Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-04-23

STRAsBURG, April 4, 1S62.-The follow
ing is a copy of General Shields official re-
port of the recent sanguirary and brilliant
victory r-Winchester:-
HEAD QUARTERS SHIELDS Division,
WINCHESTER, Va, March %. 1862.
To Major General Banks:--Sir:-I have
the honor to report that during my recon
noisance of the 18th and 10th instant, in
the direction of Mount jackson, ascertain
ed that the enemy, under jackson, was
strongly posted near that place, and in di>
rect communication with force at Luray
and another at Washington. 1t became i'm
portaut, therefore, to draw him from his po-
sition and supporting force if possible. To
endeavor to effect this fell back to Win
chester on the 20th, giving the movement
all the appearance of retreat, The last
brigade Of .he fist division of Banks corps
d'drmee, General Williams commanding,
took its departure for Ceutreville by way of
BeTyyille on the morning of the 22d, leaving
only Shields division and the Michigan
cavalry in Winchester Ashby's cavalry,
observing this movement from distance,
came to the conclusion that Winchester was
being evacuated, and sigualized jackson to
that effect. We saw their signal fires and
divined their import. On the 22d, about
five "'clyck P. NJ, the attacked and drove in
our pickets. BY order of General Banks.
put my command under arms and pushed
forward one brigade and two batteries of ar
tillery to drive back the enemy. but to
keep him deceived as to our strength, cnly
let him see two regiments of infantry. u
small body Of cavalry, and part nf the artil-
/ lery. While directing one of our batteries
| to its position | was struck by the fragment
! of a shell which fractured my arm above the
elbow, bruised my shoulder. and injured my
side. The enemy being driven from his po
! SitiOn, we withdrew to Winchester The
| injuries had received completely Frustrated
me, but were not such as to prevent me
from making the required dispositions for
| the ensuing day. Under cover of the night
! | pushed forward Eimball's brigade nearly
three miles on the Strssburg road. Daum's
artillery was posted in a strong position to
support his brigade, if attacked. Sullivan's
! brigade was posted in the rear of KinIbal,'s,
and within supporting distance Of it, cover
/ ing all the approaches to the town of Cedar
creek, Front Royal. BerryvilIe. and Romney
roads. This brigade and Bruadhead's cav
! airy were held in reserve. so as To support
our force in front at any point where it
might be attacked. These dispositions being
made. | rested for the night, knowing that
all the approaches by which the enemy
might penetrate to this place were efiectual-
iy guarded.
deem it necessary in this place to give a
brief description of these approaches. as well
as of the field, which next day became the
scene Of one of the Gioodiest battles of the
war. Winchester is approacho from the
south by three principal roads-the Cedar
Creek load on the west, the valley turnpike
road leading to Strasburg in the centre, and
the Front Royal road on the east. There Is
little village called kernstown on the val
: lev road, about three and half mile; from
Winchester. On the west side of this road
about half mile north of kernstown, is a
rldge OF ground Wnlcn commands the ap-
proach by the turnpike and part of the
surrounding country This ridge was the
key point of our position. Here Col. Kim
ball, the senior officer in command on the
field, took his station. Along this riig,
Lieut.. Col. Daum, chief of artillery, posted
three of his batteries, keeping one OF hi.
batteries in reserve some distance in the rear
, Part of our infantry was first placed in po-
sition in the rear and within supporting dis
tance of these batteries, well sheltered in tn,
windings and sinuesi'ies of the ridge. The
f man body Of the enemy on the ridge wa
, posted in order of battle about half mill
beyond Kerustown. his line extending from
the Cedar Creek road TO a little ravine. nea
the Front Royal road, a distance of abou
two miles. This ground had been SO skill
y fully selected that, while it afforded facilitie
e for maneuvring, it was completely maskeC
: by high and wooded ground in front. Thes
woods he filled with skirmishers, SUPPORTS
q by battery on each flank; and so adroitl,
: had this movement been conducted, and 5
: skillfully had he concealed himself, that a
eight O'Clock, A. NJ, on the 23d, nothin
was visible but the same force under Ashb
which had been repulsed the previous even