Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-04-02
WAR NEWS!


On Saturday, at 2 o'clock p. NJ. the
enemy showed themselves mile and a
half from Winchester The enemy CON
sisted Of 500 of Ashby's cavalry and 2
guns. They drove in our pickets and then
skirmished with the Michigan cavalry and
a portion of the Maryland Ist. Gea.
Shields brought up his forces and Cred
rounds Of shells, drove them back and
took several prisoners.
Gen. Shields was wounded in the arm
by the first fire of the enemy. Jackson
had been informed by the inhabitants that
the town was deserted by the Union
troops, and he advanced to retake it, G en-
Shields force slept onGtheir arms Saturday
night. Sunday morning at sunrise, Jack
son being reinforced attacked General
Shields near Dearnstown, three niles dis
tant.
The enemy's force consisted Of 500 Of
Ashbys Cavalry, 5000 infantry, and nine
pieces of artillery, with reserve Of is
pieces. The fight was kept up till noon,
when a charge made by the Ohio infantry,
lst Michigan, and lst Virginia Cavalry, on
their right, drove them back mile, when
the enemy got their guns in position again,
in dense woods, hanked by infantry, and
drove us back.
A short artillery engagement ensued
when Gen. Shields ordered Col. Tyler to
tuYn their left flank, which was executed
by our troops, but with considerable loss
The enemy being protected by a stone
ledge, the 84th Penn, and 18th Ind,
charged their centre and the fight became
general.
Col Murray, of the 84th Penn, was
killed. The enemy retired, slowly bring
ING their guns to bear at every opportu-
nifty,
Our men rushed forward with wells,
when panic ensued among the enemy
Our troops followed and drove them till
dark, capturing three guns, three cassIons,
muskets, equipments, &c., innumerabIe.-
Our troops bivouacked on the field. Gen.
Williams first brigade, Col Donnelly of
the 2Sth N. Y. commanding. reinforced
Gen. Shields. Gen. Banks, who was on
the way to Washington on Sunday, re-
turned and assumed command.
Meantime Gen. Shields division pur-
sued the enemy beyond Newton, shelling
them the whole way.
Jackson's men were perfectly demoral.
lied and beyond control They threw
overheard the dead and wounded to LIGHT
en- the wagons.
1t is noticeable that nearly all The Con-
tederate wounded were shot ia tie head
and breast testifying to the superiority Of
our narksmen. The loss on our side
were chiefly Pennsylvania, Ohio and Ind,
troops. Those who conveyed the false in
telligence to Gen. jackson, causing this
disaster to the rebels, have heavy weight
of guilt to shoulder. 1t was evidently
known to many in the town that Jackson
was approaching, from the holilay attire,
and the buoyant spirits among the men
and women here.
Gen. Shields command being screened
from observation on thu ca side of the
town, led the informants to believe that
all our troops werc eyaouatiLg, and that
Jackson could enter uRmoIested.
Good judges say the enemy's los is
over 200 killed, 500 wounded and 800
prisoners, including an aid - Jackson
Our loss is about G5 killed and I25
wounded.
On Sunday morning the rebels receiy-
ed reinlorcements, under Gen. Garrett,
amounting to 5000 men.
The Union forces did not exceed 10000
men, and with the exception Of about 500,
were Of Gen. Shields division exclusively.
At half past ten the enemy made a feint
on our left, commanded by the Acting
Brigadicr General Sullivan, throwing a
heavy fire of artillery, while the real attack
was directed against our right, with the
object Of danking it.
Gen. Kimble commanded on the right,
where the heaviest firing was done The
enemy were strongly posted in the woods
behind stone wall, and the rebel artillery
was posted on an eninence on both sides
Of their left wing. Our whole artillery
force was engaged, and consisted If four
batteries Of twenty-four pieces in all. The
contest ragel furiously until p. ~, the
fighting be ng done chiefly by the artillery
and musketry, at a range Of not more than
300 or 400 yards, and often much less.
The rebel infantry opposite our right
now emerged from the wood and attempt
ed to capture Doane's battery by charge.
The first effort was nearly successful but
the heavy discharges Of grape compelled
them to retire in confusion. A second
and weaker attempt likewise failed, an the
enemy fell BACK with heavy loss behind
the stone parapet Gen. Tyler now order
ed his brigade to charge the el.sny's bat
teries on the left, and a most deadly en-
counter followed,
Twice our men reeled under the storm,
but in the third effort they routed the reb-
els with tremendous slaughter. Our loss
in these struggles was heavy. Out Of 800
men ia the Saith Pennsylvania, 26 were
killed and SO wounded. The 9Th and 9Th
Ohio shared the glory and the losses with
the Saith Pennsylvania.
The enemy's killed and wounded stlew
the ground now il profusion, and their
left wing was utterly broksa and their CEN
ter wayering. On their side the 4th and
5tb VIRGINIA REGIMENTS suffered most. The