The Daily Dispatch: June 19, 1863., [Electronic resource]

---

---

The victory at Winchester
capture of Martinsburg.
more artillery and prisoners taken.

There is 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 news we have received is 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; but as to details, and the plan of battle, we are yet in ignorance, and are perhaps destined to remain so, unless some one connected with the army shall feel sufficient interest in the important movements in the Valley to furnish us with a connected account.

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 Gen. 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 cannonading 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.

A gentleman who came down from the Valley by the Central train, last evening, 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 Capt. 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 to-day treading the soil of Maryland, with a strong probability that our cavalry at least have crossed Mason's 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 invited the attention of a cavalry force at this season of the year.

---

Still Later

At the War Department last night the following dispatch 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, A. & I. Gen'l:

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.