Itself
Into the Potomac at Harpers Ferry The width OF the
valley varies considerably In places as at Srss.
burg and Fishers Hli Is but few miles wide while
nj other places the mountains either side sink away
below the horizon and nothing but the Hottest
peaks are visible. The face OF the country
b picturesque In the extreme. White farm.
steads and residences OF greater pretensions dot
the whole valley at intervals OF . few
miles Along the fine macadamized turnpike are towns
md villages Vast tracts OF land cleared cultivation
patches OF woodland where the Locust white oak, pine,
hickory and Other trees grow TO immense height;
small streams flowing through the valley In every drec
tion sparkling In the sunshine like threads OF silver green
Aelds and lofty mountains all features peculiar TO
lhs highly favored section laud. In addition
i other numerous advantages It Is also an immense lime
stone district The gathered In heaps and
burned and The ashes applied to the land fertilizer
II 10 on this account that such productive crops are
raised In the valley Game was formerly very abundant
here and many bloody fight took place la the valley
between the early settlers and the Indians before the red
men finally driven from their favorite hunting
ground. Quail Ia still TO be found in considerable
bers and not unfrcqnenty Startled rabbit quite
= commotion by dashiug tranticay through camps
Winchester, one Of the principal towns in the valley,
Iation OF ave thousand people, commenced IN the
year 1852 Twenty years before that time contained
but two cabins Now has two Presbyterian churches
enc Catholic chapel, two Methodist meeting houses,
splendid Episcopal church. the Bap.ists have meeting
house. also the German Luherans and the Friends have
neat brick building. Fine water Is conveyed TO every
part of the town through iron pipes Other towns In the
valley, Martinsburg, Eewtown MiddietowD, Stras.
burg, Stanton Harrsonburg and swisburg were bsore
Tho war thriving and well built Toe reader viii
Do familiar with their During the last four years
they have all frequently figured In the war dispatches
from the valley.
FOUR YEARS OF WAR
have erected great changes in all tho above named
towns. Deserted houses empty stores, churches aud
hotels used hospas in the suburbs houses and barns
partially burned Knocked to pieces by cannon balls
The beauty and fashion OF Winchester and other towns
are things Of the past The beautiful bellies Of the val
Ny 20 about In faded gowns and poke bonnets A
fsw smile tho Union soldiers, but tho majority
stu bitter sscessioniss Occasionally one may be
walking tho streets side by side with manned rebel
peidier, perchance . former member Of the famous
s.ouswan brigade, whose wounds have rendered him
useless 70 the military service Of the Southern confed.
~acy.
fuR Ppoprx-How THsY LIVE.
How do the people liver s question often asked but
never satisfactorily answered. In tho farming districts
cartridge boxes and hayersscks arc collected and
made into shoes BY the farmers wives and daugh.
Sers Cornmea cakes constitute their principal article
q food. few or Thorn have been fortunate enough
70 save COW, which furnishes them with milk. Hogs,
chickens geese turkeys and horses have nearly all dis.
appeared and tho farmyards win be silent and do
serted. Our soldiers have q much better reputation
among the inhabitants than have the rebels, for the
reason AZ they say, "that our men generally pay for
what hoy GET while the rebels rsnsack the houses and
lake away any article they fancy, whether Il useful OF
nos.n During the time Geoeral Sncridan's army hai
been encamped on the limo OF Cedar creek from dozer
70 twenty females haze visited his headquarters daily fo
~ purpose OF obtaining permission 10 purchase supplies
fre@ We conn sssry. This always grsned In many
pstes tbsso fe lie representatives or the y. VS. wer
mGunted on h which dsnnoupted rneu would moi
accept % CIR broken windsd foundorsd beass which
cavalry mau ould soon have got rid OF with bule
through the rain. Formerly those Southern maid
sautered gall cng on young and high bred stecds. n
al appeuan however. they are s,in hrm believers II
Ahs ultimate ess Of the rebellion. Four years Of suc
bitter experle has apparently Effected no change Il
Shsir sentier Is towards the North except IL may be
smbuter thc,n sti more against the OLD Unou or III
na In VA valley say but ttlo for the reason that bu
few arc % TO seen, except now and thcn wounde
rebel, inoapacitated for further scrvIcs, and 10,
docrept old mon, who are also exempt on account
their nnrmtics. They seldom be induced 10 cor
verso about the war, and when they do u n yer
uuardediy.
THE errors.
Tho principal crops grown in the valley are corr
wheat and oats but atssriy the farmers have been ur
jps their attention 70 the cultivation Of sorghum for h
purpose OF making sugar. they have, learn met vii
considerable success.
ins MILITARY PHOTOGRAPHY rHs VALLEY.
Good dsfAnsiys muRasy positions In W vslAy are