Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-08-18
MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION.

MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION.
Moseby in the Valley-Attack on Federal
Come Fr0m-General Sheridan's Move.
ment q Success-The Escape of the Re.
bels-General Early Expects Reinforce.
ments-No Rebels North of Strasburs.
HARPER's FERRY, Aug. 17.-About the only
aggressive enemy in the Middle Military Dr.
vision is Moseby, and the only dangerous place
appears to be the rear Of our army on its line
OF comm unication with this point.
Yesterday Lieut. j. S. Walker and Phil.
Droyer, LIST United States Cavalry, riding q
little In advance of q wagon train coming in,
sEs a hsHan 6y party OF gGerrias three
all four fell dead except Lieut.. Droyer, who
was MORALLY wounded
The guerrlllas rified the person of Walker
and his two companions, and fled without
molesting the wagon train. Later in the day
Lieutenant Colonel Page, with q small escort,
was chased by large party Of guerrillas from
Cnarlestown TO Halltown, only four miles
from where the Colonel and one of his men
made their escape, but the remainder of the
party was captured
parently citizens, who are undoubtedly enS
gagged in these atrocities; and when General
Sheridan hangs, few, Of them, or holds
Charlestown accountable for the safety of HIS
trains and couriers, we may expect these out
RACES to close, not before.
The object OF Gen Shertdan's present move
ment has been fully accomplished by the re-
treat Of Early beyond Strasburg. 1t was
hoped in the outset TO force Early to battle, in
which case his destruction was sure, but by
his rapid marches he has escaped.
f'risoneIs report that Early expected large
seinfSrcements to meet him at Mount jackson,
where BE- would turn upon MS and drive us out
OF the valley. Many Of them assert that Lee
IS with these Ieinforcements in person. and
they seem confidently TO expect the war to be
transferred to the North. AS yet, howeve-, the
enemy shows no signs of having received any
street or any other rebel except Moseby, being
IN Smoker s Gap. is wildly untrue.
nave already sent you full account OF the
doings OF this latter individual, from which it
would appear he holds Smokers Gap and the
country generally.
With the exception Of Mossby,s guerrillas
ra na the Sltlzeas o. re country, there are no
neIa Sheridan,s Armv-Early at Mount
Kson-The Country Stripped and Des.
LIDpELTOwN, Va, August IA, (via Balti-
more, August l7)-If my previous dispatches
outline of our own and the enemys movements
mp to nine O'Clock a. m. of yesterday. Since
that date nothing Of any importance has trans
pired.
Gen Sheridan still has his headquarters a
mile and half from town, and our troops are
encamped on both sides Of Cedar Run. The
enemy has some force at Fishers Hill, near
Strasburg, five miles distant, and some little
skEInishing is going on between the two ar
mics, but 1t is probable that the main body Of
When the rebel retreat began from winchester
their trains were under guard OF Ransom's
division, and that officer had orders to proceed
to Mount jackson, which he did Our pursuit
of the rebels has been as rapid as possible, but
they have succeeded in eluding us, and have
got away with all their plumber, we ha wing
succeeded in capturing but few prisoners.
Our loss has been very slight, as, with
the exception of q brisk skirmsh at Opequan
Greek, there has been no fighting Of any conse-
quence.
Some of the prisoners taken were overheard,
last night, converting among themselves of
Lees moving to the Valley with large por-
lion OF ms army, to carry the war North again
rms was, doubtless, merely "whistling to keep
their courage up" but all Information received
renoers IL not improbable that Early has been
falling back to meet reinforcements, and that
we may get Tight out Of him vet
The Valley OF the Shenandoah has heen al.
most completely stripped of its wheat crop,
and as cattle, sheep and hogs have dIsappeared
long ago, it is now more dificult to advance
through IL with ar army than ever before. AS
III Is impossible to CLEAN. any subsistence e from
LIE vuuluy, the supply question has already
OoSoms tne great vexation.
oIa .osses oy the attack on our WAGON train
.on. VIE yesterday were seyentv.two
Wasons, over Two hundred mule3, and ono
hundred and fifty prisoners. - "no one