The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-04-10
BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.

A correspondent of the Ohio State
journal gives the following very graph
ic and interesting description of thi'
brilliant victory of our National arms
The battle proves to be one of the hard
est fought of the war, the flower of the
rebel troops being engaged, aud signal
ly defeated by little more than hal
their number of our gallant Union boys
The Fifth Ohio regiment particular,
distinguished itself, but all our troops
fought like patriots and heroes, ..
The Journals correspondent says;
This has probably been one of tn,
hardest--yes, the hardest-fought bat
tie, 10 proportion to numbers, that hat
been fought during the war. The bal
opened Sunday morning in good ear
nest by our forces under Kimball, AT
efficient officer, The Gghting coutinu
cd throughout the day until 4P. NJ.
without much advantage being gained
by either side. An effort beinl
made to draw or force the rebels frou
the favorate position occupied by them
Finding that out Of the question, {
"chargc layonets" was ordered, whcr
the 48th Penn, 62d Ohio, and 5tl
Ohio, went forward with terrefc yell
sufficient to raise the dead, which caus
ed the rebels to fall back in utter con
fusion. In this charge the Colonel o
the 84th Penn. fell, which caused hi
command to faltcr; then the 18th lndi
ana was ordered tr charge; and such
charge, hesh and blood couldn't stanC
it, and it didn't. The rebels fed il
confusion, leaving over l75 dead, anC
their best field pieces, on the field
A second stand was made by them on
slight eminence in the rear of tn,
ground occupied, but on went our boys
not stopping to consider whether i
would be acceptable to the rebels o
not, and on went the rebels, our boy
after them, cutting them in the rea
and capturing another battery. Nigh
came on, our boys slept on their arms
and at the first dawn of day our force
followed up, and caught them durlnt
the day and after another engagement
repulsed them with severe loss.
VISIT TO THE BATTLE GRoUND--GNcI
DENTS OF THE FIGHT. .....
There is but little of interest to b.
seen. The dead are all buried, ant
the wounded have all been CAREFUL,
removed into the city, and with the ex
crption ofan occasional Lluze made b,
our shells and bullets on the trees, moth
ing visible remains to show that it wa'
the field Of the most extraordinary bat
tie yet fought by our troops. The reb
el Jackson had his troops formed il
line of battle on the most favorabl
ground for miles around. Their posi-
ton was on the brow Of hill, at an ell
ovation of about fifty feet above tn
surrounding country. 10 get at then
by our troops, it was necessary to pas
down hill at distance of about l 20
yards, and across from there in an ope
meadow, then scale the hill upon whic
they were posted, aud fight them--ou
boys were compelled to advance in u
open space varying from % to 10
yards, under most Calling fire fror
the enemy from behind rocks, fences
trees aud everything that could affor
them shelter. The enemy never for
moment ad vanced in the cleared srounC
but stuck close to the thcket that coz
cred the side Of the hill they thus chos
for the action. At the very edge Of tn
hill aud the thicket was stone tcnc
for about 800 yards, aud bordering I'll
east was a worm fence of rails. Benin
all this, on the side of the hill, and bC
yond in the valley, were situated 10
900 of what we call the flower Of I'll
fSouthern army. Before it were I'll
5000 men who have shown themselvt
superior tv the ta>k Of taking, not onl
tho position Of the Is, 600 rebels, but I
6ghtiug them and driving them fro
! every position they have since occupie'
What comment on i"SOuthern ehiVa
ryl" What glory to our boys! Go
bless them! not ono faltered. Not
man fell back that was able to NOV
when the order to tdke the position
The point of bGyonet, was given
Of the Ohio troops that were in the a
ton, none were better than the other
and the same may be said Of those fro
all the States that furnished troops
fight the battle of Winchester. The
are all noble men; and nobly did the
do their work. When the charge Wi
made, the Colonel of the S4th Pennsy
vauia, at the head of his Regiment, an
within twenty yards of the enemy te
pierced by bullet from rebel sharI
Z shooter. This noted sharp shooter Wi
seen to aim his piece, from time to tim
and at his every 6rc, one OF our othce
or color. bearers fell. He was behind
large black oak tree, immediately at u
edne of the hill and the thickest OF Il
underbrush His FIRE was known to x
the Colonel aud Adjitant Of the 81
Pennsylvania. and Captain, Whltco
aud five color-b bearers Of the 9th OH
Doubtless he did still greater executlo
but his time to bite the dust came ais
lie fell pierced with five bullets.
was noticed that he was directed who
FIRE upon by aa officer who was behl
him, and who, l understand, was kill
about the same moment, The tree u
served him for shelter has the mar
of hundreds of bullets, mono of viii
are above the heighth Of man.
Il, | Fat our ohservation convinced us I'll