Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-07-15
War News.
THE REBEL RAID NoRTHwARD.


failing to overtake him, appears to have
turned down the Shenandoah valley
Ga Sunday of last week they approach
ed Martinsburg where Gen. Sigel fought
them for several hours, but was compel
led to fall back by their superior num-
bers. There was also fighting on Sun
day at Leetown, about 10 miles from
Harper's Ferry. Sigel fell back to
HaTper's Ferry and Maryland Heights.
The rebels were conscripting all the
males from 16 to GO, and the people
were flying before them into Maryland
and Pennsylvania, carrying exaggerated
and alarming accounts of the raid.
The rebels are under Early and Ram
som, and their number estimated at from
5000 to 10000: They have large
force of cavalry. The telegraph opera
tor at Hagerstown ran away on Sunday
morning and reported re b ell cavalry
there, but b y returned at night to
find that he was needlessly alarmed, and
that all was quiet.
The report at Chambersburg, Pa, on
the 4th was, that small cavalry force
had crossed the Potomac at Falling Wa
ters, and the main body, some 5000,
were within three miles of Williamsport,
Maryland.
About 100 rebel cavalry under Mos
by revisited Point of Rocks, on Monday,
and robbed all the stores. Sigers and
Mulligan's troops crossed over to Mary
land Heights on Monday night, leaving
the rebels in possession of Harper's Fer
ry. Gen. Weber gave notice to the peo-
pie of Harper's Ferry that they must
leave, as be should shell the rebels out
of the town, and Tuesday morning firing
was heard in that direction.
Gen. Sigel removed his trains, took up
the pontoon bridge, and destroyed part
Of the railroad bridge at Harper's Ferry,
to prevent the rebels from crossing. TIE
The rebels were busy plundering and
destroying on the other side.
On Monday Mosby fred into a train
passing Point of Rocks, causing a great
excitement among the passengers. No
one was injured except the fireman,
who was shot in the arm. The train
was run back to Sandy Hook. The gov
ernment stores were removed from Har-
per's Ferry before it was Abandoned
The sick and wounded at Frederick,
Md, have been removed to Baltimore,
and hundreds of citizens have fed to that
city.
Active preparations are making by
Gen. Couch, in Pennsylvania, TO repel
the rebels. The old reserves are on the
way to their posts, and it is expected
that Gov. Curtin will call out the militia.
The rebels object seems to be TO plum
der, and the diversion of reinforcements
from Gen. Grant.
HOW THE DANvILLE RAILROAD WAS
DESTROYED.
The Danvile railroad was construct
ed in fashion known 10 some extent in
the extreme West, but now little used.
Instead of using I rail, solid beams Of
wood, technically called stringers, are
placed upon the ties, and along their IN
ner edges are fastened long strips of iron
known as strap rails. The stringers are
of yellow pine, and being perfectly dry,
it was only necessary, here and there, to
to pile on a few rails from an adjoining
fence and ignite them, TO set the entire
structure in blaze. The mode in
which this work of destruction was ac>
complished was to dismount portion of
the command and march them parallel
with the road ithen face about regiment
at time towards the treck-have them !
advance and ignite the section Of the
road in their front and then resume their
march.
1t was but the work Of few minutes
for each regiment to perform its part,
and the whole was accomplished nearly |
as fast as the column could move. Miles
of railroad might have been seen at
time in flames, and at night the whole
canopy of heaven was one glare Of light.
BY day these confagrations, adding to
the already unsufferable temperature Of
the atmosphere rendered the heat almost
intoerable, and many people residing in
the vicinity of the railroad were obliged
to leave their houses and settle in cooler
localities. The rear Of our column 10
moving past the fires kindled by the ad-
vance was often compelled to leave the
road and move. at respectful distance
on the right or left. Depots &c. were
81 l.. H.. =, Al. ,aar