The Washington herald., 1914-06-06

! "oNocu vi pOtn SluCS 1lOIn New Marke
We're found and cared for They had n,
medicines. nor bandages, except such a.
were made from cloth provided by kind
hearted women who had torn up their un
derclothing for the purpose.
Medicines and attendants were lef
here to care for friends and foe alike
and after putting to the flames all the
military property in the town, the col
| umn pressed on.
By this time the progress of the Fed.
erals up the valley was known to Gen
! Lee. and force of about 5000 infantry
under Gen. w. E. Jones, commanding In
| that military district, was being hurried
up from Lynchburg to meet it.
This force was found by Gen. Hunter
on his arrival at Harrisonburg in his
front, in a strongly intrenched position
al Mount Crawford. A day was spent in
! learning the strength of the position
and on June a movement was made
| to flank it.
Sending his cavalry out to hold the
| enemy's attention, Gen. Hunter marched
| his infantry rapidly by a side road tc
Fort Republic he scene of one of Stone.
wall Jackson's most brilliant battles-and
camped that night beyond the town, on
the road to Staunton.
Finding his position turned, Gen. Jones
fell back to Piedmont. seven miles south
west of Port Republic. and took position
to bar the Federal advance upon Staun-
| ton
The Federals marched at s a. m. june
| ,, and at encountered the enemy in
lorce ana opened on him with artillery.
The battle thus begun lasted until D. M.
when Gen: Hunter delivered attacks SIM
ultaneously on both tanks and in front,
| driving the Confederates in rout from the
held. Their loss was heavy, Gen. Jones
being among the killed.
More than 1000 prisoners were taken In
a few moments, including eighty officers.
The Federal loss in killed, wounded, and
missing was about 40 men.
Federals at Stanton.
The Confederates fell back in confr,.
sion toward Waynesboro at the foot of
gap in the Blue Ridge, through which
they could retreat toward CharIottes-
vile. The Federals, unopposed, marched
on to Staunton.
Of the various towns in the valley this
was most important to the Confederates.
1t had been used since the beginning Of
the war as military supply center. Fac
tories for making Shoes harness and
| clothing were here. The country round
about was rich in grain and stock. The
Virginia Central Railroad connected
Staunton with Richmond. via Charlottes-
willie, and extended southwark to Lex
ington and the jackson River
The Federals forthwith put the torch
to all military property in Staunton, in
cluding the Confederate workshops and
factories, and the station and other
buildings of the railroad. The roadbed
! was destroyed for. three miles, and parti-
ally SO for three more. large bridge at
Christians Creek was burned. The tek-
graph was destroyed for six miles
The stores destroyed included -four,
cloth, loo small arms. saddles, four can
non, wagons, harnesses, picks shovels,
and furniture. The loss was later esti-
mated by the Confederates at $780, 600
Having gained Staunton, Gen. Hunter
decided to exercise the discretion given
him In his orders and push on to Lex
fngton. and thence to Lynchburg, instead
of turning on to Charlottesville
1t appeared afterward that Gen. Grant
expected him to go first to the latter
place. and on the day Gen. Hunter
reached Staunton Gen. Grant ordered Gen.
Sheridan, with about 5000 cavalry, to
make rapid march toward Charlottes-
vile. with the purpose of effecting a
junction with Hunter
This junction was destined to fail ap-
parently through want of clearness in
Gen. Hunters orders on that point While
Gen. Sheridan was marching toward the
point Of rendezvous Gen. Hunter was
marching away from it. toward Lynch
burg His campaign, brilliantly begun,
was destined here to. meet a complete
check, through the timely arrival at
Lynchburg OF infantry under Breckin-
ridge sent by Gen. Lee to. defend TIE
place :. 8,
(Gen- Hunters arrival before Lynch
bprg will be described June I'D
Cold Harbof. :
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