The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-06-12

Splendid Combinations and Sue
cessful Strategy.
Scenes aud Incidents at Harrisonburg
and Staunton,
ke.. &c. &a.

&C., &C.. &e.
III. Theodore q. Wilson'S Despatch.
HEADQUARTERS, DRPa RrMxNr WEsr VIRGINIA,
STAvHr0N. Va, June IA ]
Although your correspondent has written but little
from This department. tho Of tho last few weeks,
si'I, during that period OF time, military movements
have been n progress within 10 lims- Of highly I'M
pesant character and having for their ultimate object
results Of an eminenty weighsy kind.
On several OcoasOas during the last fifteen days you
Asvs been tho recipient Of brief dispatches relating to
our progress up tho aramed valley Of tho shenandoah
The dispatches referred 10 necessarily meagre be
eusc at the times they written there not 0p
Hor,HD!ty "permssi afforded enter into details
II Is give these latter, with incidentally accompanying
facts and fgurcs This correspondence Ia arded
PRELIMINARY TRANSACTIONS.
feore surprising tho enemy General Hunter took
flon 10 originate than little surprise homen by
SGpcdniousy relieving every officer and Of his lent
md baggage also all articles not absolutely necessary
On the hIe " march contemplated Besides this there
general notification that after specified number Of
days had been exhausted the troops would be
Ssquwed 70 subsst what could be loraged ip the
Sion Of country through which they about pass
Genefa Hunter announced In plain terms that was Of
Che utmost Importance that this army should b placed
- condition for immediate efficiency. To this end he
we're deeply in earnest, and how, We expected 70
sure complete success. must be deeply N earnest
200. In referring The Lieu.eDaDs General command
hs the armies Of the United States hs poinely made
s0icn Of tho fact that Genora Grant expected much Of
chs column operating In the great valley also Of the
ssner column cooperating win it and added there must
be NO disappointmenu. BY this latter announcement
both officers and knew what wns expected OF them
b shs event Of heavy battle, and prepared themselves
accordingly.
!. . commercially short space Of time what were
1ssnsd supsrnuies sent TO the rear and were
NAen n readiness for the
poawARD AARcH.
SAs nrsS move was made from the nsiRhborhood Of
Osaar creek lthe locality which General S,gel retired
subsequent 70 encoanerDg Breckuridge 70 within two
miles Of Woodstock Here The maid army made short
Aa In The interim q reconnaissance sent out; bot,
= found 10 ormids5is force our 'front.' such was
e report 70 rwsrdod headquarters, and ws prepared
- and did 70 On Up 10 tAs time ths column unasr
Usnersl Hunters immediate direction bad mss Win no
sr,ous Opposition NOR oyertaken Of The dire caa
mliss Of war' than are attached TO an occaAonA
SnsAwhack and few ssrasGns shots dirscsed against
o extreme advance.
RrIMY m 1Hn NrU
YEA wa in the rear the enemy bad this time chosen
a anRyy n De.achmens from several rebel owamAnds
Suesudng small number Of from the nsred Mcshyi
sscss sent 70 interrupt. our comEv ncaicn with
- headquarters Of the division ,, Mariusburs
4. truth, mus. be stated The robsh wsre partially
ssssfu m carrying out their desGns> They male prison
En- Of one or two couriess, fired on single parties ans
sxa,l commands OF mountsd men. and destroyed SOM
bridges. besides ATTACHING and burning train Of wagon
vale on Its wsy 10 the front, loaded with ordnanc
"a ether stores. In this attack loss both In kite
cd prisoners, navng .he coast clear, ons command
sSos took occasion 10 not brutslities soroe OF
- who rsi unto their hands prisoners Of war Il
. % hoped the conduct Of ,hess partisan rangsE
vn - examined by those anthessssd 70 act In b
AH Of she Upstsd States and that prompt snd udicor
s.srss w, purcued in retaliation that win surely hay
- effect Of preventing . repetition Of soss similar
0Ds complained o. ME/
O. occupying Woodstock we found tbe majority OK th
sassssus seemtsgy very friendly towards as. the
A not exrcty open their hoars, Al icas. eone OF he
uspsd their doors a those WAC desired 20 enter D.
ass was before they became aware o the peculiar maj
ssr m which repeating m advance mp the va
~. whsa they learned We had come with no sugs
. eones 70 spare them, sut, on tho CONTRARY
q uncescnsnicusiy accommodate wants from ever
su isrder long cos and rsors expressions Of connts
nance soon took shs place Of winning smiles and chesru
yposs while words which more scrcibls than oh
snps FsE from lips thai might better have been engage
hyropeuncsg prayer, and others tas, had no dcub
Nus rsoen,ly .tcpsned' 'cn tho iner Of the "tends
vsssso1n indscd, vhiis We found few VINO seemed !
shcagh they would object 70 receiving the rsnke
no issr confidence. We discovered not one man wi
ani essd any desire V sccsvs rs INTO his smofsheu
= scrncrIb.
Ashaa been expected they would, the people heard
Hvsace o our aprrsach order permitsing forssir
. he country. and .palrioscaiiyn d fhoir provision
n ou4 OF shs way piscss, apd hurried on their stock,
ssnosAi In the woods and mountains. In come nsianc
vscicoysrsd whsee 10 had bean hidden, aca left the
ssisnssr.
n passing through Mount Jackson, not . few a n
ssa<ns manifested a least apparent pleasure ~ o.
ssmsss Thsy oven welcoming In their rsmar'
snl generally courteous in their sesions In some n
ssAness ladies waved bandksrchess from bosveen DO
window shutters, and In other wsys indicated 70
yasios Yankees that another advance upco the oncny
vcsss was not Objectionable their personal and po'
al feelings. Mount jackson al ono tsne was place
sscsidcrAble importance IL 10 located one hundred ss
swslvc miles from Alexandria, VIA she Mn,sssas Cap Ra
ssaa, sud about sixty miles from Marsh mburg and u
,ss OF the Baltimore aud OHIO Railroad Since sse cor
snpcsment OF the the place has fallen into
psya deoliDe, ~ 70 plainly manheshA By q
ssroyed buildings and impaired rairc&A ptcpsrs
N ths summer ssancn used 70 be ra,
sssoted by pleasure seekers vino here toor stages
shs capou Springs and Virginia spripga the Asnsry
vsw from ths point 10 highly picturesque.
The next locality Of interest wo approached was Tsv
nsrhet, the scsno OF General sias,s encounter Wit
prschinrdge. Our movements In shn nelshoorhso
rsrs naturally enough conducted With much cautiOr
s~ - No mel with no opposing torres, the ssM of N
lsss opsnQemsns vas occupied with feelings more q II
ssrsss than sxcltemens The srousd which The ssh
came on did present any especially peculiar feature
90 remind ono Of sbs content dozen graves ind
satsd whcrc were VASTLY buried scmo Of 10
saamy > dead tgy rsa with shattered limbs Ind
Fts