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1INTERESTING FROM WINCHESTERUnion Evacuation and ConfederateOccupation-—Safetyand other Officers—Condition of AlFairiin the Valley.33Mr. Georgs A. Roelxb, of Baltimore, whlt;is been carrying on the boot and shoe businesWinchester, Va., from its occupation by tinoion troops until the retreat of Gen. BankstfJhrniflhes some interesting information. Mr. R left Winchester on Thursday, the 29th, four d*v! after the Confederates occupied the town, following is the statement of Mr. RoelxkLriWinchester.Mr. Roelkb had been carrying on business some time at Winchester, and, in common w the military, ridiculed the predictions constan being made by the Rebel citizens that Jacks would again be back and obtain possession v inchester. On Saturday they received integenee or the rout of Colonel Kenley, which caused some uneasiness, but the military were sure that General Banks would be able to hold Winchester, and he. with others, went to bed onSaturday night fully satisfied that no danger would be incurred by remaining. He was awokeon Sunday moniinflr bv the sound of ojmnnn andmusketry in close proximity, and whilst hastilydressing saw the Union troops retreating througlLho town. He hesitated for a few moments wha to do, and by the time he reached the street thlt; Rebel cavalry were following in pursuit.Mr. Roelke, finding it impossible to make hii escape, concluded to remain quiet, and, if possi ble, pas6 off as a citizen of the town. In this In succeeded, and was unmdlested, moving abou with perfect freedom.The Wounded Prisoners.The stories of the burning of the two hospitals, with all in them, are altogether untrue. Neither of the buildings were injured, and the wounded, both Union and Rebel, were brought in and deposited in them, and were receiving as good attention as they were cur table of giving them. They, of course, suffered ror want of attention,3but all suffered alike. He saw or heard of no brutality to the wounded or prisoners. The Rebels were in too good humor with their success to bo harsh with any one.Union Prisoners.On Tuesday nearly all the prisoners from Front Royal were brought into W inchester. The Rebels claimed that there wore fifteen hundredoi them, but Mr. R. Is of the impression there was not more than half that number. ThewTounded were taken to the hospital; the privateswere confined in the court house and courtyard, and the officers were released on parole, to go where thoyp leased in the town.Colonel Kenley was suffering, but not severely or dangerously, from a sabre wound on the side of his head,and was taken to the private boive of Mr. Barton, a lawyer, where he was receiving every attention. Mr. R. saw him immediately before he left, when he was sitting up with his head bandaged, and requested him to call and inform his sisters iu Baltimore that he was doing well. Of the other officers of the First Maryland, who were in Winchester on parole, our informant only remembers the names of Lieut. Col. Du-Ishane. Major Wilson, Lieut. Morris Albachand Captain Schley, all of whom were uninjured. There were n number of others, whose names he Could not remember, and the probability of his making his escape was so slender that ho did not make any memoranda or charge his ni’ud with regard ic them.Tlie whole number of Union prisoners in Winchester, including the sick and wounded, he e-tiinated at nearly 3000, though the Rebels claimed that they had 5000. They were conlinedin the railroad depot, the court house and otherbuildings. YhCjf tanners brought a great many straggling prisoners into the town on Sunday and Monday, who had sought food and succor from them, only to be delivered up to their enemies.Destruction of Property.The only destruction of property in Winchester at the time of the evacuation was that of thef buildings containing the Union commissary | stores, which were tired by order of Gen. Banks. The flames extended from them to F. Rosenberg's store and the express oflicc, both of whichwere consumed. The storehouses containing ammunition and forage were, by express orders fromGen. Banks, not destroyed, and fell into thehands of the enemy. The tiring of them would have leveled the whole town and destroyed thej inhabitants, there being a large amount of powder and ammunition, which Gen. Banks did uot feel | justifled in doing. 1Non-Military Prisoners.Two of Adams' Express men, named McDowell and Hugo, were taken prisoners, having failed to make their escape, in the belief that Gen. Banks would hold the town.A Mr. Moefit, of Baltimore, who had just arrived there with a stock of goods, opened hisstore on Monday morning, and did a bn»k business for a couple of hours, principally, however,in Confederate notes, but about noon a tile of Rebel soldiers appeared, arrested him and took possession of his stock of goods.A large number of stores, principally those of sutlers and other ariny followers, together with a train of army supplies, all feii Into the hands of the Rebels, and were appropriated by the troops, who came into the town almost in a starving con-[ dition. The prisoners were also nearly starved, but were soon provided • for with the othertroops. - ; ; _■*.. ,.i *ri*'■,* . :! • ^%A number of the wives of Union officers werealso in Winchester, having failed to make theirescape in time. Those who did escape and were overtaken at Martfnsburg were sent to our lineson Friday last.Manner of EscapeMr. Roelke left Winchester on Thursday orninff. having ascertained that there were nopickets stationed between that city and Mm burg. He 6trollcd leisurely along the road nasscd a number of cavalry moving aboutbut they did not stop him. When wi miles of Martinsburg Jie heard that tl pickets on the road a short distancehim. He then left the road and town through the woods to the right, and crossed over the farm of Charles J. Faulkner, audthus succeeded in making his way in on Fridayby way of a small street on wcich there were no pickets stationed. He went to the hotel and got quarters, and moved about during the day without exciting suspicion. The only troops in Marti nshurir were Ashby’* eavalrv.and when he arrived they had their camps north of the town, but during the day there appeared to be some anxiety among them, and the camps wcfc removed in the evening south of the town.On retiring to his room on Friday evening, he found that his room-mates were three officers of Ashby’s Cavalry, and when he entered they were talking together, one of whom named Dorsey, from Maryland, refused to go to bed, saying, ‘Tilif T srav here and be taken prisonerbebefore morning.” The others thought there was nr, Hnmrnr smH while thev were di.scussing thepoint a guard arrived, ordering all tin town to proceed directly to cump. liteft alone and passed a quiet night, only to be iwoke at daylight in the morning by an old lack woman, who knocked at his door and in-nrmpd him that the town was full of Yankees.tie immediately dressed and came down, and had lie gratification of finding the old woman’s state-nent correct. Having reported himself to ColonelIe Forrest, he received a pass to WilliamsportMiscellaneous Matters.iage done to the railroad was said t° le, the main body of the Rebels having rt Winchester. Neither cars nor loco-™ nr* onv nart of the road betweenFerryknley told Mr. R. that he had lostbNLill I'UiU -i.vj.1 • -aw*g, and was entirely destitute of cloth-i was the case with all the officers. HeV¥ OO U1V CWOV ” ~ --- . ..what clothing he had, and has deliver*. ■ ft . ^ A* ik dR A A »• WA_messagesJO w nil/ inuiuivv —- .nem to forward supplies to them, s not undertake to deny that bru-racticcd towards, the wounded at but says he did not hear any such« • . -____ *_ * L a TTr»inriknowsiu 1YAJLU w» kuat uuuivvi —----- -Deluding Col. Kenley, were broughtWinchester and placed ison given for bringing the prist Hinded to Winchester was that Frlt; is threatened by Gen. McDowell •ce there was not sufficient to hold Mr. R. did not hear of any anticipations of ai proach of Gen. Fremont towards Winchesthey considered themare in the possession of the place, andanticipated remaining there-
Newspaper Details
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Wed, Jun 04, 1862
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 06 Dec 2019
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