Staunton Spectator

Waynesboro', Pa., June 21, 1863

MESSRS. EDITORS:--On the 20th inst., the column marched from Hagerstown, Md., to Waynesboro', Pa., which place we now occupy. In this place large supplies of commissary stores, drugs, transports, etc., have been procured. We should have remarked in our last communication that a heavy stock of medicines was procured by the command while in the occupation of Chambersburg.

The brigade explores this country at will, with only occasional scouting parties of the enemy falling in the way, of whom many are picked up by our men. We have captured, in all, about 500 prisoners since the command left Staunton, Virginia.

Our scouts are bringing in horses and cattle daily in large numbers. The citizens express their happy disappointment in being spared in their persons and houses not being destroyed, as their leaders and papers had represented would be the case if invaded by us.

W. K.

Hagerstown, Md., June 21--8 P.M.

When our column marched this morning, moving eastward three miles, it was ascertained that the road through the mountain spurs was barricaded and the mountain spurs was barricaded and the "bushwhackers" in their positions. But they may soon learn that Gen. Jenkins has much practical experience in that mode of warfare. He sent out his skirmishers and waited their return; they brought in ten of the "gentlemen," and reported that they found and feasted around a well furnished table in the woods, long enough to accommodate one hundred persons.--When Virginians "bushwhacked" Yankee invaders the Northern press regard such conduct as an outrage too intolerable to be submitted to by an intelligent people. But it is said that "circumstances alter cases." That which is considered outrageous in Virginians may be regarded as praiseworthy in Pennsylvanians.

Maj. Sweeney's battalion suffered by being led into an ambuscade by the retreating army from Berryville, on the 18th inst. The Major is badly wounded.

W. K.

A soldier writing from Lee's army, tells the following in reference to feasting on pies designed for Yankee soldiers:

"I wish to tell you a little incident concerning a Dutch woman who lived just outside of the town of Gettysburg. She fully believed, hoped and prayed that the Yanks would have whipped us back; and so strongly was she convinced of its certainly taking place, that she cooked splendid bread and plea for the whole of one night and two days to give to the Yankees as they passed her house. Well, the old "voman" was doomed to disappointment. Our boys whipped the Yankees back, and I was fortunate enough to get some of the "fixins" of this old lady. It was enough to make a well-fed man hungry to have gazed upon that pile of beautiful white loaves, those rich golden colored sugar cakes and pies. SUCH pies:--a whole army might have feasted (THEIR EYES) upon them, and then have had enough left to feed several hungry dogs. Pies--yes, she had little pies and big pies, thin pies and thick pies, long pies and short pies, sweet pies and sour pies, round pies and half-moon pies--in fact, pies of all kinds graced her table in apple pie order. Now, I just ate pies until I could have done without rations for three days.

The Yankee commander, with the usual disregard of truth, claims to have captured 2000 prisoners during the falling back of our army from Hagerstown. We have the best authority for stating that our entire loss in the brilliant movement did not exceed three hundred in kill, wounded and missing, while the enemy suffered to an equal if not greater extent. We took two hundred and fifty prisoners, and killed and wounded at least one hundred.

It seems to be believed in Winchester that Meade crossed the main body of his army over at Harper's Ferry, whilst Lee was crossing his at Williamsport, and that there is a prospect that a great battle will be fought not far from that place.

In this connection we give the account of Imboden's fight at Williamsport, as furnished by a member of his staff to the Richmond Enquirer. That staff officer says:

"Our command was not in the battle of Gettysburg. We left our camp near Gettysburg on the 4th, as an escort to a wagon train of 1,200 wagons, (nearly twenty miles long,) and travelled night and day until we reached Williamsport. We were attacked several times, and lost a few wagons--though we repulsed the Yankees. Arriving at Williamsport we found the river not fordable, and immediately prepared for an expected attack. We had quite a number of stragglers along. Two days after we reached there the Yankees advanced on us with three brigades of cavalry, under Generals Buford and Kilpatrick, one brigade of which was Regular Cavalry--the 1st, 2d, 5th, and 6th United States Regulars--and three batteries of artillery, one a Regular battery; their force a little exceeding eight thousand men.

We armed all the men we could gather together--wagoners and stragglers, making, with our command, about 2,100 men and 22 pieces of artillery. The General had the artillery all planted.--The enemy advanced on three roads, and then commenced the most amusing fight of the war. They tried very hard to flank us. Our line of battle was nearly three miles long, and the General had to double-quick the infantry backwards and forwards so as to always offer opposition. The battle commenced a little before 3 o'clock, in the afternoon, and by 8 o'clock we drove the whole force from the field.

