The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-04-17

A. Full and accurate History Of the En-
,qogemsnt-D Description ofthe Field and
"'a aApproaches-Dseds of Personal FalOr
The Enemy Completely ROut'd- HI
led, Wounded and Missing, ,al
WINCHESTER, April /.
The excitement and smoke OF battle
having now cleared away.I am enabled to
ssnd you full and concise history Of the
late terrible battle Of Winchester.
On the 18th and 19,h ult., General
Shields made reconnaissance in the d.
rec,ion Of Mt. jackson, and there ascer-
tanned that the enemy under Jackson was
strongly posted near that place. and In
communication with largo force at Lu-
,ay and Washington. Ho deemed it i'm
poItant to draw him from his position aud
supporting force if possible. To effect
this he fell back upon Winchester on the
2O,h, giving his movement all the appear
ance Of hasty retreat. The last brigade
olthe Is. division OF General Banks corp
d. aimee, lift Winchester for Centreyilt
by the way of Berlyyille on the morning
Of the 2qd. leaving only Shields division
and the Michigan cavalry.
The enemy's scouts observing thu
movement signaled Jackson, with fires OF
the hill tops, that Winchester was being
evacuated by the Federal forces, and a
bou. s o'clock P. NJ, the brlgand Ash5.
with some OF his cavalry drove in ou
pickets.
The Federal troops Immediately sprun
to their arms, and two regiments OF iuian
try mpauied by two batteries Of arIl
lcry pushed forward and drove back tn
enemy who retreaIod after short resis
an~e 10 little distance beyond KeTn'
town, small village on the valley tain
pike, about three and half miles soutl
ernly from " inchester. 1t was durin
this attack that Gen. Shields, while d
rec,ins one OF the batteries was struck /
fragment of a she'll which burst ne'
him, br,aLing his arm above the elbow
and for the time entirely parali2ing OF
side of his body. No one around hi
supposed him injured for the old he
gave no word or sign of having BET
wounded, but continued to give his o
dets, through his staff officers, os cool
and deliberately as il nothing had ha
psned until everything had been arran
ed to his satisfaction. The same sh
killed 40 artilIerist near him, and bare
missed Major Armstrong. Assistant A
iu.an,. General. The General, dtvini
the attack Of the enemy to be only RI
TO make him show his strength, kept
res. Of his forces out of sight; and Il
prostrated by the injuries he had rece
cd, set to work to make the requisite d
position Of his force Tor the ensuing d.
Under cover Of night he pushed forw'
Kimbalrs brigade nearly three miles
the SWasburg road, Dauln's arlill
was posted in strong position. to s.
port this brigade il attacked. Sulliva
brigade was posted in the rear of K
balls, and within supporting distance
it, covering pll the approaches to
town from the east. south and west.
ler's brigade and Broadhead's cava
were held in reserve, SO as to support
force in front at any point where it mi
be attacked. These dispositions be
made, the General rested for tho nigh
well as his wounds would permit.
A brief description is here necessar
the approaches to Winchester and Of
field which the next day became the 81
OF one of the most bloody and despera
fought battles Of modern times. '
chester is approached from the 'sOqtl
three principal roads. These are the
dar Creek road, on the west the
ley Turnpike leading to Strasburg in
center and the Front Royal road OF
east.
On the Valley Turnpike about
and hall miles from Winchester,
little village called Kernstown, abb
halfa mile north Of this village and
Of the Valley Turnpike, is ridge Of