WINCHESTER. Va., Monday, Feb. 20, 1865.

 

The capture of Columbia, S.C., by SHERMAN's forces, was officially announced to the troops in this department to-day, and one hundred guns were fired in honor of the event. The Secessionists are in despair. Several more deserters came in to-day, and a few prisoners were picked up just outside of our lines last night. On Saturday night last, Maj. GIBSON, of the Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with about two hundred men, belonging to the Fourteenth Pennsylvania and Twenty-first New-York Cavalry, started on a roconnoissance over the Blue Ridge. Crossing the Shenandoah River at Sheppard's Ford, (three miles below Berry's Ford,) the command passed through Ashby's Gap, and late in the evening reached the little village of Paris. Here the command was divided, and one portion, under Capt. SHOW, was directed to move in the direction of Union, while the other, under Maj. GIBSON, marched to Markham's Station, on the Manassas Gap Railroad. Capt. SNOW's first instructions were to return to Upperville, and if by half an hour after sunrise no further orders were received, he was to recross the Shenandoah. This order was subsequently charged, substituting Paris for Upperville. The order was either not received or not understood; at all events, at daylight or little before, when the presence of that portion of the command was wanted it had crossed the river. Maj. GIBSON proceeded to the vicinity of Markham's, capturing MOSBY's Quartermaster, 17 other prisoners and 50 horses, and destroying one of the enemy's camps, containing tents, wagons and supplies, when this portion of the command started to return. Some skirmishing was done at intervals with the enemy while falling back, until Sheppard's Ford road had been reached in Ashby's Gap, a distance of about five miles from the river. This road is almost impassable for cavalry riding two abreast at any time; but just now, owing to the snow and rain, is worse than usual. Just as the rear of the detachment had entered the road, a force of the enemy, supposed to have been, composed of about 80 or 100 men charged in upon it, and in a very short period of time friend and foe were mixed in together, so that carbines (the only weapons our men had) were of little use, and, consequently, the enemy being armed with six-shooters had, besides the advantage of position, the advantage in weapons. The result was as might naturally have been expected; the men became unmanageable, and were seized with a sudden desire to examine the country on the left bank of the Shenandoah; the way to reach this, however, was surrounded by difficulties; near the head of the column the road passed through a ledge of rocks, and this opening, only about four feet, was the only avenue through which escape could be made to the front, and an exit seaward was impracticable, owing to the presence of the enemy. Of course there was a panic. Major GIBSON, Capts. MARTIN DALE and DUFF, and a few others, attempted to rally the men, and did partially succeed twice in checking the enemy by some kind of a charge; but these were ineffectual, and the only safely was to be found in flight. The hole to get out of being small, as before described, it is not at all wonderful, all the circumstances considered, that only about 35 of the 110 Union soldiers present escaped. Not the least singular circumstance of the whole affair is that, so far as is known, not a man was killed, so Maj. GIBSON informs me himself. Several horses were shot, among the number Maj. GIBSON's, and in trying to stop a flying fugitive, one of his legs was bruised, so that he supposed himself wounded for some time. It is to be hoped the foily will not be again repeated or sending men out where they are liable to be compelled to fight at close quarters without pistols. The attacking force is supposed to have been a portion of MOSBY's men under the command of Maj. RICHARD's; but of this there is no certainty. Of course the horses and the prisoners captured were retaken by the enemy, and there is a general feeling of regret that what promised at first to be a brilliant affair should have terminated so unfortunately. Maj. GIBSON, it is understood, has asked for a court to investigate the affair. Capt. SEIRERT, an energetic, accomplished and faithful officer, who for a long time has discharged the onerous duties pertaining to the office of Assistant Adjutant General in the Third Cavalry Division (Gen. CUSTER) to the entire satisfaction of the Commander of that division as well as all others who have had dealings with him, has been commissioned as Colonel of the Second New-York Rifles by Gov. FENTON. A more deserving officer could not have been selected for the position. E.A. PAUL.

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