Nebraska advertiser., 1862-04-03
WAR NEWS.
THE LATEST UNION VICTORY AT
WINCHESTER.
WINCHESTER, March %

On Saturday at 2 P. NJ, the enemy
showed themselves a mile and a half
from Winchester. The enemy con
sisted of 500 of Ashby's cavalry and
two guns. They drove in our pickets
and then skirmished with the Mich
gan cavalry and a portion of the Ma
ryland first. Gen Shields brought up
his forces, fired several rounds of shell,
drove them back and took several
prisoners. Gen. Shields was wounded
in the arm by the first fire of the me
my.
Jackson had been informed by the
inhabitants that the town was deserted
by the Union troops and he advanced
to retake it.
General Shields forces slept on
their arms Saturday night. Sunday
morning at sunrise, Jackson being res
inforced, attacked General Shields,
Kerustown, three miles distant. The
enemy's force consisted of 500 of
Ashby's cavalry, 5000 infantry, 8
pieces of artillery, with a reserve of
Is pieces of artillery.
rhe fight was kept up until noon,
when a charge made by the Ohio in
faniry, First Michigan and First Vir-
GINA cavalry, on their right, drove
them back half a mile, when the enc
my got their guns in position again in
a dense woods, fanked by infantry
and drove us back. A short artillery
engagement ensued, when Gen Shields
ordered Col. Thayer to TURF their left
flank, which was executed by our
troops but with considerable loss, the
enemy being protected by a stone
ledge.
The Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania and
Nineteenth Iowa charger their centre
and the fight became general. Col.
hurry, of the Eighty fourth Pennsyl-
vania was killed. The enemy retired
slowly, bringing their guns to bear
at every opportunity. Our men rushed
forward with a yell, when a panic en-
sued among the enemy. Our troops
followed and drove them until dark,
capturing eight guns, three cassiOns,
muskets, equipments, &C., innumerable
Our troops bivouacked on the field.
Gen. Williams's first brigade, Col.
Danelly (of the Twenty.eighth New
York; commanding, reinforced Gen.
Shields. Gen. Banks, who was on the
way to Washington Sunday, returned
and assumed command. In the mean
time Gen. Shields's division pursued
enemy beyond Newton, Smelling them
the whole way.
Jackson's men were perfectly dis
organized, and beyond control. They
threw oveboary the dead and wounded
to tighten the wagons.
1t is noticed hat nearly all the reb-
els wounded were shot in the head or
breat, t~estifying the superiority of our
marksmen. The loss on our side was
chiefly Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indi-
ana troops. Those who conveyed the
false intelligence to General Jackson,
causing this disaster to the rebels,
have a heavy weight of guilt to shout
der. It was evidently known to many
in the town chat jackson was APP
proaching, from the holiday attire
and ~buoyancy ofspirits among the men
and women here.
General Shields command being
screened from observation on the east
side of the town, led the informants to
believe that all our troops wefe evacu-
aring, and hat Jackson could enter
unmolested. Good judges say the
enemy's loss is wei 200 killed, 500
wounded, add we have eight hundred
prisoners, including an aid to Jackson
Our loss is about 65 killed and 125
wounded.
On Sunday morning the rebels re-
ceiyed endorsements under General
Garnett amounting to 500 men. The
forces did not exceed 10000,
and with the exception of about 500