Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-08-25
Letter from "a Haid-bonnd Trav-
eIor.
CUuprRLAsp, Md, Aug. sth, 1864

feslcu III tnelT lIdNSlS ny idlll W 9oi'V
unforeseen accident-a fallen embank-
ment or some unyielding snow-drlft,-
But who, of your patrons was ever I'M
expectedly halted by rebel raid : Such
is my misfortune today. Yes, am
raid-bound.
"The 'rebs' hold Martinsburg," d" No
communication with the East, were the
salutatlons which greeted me, as, at
midnight, weary and blackened with
dust l entered the "knobby' hotel of
this very conservative and semisecesh
city of Cumberland. | registered my
name very demurely, and when a gaunt,
sallow-visaged clerk, with sardonic
grin upon his countenance, said to me
by way Of coincidence, 'Never travel the
B. & 0. Il. r. when you can find any
other route" it struck me so forcibly
that it was at once indellibly impressed
upon my memory. "Tr5Nm sat soptsati,'
and l repeat the exact words of my
amiable friend, the Revere House clerk,
as timely warning to any Of your
readers who may desire to travel this
unfortunate and perilous route,
With this comforting intelligence I
retired, confidently hoping, after the
fashion of Mr., Micawber that some
thing would turn up by the morrow
| Morning dawns, but no "newS from the
front" The wires are under the strict
est surveillance. Rumor arrives, swells,
and rapidly diffuses its intelligence, and
then dies of starvation and neglect. Such
was the situation till evening, when 4
Wheeling paper makes its appearance,
I and from it we learn the scanty particu-
| lars of the disastrous fight at Winches-
| ter Our scattered and jaded forces who
Z were hotly pursuing the retreating enc
my, and had despoiled them of no small
part of their ill-gotten plumber, are re-
pulsed and defeated, Retreating to
| Martinsburg they stubbOrnly and rcsO-
! iutely contend for the possession of its
streets, but at last yield to the cnemy's
superior force None but the initiated
| presumed to know the designs, the char
| acter or strength of the invading col
umn. Then succeed other days of sus-
! pense and uncertainty, till the startling
! intelligence reaches us that Maryland
and Pennsylvania are again invaded,
and Chambersburg sacked and burned.
| Soon it was surmised and slyly whis-
! pered among the nervous and magma
| tive, that Cumberland might be at
tackled; and quickly were their appre-
tensions realized. Never shall forget
! the CONSERVATION which ensued when
the dreadful news arrived, and few with
electric speed through the streets, that
the enemy had appeared in force, and
sent in flag of truce to demand the
surrender of the town.
All, then there was hurrying to and
fro" The reluctant citizens are i'm
pressed at the point of the bayonet.-
Convalescents are brought from the hos
pitfalls and quickly put in the rife pits
Merchants hurriedly pack their goods,
and trunks and boxes are carried in
quick succession to the depot, by no
complaining or unwilling porters In
terminable squads Of contrabands each
| armed and equipped with the inevitable
white bundle, begin a stampede for
Pennsylvania, while carloads of the
same precious freight, brought from
Martinsburg on the previous week, are
removed still further west for safety.
What a pitiable, though ludicrous,
sight. Homeless and friendless, driven
from one place of safety and refuge to
another, carrying their earthly posses
sions with them, as they drift about
upon sea of uncertainty, what a sad
commentary upon the inefable and
priceless blessings of personal liberty.
Such was the rufiied condition of the
usually tranquil and placid streets of
Cumbel land when | rode out to witness
the impending battle The conflict had
already commenced. Picket firing
might be heard at distant intervals, and
our artillery "a light battery was prac-
Using upon an old mill which protected
the rebel sharpshooters. Thus the fight
ing continued till sunset. There was
no tlanking or desperate charging, no
reckless attempts to carry command
ing position or pierce a centre, but the
same, calm, steady and bloodless firing
as at the onset With the setting sun
the enemy withdrew, and most of our
forces returned to the city, bearing with
them the fruits of victory. Two sound
"Johnnies" and one wounded, two Gals
sens, and two broken buggies comprised
the trophies. Thus ended the battle of
Cumberland; or, more properly Folcks'
Mills for this spot was the scene of the
severest fighting, and here it was THAI
the prisoners and booty were captured.
Justice should be done, and old Folcks
should not be robbed Of an historic i'm
mortality -
h 81