1862 June 5 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

Thursday night, June 5, 1862.

A day of rumors. We heard that the Federal pris-

oners at North River (Mt. Crawford) had refused to 

come across. Then it was said they were not at 

the river, but at Harrisonburg. The first report was 

next repeated. Imboden started down about 2 o'clock, 

with men, his three small cannon, and two larger 

pieces. Many hands, white and black, went also 

to in wagons to aid in building the bridge. Late 

in the afternoon we heard that Shields (Federal) 

was at or near Port Republic, that our men had 

burnt the bridge there, across the Shenandoah, + 

                                            advance

that Shields would probably come ^ by Mt. Merid-

ian, in this county. Next it was circulated that 

Jackson had come through Harrisonburg and gone 

towards Port Republic, to attack Shields, and that

large reinforcements had come over for Jackson 

from Gordonsville. Returning home in the even-

ing, I met Col. J. T. L. Preston, of Lexington, enter-

ing the town. He came up to supper and sat till 

10 o'clock. He left Harrisonburg this morning + 

crossed the river at Mt. Crawford in a boat. Jack-

son had turned off towards Port Republic, and the 

Federal prisoners had been taken in the same direction; 

from Harrisonburg, without coming to Mt. Crawford. There 

was a report at Harrisonburg that "Gen Smith" was 

coming to reinforce Jackson — what Smith and what 

troops he had no body could tell and therefore the re-

port was discredited. Just before dark a Capt. Rip-

petoe arrived from Port Republic and reported that 

he heard the noise of a battle in the direction of 

Swift Run Gap, and that afterwards couriers 

passed him, who stated that "Gen Smith" had sud-

denly met and defeated Shields. Rippetoe is a 

truthful man, but nevertheless the report is not 

believed. Other persons who came from Port Republic 

have no such news. Refugees from the lower Val-

ley, who returned home last week, are back again. 

To-morrow we shall probably have news. From Rich-

mond the report is "all quiet." I fear that things 

are not specially favorable to us in that quarter. The 

delay is, I fear, advantageous to the enemy. Beaure-

gard is said to have fallen back from Corinth. — 

The enemy have left Lewisburg and gone West, some-

where. The war is fierce enough now, and the pros-

pect for a protracted struggle is good. The Southern 

people will never submit to Northern domination. 

Some Federal officers, prisoners, came this evening in 

the Harrisonburg stage — crossed the river in the boat. 

The cars came this evening. A letter from Kate, saying 

that Tate was detained at Christiansburg by sickness.     

[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258