The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-20

quarters are on the line Of the Manassas Gap
riiroad) is open, without mOestatiOn or inter-
ruption. The opening and the keeping open of
the Manassas Gap trailroad line the Rebels look
upon as greater victory than any heretofore
attained by the army Of the Shenandoah valley.
The importance of what we have gained in the
respect mentioned cannot now be explained to
the public, and hence the people cat home" can
not well appreciate its magnitude. Time will
develop the whole.
FRONT ROYAL.
to-day is n dingy, inhospitabe place, bearing
every appearance OF decay and neglect
WHEREABOUTS OF GMBoDES's COMMAND.
The latest report is that General Imboden's
oommlnd is in the vicinity Of Milford creek,
Luray valley. We are looking after him with a
portion OF PoweaIs cavalry.
CoNGRATULAToRY ORDERS.
The following orders are of importance, aud
explain themselves -
HEADQUAETERs, MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION,
October IL, lSG4.-Thc following has been re-
cevcd, and is published for the information of the
army
WAR DEPARTMENT, WAsHrSGroN October IL, ,
8 p. M.-Major General Sheridan This Depart
ment tenders its thanks 10 yOu, and through you
| TO Major. General TOrhort, Generals Merritt and
Custer, and the officers and soldiers under their
| command, for the brilliant victories on last Sun
day by their gIllantry over the Rebel cavalry in
! the Shenandoah valley.
Under gallant leaders your cavalry has become
| the Efficient ann in thus country that it has
| proved in other countries and is winning by its
I eNp'oit' the admiration Of the country aud GOV
eminent.
Py command OF Major General SHERIDAN.
c. kINGsBuRY, JR., Asst AJjutant-GcneraL
HEhpQUAKTERs, CAVALRY, MIDDLE DIvG.
SION, CclUbsr li.-Ihis despatch will be real at
once at he head OF every regiment 10 this com.
| mand.
by commend Of AIaior General ToRnunr.
WIN. RUSSELL, JD., Asst AdJu'ant-Gengral.
! NEAR HEADQUARTERS, Amy or WEST VIM
GINA, IL THE FIELD, o ltOhGr II Il have jISs
| learned the particulars Of anuber cavalry raid,
which, in point of conception, skill In execution,
| CeleIity in movement, aud daring enterprise
! may lie ranked among the first class exploits in
| the history OF the present war.
| On the Both ut. Colonel Powell, commanding
| the I'd Cavalry Division Of General Shcrdnn's
amy, received orders 70 prepare his command
! TO go on expedition to Luray valley, the coul-
| try east Of the Blue Ridge.
The division left HarsisOnburg for Luray valley
| on the lst instant and proceeded To COurAd's
store, distance of twentythree mile5-whcre
| they encamped for the night, dispOSing their
| camp-6uards and pickcis to prevent surprise
| from the enemy.
The orders of General Sheridan TO Colonel
| Powell were to destroy all Touring mills, barns,
grain factories and 70 drive off all live stock and
| cattle that he found on his route of march. On
| Sunday, the 2d inst. Colonel Powell broke camp
| aud moved TO the town OF Luray As the troops
| proceeded the roads were found in q wretched
| condition, and almost impTacticablc for the pas
| sage of the division train. The troops encamped
| for the night at LuIay.
While az the attertOwn Colonel Powell ordered
the destruction Of several barns, well stocked
| with hay and grain. While several OF his men
were engaged in this duty, one of them, private
OF the 9Th Ohio cavalry, wis seized by two Rebels
| and murdered in cold blood-his throat being cut
from car 10 car. The body Of tho soldier was
| found the next day, and q careful investigation
mo- ma a 70 gf ttFfRh h..
above conclusion.
GUERILLA RENDEZVOUS DESTROYED.
On the Sd inst. the troops, or at least portion
of them, under Lieutenant Pendorgra,t, were
sent out on reconnaissance 10 the front and up
| TO the Blue Ridge, where one OF the Rebel
guerilla rendezvous was found; and so rapid
were the movements of our troops that they sur
prised Rebel guard, who had charge of medical
and other stores, and captured the Rebel army
wagons. The stores captured were valued At
seven thousand dollars Que Rebel soldier was
killed during the affair.
RETALIATION.
On the 4th instant, two of the prisoners cap
tuTed, who confessed they belonged 10 AlOseby',
band Of horse-thicves and murdcrerS, were shot
to death, in retaliation for the murder Of the
Union soldier already referred to.
SEIZURES.
On the same day the command destroyed
Rebel Government tannery in full operation fl
which were eight hundred thousand dollars
worth of leather, and seized three thousand heal
of stock.
FURTHER OPERATIONS.
The command then proceeded through New
market Gap, en- route for ThOrnton's Gap. Oh
this day Major La!rabee with the lst Nireinit
Cavalry, was sent TO the railroad bridge over th,
Rapdan river, near James City. Passing through
ThoInton's Gap, over Cedar Mountain, MajO
Larrabee captured the Rebel pickets stationed
| there They were taken wholly by surprise, a
they had been led to believe that General Sheri
| dams cavalry had been defeated near Fisher
| Hill the Sunday previous. The main commanC
proceeded to WoodYille, laying waste the countr,
as they proceeded.
| 4 On the 9th instant, at O'Clock p. NJ, Maio
Larabee's detachment Tejoined the main body o
| the troops, and the whole force proceeded I
Madison Court House and Little Washington
and thence to Luray.
ARRIVAL AT MILFORD.
On the 7th crossed the RapidRn river five 10 lie
below Luray, and proceeded to Milford an
encamped north Of Milford creek. Captain Lar
| rabee, who had been sent out on Reconnaissance
returned TO camp, bringing with him a Rebe
Lieutenant and eight soldiers as prisoners of wa,
captured at the Rapidan bridge.
DISTINCTION AT FRONT ROYAL.
The division left Milford at A. NJ. on th
| sth instant, crossing the north and sOutl
branches Of the Shenandoah 10 Front ROya
where they encamped on the north branch Of th
| latter-nAmed river. Colonel Powell remained a
Front Royal; during the time occupied and dc
| strOyed several barns and mills, and then pro
eeeded 70 Piedmopi to communicate With ID