Maryland free press. [volume] (Hagerstown [Md.]) 1862-18??, 1867-02-28

I
4 moment, toward Winchester Moving seadi
: ly allnfght,r and driving before him every Fed
eral force which barred the way, he came within
sight OF Winchester at dawn, and, an hour af
terwards made resolute attack. Gen. Bank.
had assembled all his available forces there, and
occupied tue high hill 10 the west of town; but
jackson knew that no real resistance would
await him from troops thus .dcmoralized. lie
formed his line of battle, sent wtrd to Ewell on
i!is Front Royal road, to close in, and The two
columns rushed, right and left, upon the town,
meeting, and driving everything before them.
The blue lines were utterly broken, in full re-
treat, andswere Fastening out at the northern end
ofthe town while Jackson's men were entering
the southern suburbs. r- -. ,.....
The scene which followed it will long be re-
membered by those who witnessed it, Men, wo-
men and children flocked into the streets shout
ing, laughing and waving their handkerchies;
and such was. the enthusiasm of the young girls
to welcome their gray defenders, that men had to
be sent forward TO motion them out of the way.
in order that the platoons might deliver their
fire. '''' 10 90" - ..r
s'Thank God we are freet Thank:God we are
! free! resounded upon every side, aud jackson ex-
hibited emotion which he had never been known
10 display before. lie caught his cap, from his
head, waved it in the air, and hc-tbe sedate,
serious Stonewall Jackson-cheeredl But the
ovation did not divert him from his work. He
rode on rapidly Though the town, and followed
closely, ahead Of his own column, the footsteps
| OF the fugitive enemy, that a staff officer said:
Don you think you are exposing yourelf to
danger, GeneraI?' .
To this caution he paid not the least attention.
His brief reply. was: -..........
"Tell the troops to press right on to the Poto-
,mac!' .s. .,,
But: heiniantry was, broken down, and the
cavalry was not in place. This fact alone saved
the Federal forces from capture. They reached
Martinsburg, rapidly passed the Potomac, and
Gen. Banks said, in his report of these events"
1t is seldom that river crossing of such marni-
tnde is achieved with greater Success and there
never were more grateful heats in the same mum.
ber ofmen, than when, at midday on the 2sth,
we stood in the opposite shore" ....
At Winchester, Jackson captured great anan-
the time for rest was still far distant The enemy
retained possession of Harper's Ferry, and toward
that point the old Stonewall Brigade, under that
brave spirit, Wnder, was promptly sent.
Winder advanced to Charicstown, and, at the
first roar of the gun, the enemy there retreated,
pursued by the Southernrrs to Halltown. Jacx.
son arrived on the following morning with his
.,o;, bol, IA,
Ferry, and was about to attack when intelligence |
reached him which communicated very uncx-
pected and most disagreeable aspect to affairs.
4 few words will explain. The advance ofI
the Formidable athlete toward the Potomac had
excited the utmost CONSERVATION in Washington |
Tho darling of the man WAS so well known that |
the Federal authorities trembled for the s,te of
where prevalent. s'Where is Jackson? Has he |
taken Washington 2" These and a hundred SINH
lar questions were asked at last the northern
Journals SO stated. The government certainly |
shared this anxiety. President Lincoln had al
ready written q hurried dispatch to Gen. Nc
Dowell, at fredericksburg, in which he said -
'You are instructed, laying aside for the present
sand men in motion at once for the Shenan doah
Ito capture the forces of jackson and Ewell.'
The Federal Secretary of War now telegraphed
to the Governorof Massachusetts,: 'Send all
the troops forward that you can, Immediately
B inks completely, routed. Intelligence from
various quarters leaves no doubt that tho enemy
in great force are advancing on Washington.-
You will please organize aud forward Immediate
ly all the volunteer and militia force in your
State" Similar dispatches are said TO have been
sent to the other States-e1 ano disc o'nnss. M
The "grcat force'' at Jacksons command was
at this tire about ), 900 men. This he stated 10 |
Col Boteler of his staff r''a ".n
''What will you do ifthe enemy cut You Off
General? ~ asked the Colonel ,-..-.-. ..
81 will fall back upon Maryland for reinforce
mcnts, was the cool response. - a., |
Cre9o quia assurion, est. Jackson believed in
many things which other Generals thought alb
surd until he accomplished them ......'
The intelligence which came to jackson, now
at Harper's Ferry, was enough to try his nerves.
The heavy column sent up by General Mcdowell |
from Fredericksburg was at Front Royal and
had captured the Confederate fsrce there. The
advance was fastening toward Struasburg; aud |
if this were not enough, Gen, Fremont, with an
ARMY estimated at 2s, 600 men, was hurrying to
The same point, Strausburg, from the West-had
reached the town Of Wnrdcnsviile across the
mo untaiu! u .1. ..... n..
Thus a force of about 40, 900 or so, 900 men
wes closing in rapidly upon Jackson's rear at
II the columns under Shields and
Fremont made'a junction there before his ar
rival-"good night to Marmion p Fifteen thou
sand resolute men could accomplish much, but
they could scarcely cut their way through so, 600.
The great point, therefore, was to reach the vii
lage of Strausbnrg before the enemy. Then the
little army would be safe. -..,E
Jackson began 10 move without delay
'T Will return again shortly, and as certain as
now, he said in his brief calm voice, to the
women and children Of Winchester, when he left
them. Then he rode on, and rejoined his column
The captured stores and the prisoners, some 3OOe
In number, were rapidly sent forward; the army
roI n svad N xyaq a ract hetwean Inn Cnnfadprate