Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-05-02
[Army .spOEdsreS Of this IslaWArs eAa is'.i
From Gen Shields Divizion.
Grsm a Isttsr written bT LisaE- J. . JoENA-l
wOODsrOcK. Va, April 1862.


From Gen. Shields Division.
Grsm lsstsr written bT Lisat- J. .. JoE~l
wOoDsrocK. Va, April 1862.
had ibe privilege Of participating in the
h,o Settle Of Winchester, and would be pleas
Cd to give you 'pen picture" we're il not az
mOet abaClntely impossible. | an satisfied that
many battles have been fought With pen, lux
and paper that never were fought with pow
der. am ala0 satisfied those that we're severe
" contested and iu which there was hand TO
kaDd conflict have never been described. They
are beyond description, aud can Gully be fully
known TO those BY whom they are witnessed.
The representation Of a battle BY the contend
ing elements conveys no idea Of real Hght. Il
10 too voluminous. The noise Of couiending
fOrces Is more compact and concentrated and
sounds more like the sharp, quick clashing Of
the striking together Of \ million hatkles, and
the explosion from the batteries Is not the
roar Of thunder, but is the quick, sharp, coz
densed explosion that StiBgs in your ear, and
Iu which yon can bear ihe ring Of metal. The
desperate and determined yell with which they
rush together and which they hiss through their
oct teeth and expanded nostrils is almost ter
rife. The falling Of grape and cannister docs
not eeem like that of so many iron balls, but
they hit the ground with sort of harmless
spat that sounds like the bursting of rotten
egg. The bullets seem ike anything else but
a shower of lead, one seldom hears them strike
unless they happen 10 hit some solid substance;
but as they pass near by they make noise
that can compare TO nothing else than the
hiss Of an invisible serpent, and when they
como thick and fast, as they did the last two
hours at Winchester, the impression left upon
the mind is that the air is filed with them
The horrors which are never thought Of until
the scene is over can no more be pictured than
can be painted agony, despair or dying groan
or than can be traced OF canvass tho heaving
Eigh from an expiring soldiers breast. back TO
hb kindred and home. But as cannot give
you 4 complete representation Of the fight or
picture, so to speak, Of the scene, a statement
Of the facts which led 10 the engagement, and
as they transpired during the engagement. will
enable you to form correct opinion Of all our
movements and the part each performed in that
hard fought batile. On the 18th Gen. Shields
under orders from Gen. Banks, made a recon-
noissance in the direction of Strausburg and
Mt. jackson. We met Jacksous advance
guard about miles from Winchester We
drove them Letore Us for at least IL mics pur-
suing them six miles beyond Straus5urg, when
we returned to Winchester, having lost only
enc man and horses On Friday and Satur-
day Gen. Banks division left Winchester for
Centervile, and our division was the only
troops left with the exception Of the Michigan
cavalry. Jacksons advance guard attacked
us on Saturday afternoon. We met them with
two regiments and two batteries Of artillery,
and drove them back. We rode up TO the
front, and were in full range when one Of their
shells burst close by and killed an arti;leryman
and bis horse and wounded Gen. Shields in the
arm fracturing il above the elbow, and strange
to cay never touched his horse nor mine nor
bis Adiutani Generals, although we were all
three abreast Gen. Shields sit on his horsc
and gave command as usual until the enemy
fell back lie was then taken to q house near
by and after remaining there some time was
taken to Winchester. Though severely wound
ed he gave orders how 20 place the diGercui
brigades for the night so as to be prepared for
an attack at any momcpt. This work kept Ms
M most Of the night, as il vas dark before the
enemy fell back. They had 10 be posted on
6ve different roads, there being that many By
which Winchester can be approached from the
front and right and loft tanks On Sabbath
morning, about 8 o'clock the enemy o. eled
upon Us with their artillery. Their line Of
battle was at least mile and a half long
Early in the morning there was brisk infan-
try engagement on our left wing in which the
9Th Ohio with three companies Of the 9th
Ohio, under the lead of the gallant Col. Carroll
of the sth, made dash at the skirmishers ana
one battery Of the enemy and made them light
out Of skirt Of woods in which they were
posted at "double quick" The battle during
the remainder of the forenoon and up ill p.
m, was confined principally 10 the artillery
and skirmishers. The firing was quite heavy,
there being SO guns on the enemys side and
a on our side. 1t was astonishing with what
Indifference our boys regarded the shells with
which they kept the air filed over our heads.
About 8 p. NJ, things began TO assume diff
erent aspect. The enemy shifted their posi-,
ffcn and began to move their infantry with q
view Of turning our right flank. We notified
Gen. Shields Of the fact, and OOloncl Kimball
asked permission to close upon item, when
their whole line, ard turn their left flank i
possible The lines wera Immediately closed
up and then commenced the most desperate
fighting. The enemy fought like iniuriatet
devils. jackson had selected his troops for
this fight, and had with him his famous "stonC
wall" brigade that won the day at Bull Run
and be evidently intended to regain the pres
tage which he lost by the evacuation of Win.
chester, by recspturing it. We could hear
the rebel officers crying, rally tigers" "remem
Der Boil Run" "the d'md Yankees are before
you," &C. We took proisouers from the fol
lowing rebel regiments, Second, Fourth, Fifth
Twenty seEenth, Thirty-thiFd, Thirty-sevrnlh
Twenty-eighth, Forty aud Twenty
third, and from the Irish Battalion. They al
acknowledged tiias they were fairly whipped
and agreed iH stating that VIC fought the bes
troops in the SoatterB Conloderaey. They SAY
Western courage is egual TO Southern chival
n. but persist in saying that they are NOR
tbau match for tie New England Yankees
al error Of which they will be convinced Il
etheir sorrow. The first time they meet Banks
division. IF there is anything in discipline ans
! drilI, the Eastern troops will give good &C
couus Of themselves.
The regiments that did the hardest anl
icst fighting were the 5,h, sth, 7th and 67tl
Ohio, I3th aud l4th Indiana, and SAITH Penn
be Il0tb Penn, was iu the thickest Of th