Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-04-01
Details of the Battle I'm Virgin
ia---Gen. Shields victory.


that place:
The ball Of the campaign on the PJto-
mac was brilliantly opened at Winchester
on Sunday last, and the rebels have suffered
a dreadful reverse.
The object of the Reconnaissance made
by Gen. Shields to Strasburg may now be
stated. Ii was to throw the enemy into the
trap winch has SO fatally sprung upon the
rebellion. Discovering the number and
position of the rebels, Gen. Shields retired /
hastily, posted his men about two miles
north OF Winchester, in a few tents, as /
though the force was unable to attempt
pursuing Jackscn's force, and there, after |
the withdrawal of Gen Williams division, !
awaited the effect of his movement on the 4
enemy. The result showed that the scheme /
entirely succeeded. As soon as the rebel
General jackson heard that the division of
General Williams had moved towards
Centreville, he Immediately took up his
march to Winchester. In the meantime he
bad received reipforcements, and Generals
Longstreet and Smith, of the rebel array.
bad their commands united to the boosted
Stone Wall jackson. 81 prompt and ON
expected was the attack of the enemy.
that 1t took our Generals entirely by sur
prise, bet everything was ready for the
emergency.
Ga Saturday afternoon, about a quarter
past two O'CLOCK, our advanced piekets on
the Strssburg road discovered the rebel
! cavalry, under the madcap Ashby, about
half mile beyond them, accommodating
the woods on both sides of the turnpike,
and steadily advancing Our rickets con-
sisted Of a few men of the Fourteeth Indi-
sna Infantry at that point, and they fell
back half mile to the hamlet Of Kerns-
town, four miles from Winchester. The
rebels, observing our piekets fell back, and
were confirmed in the belief that our forces
/ here did not exceed five thousand men.
| They then gave chase. Coming up with
I our men, Ashby cried at the top os bis voice
There they are, boys; row give them
! hell" Steadily did the troopers advance
as our men wheeled to aim and Are. That
IRE sen, many of them reel ng from their
/ saddles, ard threw the Test into such con-
fusion that before they could again be raj,
lied Tor charge, our gallant little band of
infantry was beyond the reach oe their
| power, without having lost a man killed or
wounded. Meanwhile skirmishing pro,
| crossed on other points along our advanced
line, and our pickets were everywhere
! railying on our reserves.
Gen. Shields, hearing of the advance Of
the rebel cavalry, supposed it TO be man-
oeuvre Of Ashby alone for the purpose of
watching our movements As they were
approaching SD boldly and closely however.
he ordered four advanced Companies of in
fantry, engaged in Protecting the surIly
train. to rally to the support Of the more
advanced pleke's,ant Try to hold the rebels
IN check I'LL be could move down the
division. a battery of artillery Was also
ordered forward, aud Gen Shields. after
ordering out the division, rode to the front
accom- panied by his staff While engaged
directing the fire of the artillery and the
defence generally, skt from rebel bats
terry of four guns, which now began to play
on Us, burst near him. ard a SPLINTER from
Is struck Linn In the left arm. Just above the
elbow, irac;uring the b ne and creating a
painful "ourd. His Adiutant General.
Mayor Armstrong, who was standing near.
remarked: General, you are wounded in
The arm Yes" reYied the gallant
shields. but say nothing ebout it." He
then gave fresh order 10 the artillery and
continued Il the fill TIL he satisfied him
sell that all was right. A man from Ohio
and horse were killed On the way lev the
enemy guns but these we've all the casu-
aiues tnas occurred on our side till the
"a Ns8F Asist INV was ended
Ibe wound Of Gen. Shields caused n
pang throughout the entire diSi,ion. ard it
u SemarEa' Re that be should have been the
irst man struck on our side.
Morning explained the yeason of tho
enemy's halt. About 10 o'clock reinforce
ments OF fFe regiments If infantry and
two batteries o. artillery were annoa,cea
arriving from StrasJurg. under Gen 6sor
nett by the vOclterouS and PROLONGED
cheers which proceeded from their lines
The attack was not long DELAYED The
enemy advs Eced has array, which now con
siSts OF sixteen Tegizaents If infant-y
numbering ii 900 men and FIVE hat,a,iss
OF hIdilery, with total Of eighty eiyb,
held pieces. and three batsfiions Of hnr-e
under Ashty and Stewart H;s linz oc
battle extended about mile ON the rich,
OF the village Of kernstawn and lie
ana three quarters On the left Of IL and ths
vlEage lay on the rnai between the rabsI
right and centre. There j. a md -o.d
branching from the Jurnfike Il mile OF So
IRON Inehester to the right of the roaS
as You - t. Strashurg. This road nassed
the ieli ~ the enemy's centre. and was one
VI uFs P''nts q! defence Beyond that there
"a s'"'e VI trees, and farther a ridge of
hiiis with stIne wall running ,i,n, o.
summit about breast high This Ixos +ba
rebel line Of offence ard defence or -
right Of cur line. Our most Advanced ,ar.
imtnt was the Eighth Ohio. and an IL ~
ieOeis made furious oatlsurht about boIf
pas 40 y, VI, OF Sunday, with the i,,an-
non oi turning our right hank. The Obio
highth met them gallautly. witberinp them
IKE autumn leaves before The breath or
winter 10y their deadly fire of rifles F;va
several titnes Dad the enemy emerge from
inc WOODS and from behind their stone
par"Pet with vastly superior numbers and
Try Nainly 10 accomplish their OBJECT.
The battle ragged along the whole lin.
with great fury from IL A. M. till half no.,
T. NJ, when Gen. Shields, who received
accounts of the progress of the s gh, ~ -
couch, ordered the right, where The cnn,ast
RACED the hottest, to charge upon the enc
my That was IA awful charge. The
ieit Gi the enemy prepared dosperatelv 70
retei our gallant troops. but their ru sh was
as irresistible US the tide in the Raw oF
fundy. Previous to this time onr linz az
battle had been somewhat changed. The
high'yfcrth PenDsy lvania reinforced our
right, and also battery of artillery. Our
whole force now engaged was about
siz thousand. while that of the enemy was
at the lowest estimate eight thousand.
The rebels had also changed their lire
and, extending both their wings, presented
coneave front to our army. They had
also reinforced their left wing, and the
charge to be made by Our right was all
important in its consequences. On il. a,
three O'Clock, depended the fate of the
entire battle The gallant TYLER led the
charge. sword in hand, at the head Of the
lire. The rebels fred from the thick
woods with artilley and smalI arms.
while our u.en advanced against their muir
derous showers ofiead and iron, returning
lew shots and reservIng their FIRE. Up to
this time the armies had n0t been mneb