Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-04-09
The battle Near Winchester.
Gficial Report of Cgp'. 2. c. SLrler. Of
Gen. Shields Staff.

~ NiNtaE>IEE- March p, 1862.
To Brig. Gen. James Shields. Commands
ing Second Division, Fifth Army Corps:
GENERAL:-I beg respectfully to report TO
you that after having received n Sunday
last. the 23d Of March. at g o'clock A. N.
an order to report for duty as aid-de- camp
ON your staff. left headquarters ftr kerus>
town. TO assist CoIonels himbali. Tyler and
Sullivan In their efforts as commanders of
brigadeS fighting the enemy under Gen.
jackson, an& to insure un;ty Of action Of
their respective commands. | reported al
nine and a haifo'clock 4. NJ. To- Col. KIM
ball, acting Brigadcr. and senior officer on
tue field, who was stationed upon Iil.
about one half mile west of Kernstown.
which latter place is inteIsectld hv tie turn
pike leading to Strasbur-. There inf,rr--
cd myself as tC the events which had trans
pired previous 20 ny arrival, and understood
that the enemy, who, in endeavoring 90 drive
in our pickets the day befoie had been re
pulsed, had opened with his artillery about
, eight O'Clock \. Il, upon or forces again.
ana that since that time we were engaged il.
responding 10 his battery f four guns. which
lie then had in play. ard endeavcriue to re
Pc: lis small but harras>:rg attacks cf cav
airy upon our chain Of seutfnels.
Recounoitering the ground surrounding
ne, found that between the lii upon
which 7 stood with Col. Kimball and The hill
opposite IL, upon which the enerry's bat
tcries were posed, about a mile distant. =
ravine was lying, running east and west.
+ which Is entirely free Of wood, when, about
a half m,le to the east. forest connected
I both hills, tlro2Ih the centre Of which pas
I ses . mud road. AMI is bounded On its ex
/ treme ngh, by another mud road leading to
! Cedar Greek. Tie country to TIE left C,v,s;)
+ of the turnpike J. rat. and comparatively
! little wooded.
/ We placel in position Six gun battery.
commanded by Capt Jenks, First Virginia
. Artillery, 50 oppose the enemy's four yuns.
/ which latter was soon reinforced bv a whole
battery. whcrcnron Captain Clark's regular
battery was put in prolongat'on Go: the form
: cr name?- Both batteries were f,,rrht by
+ C"I. Daum, cLief Of ar;:Ii,ry Of Gen Shields
+ division, in person. Our fire from tlc two
I batteries became too hot for tue enemy. and
they brought third battery IL the direc>
ton Of tleir right wing. IN such position
upon our two batteries on the hiII that they
cnfladed .heun, but with this uauuuvre cx-
posed their battery to raLiuE fire Of one O.
the Ohio batteries placed ucaI Eerustoyyu t.
defend the pike. and they were uece<siatc,i
. to Timber to the rear with al tLe;r batteries.
F but continued their ire.
( IN the u.e5 ntimc the infantry regiments
were moving up to the support of cur bate
rics. and formed into line Of battle abou. a
thousand yards to the rear Of our batteries.
when 1t once the enemy's heavier battery
moved to the front, and threw, in rapid sue
cession, number Of well aimed shell into
our batteries and the cavalry and infantry
stationed upon the interior slope of .he bat,
tery hill, and the necessity to storm and take
their guns became cviGeut.
In conjunction with Coluuels Kinlball and
Tyler, the following infantry resimeu:s were
drawn up in mass. parallel with each other.
Tie right, resting upon the r.rI road pass
ing Though the forest, was held b. the Sey-
erth Ohio, the Sizty-seveuth and Fifth f,l-
lowing, and the Thirteenth indiana. Fights
fourth Pennsylvania ana Twenty ninth Ohio
little to the rear, thus leaving tine One
hundred and tenth Pennsylvania and Four,
teenth Indiana and ;AFee companies Of tic
Eighth Ohio in reserve Du..nz tie tiuls
these arrangements were male~ moszsuEe.
was sent to You. General, 20 l1,c your ap.
proyai as 60 tl;s falk movement. aud ,,r.
soual'y aFpIis5d all .Le commanders ia ;l..
r-ar a..l ilarks Of cur intentions, s. de z,
keep them On the alert.
Cyl. Daum was enjoined u keep his aTtil
lery ia lively fire, - as not to divert the at
tentiou IF the enemy from him, AID uLer
the order came 70 move on, everything va
ready TO respond.
General Tyler moved his column bv tn
right flank as far as Cedar Creek rad. res
TED his right upon the same, and the le!
upon the before mentioned mud road. push.
ing forward upon both roads some cavalry
changed direction to the left Tigl : in front
and moved silently but steadily upcn "a
enemy's left, through the woods, for abUu
, half 4 mile, when, coming uPoo Tn.r
sparscly wooded grouDi lse male t4-T