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BEHAVIOR OF OUR CITIZENS UNDER REBEL FIRE. – When on Wednesday night of last week the chivalrous and soldierly Fitz Hugh Lee opened his batteries upon our women and children, our town was in an extremely critical condition. Gen. Smith had under his command about three thousand uniformed militia imperfectly organized, a militia battery and about one company of regular cavalry. A flag of truce demanding the surrender of the town and forces had been received by Gen. Smith, and he had very properly replied with an indignant refusal, whereupon Lee at once commenced shelling the town without a minute’s respite. Most of the troops were then ordered to occupy houses, and prepare for a street fight, while the [illegible] formed the best line of defense possible under the circumstances. At this juncture those of our citizens, who had belonged to the companies commanded by Capt. C. Kuhn, Capt. John Low, Lieut. M. Kuhn, and Capt. D Black, reinforced by others of our citizens, supplied themselves with muskets, shot guns, carbines, and arms of all descriptions, and forming a line of skirmishers at and beyond Letort spring, kept up such a galling fire upon the rebel advance as to effectually prevent them from penetrating our line and reaching the town. This was the greeting this braggart rebel was met with, and so little did he like it, that, pocketing his loud threat of capture and demolition, and after exhausting his artillery ammunition, with which he could fire at a safe distance, he slunk away, immortalized by his brave attack upon the defenseless women and children of a town where he had in days past been treated with the civility and courtesy which his dastardly conduct has shown him so undeserving. All honor to our brave citizens, and eternal infamy awaits the dastardly dog, Fitz. Hugh Lee.
