Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-29
THE BATTLE IN THE VIRGINIA VAL.
LEV

Ge1t. Skields. 60. --.-.-.
The following detailed nsrrstiEe Of the bat
tie rear Winchester, Va, on Sunday last, ia
from the special correspondent Of the New
York Herald, March 25th: ...g
The ball Of the campaign on the Potomac
was at length brilliantly opened at Winches-
ter on Sunday last, and the Rebels have suf.
fered dreadful reverse in the first encounter
OF the season in this department
The object Of the Reconnaissance made by
Gen. Shields TO Strssburg may now be stated.
1t was to throw the enemy into the tran tyhioh
has SO fatally sprung upon the rebellion Dis
covering the number and position Of the Reb-
els, Gen Shields retired hastily posted his
men about two miles north Of Winchester, In
q few tents, as though the force was unable to
attempt pursuing Jsckson's forces, and there.
after the withdrawal of Gen. Willisms' diyis,
ION, awaited the effect Of his movement upon
the enemy, The result showed that the scheme
entirely succeeded. As soon as the Rebel q en-
eral jackson heard that the division Of GEN.
Williams had moved towards CerteryiIIe he
immediately took up his march to Winchester
In the meantime he had received reinforce
ments, and Generals Longstrcet and Smith, of
the Rebel army, had their commands united
to that Of the boasted Stone Wall jackson So
prompt and unexpected was the attack Of the
enemy that it took our Generals entirely bv
surprise but everything was ready for the
emergency. Ell -
On Saturday afternoon. at about a quarter
past two o'clock, our advanced pick cts on the
Strasourg road discovered the rebel cavalry
under the madcap Ashby about half a mile
beyond them, reconnoitering the woods on
both sides of the turnpike, and steadily ad
Fancing. Our pickets consisted of few men
of the 14th Indiana infantry at that point. and
they fell back half a mile to the hamlet Of
keTnstown, four miles from Winchester The
rebels, OBSERVING our pickets fall back. ware
confirmed IN the belief that our forces here
did not exceed 5000 men They then gave
chase Coming up with our men, Ashby cried
atne top OF MS voice, There they are, boys;
now give them hell" Steadily did tho troop.
ers advance as our meh wheeled to aim and
ere. That IRE sent many Of them reeling from
their saddles, and threw the rest into such con-
fusion that before they could again be rallied
for charge our gallant little And Of Infantry
was beyond the reach of their power, without
nsying lost man killed or wounded. Mean
wnLe sklrmlshing progressed on other points
along cur advanced line, and our pickets were
everywhere rallying en- our reserves General
Shlelds, hearing of the advance Of thu rebel
cavalry, supposed il to be maneuyer of Ashbv
alone Tor the purpose Of watching our move.
ments As they were approaching so boldly
and 50 closely, however, he ordered four ad-
tecung the supply train, to rally to the sup
port OF me more advanced pickets, and try to
hold the rebels in check till he could move
down the division. These four companies
were made up Of one from the Maryland LIST.
one from the 2oth Pennsylvania, one from the
46ih Pennsylyania, and one from the 2Ssh New
York Their regiments had already marched
under Gen. Williams
hzttery Of artillery was sIsc ordered fer.
ward, and Gen. Shields, after ordering ont the
division, rode to the front, accompanied by his
stan While engaged directing the firc OF the
srHilery aud the defence generally, a she'll
IRON the Rebel battery of four guns, which
hoN oegsn 10 play on us, burst near him and a
trhnter irem 1t struck him in the left arm
JUST above the elbow, frscturing tho bone and
creating painful wound His Adiutant q en-
eTali MAJ Armstrong. who was standing near
remarked, . General, you are wounded in the
arm Yes, replied tho gallant Shields,
uut gay notnlng about It," He then gave a
freSh order TO the artillery, and continued ON
the hill till he satisfied himself that all was
ngnt. man belonging to Capt Robinson's
company OF Ohio artillery, and horse, were
killed on this day by the enemys guns; but
tnese we're all the casualties that occurred on
our SIDE Gll the skirmish Of the first day was
ehaed. Inc wound Of Gen Shields caused q
pang throughout the entire division and IL is
remarkable that he should have been tho first
man struck on our side. Our division began
To arrive IN force on the fetd towards dark,
and the Rebels pereeiving this did not push
S"sN safsuce, out matted about three miles
iE0m Winchester for the night lighted their
camp fres and biVouaeked, while our armyIsy
between them and the town. 1t was generally
be!ieyed that general engagement would
tAko place On the next day Sunday and the
exPectants were not disappointed. That night
was enc ot terrible suspense on both sides No
one knew what the Rebels delayed their ad-
vance ior while 1t was our policy to postpone
battle, In view Of the preponderating force
OF the enemy, in order to allow reinforcemepts
70 arrive from the division of Gen Williams
the rear guard Of which had already advanced
ten miles towards the Shenandoah.
Morning explained the reason of the enemy's
halt About 10 o'clock, reinforcements of i've
- regiments Of infantry and two batteries of ar.
tlliery were announced as arrived from Stras-
burg, under Gen. Gsrnett, by the vocifsrous
and prolonged cheers which proceeded from
their lines. The attack was not now lsne de-
layed. The enemy advanced his army, which
no" consisted OF sixteen regiments of infantry,
numbering II, 900 men; Eve batteries Of artil-
iery, with q total Of Is feld-p pieces and three
oattalions OF horse, under Ashby and Stewart
HIS line of battle extended about mile on the
rignt OF the village Of kernstown, and q mile
and three-quarters on the left of it, and the
village lay on the road between the rebel rixht
and center. There is a mud road brsuchino
from the turnpike, a mile or so from Winches.
ter, to the right Of the road as you 20 to Stras-
burg. This road passed through the left of the
cnemy's center, and was one Of tLsir points of
defense. Beyond that there il q grove of trees.
and farther ridge Of hills with stone wall
running along its summit about breast high.
This was the rebel line Of offense and defense
on the right Of our line. Our most advanced
regiment was the Sth Ohio, of General Tyler's
brigade, and on IL the rebels made furious
onslaught about half past 10 o'clock q. m on
Thursday, with the intention Of turning eur
right fank: The Ohio Sth met them calamity,
withering them ike autumn leaves before the
breath of winter, by the deadly FIRE Of rides
Five several times did the enemy emerge from
the woods and from behind their stone parapet
with vastly superior numbers, and Try vsinly
TO accomplish their object
Our left wing, ccnsisting Of the 18th Indiana,
9Th Ohio and q battery Of the 4th regular
artillery, under Csptsin jerks, had q feint
made on Il while the real attack Of the enemy
WAS being directed against our right wing.
The fsint on the left was a heavy Ere of artil-
lery posted on beth sides Of the village and
the turnpike, which, however: did friHing
damage. Our battery replied, silencing those