| From the Washington Star
(Washington, D. C.) |
| |
| June 25, 1861 |
| |
| From Martinsburg |
| Destruction of Forty-Eight Locomotives --
The Confederate Army at Martinsburg |
| We learn from the agent of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at Martinsburg, who left that place
yesterday morning, that on Sunday the work of vandalism on the part of
the Confederate army, in the wanton destruction of the property of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and of the State of Maryland, was
resumed at Martinsburg on Sunday. All the cars and locomotives that
they could not carry away from Harper's Ferry were destroyed, and now
we have tidings of the destruction of the locomotives and cars at
Martinsburg. |
| Our informant states that the
work of destruction was accomplished in the most effectual manner by
pilling up immense quantities of cord wood over and around the
locomotives and firing it. A number of gondola cars and coal hoppers
were also similarly destroyed. The entire value of the property thus
given to the flames cannot be less than $400,000. |
| The Hotel, occupied by B. H.
Carpenter, Esq., opposite the shops of the Company, was with great
difficulty saved, the intense heat several time setting fir to it. The
shops were not fired, though they would have caught from the intense
heat had it not been for the efforts of some of the employees of the
Company, who were present and extinguished the flames. Our informant,
with the Master Mechanic, Mr. Edwards, was arrested and taken before
Gen. Johnson, who is in charge of the Confederate troops at this
point, charged with endeavoring to put out the fire over the
locomotives. They proved, however, that they were merely preventing
the flames from extending to the shops, and were dismissed. |
| The Confederate troops at
Martinsburg and in the vicinity, are said to number about 5,500, being
a portion of Gen. Johnson's command from Harper's Ferry, the advance
guard towards Williamsport being in command of Gen. Jackson. A
collision with Gen. Cadwalader's command, which was approaching from
several points, was confidently anticipated. |
| Baltimore American |
| {Also published in
the Richmond Examiner on June 28, 1861} |
|