1862 March 13 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph A. Waddell, civilian of Staunton, Va.]

Thursday, March 13, 1862.

Intelligence came last night that the enemy forces
occupied Winchester, Gen. Jackson withdrawing
his army. The force of the enemy is not known —
Dr Joe McClung, who came up in the last stage,
says Jackson has not more than 4500 effective men.
He will probably continue to fall back in the di-
rection of Staunton. Our troops lately at Manassas
have retired to the Rappahannock, and the Federal-
ists now have the Manassas Gap Railroad. Two en-
gines from that Road are coming up the turnpike
to this place. It is reported from Richmond that the
Va. Central Railroad is to be our line of defence. —
Before our troops left Winchester, they arrested several
of the citizens suspected of sympathizing with the
enemy. Soon after going down street this morning, I
perceived that there was bad news, before I heard a word
on the subject. The various groups of persons on the
streets indicated by their appearance that some-
thing untoward had happened. There appeared, also, to
be an unusually large number of business were closed.
I am at a loss to know what has become of all the soldiers
we were supposed to have in the field.
Joe McClung says that regiments enrolling 800 men
can muster only 200. We have now to organize
our army in the face of the enemy, the term of
service of most of our troops having nearly ex-
pired. Legh proposed to volunteer to-day, but
was told that he would not be received, as he has
to wear glasses from near-sightedness.

[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258