The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-03-27
The Battle near Winchester d,
Particulars ofthe Engagement.


o'clock P, NJ. the enemy showed themselves a
mile and O half from Winchester The enemy
consisted of 500 of Ashbys cavalry and two guns
They Grove in ouri pockets and then skirmished
with the Michigan cavalry and portion of the
Maryland LIST. Gen. Shields brought up his for.
ces and fired rounds of shell, drove them back
and took several prisoners
Gen. Shields was wounded in the arm by the
first fire of the enemy. Jackson had been in
formed by the inhabitants that the town was de.
serted by the Union troops, aad he advanced to
retake it. Gen. Shields force slept on their arms
Saturday night. Sunday morning at sunrise,
Jackson being reinforced, attacked Gen, Shields
near Darnstewn, three miles distant
The enemy's force consisted of 500 of Ashby's
cavalry, 500 infantry and nine pieces of artillery
with reserve of Is pieces. The fight was kept
up till noon, when charge made by the Ohio
infantry, lst Michigan and ct Virginia cavalary
on their right, drove them back mile, when the
enemy got their guns in position again, in a
dense woods, thanked by infantry, and drove US
back,
short artillery engagement ensued when
Gen Shields ordered Col Tyler to turn their left
flank, which was executed by our troops, but
with considerable loss. The enemy being pro
tected by stone ledge, the S4th Pennsylvania
and 18th Indiana, charged their centre and the
fight became general.
Col hurry of the 84th Pennsylvania, awas
killed The enemy returned slowly bringing
their guns to bear at every opportunity.
Our men rushed forward with yells when pan.
ic ensued among the enemy. Our troops follow
ed and drove them till dark, capturing three
guns, three calSsons, musNets, &C., iunumerable.
Our troops bivouacked on the field. Gen vii
liams' first brigade, Col. DonnelIy of the 2Sth.
New York commanding, reinforced Gen Shields
Gen. Banks who on the way to Washing
ton on Sunday, retired and assumed command.
Meantime Gen. Shields division pursued the
enemy beyond Newton, shelling them the whole
way.
Jackson's men were perfectly demoralized and
beyond control. They threw overheard the dead
and wounded to tighten the wagons.
1t is noticble that nearly ali the Confederate
wounded were shot in the head and breast tes-
tifying 10 the superiority of our marksmen. The
loss on our side were chiefly Pennsylvania, Ohio
and Indiana troops. These who conveyed false
Intelligence to Gen. Jackson, causing this disas-
ter to the rebels have a heavy weight of guilt to
shoulder. 1t was evidently known to many in
the town that jackson was approaching from
the holiday attire, and the buoyant spirits among
the men and women here.
Gen. Shields command being screened from OBJ
servation the east side of the town, led the in
formants to believe that all our troops were eYae-
uating, and that Jackson could enter unmOlested
Good judges say that the enemy's loss is over
200 killed aud 500 wounded and 300 prisoners, in
GLIDING aid to jackson. Our loss is 65 killed
and l25 wounded
On Sunday morning the rebels received rein
f0rcemeats, under Gen Garnett, 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 fent on our left, commanded
by acting BrgGdier General Sullivan, throwing
heavy fire of artillery while the real attack was
directed against our right with the object of
thanking it.
Gen. Kimble commanded on the right, where
the heaviest firing was done. The enemy were
strongly posted III the woods behind stone wall
and the rebel artillery was posted on an eminence
on both sides OF their left wing. Our whole artil-
lery force was engaged and consisted of four bat
teries of "a pieces in all The contest ragged furi-
ously until p NJ, the fighting being done chiefly
by the artillery and musketry, at range of not
more than 300 or 400 yards
The rebel infantry opposite our right now emer-
ged from the wood x attempted to capture Doan S
battery by charge. The first effort was nearly
successful, buthe heavy discharges of grape com
PEELED them to retire in confusion. 4 second and
weaker attempt likewise failed, and the enemy fell
back heavy loss behind the stone parapet. Gen.
Tyler now ordered his brigade to charge the enc
my's batteries 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 rebels with treen
douS slaughter. Our loss in these struggles was
heavy out of 300 man in the 84th Pennsylvania, %
were killed and 86 wounded. Many officers were
killed and wounded The 9th and 9Th Ohio shar
ed the glory and the losses with the S4th Penn a.
The enemy killed and wounded strewed the
srouHu now III PERCUSSION, ana their lett wing was
utterly broken, and their centre wavsring. On
their side the 4th and 5th Virginia regiments suf-
fered most. The former was terribly decimated
Several attempts to rally the right wing failed,
and to add to the confusion, the Irish battalion Of
l5e men, when bret forward and ordered to fire on
the Union troops, refused, and a rebel regiment
Immediately drove this gallant little band forward
but could not compel them to Ere upon u.s.
Forty corpses Of the $50 afterwards Strewed the
field. Meanwhile the rebels gave way on their left
and centre, with loss of 700 killed and wounded
and 236 taken prisoners. Besides these, about
1900 muskets were taken and many other valua-
BILE trophies. Our loss does not exceed 100 killed
and 800 wounded