The Daily Dispatch: May 24, 1861., [Electronic resource]

Winchester, May 20,

It has been announced in the papers that Frederick county was represented in the Wheeling Convention. To prevent a misunderstanding, and to show in what way that Convention was formed, I will tell you how the delegates from this county were appointed, or, rather, how they were not appointed: One of the delegates, a drunken loafer, after receiving a severe castigation upon the street, and sundry threats that a much worse punishment awaited him in the future, suddenly found the atmosphere of this neighborhood injurious to his health, and left for parts unknown. He turns up next as a delegate from Frederick in that ‘"very respectable" ’ body.--The other delegate was less authorized even than Mr. Senseney, for his insignificance was too great to be threatened, and he was not sent from the county as the champion of the boot and cane party, as was the first gentleman. The first intimation our people had of the honor conferred upon them, was the announcement of the names of the delegates after the Convention had assembled. Doubtless, other counties were represented in the same manner, yet they were all counted among the immortal thirty.

Frederick has now three hundred men in the field, and is equipping a large number who are awaiting marching orders.

The sentiment here was, until lately, very much divided on the question of ratifying the Ordinance. This division was caused, in a great measure, by the curious position of our delegates to the Convention, who advised the people to vote for the Ordinance, but said, at the same time, that they did not intend to do so; one of them, however, has come to his senses, and will vote for the Ordinance; throughout the county, too, there has been a wonderful change, and old Frederick will cast an overwhelming vote for throwing off the shackles.

During the last ten days, the troops passing through Winchester have averaged between three and four hundred men per day; they are accompanied by a large number of negroes, as waiters, whose quaint remarks afford much amusement to the crowd. As a specimen, I give the following: Two negroes were marching through town with their company, but in some way had been left some distance behind, when one of them, looking at the crowd and then turning to his companion, said: ‘"Let's hurry up and jine the company, there might be a Yankee in this crowd."’ The destination of these troops I withhold, from prudential reasons.