Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-26
Heroic Charges of our Men.
THE REBELS FORCED TO
FLIGHT.

WINCHEsTER, March 25.-On Saturday. at
O'Clock in the afternoon, the enemy showed
themselves mile and half from Winches.
ter. The enemy consisted of five hundred Of
Ashby's cavalry and two guns. They drove
in our pickets, and then skirmished with the
Michigan cavalry, and portion of the Mary
land first. Gen. Shields brought up his forces,
and 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 enemy. Jackson had been informed by
the inhabitants that the town was deserted by
the Union troops, and he advanced to relake
it. Gen. Shields force slept on their arms
Saturday night.
Sunday morning at sunrise, Jackson being
reinforced, attacked Gen. Shields near Kerns.
town, three miles distant. The enemys force
consisted OF five hundred of Ashby's cavalry,
five thousand infantry, and nine pieces of ar
tillery, with 4 reserve of eighteen pieces of
artillery. The fight was kept up till noon,
when charge was made by the Ohio infan
try, the fest Michigan, and the first Virginia
cavalry, on their right, which drove them
back hall mile. The enemy then got their
guns in position again in a dense wood, flank
Ell by infantry, and drove us back.
A short artillery engagement ensued, when
Gen. Shields, through Col. Kimball, ordered
Col. Tyler to turn their left flank, which was
executed by our troops, but with terrible loss,
the enemy being protected by stone ledge.
The eighty fourth Pennsylvania and thirteenth
Indiana charged their center, and the fight
became general, With terrible massacre on
both sides. Col. Murray of the eighth Penn
sylvana was killed.
The enemy retired slowly, bringing their
guns to bear at every opportunity Our men
rushed forward with yells, when panic
among the enemy ensued. Our troops fol
lowed and drove them till dark, capturing
three guns. three caissons, muskets, equip
ments, &C., iununerable. Our ops bivou-
acked on the field, and the dead and wounded
were sent here yesterday noon.
Gen. Williams first brigade, Col. DonnelIy
OF the twenty-eighlh New York commanding,
reinforced Gen. Shields forces Gen Banks,
WIN was VH Ills way " washington sunday,
returned and assumed command Meantime
Gen. Shields division, commanded by Col
Kimball, pursued the enemy beyond Newton,
Smelling them the whole way, Jackson's men
were perfectly demoralized and beyond con.
troll They threw overheard the dead aud
wounded TO lyhten the wagons.
1t is noticeable that nearly all the colfeder.
ates wounded were shot in the head and breast t,
testing the superiority of our marksmen.
The troops engaged on our side were chiefly
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana troops
Those who conveyed the false intelligence
to Gen. Jackson, causing this disaster to the
rebels, have heavy weight of guilt to shout.
der 1t was evidently known to many in the
town that jackson was approaching, from the
holiday attire, and buoyancy Of spirits among
the men and women here. Gen. Shields com.
mand being screened from observa ton on the
east side of the town, led the informanls to
believe that all our troops were evacuating,
and that Jackson would enter unobstructed.
This evidence is from the prisoners.
Good judges say the enemy's loss is over
200 killed, 500 wounded, and three hundred
prisoners, including an aid to Jackson. Our
loss in killed is 65, in wounded about 1875.