The Rebel Rout at Winchester

WASHINGTON, March 25. – Gen. Shields last received a dispatch from Maj. Gen. Banks, dated five miles beyond Strasburg.

The enemy is still in retreat, and our force is in hot pursuit.

The loss of the rebels must have been enormous.  They have abandoned wagons along the road filled with dead and dying.  The houses on the route are found crowded with the wounded and dead.  The dwellings in the towns adjacent to the battle field of Sunday are also found filled with the wounded.  Inhabitants aided the rebels in carrying off their wounded during the day, and in burying them as quick as dead.

Our artillery made sad havoc among the enemy in their flight and their rout bids fair to be one of the most dreadful of the war.

BALTIMORE, March 25. – 230 Rebel prisoners captured at the battle of Winchester have arrived here.  They are mostly Virginians.

WINCHESTER, March 25. – Latest from Strasburg say that Gens. Banks and Shields are there and Jackson is in sight.  A battle is expected to-day.  Preparations are being made to strengthen our forces.

WINCHESTER, March 25. – It is currently reported that Gen. Banks has overtaken and destroyed 200 of Jackson’s wagons.

Also one four gun battery, making 26 guns, among which were some captured at Bull Run.

Four color bearers of the 5th Ohio regiment were severally killed, when, Captain Whitcomb seized the colors and was shot through the head.

A youthful rebel soldier received two wounds in his breast, and when approached by one of our officers, inquired if the officer knew General Banks.  He made an affirmative reply.  He then said tell him I wish to take the oath of allegiance, for I have three brothers in the Federal service, and I want them to know that I died true to the Union.

The arm of Gen. Shields is badly shattered, and owing to imperfect setting it must be re-set to-morrow.

To-night all is quiet in the neighborhood of Strasburg.

It is reported that two sons of the late John A. Washington, were in Monday’s fight, and that both were wounded and one of them taken prisoner.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad have taken charge of the Winchester and Potomac Road – Persons can purchase tickets of them.

WINCHESTER. March 26. – We have buried all the rebel dead which have been brought to town, 85 were buried on the battle field, and 123 on the road side between here and Strasburgh.

A messenger from Strasburgh states that Gen. Johnson was to have joined Jackson at Strasburgh, but he subsequently sent him word that he could not vacate on Monday night.  These combined forces would have numbered twenty five or thirty thousand.  They were intending to keep Banks from moving to another point but Jackson being impressed with the belief that our troops had nearly all left, hastened his fatal advance alone.

WASHINGTON, March 26. – No list of casualties of the battle of Winchester has yet been received.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 3