The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1862-04-11


will give you = brief account of our
operations. Nv Reconnaissance beyond
Strasburg, on The 1Sh and loih inst, dis
covered Jackson reinforced IN a strong 20
stion, near New Market, within supports
ing distance Of the main body of rebels
under Johnston. 1t was necessary to de.
COY him from that position. Therefore |
fell back rapidly to Winchester on the 20th
as if in retreat, marching my whole com>
mand nearly thirty miles in one dav My
force was placed at night in secluded
position, two miles from Winchester on
the Mar,insburg road. Gu the 21st :he
rebel cavalry. under Ashby showed them.
selves to our pickles.. wi,hin sigh, of Win
chester. On the % al! of Gen Banks
command. with the exception Of my diYis-
ion, evacuated Winchester. en- route for
Centrevile. This movement and the mas
ked position of my division made 40 inn
preston upon the inhabitants; some of
whom were in secret communication with
the ene'uy. that our army had left, and
that nothing remained but few regiments
10 garrison the place jackson WAS signal
ized 10 that effect | saw their signals
and OWNED their meaning
About 5 O'Clock On The afternoon cfthe
22l. Ashby, believing that the ,o~n was
almost evacuated, attacked our pickets and
drove them in. This success increased his
delusion. II became necessary. however
to repuse them for Tie time being |
therefore ordered forward a briga,ie and
placed it in trout, between Winchester and
the enemy. ONLY let them see, however
two regiments of infantry. two bat' cries oi
artillery, and a small force of cayaI:y
which he mistook as the whole force letI
to garrison the place. In little skirmish
that e> enins. while placing the artillery in
position. | was struck by fragment Of n
>heii. which broke nav arm above the ell
bow, Injured NV shoulder, and damaged
me otherwise to such al exter: that have
lain prostratt ever since.
commenced making preparations for
any emergency that might occur that nigh,
night ordered an entire brigade Kim
baii's 70 take up Il strong position III AT!
vance l pushed forward four batteries
having them placed in a strong position
TO SUPPORT the infantry place. SulIi-
vans Brigade on Doth tlanks to pre-, ent
surprise and to keep my flank from being
turned, and | held 7, ler's Brigade in Ie-
serve, to operate against any point that
might be assaied in front. In this posi-
ton awaited and expected the eneny's
attack the next morning. Ny advance
brigade was two miles from the town, It's
picke.~ extending perhaps a mite further
along the turnpike leading to Sira>bn
Ahonl s o'clock in the 'uorning sent
forward two officers to reconnol;re the front
and report Indications Of the ensny.-
They returned in an hour, reporting no
enemy in sight except A>hbys fprce OF
cavalry. infantry aud artillery, which by
this time had become familiar and CON
YET here in Persc II, upon hearing the re
port, concluded thai Jackson could not be
in frsn, possit ", or be deroyed so far
away from the main body Of the rebel ar
nv. In this opinion, too, began To con
cur, concluding that Jackson was too sa-
SdclouS 10 Ue Caught III HuCii IHP.-
Gen. Banks therefore left for Washington.
His staff officers were directed to follow
the same day, by way Of Cent-aville.
Knowing the crafty enemy, however, /
mad to deal with, | omitted no prcaaution
Ny whole iorce was conGenira ed, and
prepared to support Kjn.bal's Brigs4e
which vas in advance About 10 ! ?
O'Clock il becarhe eviien, We had a con
siderable force before as bu; Ine enemy
still concealed himself 50 adr9it!y in the
woods that Il was impossible to estimate
it, | ordered portion Of the artillery
forward to open fise and uunask them -
By degrees they began To show themselves
They pIan,eda battery after battery in
strong positions, on the centre aud on both
flauks. Our artillery responded, and this
continued until abou. 3 . O'Clock in the
afternoon, when directed a column of IN
fantry to carry battery their left flank
and to assaii that flank, which WAS done
promptly and splenddI, by II ler's Brig
ade. aided by some reg incnts from the
other Brigade> The IRE of our infantry
was So close and deSirurtIve that /, uIade
havoc in their ra;fks, The result the
capture Of their guns on the left, and the
forcing back of their wing on The center,
thus placing them 10 position to be
routed by general attack. which was
made about 5 o'clock by all the infantry.
and succeeded in driving them in flight
from the field
Night fell upon US at this stage leav-
ing us III possession Of the field of battle,
two guns and four cais>ons. three hun
dred prisoners and about one thousand
stand If small arms.
Our killed in this eEga.ernens canuo,
exceed one hnndred men The euemy'-
xii g | and wound exceed one thousand
The Inhabitants of the adjacent villages
carried them 10 their houses a. they were
removed from the field OF battle Houses
be- ween the battle field IN Slrasburg and
even far beyond. have since been fould
filled with the dead and dying OF the enc
nv Graves have been discovered far re
moved from the road. where The lnhabi-
tan,s of the country buried them as they
died. Gen Banks in bis r',rsris of .he en-