1862 April 8 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, former owner and editor of the Staunton Spectator and civilian employee in the Quarter master dept.]

Tuesday night, April 8, 1862

Gen. Beauregard's dispatch to the War Depart-
ment was sent up here this morning by telegraph.
He claims a great victory at Corinth, on Sunday,
but confirms the report of Gen. Johnson's death. No
cars have arrived yet from Richmond (nearly 11 o'-
clock), since last evening. Blackly returned this aftern-
oon from Mason's Shanty — He says the 12th Georgia
Regiment have gone back to Monterey, a party of the
enemy having appeared there on Sunday. Most of our
army are on the Shenandoah mountain. Many
persons from Highland are in or about town, having
left their homes and families for fear of being captured
and taken to Ohio. Yesterday I met a Kinkead, of
Crab Bottom. Three (3) of his negroes had run off. —
Young Gallaher, of Charlestown, a member of the
4th Va. Regiment, now an invalid in the Army Hospi-
tal, tells me that the Yankees are using the negroes
very hardly down the Valley — working them severely
during the day and hand cuffing them at night to
prevent their escaping. The late battle near Win-
chester seems to grow in importance. The moral ef-
fect is as good as a victory. The North thought
our men were fleeing before theirs like frightened
sheep, when suddenly they a mere handful turned
and dealt a blow to the overwhelming force opposed
to them which has exacted surprise if not consterna
tion. Last week we had reports of several
hundred Union men from Rockingham and other
counties being on the Blue Ridge — Nothing since.
Another wintry day — rain, snow, sleet. Four
hundred recruits for Jackson's army, arrived to- day
from Washington county. One of them, a plain,
honest- looking young fellow, loitered about my of-
fice for some time. I thought he was suffering from hypo.

[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258