The last murder by Hunter.
The murder of David S. Creigh, of Greenbrier county, Virginia, by the order of Major-General Hunter, United States Army, has been noticed.--The Central Presbyterian gives us the particulars of this cold-blooded deed.
Mr. Creigh was a very prominent citizen of Greenbrier county, and an elder in the Presbyterian church.
While Crook's command was near Lewisburg last year, Mr. Creigh, upon returning home one day from the field, found a Federal soldier there insulting the ladies of the family and breaking open the trunks, drawers, &c., in the house.
Upon remonstrating with him, the Yankee insolently told him to bring him the keys to the trunks, and then fired upon him. After a short struggle, Mr. Creigh killed him with an axe.--As a Federal army was in the neighborhood, the deed was not made public, but an Irishman working on the farm betrayed it, and when the Federal army under Averill returned to Greenbrier in June, a negro gave them information of th
e.
We dare say that Early, Breckinridge, Mosby, Imboden and Company are for the present engaged in the important work of providing, at convenient stations, all the way up the Shenandoah Valley, the depots of supplies necessary to enable an army of sixty or eighty thousand men to move down in light marching order so rapidly as to be in Maryland again in advance of any reliable warning of their numbers or their near approach.
In this view of the subject, we care less to know what Hunter, Crook and Averill are doing than what the Administration is about at Washington.
When we were satisfied that General Joe Johnston had been removed from the command of the rebel army of Georgia and recalled to Richmond, we guessed that it was for more important service nearer Washington.
We showed, too, from his military experience and knowledge of all the country between Richmond and the line of the upper Potomac, and especially the Shenandoah Valley, that he was the very man to head the mov
of the Confederate Government has in no wise diminished the insults and outrages of the enemy, and it is time that the virtue of rigid retaliation should be tried.
In the article which contains this statement, the Enquirer announces that Colonel Crook, a brother of the general of that name, is selected as hostage for Colonel August W. McDonald. Colonel McDonald is a venerable citizen of Hampshire county, in this State.
He has five gallant sons in the army, and five more who will be in if ier and its own honor.
After the above was written [two days since] we received the following official notice, which we publish with pleasure:
"Samuel Crooks, Colonel Twenty-second New York cavalry, captured at Reams's Station, June 30th, has been put in close confinement, and in frons, at Macon, Georgia, in retaliation for similar treatment of Colonel August W. McDonald, who was captured near Lexington, Virginia, by Colonel Crook's regiment during Hunter's raid up the Valley."
y, on Saturday last, the 10th instant, advanced from his position at Bunker Hill towards Martinsburg.
This place is in Berkeley county, only seven miles south of the nearest point on the Potomac river.
The army under Sheridan, confronting General Early, is probably nearly as large as that before Petersburg.
A New York paper states that Grant detached thirty-eight or forty thousand men from the Army of the Potomac and sent them to the Valley, to which must be added the troops under Hunter, Crook, Kelly and Averill.
This immense force, so far from being able to drive Early out of the Valley, has had enough to do in guarding the Potomac, in order to prevent our army from crossing that stream.
Meanwhile, our troops have captured over two thousand prisoners and inflicted a succession of punishments upon the Yankees which have kept them in a state of whole some dread.
Mosby, ever on the alert, has burnt trains of wagons, captured horses and mules, and ambushed and killed many of the e
enemy.
Having regained the advanced position which we had previously occupied, the different lines of battle were ordered to lay down and wait the arrival of Crook's corps, which was held in reserve on the eastern side of the Opequon.
They were ordered up to take position on the extreme right of the line, in order to counteract a movement on the part of the enemy, who were massing troops on their left flank with a view of turning our right.
Precisely at three o'clock, Crook formed on the right of the Nineteenth corps, the First division on the extreme right of our line, and the Second division in the rear, supporting a division of the Nineteenth corps. General Crook having formed his men, rode along the lines, and was received with the most vociferous cheering, the men promising to "go in and wipe out Winchester." General Torbert, with Merritt and Averill's divisions of cavalry, having crossed the Opequon about nine o'clock at Burns's and Knox's fords, had been hard at work al
a victory, was pushing forward after the enemy, and had also sent two divisions of cavalry down the Luray Valley to intercept the retreat of the enemy.
