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

return they reported no enemy upon or be-
tween those roads. At eight o'clock Gen.
Milroy ordered General Elliot to take with
him the l22d Ohio ard 10Th Virginia rcgi-
ments OF infantry, with Battery u. LIST Nir.
ginia artillery, under Capt. John Carliu, TO
advance across the Romuey road and feel
the position of the enemy, which company
OF the 1921 Ohio, which had been detached
as skirmishcrs, had fouad Throwing out
skirmishers from both regiments they soon
encountered those of tho enemy. fifteen
hundred yards from the line of iortiications
Gen. Elliot posted his force behind stone
walls, (which seemed to he the prevailing
style of fence in the vicinity )kecping his
sllirmishcrs well out in front. Skirmish-
ing between our own and the rebel skir-
mishors continued all the morning, the 10Th
Virginia once having been forced to retire
in scmo confusion, but they soon rallied
and regained their subsequent position.
Tho battery threw an occasional she'll in
front of our skirmishcrs to prevent the en-
envy from advancing in force. \ section Of
MeXander's Baltimore Battery, from the
Third Brigade was posted 10 the right of
the 18th Virginia supported 10y part of
that regiment and a squadron of cavalry.
1t fired regularly rapidly aud with execution
upon the enemy who were concealed in
the woods in front of our line. The ground
in rear of Carlins battery being much bro
Ken, and not commanding the position of
the enemy, il was withdrawn at eleven A.
VI. and posted i'll the outer brcastwork of
the main fortitcation. when it threw few
shells at Ac cncmy's skirmishCrs, who were
ANNOYING those of the 18th Connecticut and
S1th Pennsylvania at the outer and eastern
edge of the town.
GES. MGLRoYs ATTACK.
During the morning OF Sunday, and in
fact all the day, skirmishing had been GO
ing on between tho 18th Connecticut and
! SIth Pennsylvania regiments and tho skir-
mishers of Gen. Rhodes rebel army, who
! had followed Col. Reynolds command in
! from Berryville, and were posted i'll the
woods mile east of Winchester, on the
road to Berryville and extending across to
the Front Royal road The Union troops
kept close i'll upon the town, while the reb-
os came up to the eastern side of the pub
! lie cemetery, across which the principal
firing took place. About half-past foNr in
the afternoon the rebel s>irmishers charged
up the Berryville aud Front Royal roads to
the very edge of the town, when well-di-
rGcted fire from our troops sent them back
in confusion to their supporting regiments,
and they, too, caught the panic and rushed
back to the cover of the timber. Gen. Mil
roy, seeing this, and thinking the enemy
were routed, ordered tho 18th and S7th to
charged own to the timber, and also ordered
Cen Elliot with the two regiments who
had been skirmishing south of the town,
to advance toward Mill creek but as soon
as the troops on the east of the town reached
The timber, they found tho rebel division
I III e
could realize their position the enemy
opened upon them most murderous fire
! from the whole line. But one alternative
was left, and that was to get back as best
and as soon as they could. Gen. Elliot
! charged down to and drove in the rebel
skirnlishers i'll his front to their line OF bat
tie on the south side of Mill Run.
VIE REBELS IN FORCE.
About five o'clock in the afternoon the
enemy appeared in strong force, with two
eight-gun batteries, directly west of the
main fort, north Of the Romney road. and
about fifteen hundred yards west of the
outworks held by tho ll0th Ohio regiment,
and Company L. 9Th regiment artillery.
As soon as tho batteries could hc got into
position they opened fire upon the outwork
and, though our pieces replied vigorously,
y
charged across the open fields and through
the woods up to the very muZzlcs of our
guns. With yell the rcbes came across
the ditch and ovor the ollbankmcnt, drove
the gunners from their pieces and the ! 10th
Ohio from the works at the point of the bay
onet, and in less time than | have taken to
write it had complete posses9sn ul the po-
situn. such aa could, made their way back
to the main fort and the remainder We're
captured or killed.
THE FINAL ATTACK.
General Milroy, finding tlIat the rebels
were already on three sides of him, and
were moving around toward the Martins
burg road, ordered all the troops and artil-
! lery from the south and east of the town
within tho line Of earthwOrks enCircling
! the main works, where the fight between
our own and the rebel artillery was contin-
ued until nightfall.
Shortly after dark the enemy came charg-
inS across the gully between their new po-
sition and the main work, yelling like
! fends but they were met ii the ditch by
volley after volley from infantry, and after
a few moments fighting, were repused
! Matters now became quiet, and oul men
! took advantage Of the lull to get few mo-
/
! At one o'clock on Monday morning, General
Milroy called council of war, composed
of the brigade commanders, and then it
was decided to abandon the works and re-
treat to l|arper's Ferry.
THE EVACUATION or wINCHEsTER
After the council had concluded to re-
treat, at about three o'clock on Monday
morning, the troops were quickly put in
motion, taking nothing with them except
what they had upon their persons. They
! had marched out on the Martinsburg road
only about four miles, when they were fired
upon by a strong force Of infantry and ar
tillery, which had been posted in the woods
10 the right of the road As soon as the
firing commenced, the main body Of our
| infantry charged down into the dense tim
! ber in the direction where they supposed
the enemy to be; but instead of finding
weak body Of rebels, as they expected,
they found at least a full division, well
posted and drawn up in line of battle.
! When our rccpH reached tho enemy's po-
siti0H tney were met by terrible shower
of missiles, and were forced to fall back,
! On reaching the road they pushed on to-
ward Martinsburg, except the 18th Con-
neoticut and 9th Maryland regiments, who
were upon the left Of the line, and were
captured almost entire The command
reached IIarpers Ferry on Monday after
noon-all that were left Of it, al least.
| OUR LOSSES
Our losses have indeed been terrible
Not a thing was saved, except that which
was worn or carried upon the persons of
the troops. Three entire batteries Of field
artillery and one battery of siege guns-all
the artillery of tho command, in fact-about