Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-10-20
FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.

Extracts from Correspondence Of the NsW York World
HEADoas ARMY UEDER GEN SHERIDAN,
Saturday, October 8, 1854
Desolationdesolaton every where For the past three
days the Army of the Shenandoah has been falling back
from destroying every thing along the valley
in the shape of forage and provisions it had previously
destroyed that between Harsonburg and Staunton From
Staunton back to Strasburg this magnificent bloom
ing "garden of Virginia is almost desert OF all the
horrors of war this horror the greatest shall find it
impossible to indicate what fghtul wrath and suffer-
ing have descended upon these people and these lands
1t fortunate that further necessity existed for
direct offensive operations against Earys army The
tories at Winchester and Fishers Hill have tho
roughly broken up and scattered that force that there
great body of 1t left to contend with 1t is
confidently believed that reorganization Of the army which
have recently been fighting next to impossible Large
numbers of the men comprising that army are natives of
the valley, and during it's retreat took the liberty of
treating to their homes and into the mountains The old
Stonewa brigade made up almost entirely of these
men. They have been coming into lines and giving
themselves up at the rate of forty fifty per day There
was then, in the absence of proper warranty for pro-
oeedng further actual necessity for remaining far away
from the base of supplies but the possibility still exist
ed that the rebels would send another army up the valley
the long talked long threatened for rendering
was decided upon
The beginning of the work recorded in what you
have already received 1t has been continued during the
three days march from Harrsonburg to Strasburg where
the army onight encamped Through all the days the
atmosphere from horizon to horizon has been black with
the smoke of hundred confagrations and at night
geam brighter and urd than sunset has shot from
every VERGE The orders have been destroy all forage
stacks and barns and to drive the stock before for the
subsistence of the army The execution Of these orders
has been thorough and in instances where barns
dwelling houses, have been fred has resulted in the
destruction of the latter In instance except in that
of the burning of dwellings within five miles, in retaliation
for the murder Of Lieut. Megs, have orders been issued
for the burning of houses have such orders been sane
toned by Gen. Sheridan Such wholesale incendsrism
could not be pursued however without undue license b.
ing taken by the worst class of soldiers and there been
frequent instances of rascaly and pillage
discriminating, or with such swift work discrimins-
ton is mpractcabe relentless, merciles, the torch has
done its terrible business in the centre and either side
of the valley Few barns and stables have escaped The
gardens and fields have been desoated The CATTLE
hogs sheep, cows, o1en-nearly FIVE thousand head in
alhave been driven from every farm The poor, alike
with the rich have suffered. Some have lost their all
The wang Of women and children, mingling with the
cracking of aames has sounded from of dwellings
nave seen oLners weeping over Inc os ol tnat Wnicn
was necessary to their chdrens lives setting aside their
own their last cow their last bit of -four peed by strsg
ges last morse they had In the world to or drink
Young girls with flushed cheeks and pale with fearful or
fearless eye have pleaded with and cursed the whom
the necessities of forced to burn the buildings
reared by their fathers and turn them into paupers in
a day.
The completeness Of the desolaon is awful. Hundreds
Of nearly starving people are going North Our trains
are crowded with them. They line the wayside. Hun.
dreds coming not half the inhabitants Of the
valley can subss it in its present condition Absolute
want is in mansions used in other days to exravagant
luxury. family consisting of old man and lady, two
girls and boy, only short distance from the spot where
writing had tonight only little bread and little
sugar which they had purchased of Of soldiers
their abode Scores in like and worse condition.