From the Valley.
A young gentleman who arrived in this city on Saturday evening from the lower end of the
Valley furnishes us with some information from that quarter.
He says that there are four regiments of Federal troops at
Harper's Ferry, and that
Camp Hill, west of the town, is strongly fortified.
About one thousand runaway negroes are in the town, and are employed in taking down the walls of the workshops of the old armory, the
Federal asserting that it is the intention of the
Government to rebuild the armory.
The rolling mill and tilt-hammer shops which were not destroyed when our army evacuated, are now engaged in getting out iron for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and are superintended by Rezin Cross and
Alex. Kelly, former operatives of the armory.
A notorious traitor,
Isaac Baylis is employed by the
Quartermaster at
Harper's Ferry to steal horses from the citizens of the surrounding country, and it is said is faithfully discharging his duty, and realizing a rich harvest by his plunder.
The Government allows $120 per head for these horses one half of which is paid to
Baylis as a reward for his scoundrelism, and the other half goes to the
Quartermaster employing him.
At
Charlestown there are two companies, composed of Germans, who are conducting themselves with tolerable propriety.
Up to Wednesday last they had not commenced enforcing the order of
Pope, requiring the male citizens to take the oath or leave the
Federal lines.
In and around
Winchester there were about 1,500 troops, under command of
Gen. Platt.
A few evenings ago a report was started that our forces were advancing from the
Valley road, when
Platt immediately turned his guns upon the town, declaring his intention to shell it if our forces attacked him Several of the
Union citizens of the town went out to the fortifications to remonstrate with him, assuring him that the report of an advance was without foundation.
These citizens were seized and kept through the night, with the cheering information that if any assault was made upon his lines they should be shot.
The only pickets on the
Valley road are at Hollingsworth's Mill, one and a half miles west of
Winchester.
Our pickets are down as far as
Newtown, 7 miles from
Winchester.
