The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-04-11
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
srRAgpuaaH, ", March a7. 1852.

STRAsBURaK, Va, March AZ, 1852.
EDs. JoURsAL- Gentlemen We are now
far down in seceshdom, and have Just
emerged from one Of the hardest fought
battles Of the war, IN proportion to the
number engaged, an account of which,
presume, will not be uninteresting to your
readers, as many of their friends were en-
gagged in it. ..........
We arrived at Winchester on the 18th,
and there has been no day since but cannon
shots have been exchanged between the
rebels and ourselves up til to-day.
On the 18Th our pickets were driven in,
as usual, and large force of our troops
followed, and drove the rebels five miles be-
yond this place, distance of twenty
miles. On the next day we returned with
out the loss of man, although the rebels
shot at us with their cannon from every
eminence, and from very nearly every turn
in the road, for the entire distance. After
this we had expected to rest in peace, at
least for a few days. But contrary to our
expectations, on the evening OF the 22d,
our pickets were attacked, and before any
considerable number of our troops could
be got together the enemy were within
mile Of the city of Winchester, making the
surrounding country ring with the roar OF
their heavy guns. We soon, however, get
battery in position and drove Lh9m back
for mile or two. By thig time it was
dark, and our troops lay upon the cold
ground with their arms about them, dur
ing the entire night.
Early the next morning Sunday, COM
menced the attack in force. Up to this
time, We had ex bected that the rebels con-
slated only of Col. Ashb by's black horse cav
airy, who, by the by, il brave and gallant
officer. Ne soon, however, ascertained that
there was large body OF Infantry in our
front. Our batteries we're soon placed on
an eminence in front Of the rebels, and
opened upon them with vlgor that often
made them change position, and perhaps
they made US change as often. The can
nonading, during tie entire day, was Ew-
fully grand, yet it did rs but little harm.-'
AT about four o'clock P. n, General Tyler
was ordered to our right, with three regi-
ments, numbering, perhaps, ave hundred
each, TO attack the infantry there, and also
to take battery which was playing upon
us with some effect. Il was but a short
time before the infantry met, and Of all the
awful crashing Of musketry, this seemed to
be the most terrific. The battle ragged for
near an nOUFe hGlluCE eIOS COS41lc0 " gam
an inch, although it was evident, from the
sound, that the rebels had much the largest
force. An order was received, at this juno
ture, for the 18th Indiana to get to the res
cue, They started through sn open field,
Immediately under the guns of the enemy,
who poured into US showers of shot and
shell. Yet the gallant l4th went steadily
on ward, and soon reached the scene of &C.
ton. We arrived just at the nick of time,
for Just as we ascended the brow of q hill,
we met large number of our forces re-
treating before the rebels, aud had We not
arrived at the moment We did, fear that
there would have been panic among our
troops. The old 14ih marched up in an
open field, in front of the enemy, like regu-
lars. No sooner did they reach the brow
of the hill, than they received a perfect
storm of bullets. Both of the color bearers
fell at the same moment, and many others.
The colors were Immediately raised by pri-
Yates James H. McMullen and Jos. Snider,
of my company, and was kept by them dur
ing the balance of the conflict. Our men
did not hesitate, but raised a most hideous
veil, and went In with a charge bayonet,
which put the enemy to flight, many of
whom fell before they got far, and the ball
ance made good their retreat. These men,
il was escertained- composed Jackson
"stone wall Brigade" The next thing was
the the battery, which was only about half
a mile in front, and for which we started
| on "double quick" and when we arrived
within one hundred yards, it poured forth a
perfect storm of grape and canister. Yet
we went on, and soon had two of the larg-
est guns in our possession. At this time,
! Loring's brigade, three thousand strong,
opened one of the most terrific fires upon
| us, at a range of not more than seventy
yards, that was ever seen. Our men i'm
medialely fell fiat upon the ground, or
they would, undoubtedly, most of them
have been Hlown down by their batteries