The firing was beautiful and very rapid. I never saw such destructive cannonading; one piece on our side lost thirteen men killed and wounded.--They dismounted two regiments, but our wagoners were too much for them.--They carried away nearly all of their dead and wounded, though the ground was strewn with dead horses. Our loss was about 125 men. Several officers were killed. Capt. Pegram, Co. F, Richmond, was with his company in the action--poor fellow! he was killed.--We saved the immense wagon train of our army, and too much credit cannot be given to Gen. Imboden. He organized a force out of a mob, and whipped the enemy, outnumbering him nearly five to one. He is a splendid man, and on the field goes everywhere, no matter how great the danger. One of the staff had his horse killed under him. I wondered exceedingly that some of us were not wounded, as the firing surpassed any I have ever seen; it was one of the hottest little fights, too. Our command is separated now. Gen. Lee sent the General and our infantry across the river with the prisoners--leaving our cavalry and artillery with the army. Our men will take the Yankees to Richmond.

The President has issued a proclamation declaring that in his judgment the necessities of the public defense require that every man capable of bearing arms, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, should now be called out to do his duty in the defense of his country, and is driving back the invaders now within the limits of the Confederacy. He, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in him, calls out and places in service all persons between the ages aforesaid, who are residents of the Confederate States, and not now in the military services.

The great event of the last week, more interesting than the result of battles, occurred among a foreign and hostile people--we allude to the fact that forcible and successful resistance to Lincoln's draft has been made in the city of New York. "The good time coming," which we have been so long hopefully and anxiously expecting, is about to arrive. The signs which indicate the terrible social and political revolution which will soon take place in the North are now manifesting themselves. The handwriting is beginning to appear on the wall, and the knees of the abolition Belshazzar at Washington are beginning to smite each other, and his lantern jaws are chattering like bone castanets in the hands of musical Sambos. The spirit of resistance to the draft will not be confined to New York. It will soon show itself throughout the North. The war feeling in the North has had its flow, but the ebb has now commenced, and it will be commensurate with the flow of the flood-tide. The draft will not be executed in New York, and, it may be, no place else. The Northern papers are filled with accounts of the great riot, but we only have space for the following:

Enrolling offices in eighty-eighth and eighty-ninth districts completely demolished. Two whole blocks of houses on the 3d avenue were badly burned. The military were ordered out and several citizens and soldiers killed. Upon the arrival of the police on the ground, another attack was made on the crowd, and the police dispersed. Several were killed and others badly beaten. Superintendent Kennedy was severely wounded. An Armory on Second Avenue was destroyed. A raid was made on the negroes and the colored Orphan Asylum laid in ashes. The destruction of buildings was fearful. The Bullshead Hotel, two mansions on Lexington avenue were sacked. The Tribune office was attacked and the attacked repulsed by the police. Negroes were hung, &c.

The Herald's summary says that at one time the number of people was from twenty-five to thirty thousand assembled on one spot, and affairs assumed a serious look.

Several buildings were destroyed, and many lives were lost. Several soldiers, policemen and citizens were wounded. Private houses in not a few instances were broken open. The Times gives an account of the progress of the riot proceedings! It says there is no question but that a vastly larger number were engaged than on the previous Monday. Several encounters between the mob, police and military. A large number of the rioters were killed.

Col. Osburn, of the 11th New York, who commanded a portion of the forces, was beaten to death by the crowd and then hung, the streets barricaded, buildings burned, stores closed, private dwellings plundered, all large manufacturing establishments closed, and every branch of business suspended.

Gov. Seymour arrived from Albany, and addressed the crowd from the steps of the City Hall. He announced that he had sent to Washington to ask the Government to stop the draft in the city for the present. He subsequently issued a proclamation declaring the city, county and State in insurrection.

Among the incidents were the following:

A party of rioters broke open an undertaker's store and stole a coffin, on which they inscribed: "Lincoln's Draft Died Monday, July 18th." They then carried the coffin around the streets.--Some of the newsboys mingled with the crowd around the Park, crying extras, announcing "Execution of Horace Greely." The hoax was largely cheered by the rabble.

Mrs. Alice Williams, the female who, several weeks since, donned herself in a Confederate Lieutenant's uniform, and assumed the name of "Lieutenant Buford," and committed to Castle Thunder under suspicion of being a Yankee spy, was sent South last week. In speaking of her, the Richmond Sentinel says:

"The history of this female Lieutenant is full of romantic interest. Report says that she participated in the battles of Kentucky and Mississippi, and at Shiloh received a dangerous wound. Her husband, it is said, is in the Federal army, but she, with true Southern feelings, sympathises with our cause, and illustrates our sympathy in a practical way. She is brave, but eccentric, and certainly has an ambition to distinguish herself in the sphere allotted to man. If she is allowed the opportunity, she will doubtless take a hand in the fight at Jackson, Mississippi.