From the Valley.
A gentleman who made his escape from the lower Valley within the last few days gives us some important information from that section. He confirms all that we have heretofore published of the inducements held out by the enemy to the negroes to desert their rightful owners. He states that Col Geary, of Kansas notoriety, in a conversation with a citizen of Clarke county, told him that he did not mean to disguise or conceal the fact that they intended the staves should be liberated, and that he wished it distinctly understood that every negro in Clarke county was as free as his master. This the negroes seem to perfectly understand, and were taking advantage of it, hundreds of them quitting their comfortable homes to snuff the breeze of an adulterated freedom in the North. Not content with leaving themselves, many of them were stealing horses and riding off under the protection of the Federal authorities.In reference to the battle at Kernstown, the gentleman alluded to thinks that the enemy's loss in killed alone must have been near one thousand. The result of the fight was not regarded as a victory by the enemy, the greatest confusion existing among them in Winchester the night after its occurrence, and preparations were made to evacuate the place in the event of Gen. Jackson's advance.
Our informant states that Gen. Shields has recently been reinforced, and has now under him about twenty-five thousand men.
