The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-01
The Battle Near Winchester.

battle, written rs letter to friend in Wash
ington:
HEADQUARTERS GEN. SHIELDS DIVISION,
WINCHESTER, Va, March 26.
Will give you brief account of our late
operations. My reconnaissance beyond Stras
burg, on the 18th and 10Th inst, discovered
jackson, reinforced, in strong position neal
New Market, within supporting distance OF thf
main body of the rebels under Johnston II
was necessary to decoy HIM from that position
Therefore | fell back rapidly to Winchester on
the 10Th, as if in retreat, marching my whole
!. command nearly shrty miles in one day. My
| force was placed at night in a secluded position,
two miles from Winchester. on the Martinsburg
road On he 2lst the rebel cavalry, under
A5hby, showed themselves to our pickets, With
| II sight Of " chichester. On the 22d all Of Gen.
Banks command, with the exception of my d-
vision, evacuated " nGhester en- route for Cen
treyllle. This movement and the masked posi-
ton OF my division made an impression upon
the inhabitants, some Of whom were in secret
communication with the enemy, that our army
mad lett, and chat nothing remained bat few
regiments to garrison this place. jackson was
slgnailzed to this effect. SAW their signals and
OWNED their meaning. About 5 O'Clock n the
afternoon OF the 22d Ashby, believing that the
town was almost evacuated, attacked our pick
cts and drove them in. This success increased
h's deluslon. 1t became necessary, however, to
repulse them for the time being. therefore Or
dered forward brigade, and placed it in front
between Winchester and the enemy. | only let
them see. however, two regiments OF infantry,
two batteries OF artillery: and Il small force of
cavalry. which he mi>took rs The whole force
lett to garrison and protect the place. In lit
tie sklrmiSh that evening, while placing Cho ar
tlllery IN position, | was struck by a fragment
OF a shell, which broke my arm above The elbow,
injured my shoulder and damaged me otherwise
to such an extent that have lain PROSTATE ever
since. ! commenced making preparations lor
any emergency THAI might occur that night OF
the next morning. Under cover Of the night |
ordered an entire brigade (Aimball's) to take |
up y strong position III advance. pushed for
ward four batteries, having them placed in a
stSons position to support Tho infantry. lpiaced
Sullivan 3 brigade on both TANKS, 10 prevent
surprise aud TO keep my tanks from being turned
and held Iy!eg S brigade ia reserve, TO operat"
against any point THAI Nigh be assaulted in .ront
In thls position awaited and expected the enc
my attack next ming Ny advance brig
ado was two miles from the town, its plckets eX
tending perhaps mile farther along the turn
PIKE leading to Strasburg. About clock in
The morning sent forward two experienced Off
GERS to reconnoter the 'front.' and report indca-
lions Of the enemy. They returned in an hour,
reporting no enemy in sight except Ashby force
OF cavalry infantry and artillery, which by this
time had become familiar and contemplate to
us. Gen. Banks, who was yet here in person,
upon hearing this report, concluded that Jack
son could not be in front possibly, or be decoyed
flpt tha in bod nE hol
my. In this opinion |, too, began to concur,
concluding that jackson was too sagacious to
be caught in such d trap Gen. Banks, there.
fore, left for Washington. HIS staff officers
We're directed to follow the same day, by way of
Cen,revillo, knowing the crafty enemy, how
ever, had to deal with, omitted no precau-
ton. My whole force was concentrated, and
prepared 10 support Kimball's brigade, which
was in advance.
About half past ten o'clock it became evident
we had a considerable force before us; but the
enemy still concealed himself 50 adroitIy in the
woods that it was impossible to estimate it. |
ordered q portion Of the artillery forward to
open lire and unlnask them. BY degrees they
began to show themselves. They planted bat
terry alter battery III IL strong position, on the
center and on both TANKS. Our artillery re-
sponded ana this continued until about half
past three o'clock in the afternoon, when | d.
rectcd Il column Of infantry to carry battery
on their left flank, and 10 assail that flank.
which was done promptly and splendidly by
Tyler's brigade, aided by some regiments from
the other brigades The fire Of oar infantry
was SO close and destructive that it made havoc
IN their ranks. The reanlt was the capture VI
their guns on the lett, and the iocng back of .
thelr wing ON the center, thus placing them in
q position 30 De routed by general alta k,
winch was made about o'clock by all the
and succeeded in driving them in lgt
from the fed. Night Tell upon Us at this stage
leaving us IN possession of The field Of battle,
two guns and four cassons, three hundred pris-
Dners, and abou1 one thousand stand of small
arms. Our killed Ia this engagencnt cannot
exceed one hundred men ; wounded, Two hun
bred and thirty,three. The enelny's killct and
WOUNDED exceed one thousand. The lnhabl tunts
VI the 40 accent villages carried them 60 their {
houses as ihoy were removed from the field of
Oaslle. Houses between the battle field and
and even far beyond. have since been
found flied with The dead and dying of the p.
enemy. Graves have been discovered far removed :
from the road whcre the inhabitants OF the
country buried them Us they died. Gen. Banks
IN his pursuit OF the cnemy beyond Strasourg {
Afterwards, found houses on the ROAD Twenty-Five
miles from the battle field filled in this manner
and presenting the most CHASTITY spectacle. The ,
havoc made IN the ranks OF the rebels has struck
this whole region OF the country with terror
Such blow had never llllen on them before,
md it is more crushing because wholly unex- S
pected. jackson and his stone-wull brigade, :
Ind all the other brigades accompanying him