Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: September 20, 1861

Col. J. A. Washington has been killed in a skirmish. He inherited Mount Vernon. This reminds me that Edward Everett is urging on the war against us. The universal education, so much boasted of in New England, like their religion, is merely a humbug, or worse than a humbug, the fruitful source of crime. I shall doubt hereafter whether superior intelligence is promotive of superior virtue. The serpent is wiser than the dove, but never so harmless. Ignorance is bliss in comparison with Yankee wisdom.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 80

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

From Washington

WASHINGTON, March 3. – The Senate to-day confirmed Gen. Morgan of Ohio, a Brigadier General of Volunteers.

The Assistant Postmaster General received a dispatch from Nashville yesterday saying the Federal flag floated over the Post Office there.  A special agent has charge of it for the present.

It is understood that Col. Blair had an interview with the President to-day respecting the appointment of Sigel as Major-General.  It is understood that the President will send his name to the Senate immediately for confirmation.

WASHINGTON, March 4. – From 600 to 1,000 barrels of flour belonging to the Confederates have been seized and stored here.

A woolen mill owned by a man named Davis which had been manufacturing Confederate cloth was seized with considerable stores.

Richard Washington, brother of the late John A. Washington is now confined at Harper’s Ferry.

The President has recognized Gerhardt Larson as Vice Consul of Sweden and Norway, to reside at Chicago.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 3

Further Particulars of the Battle Near Winchester

WASHINGTON, March 25.

Gen. Shields has received a dispatch from Maj. Gen. Banks, dated 5 miles beyond Strasburg.  The enemy are still in retreat and our forces 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.

The inhabitants aided the rebels in carrying off their wounded during the day, and burying them as quick as dead.

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

The details of last Sunday’s flight have been received.  There have been performed more deeds of personal daring than in any battle in history.  Capt. Schrieber, aid and Inspector-Gen. of Gen. Shields’s division, while riding to Crest Hill, to the left of Stone Ledge, with two orderlies, was confronted by five rebel cavalry who emptied their revolvers, killing the two orderlies. – Capt. Schrieber charged them, running one of them through to the hilt of his sword and received a ball through his cap, but was unharmed.  Capt. Perkins, chief of Gen. Banks’ staff, was mainly instrumental in planning the attack and performed deeds of skill and valor.

The 12 rebel regiments engaged were all Virginians, which were the 1^st, 2d, 4^th, 13^th, 23d, 42d and 32d, and one provisional and one Irish regiment.  They had Ashby’s cavalry, 2 8-gun batteries and 1 six-gun battery, also one 4 gun battery, making 26 guns, among which were some captured at Bull Run.

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

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

The arm of Gen. Shields is badly shattered, and owning to an imperfect setting it must be reset to-morrow night.

All is quiet in the neighborhood of Strasburg.

It is reported that two sons of the late J. 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 Winchester and Potomac railroads.  Persons can purchase tickets of the Baltimore company.

We have buried all the rebel dead that have been brought to town.  Eighty-five were buried on the battle field, and 123 on the roadside between here and Strasburg.

A messenger from Strasburg states that Gen. Johnston was to have joined Jackson at Strasburg, but he subsequently sent him word that he could not until Monday night.

These combined forces were found to have numbered 25,000 or 30,000.  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, hazarded his fatal advance alone.

WINCHESTER, March 25.

This evening our column is five miles beyond Strasburg, still in pursuit of the flying rebels.

All letters for officers and soldiers in Gen. Banks’ division should be directed to Winchester, till further notice.

WASHINGTON, March 25.

The following dispatch from Gen. Shields to Senator Rice, dated to-day at Winchester, was received in the Senate this afternoon:

On the morning of the 23d, my command, 7,000 or 8,000 strong, was attacked near this place by Jackson, with 9 regiments of infantry and an Irish battalion, about 1,500 cavalry, and 28 pieces of artillery.  After a severe fight the enemy was put in complete rout, leaving behind two pieces of cannon, four caissons and a large number of small arms, and about 600 prisoners.

Our loss is 150 killed and 300 wounded.  The enemy’s loss is 500 killed and 1,000 wounded.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, March 27, 1862, p. 1