June 22, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
The Richmond papers bring us little news in addition to that already given with reference to the decisive victory of the Confederate forces at Winchester on Sunday last. The only intelligence they contain is obtained from parties who have left the Valley since the surrender of Winchester by the Federal forces, and the reports they bring are of the most cheering character.
The accounts state that on Friday morning Gen. Ewell, much to the surprise of the enemy, reached Front Royal, Warren county, eighteen miles from Winchester, and at once pushing on to the latter place, encountered a force of the enemy when within some ten miles of the town, with which skirmishing immediately commenced, the enemy retiring and the skirmishing continuing, our forces being in pursuit.
On the morning of Saturday our army renewed the advance, the enemy contesting the ground with some stubbornness, but were compelled to continue their retreat. About noon of that day our forces reached the confines of the town, when a flag of truce was sent in demanding a surrender of the place. The officer commanding replied that he would abide the issue of battle, and if attacked would burn the town, to which General Ewell answered, if any house was burned other than those fired by the bombardment, the black flag would be hoisted, and no quarter given. The assault upon the enemy’s entrenchments was then commenced, and continued until dark. At an early hour on Sunday morning the attack was renewed and continued throughout the day, the connonading most of the time being very severe. On Monday morning, early, the garrison capitulated, and our army took possession of the town, as well as the works from which the enemy had been dislodged.
With reference to the escape of Milroy there is yet no certainty. One report says that he was overtaken by our cavalry near the Potomac and captured, whilst another, quite as reliable, states that he passed through Charlestown, with his escort, early on Sunday morning. The latter report, we judge, is much more plausible than the other, as it is not at all likely that he would allow himself to be overtaken after having once penetrated our lines. If he passed through Charlestown, as alleged, it is probable he went out from Winchester on the Martinsburg road as far as Bunker Hill, and thence through Smithfield and Charlestown to Harper’s Ferry. But though Milroy may have escaped, his wife is believed not to have been so fortunate. She is said to have been captured at Martinsburg, on Sunday evening. Next to catching her husband, the catching of this termagant is the most delightful of events. She had succeeded in rendering herself even more odious to the people of Winchester than Milroy himself. She came to the town some time after its occupation by her husband, and at once ordered the owners of the best house in the place (Mrs. Logan and her daughter), to leave at once, and to take with them only one hundred dollars worth of clothing. The order having been obeyed, she, her husband and her five nasty little red-headed Yankee brats, took possession of the premises, servants, furniture, plate and clothing. Having established herself, she set about practicing every device to insult and humiliate the ladies of Winchester. She came to town with a very light kit, but left with such enormous loads of baggage that her capture is ascribed to the length and heaviness of her train.
A gentleman from the Valley gives the following estimate of our captures:
Prisoners, from 6,000 to 7,000
Horses 2,800
Wagons 400 to 500
Stores $1,500,000 to $2,000,000
Lieutenant Charles Norvell (of Lynchburg), of the Fourteenth Virginia Regiment, was seriously wounded near Port Royal. He was in command of Captain Pack’s Company, who was absent, and in conjunction with one other company of his regiment, the whole numbering about 80 men, were pursuing a body of the retreating enemy, when they were led into an ambuscade of a battery of artillery masked, and forty of them killed or wounded, among them Lieut. Norvell.
As to the movements of our army, after the capture of Winchester, we have rumors in abundance, but think it useless to give them in their confused form. We may state, however, that there is little doubt that our forces are today treading the soil of Maryland, with a strong probability that our cavalry at least have crossed Mason and Dixon’s line, and are now foraging on the Dutch farmers in the Cumberland Valley, in Pennsylvania. From the Potomac River at Williamsport, via Hagerstown, to the Pennsylvania line, the distance is not over fifteen miles, and the country is rich and productive – just such indeed as to invite the attention of a cavalry force at this season of the year.
At the War Department on Thursday night, the following despatch was received from Gen. Lee. Martinsburg is situated on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which of course is torn up.
CULPEPER C. H., June 18th, 1863.
Gen. S. Cooper, and A. and I. General:
GENERAL: On the afternoon of the 14th, Gen. Rhodes took possession of Martinsburg, capturing several pieces of artillery, more than two hundred prisoners, a supply of ammunition and grain. Our loss, one killed and two wounded.
(Signed) R. E. LEE, General.