Much is expected from this vigorous pursuit.
The following is the latest dispatch from-Sheridan:
Headquarters Middle Division,Woodstock, Va., September 23, 8 A. M. Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant, City Point:
I cannot, as yet, give any definite account of the results of the battle of yesterday.
Our loss will be light.
General Crook struck the left flank of the enemy, doubled it up, advancing down along their lines.
General Rickett's division of the Sixth army corps swung in and joined General and Wheaton's divisions, taking up the same movement, followed by the whole line, and attacking — beautifully carrying — the works of the enemy.
The rebels threw down their arms and fled in the greatest confusion, abandoning most of their artillery.
It was dark before the battle ended.
I pursued on after the enemy dur
l's division of cavalry attacked and drove the enemy at a gallop from his advanced position on his left one mile back into his main works and held him there, while Crook's corps, which had been concealed during the day, was transferred in the rear of Averill's division to the enemy's extreme left.
At five in the afternoon, Crook aCrook and Averill stormed and carried the works of the enemy, the cavalry leaping the barriers erected by the enemy, capturing two battle flags, four guns and over one hundred prisoners.--While Crook swept towards the enemy's centre, the Sixth corps attacked, followed by the Nineteenth, while Averill swept along the base of the North mounCrook swept towards the enemy's centre, the Sixth corps attacked, followed by the Nineteenth, while Averill swept along the base of the North mountain outward seven miles, captured one hundred and seventy-five cavalry horses, four caissons, fourteen wagons, eight ambulances and a number of fugitives.
The enemy, having probably learned of the movement upon his right and rear, had commenced leaving this position some two hours before our attack.
His departure was so hast
ng the Yankees got in the Valley on Saturday:
General Sheridan reports that the rebel army, lately under Early, but now apparently under Longstreet, having appeared in the vicinity of Strasburg, his forces moved to attack them on Saturday.--Crook, who had the advance, found the rebels drawn up in four lines of battle; but upon his charging them with his accustomed impetuosity, they broke and withdrew in considerable disorder without giving the opportunity for any serious conflict.
Sheridring ceased on both sides.
This affair cannot properly be termed a battle, as only a small portion of our army was engaged.
It may property be dignified as a vigorous reconnaissance in force.
The loss on our side was principally in General Crook's Army of West Virginia, and will probably amount to two hundred killed, wounded and missing. The loss of the enemy is equal, if not in excess of ours.
Surprise of Mosey's camp — capture of four pieces of artillery.
A dispatch from
ined here by rebel stories of the defeat of our armies in the Valley.
Of course these reports were entirely without foundation.
General Sheridan never leaves his command for two days where it is in danger of an attack.
He is always present where it fights, and, what is more, as the great Napoleon always thought, he is always successful.
A gentleman who left Sheridan's army yesterday reports that the rebels re-occupy Fisher's Hill, on the left of the position heretofore carried by General Crook, and are erecting fortifications there.
Our troops are in the neighborhood of Strasburg.
Meeting of a "peace" Convention.
The "Peace Convention" met in Chicago on the 18th instant.
Alexander Long, of Ohio, was one of the prominent men present.
Candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States are to be nominated.
A telegram says:
It is understood that the nominations will be made conditional.
If either of the Presidential candidates, Lincoln or McClella
said stream, and reached the side of the hill and breastworks occupied by Thorburn's division, of the Eighth army corp — Crook's. The rebels hesitated not, but pressed on, as a dashing cataract, over all barriers, completely surprising, and in a me
Many of them were taken prisoners, but by far the greater portion got away, and with their arms.
The other division of Crook's corps, which was allowed some time to form, did so, and was soon joined in line by the remaining portion of Thorburn's y as also from artillery posted upon the bills on the opposite side of Cedar creek.
Having directed a column against Crook's forces, the enemy quickly turned his attention toward the right of the pike, where the Nineteenth corps (General Emory'
At daylight this morning Longstreet made a furious attack on the left of our position near Strasburg, which was held by Crook.
His attack was successful.
We were driven from the ground with the loss of a number of pieces of artillery and some pr
