1862 June 12 Staunton, Va.

Thursday night, June 12, 1862

A report this morning that Fremont was marching 

up North River, with a view towards this region. — 

At the same time a statement that he had 40,000 men, 

while Jackson's effective force amounted to only 

15,000. All through the day there were vague rumors 

that the whole Federal army had passed through 

Harrisonburg, down the Valley. Late in the after-

noon these rumors were confirmed by persons from 

Harrisonburg. The Yankees went off last night, 

in haste, burning their baggage, and committing 

many depredations. They even destroyed the 

gardens, as far as possible. It is reported that 

their whole number was 15,000 — that is Fremont's 

column. It is stated that Jackson received rein-

forcements this evening to the amount of 13,000. — 

We have had nothing as to his movements, if he 

has made any, except a report that Ewell's 

division was coming up North River. A Fed-

eral soldier came in to-day, accompanied by 

two of our citizens from Hardy or Pendleton. The 

man said he was a Texan, but had been living in 

Ohio for two years, and was drawn into the 

Federal army without his consent; + that he de-

serted when the army was passing through Hardy. 

The two men testified that the deserter had come 

voluntarily, even paying his way to get on part 

of the journey. As he may be a spy, he was put 

in the guard house, and has been, or will be, sent 

to Gen. Jackson. Some 25 or 30 prisoners 

captured in Hardy arrived to day — also a number of our 

soldiers, who fell out of the ranks, from exhaus-

tion, on the retreat from Winchester, and were 

supposed to have fallen into the hands of the enemy. 

They came through Hardy + Pendleton. I procured a 

pack of envelopes, captured at Winchester on the 

recent occasion, amongst other things, and file one 

of them in this book, as a specimen of the sort 

of things the war has brought out.  It is quite evident 

that dissatisfaction exists in the Federal ranks, + 

that falsehood has t[?]   been resorted to in order to prevent 

pacify the men. A prisoner taken in the battle of 

Monday last stated that it had been read out to them 

that Richmond had fallen, and if they only whip-

ped out Jackson they would be discharged to go home. 

A similar report comes from Norfolk — the soldiers 

had been informed so often of the capture of 

Norfolk that they began to inquire how many Rich-

monds there were. It is alleged that 2000 men 

deserted from Fremont's army while it was at 

Franklin, Pendleton, and that five of the soldiers 

died of starvation. The enemy have abandoned 

Norfolk and Portsmouth, taking the troops to the 

vicinity of Richmond. A few evenings ago, I brought 

up five or six letters picked up at down the Valley 

They were written to Yankee soldiers by friends at 

home. — They are all decent — Some of the letters cap-

tured are filthy to the last degree.

[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258