The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-04-05
Battle of Winchester.
vrom the N. Y. Herald OF Thursday.

The ball of the campeign on the Potoma
was at length brilliantly opened at VII
chester on Sunday last, and the rebe
have suffered a dreadful reverse in the firs
encounterof the season in this department
The object of the reconnaissance mad
by General Shields to Strasburg may no.
be stated. twas to throw the enemy int
| the trap which. has so fatally sprug upo
the rebellion. Discovering the numbe
and position Of the rebels, General Shield
retired hastily, posted his men about tv
! miles north of Winchester in a few tent:
, as though the force was unable to attemp
, pursuing jack on 5 force, and there, aite
the withdrawal of General Williams
division, awaited tke effect of his move
ment upon the enemy. The result showet
that the scheme entirely succeeded. A
soon as the rebel General jackson hearC
tina. the division of General Williams hat
moved towards Centerville, he Immediate
ly took up his march to Winchester. Ii
the meantime he had received reinforce
ments, and Generals Longstreet and Smith
Of the rebel army, had their command
united 10 that of the boasted Stone Wal
Jackson. So prompt and unexpected wa
the attack of the enemy, that it took ouI
Generals entirely by surprise, but every
thing was ready for the emergency.
On Saturday afternoon, about a quarter
past two o'clock, our advanced pickets OF
the Strasburg road discovered the rede
cavalry, under ihe madcap Ashby, about
half mile beyond them, accommodating
the woods on both sides Of the turnpike
and steadily advancing. Our pickets con
sisted Of a few men Of the Fourteenth
Indiana Infantry at that point, and they
fell back half mile to the hemlet ot
kernstown, four miles from Winchester
The rebels, observing our pickets fell back
were confirmed in the belief that our force:
here did not exceed five thousand men
They then gave chase Coming up with
our men Ashbv cried at the top of his
occ, There tley are, boys; now give
them hell" Steadily did the troopers
advance as our men wheeled 20 aim and
fire The fire sent many of them reeliug
from their saddles, and threw the rest in
10 such confusion that before they could
again he rallied for charge our gallant
little band of infantry was beyond the
reach OF their powder, without having lost
Il man killed or wounded. Meanwhile
skirmlshng progressed on other points
along our advanced line, and our pickets
. were everywhere raliyin@ on our reserves
Gen. Shields, hearing of the advance o:
the rebel cavalry, supposed 1t to be a
mannuver Of Ashby alone for the purpose
Of watching our movements. As they
were approaching 80 boldly and so closely
1 however. he ordered four advanced com:
panies of infantry. engaged IN protecting
the supply train, 10 rally 10 the suppoI, oi
the more advanced piekets, and Try 10
hold the rebels in check till be could
move down the division. These foul
companies were made up of one from the
! L
eight Penu-y ivrnia, and one from the
Forty-siath Pennsy ylvania, and one from
the Twenty eia aht New York Their regi
ments had eady marched under Gen
Williams. A dattery OF artillery was also
ordered forward, and Gen. Shields, after
ordering out the division, rcde TO the front
! accom- panied by his staff While engaged
. directing the fire OF the artillery and the
defence generally. shell from the rebel
battery OF tru. guns, which now began 10
play on us burst near him, and splinter
from j, struck hIm in the left arm, lust
above the eibo?v. frac,urlng the bone and
creating It painful wound His Adjutant
General. Major Armstrong. who was
standing near, remarked: d" General. you
are wounded in the arm. Yes, replied
the Gallant Shields, but say nothing
abou, it He then gave "a fresh order 20
. the artillery, and continued on the field
III. he saiistiee him self that all was right
4 Man belonging TO Captain Robson :
company OF OHIO artIlldry and horse
were killed on the way by the cnemys'
guns but these were all the casualties that
occurred Oh our side till the skirmish OF
( The first day was ended.
The wound of Gen. Shields caused a
rang throughout the entire division, and
/ ii is remarkable that he should have been
! the fist man struck OH our side.
Our division began to arrive In force on
the Eel. towards dark, and the rebels
;.crceiylng this did not push their advance,
: but halted about three niles from Win
+ chester for the night, lighted their camp
h fires and b!vouaceh, while our army .ay
/ between them and the town 1t WAS
generally believed that a genera engage
ment would take place ON the next day
/ (Suuday), aud the expec:ants were not
/ disappointed That night was one Of
! terrible suspense on both sides. No one
knew what The rebels DELAYED their au-
vance for, while ii was our policy 10 post
pone battle. III View OF the pgepouder-
atIns force OF the enemy, in orC;er to allow
reiniorccments TO arrive from the division
. OF General Williams, the rear guard Of
which had already advanced len miles
! towards the Shenandoah.
/ Morning explained the reason of the
J enemy halt. About 10 o'clock reinforce
nents of five regiments of infantry and
two batteries of artillery Were announced
1 arrived from Strasburg, under Gen. Gar
nett, by the yoclferous and prolonged
cheers which proceeded from their lines.
The attack was not now long delayed.
he enemy advanced his army, which
now consisted of sixteen regiments oil
infantry, numbering ! 900 men; five bat
terles oi artillery, with a total of twenty
eight tIeid pieces, and three battalions OF
horse, under Ashby and Stewart, His
line of battle extended about a mile on
ti.e wight ot the village OF KeInstown, and
:, mile and three quarters on the left OF il
aud the village lay on the road between
the rebel right and centre There is a
mud road branching fIonI the turnpike a
mile or SO from Winchester to the right
oil the road as you 20 to Strasourg. This
road pa. sed tn ough the left OF the enc
nly's centre, and was one of their points
oi dLience. beyond that there is grove
of trees, and farther ridge of hills with
stone wall running along its summit
about breast high. This was the rebel
line OF offence and defence on the right OF
our line Our most advanced regiment
Was tHe EiSut III OHlO, VI ptbefdi yieT
brigade, and on it the rebels made g
furious onslaught about halt past ~ 4. NJ
on Sunday, with the intention of Turning
our right flank The Ohio Eighth me,
. them gallantly, whitening them like au
tulnn leaves before the breath of winter
10y their deadly fire OF rifles. Five sever
! times Gid the enemy emerge from the
woods and from behind their stone prrape
with vastly superior numbers and try
vainly to accomplish their object
Our left wing, consisting OF the 'rhir
teehth indiana, Seventh Ohio, and d bat
r terry OF the fou,th Regular Artillery, D unde