1862 March 26 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, former owner and editor of the Staunton Spectator]

Wednesday night, March 26, 1862.


The first intelligence this morning, communicated
to me by Blackley, was that a young man wounded
in the battle near Winchester, had arrived during the
night or early in the morning. His account was that
we had lost 350 killed, wounded and missing, and that the
enemy's loss must have been much heavier, as they pre-
sented dense masses to our guns. It was rumored after-
wards that Stafford, of this place, a Lieut. in the 5th
Regiment, was among the killed. We heard nothing
more till late in the afternoon, when a large number
of wounded (160 it was said) arrived in stages and ambulan-
ces. The surgeon in attendance reported our loss as about
400 — others said 500 — but all concurred in the statement
that the enemy's loss was probably as great as the number
of troops we had in the fight — variously reported from
2500 to 4000. Jackson had fallen back to Mt. Jackson,
and the enemy were cautiously pursuing. Several state-
ments are made in reference to the treachery of the ene-
my, hoisting white flags and taking them down again, but
I am not certain that the stories are true. Va went to
the Hospital to assist in providing for the wounded — She
said it was a painful sight, but the patients were re-
markably cheerful. Several of them remarked that the
greatest trial they endured was leaving their wounded
comrades in the hands of the enemy. The Federal force
is estimated at 18,000. A considerable portion of Jack-
son's army was not in the fight, not having come up.
A party of horsemen from Rockbridge — some twenty —
passed through town this afternoon, going down the Val-
ley — One little fellow, being very tipsy, fell off his
horse, and there was much delay in getting him on a-
gain. As he finally rode off he tried to raise a
shout, but was too drunk. And this youth is going
to encounter danger — perhaps death!


[transcription by The Valley of the Shadow project]


MSS 38-258