Daily national Republican., 1863-06-19
The Fight at winchester.


On Saturday morning the rebels were re-
ported by our scouts as marching on Berry.
vile. Tho brigade commanded by Col. Mercy.
nolds, consisting Of tho Sixth Maryland regi.
ment, Sixty-seventh Pennsylvania, First New
York cavalry, aud one battery, Immediately,
! fell back toward Winchester, as ordered by
Gen. Mllroy, proceeding by way Of the smith
field and Marlinsburg road. iuis
! was placed with my Eection, supported by
part of ) Sixth Maryland infantry and the
cavalry, In one Of the fOrtilcatohs on ths
south side, which had been created by Captain
| Alexander, and was fortunate enough to hold
them in check for two hours, giving the adj
vance time to get ahead. We then moved of,
and marching fast caught up with them.
The rebel cavalry pursued US and came up at
the Opequon, eight miles from Winchester,
after marching twenty miles. Here we had
skirmish. The formation Of the road would
not permit US 10 dre until they were within fifty
yards, and othe fire was more destructive.
We succeeded in beating them back, and
some prisoners captured by the cavalry stated
that the two discharges Of canister had killed
a Dozen and wohndcd over thirty. We arrived
in Winchester at night unmolested and camped
| iu the Star Fort on the north side of the town
small work about 200 feet in diameter.
There had been heavy fighting at Winchester
during the day. The rebels made Eve charges
and were repulsed. .' '.H TH.
!
the town, but the rebels appeared In very small
force, leading us to believe that they intended
marching for Martinsburg.
One of the sections of the battery was out
during the whole day, under Lieut.. Leary, sup
ported by two-rGgiments, the whole under
Gen. Elliott, and, kept back the entire line Of
rebel skirmishers by a display of scientific
practice which called forth Gcn. Elliotps ad-
mlratiOn. .Wa
To understand the battle OF Sunday evening,
/ 1t will be necessary to state that there are
three ranges of hills on tue north Of WiDcbes-
tor. The first range was occupied by three
forts. That to the left was the main fort, with
20pOunder PARROTS, where Gen. Milroy was
with most Of the command. .... ... t.. ..
! The middle was the Star Fort, where our
brigade was, and on The right on the hill, COM
manding all the others, was an unfinished
work. Had this last been finished The whole
rebel force could not have taken us. The sec
ond range OF hills was occupied by battery D,
| LIST Virginia artillery, Captain Carlln, on the
left, and battery L, 9Th United States Regulars,
Lieutenant Randolph commanding.
! The latter was ON the hill Inn M ediately oppo-
| site us and was supported by the 9th Maryland
regiment. On the third range the rebels we're.
As the men and horses Of battery / were feed
ing, ut p. m, he rebels opened upon them
with two batteries, one Of which was 20
| pounders. Tr., . .........-
They fought for half an hour, and then the
rebels charged with large body Of men, and
drove the Fifth Maryland back. The Fifth
They formed half way down the hin and charged
up and drove the rebels back again some dis
tanCG.
We could sec the whole, as we were within
fifteen hundred yards, and yet could not render
assistance. The rebels, however, drove them
back, and Randolph spiked three Of his hyt
guns. Nearly all his horses were shot. AS soou
as the coast was clear we opened ON them with
at first tWo guns and then four guns.
There was not space on one side of the foI
to work more. They answered the largo foI
for some time, but then brought their who's
four batteries, amounting to twenty-four guns
to bear upon us, and then the fighting began,
This was about Z p. m. Wehred as accurately
as we could, .-t.... r...........l,,... ...
They attempted three times to take position
and each time we drove them away, blowing
up at one time timber, then . caisson, and
dismoUnting two guns. They had excellent
range aud fired well. ..,-......
The balls came flying all around the fort and
over our heads, but only one man was wound
, ed and one man hung down by the wind of Q
ball. We lost five horses. We returned the
compliment as well as we could, and succeeded
by $3.50 p. IN, in causing them to cease Airing
Shortly after that they tried to storm the
large fort, but were repulsed. We expected
them to storm our work, but the infantry Wert
drawn up inside and in the rifle pits outside
and don't think IL, 900 men could have taken
us, from the calmness and hrmness which the
Sixth Maryland eylnced.
cannot speak too highly Of the Goolness
aud bravery of the men Of the battery, Though
II was the first time they had been uuder DIR,
not man hlnched, but they fought without
excitement and as coolly and regularly as If OIL
} drill, jesting and talking as II 1t were mere
pastlme.
About this time 1t became too dark to SCI
and we ceased firing. We found that we had
not more than twenty rounds per gun left and
no more could be had. Our scouts also ro
ported that the rebels were moving their heayl.
est guns around through the hollow TO the high
ground on the right where they could com.
mand US aud shell Us out easily.
The other batteries were in the SINE want OF
: ammunition, and Gen. Milroy deLermined IL
spike the guns and mount the cannoniers on
, the OiT-horses and cut our way through. The
: other two brigades started first, and the third
! brigade brought up the rear. When we got
: 1--WE miles from Winchester the rebels opened
} on US with four pieces of artillery.
} Our infantry and cavalry moved up and
, charged them desperately. As our cannonierr
were unarmed, our Captain ordered them tC
move up as close as they could safely, and then
t to take 10 the woods separately and make fol
9 the Ferry or any point on the liver.
The lot New York Cavalry, a dne organiEa'
tioD, charged Upon tue guns. Finally the in
: fantry and cavalry succeeded in capturing two
U guns, which were turned upon the others and
. drove them back. 40 they could not be car
ried off, they were disabled. ..
/, Our men rode up behind the cavalry through
the open field, under the FIRE OF the artillery
and then broke for the cover Of the woods. We
t all thus became separated.
, rode for Bath, aud came upon our men one
3 at time. We crossed at Sir Johns Run, with
the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry and 1st New
/ York Cavalry.
/ then got all our men together that could
lnd, and gave orders that they should go tC
C Cumberland (as Hancock was reported In rsbe
Q hands, and rendezvous there.
The number that met were 81. will give
their names below The presence OF the rebell
0 near Cumberland caused Gen. Kelley, who ar
! rived there on Tuesday evening, to takn thsH
} all up to Now Creek.
{ It may be several days before they come in
but they may be considered as safe. Some o
us struck fof the Pennsylvania Central Rail
i road, and II has been reported TO me that somI
5 of our men arrived at station below Hunting
don last night.