Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-04-04
The Battle Near Winchester.
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE ENGAGE
MENT.

of the great victory gained on ouhday
last, the 22d inst, by the army corps OF
5000 under command of Brig. General
Shields, on the road between Winchester
and Strasbutg, Va, against Generals
jackson, Longstreet, and Smith OF the
rebel army, and force of over 2o,ooo
under their direction.
This has been what may be called the
opening battle of the spring campaign,
and its result has been in various ways
important as it has kept up the success
sion of federal victories, and has been
won by our troops against nearly three
times their number of what has been
boosted of as the best soldiery and "best
blood" in the Southern army. The vic
tory has also had great effect in discour-
aging the future prospects OF the Con-
federates in Virginia, where, if accounts
received from thence can be relied u1on,
the people have made up their minds that
the secession cause is hopelessly pros
trate.
The scheme adopted by Gen. Shields
to draw out the enemy was daring one.
He made a reconnaissance in the vicinity
of Strasburg in such force as to indicate
the design of an advance movement OF
the whole division of which his brigade
formed a part. All at once, however,
the General ordered retreat; and II is
= said that some precipitancy was shown in
making it, in order that the enemy might
be led to infer panic, to follow up the
q retreat and to get entrapped. This ruse
: took with jackson and his associate rebeI
commanders, and they chased part Of
q our forces toward Winchester somewhat
Y more promptly than was expected) unh
: Gen. Shields got the rebels into a posi-
q ton where he could operate against then
= with the remainder to the best advantage
The contest is thus described by the cor
=, respondent above referred to:
n son Saturday afternoon, at about
=. quarter past two O'Clock, our advance
:. pickets on the Stra;burg road discover
ed the rebel cavalry under the madcap
:. Ashby, about half a mile beyond them
4 accommodating the woods on both side
10 and steadily advancing. Our picket
consisted of few men o. the Indian
10 I4th infantry at that point, and they re-
re back half mile to the hamlet Of Kerns
- town. four miles from Winchester. III
T. rebels, observing our pickets fall back
q. were confirmed in the belief that GU
~ forces here did not exceed five thousan
al. men. They then gave chase Comm
up with our men, Ashby cried at the to
of his voice, There they are, boys no
give them hellr Steadily did the trool
ers advance as our men wheeled to all
and fire That fire sent many Of thel
- Keeling from their saddles, and threw tt
rest into such confusion that before the
could again be rallied for the charge, OF
gallant little band of Infantry was beyor
the reach of their power, without havir
lost man killed or wounded. Mesl
=. while, skirmishing progressed on oth'
points along our advanced line, and OF
~ pickets were everywhere rallying on OF
:. reserves. Cen Shields, hearing of Il
= advance of the rebel cavalry, supposed
.o to be a maneuver Of A>hby alone for Il
~. purpose of watching our movements
lar As they we're approaching SO boldly Al
IN. closely, however, he ordered four a
: vanced companies of infantry, engage
in in protecting the supply train, to rally
nd the support of the more advanced Pic
lar cts, and try to hold the rebels in chez
-, until he could move down the divlsio
,or These four companies were made up
~ one from the Maryland LIST, one from Il
i, 28th Pennsylvania, one from the 46
., Pennsylvania, and one from the %
.va New York. Their regiments had
nd ready marched under Gen. Williams.
i, battery of artillery was also ordered fc
IN ward, and Gen. Shields, after orderiI
out the division, rode to the front accoI
The panied by bis staff. While engaged
no. recting the fire Of the artillery and t
nal defense generally, a shell from the rel
70 battery of four guns, which now beg
re. to play on US, burst near him, and spl
,a5 ter from il struck him in the left arm j
ain above the elbow, fracturing the bone a
ou creating painful wound. His Adj. &c
NV Mai. Armstrong who was standing me-
remarked, General, you are wounded
the arm. Yes replied the gala
sh- Shields, but say nothing about it,
VS.: then gave fresh order to the artillel
of and continued on the field until he sat
md fed himself that all was right. A m
md belonging to Capt. Robinson's compa