The Express.
London, England, 1864-10-01 00:00:00

Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, iinezett;ry lit War.
. .

The body of General Russell has arrived. As soon as it
is embalmed it will be forwarded to New York. General
Mclntosh, with his leg amputated, has just come in and is
in good spirits. Several °thaws from the front report the
number of prisoners in excess of 3,000. The number of
battle flags captured warn fifteen instead of nine. All
concur that it was a oomplete rout. Our cavalry started
in pursuit at daylight this morning. Sheridan, when
last heard from, was at Kearnstown. I sent forward
this morning ample medical supplies. Full subsistence for
the entire army goes forward. If you do not hear from
me often it will be because of the distance we are from
the sane of action, and because I only send you such in-
formation as I esteem reliable.

JOHN D. . STIVINZON Brigadier-General.

The President has appointed General Sheridan • brigs-
dierieueral in the regular army aed assigned him to the
prominent command of the Middle Military Division.
General Grant has ordered the army under hia command
to fire a salute of 100 guns at 7 o'clock to-morrow morning
in honour of Sheridan's great victory.
EDWIN M. BUNTON, Secretary of War.

The special correpondent of the New York Herald
supplies the following account of the engagement :
Headqoarten, Middle Military Division,
Winehreter, Vs., Sept 19 9µm.
- . -. .. .

General Sheridan's army has this day fought re of the
most soomadul and decisive battles of the war. Victory
again perched on our banners, and the rebel army which so
recently threatened the invasion of the loyal North hasher
defeated and utterly routed, with the loss of at least 3,000
killed and wounded, including five generals—namely, Rhodes,
Wharton, Bradley, T. Johnson, Gordon, York, arid God-
man, the two first of whom were killed sad the others badly
wounded ; and we have captured 2,500 prisoners, roe
bettle flags, menorah:l nine different regimental
organisations, five pieces of artillery, with risers.
The recital of the victory ought to make every loyal
heart at the north glow with admiratioo and gratitude to the
brave men and pliant officers who have achieved so signal a
surer. In order to more thoroughly understand the nature
of the battle, with all the surrounding influences, it will be
necessary briefly to refer to the operations of Sunday. On
Sunday morning Early sent Gordon's division of rebel in.
ratty from Bunker-hill, where it had been stationed for
the past few days, to drive Averill out of Martinsburg and
destroy the bridge on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
acmes the Opequan, which they erroneously thought bad
been .repaired. They occupied Martinsburg for • short
time without doing any damage to the railroad, and
were eventually driven by Averill as far as Darkes-
vale. General Sheridan, learning their movements, ordered
the whole command to break camp and prepare to march.
Accordingly, at 3 o'clock on Sunday, the tents were all
struck and packed in waggons. The different divisions were
all coder arms, and prepared to move in • moment's
aotioe, and remained in this state for about an hour, when
the order came to go into camp again for the night, and
everything remained perfectly quiet. About 9 o'clock
orders were received from Sheridan for the 6th and 19th
Corps to be ready to start at 3 o'clock, and the army of
Western Virginia, wider Crook, at 5 the following mote-
; ing, the order of march to be as follows :—The 6th
Corps to move out on the Winchester and Berryville
pike, and move in two parallel column' on both
sides of the road, with the artillery, ammunition,
and supply trains on the road ; the 19th Corps to
follow on the Mae road and in similar order ; the army of
Western Virginia, under Crook, to move from its camping
ground in the vicinity of Summit Point, and, striking amuse
the country in a southwesterly direction, was ordered to
form • junction at the crossing of the Opequas, on the
Berryville and Winchester pike. And shortly after 5
o'clock Wilmette' division of cavalry crossed the Omar at
the Berryville and Winchester pike, moving his command
rapidly along the road. Driving in the enemy's skirmish
line, he gallantly charged the enemy's field works with the
Ist Brigade, and carried them at the point of the sabre,
capturing 30 prisoners. In this charge Colonel Brintoe,
18th peorylvanis cavalry, war wounded within a few feet
of the enemy's works while pliantly leading his regiment.
These field works were coostrooted by the rebels to
guard the ford at the Opeonan, and prevent our range at
that point. It will be ern how signally they failed to air
complieh the object for which they were constructed. Our
cavalry having secured a safe passage for the infantry, the
6th Corps wad moved across the Opeguan and along the
pike towards Wiechester, leaving its train in park os the
opposite ride of the stream to a point about • mile and a
half distant from the ford, where it formed in line of battle
end threw out a strong skirmish line. At the same time the
' artillery opened as the woods, isto which the seessy's in-
fantry had retired, and kept up as incessaat minnords,
the enemy replying briskly with perks of two harries.
Time was a delay of at least two hours, oared by the
son-arrival of the 19th Corp, which, through min-
iteneepties of orders had failed to come up at the proper
Musa General Retry had moved hie column to the rear of
the baggage train to the 6th Corps, instead of keeping his
command close up in the rear of the advertise column of
the 6th Gasps. Gemini Sheridan having renred on Bea.