The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-07-01

ureu yards west Ot tlls rOlu ana upon lle
opposite side of 4 deep ravne which made
down toward Mill creek. Lieutenant
Spooncr immediately wheeled his section
into battery on knoll upon the right of
theNroad. while the 18th Connecticut took
position in the rear. covered 10y the hill
upon which the field pieces were planted
and the S7th Pennsylvania were posted be-
hind stone fence to their right and n lit
tie in advance of them. The enemy played
upon these regiments and battery ut not
over four hundred yards distant for an
hour and half with six Napoleon pieces
and were kept exceedingly busy by Lieut.
euant Spoouer until a shell from the
enemy accidentally fell directly into and
exploded one of his limbcrs, which forced
him to retire This accident, besides dis
abling the battery. killed three of the ar
tilleriSts As soon as the rebels found they
had silenced the Union battery, they paid
their respects hotly to the SIth Pcunsyl-
vania behind the stone wall, who had been
annoying them somewhat by the fire of
their sharpshooters, which the Ponusyl-
Yanians bore for while with praiseworthy
forbearauce; but at length flying rocks
and bursting shells proved too much for
them, and they sought shelter in the rayine
and made their way back across the creek.
Lieutenant Spooner moved his two pieces
back to an orchard Just at the outskirts of
the town, where lie was joined by the four
remaining pieces, under Lieutenant Ran
dolph, when he resumed the fight at a long
range.
THE ATTACK on THE sourn.
While the artillery duel was progressing
upon the line of the Front Royal road, Gen
| eral Ewell posted two ten-pounder Parrott
! guns in the edge of piece of timber on
the east side of the Strasburg road, lii
| tie north of the village of kearnstown, and
about two and three-fourth miles south of
| Winchester. which Immediately opened fire
upon the l23d Ohio, Col. Wilson, and the
! 18th Pennsylvania cavalry, Major kirwin,
posted III Il sparse wood about midway be-
! tween Mill Run, and Kearnstown, on the
east side Of the road, and upon the 10Th
Virginia, Colonel klunl, opposite, on the
west. AS soon as the battery opened Gen
eral Milroy ordered two pieces of battery
D. lst Virginia light artillery, under Lieut..
| Theaker, to take position upon a I Use OF
ground between the Cedar creek and Stras-
burg roads, with support of the ll0th
Ohio, under Col. Keitfer. These forces adj
vanced quickly, and, taking positions as
directed, opened such u well directed fire
that tho enemy Withdrew their guns but
into position on the west side of the road,
and large bodies of rebel infantry were dis
covered moving around to the westward,
across the Strasburg pike. The last men-
toned battery of six guns as soon rs pos
sble began to pour its fire upon tho Union
battery and its infantry support, which
soon compelled our forces to fall lack to
the cover of the town of Winchester, leav-
| ing the country free to the enemy, from Mill
creek southwark. The two guns of battery
u next took position at the west side of
! the road. in the outskirts of the town, within
some old earth works, where they were re-
! Joined by the remainder of the battery of
| Captain Carlin, and, i'll company with bat.
terry /, lst Regular Artillery. prevented
! the rebels from advancing beyond Mill creek
upon either Of the roads, daring the after
noon.
THE ATTACK UPON WINCHESTER.
After the artillery Of General Milroy had
| been withdrawn to the last-men!ioned posi-
| tions, the enemy advanced two pieces of
his artillery to position few rods south
of Mill run and east Of the Strasburg road,
and from them opened fire upon the town.
! They had fired but few shots, however,
when Lieutenant Thcaker, of Battery D,
moved two pieces to the rear Of the mill
|
weeping willows, proyidentially thick with
foliage, soon drove them away with con-
siderable loss, as the fire WAS seen to tallo
effect at almost every shot directly in
their midst. Some infantry skirmishing
took place in the afternoon III the woods
and iaegdOEs on either side of Mill Run,
west of the Strasburg road and extending
around nearly to the road to Romney ; but
it amounted to nothing more than to de-
velop the designs of the enemy, which
were 10 flank General Miiroy ON the west.
! Large masses Of rebel infantry and battery
after battery of artillery were discovered
moving around to the west of the town all
the afternoon and night, and General Mil
roy maneuvered his forces to CirCumSent
them as much as possible. 1t must be re-
membered that the Union forces numbered
! but little over 1000 men, with but three
! batteries ef field artillery, aside from six
siege pieces in the fort wnita the enemy
was known TO he fully 10000 strong; and
prudence would seem to have dictated to
| General Alroy to have his forces withdrawn
early on the night OF Saturday oia the Mar
tnsburg and Berryyille reads, before the
enemy could have time to cut of his retreat
or harass him in his march. But for some
reason vet unexplained, he saw fit to hold
on, and that night he moved his force to
points suited to repcl attacks which he
thought would be made in the morning.
YHE tIGHT ly suypA+.
At two o'clock oh the morning of the llth
the entire command, which had been in
creased by the arrival of Col. McReynolds'
brigade from Berryville, were recalled from
the vicinity of the fight the day previous
ana pat ~ occupation of the Notifications
encircliug Winchester ou tic north and
west.
POSITION OF THE UNION FORCES.
The 10th Chic volunteer infantry, Col
Keifer, and Battery /. 9th United States AZ
tllery, were posted in an outwork in front
of the line Of rife pits which extended
across from Pughtown to Romney road.
The outworks was little north of the main
fort and about fifteen hundred yards dis
tauce from il. The third brigade under
Col McReynolds, consisting of the 9th
Pennsylvania and 9th Maryland infantry,
the LIST New York cavalry aud AleXanders
(Baltimore) battery, held the Star fort north
Of the Pught0wn and west of the Martins
burg roads, and kept open communication
with the town and the main fort. The sec
ond brigade, commanded by Col. Ely, OF
the 18th Connecticut, and comprising the
18th Connecticut s7th Pennsylvania, 10Th
Virginia aud oth Maryland, and Battery u,
lst Virginia light artillery Temporarily at
tachcdI, with three companies Of Virginia
cavalry, was disposed Of principally in the
town and between the town and the line of
Notifications. The first brigade of Briga-
dier General w, l. Elliott, consisting of the
llOth, llGth, l22d, l23d regiments of Ohio