Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-09-29

their Ilutsi nyihS "Ho plohN"i wy
pushed ON, The troops OF the sixth
and Nineteenth corps, reforming aud
charging, soon won back the lost
ground and portion of the field be-
yond.
The battle now slackened for time
and the main lines of our army We're re-
formed, preparatory TO second attack
The Nineteenth corps was temporarily
held In reserve, the Sixth corps and the
Army of Western Virginia, which were
posted on the left being ordered TO adj
vance simultaneously and drive the en-
envy out OF their position. During all
this time the cavalry OF Gems wilson,
Merritt and Averll, on the left and right
had not been Inactive. Gen. Wilson HAD
Joined in the charge made at half past
eleven, driving the enemy's cavalry IN
his front. Gen. Mcintosh, commanding
one of his brigades, had been wounded
in the leg. Gems. Merritt ana AVerlll,
who had both been pushing the req
ell cavalry from the Opequan, had
formed a junction on the Winchester
and Martlnsburg pike, and were
driving the in rapid and successive
charges down toward the scene OF the
main battle. titzhugh Lees cavalry
had been overwhelmed by Custar in the
early afternoon The rest of the rebel
cavalry made so little opposition, that
for eight miles our troops moved at
trot gallop, corrallin9 and driving them
like sheep. At IL p. IN, therefore,
when the second infantry advance was
ordered, Gen. Torbert with his two dl-
visions was in position to cooperate
in time with the main army. The fire
of our artillery, which, owing TO the
scarcity of good positions, had previous
ly not been too destructive, was now in
creased. More batteries were employed
by the Sixth corps, and two or three
batteries were put in position in the rear
of Gen. Crook. A rapid cannonade was
opened Just before the advance. The
enemy replied to it with their usual Wig
or. We advanced again about half past
Up. m. 1t was made steadily from the
first The enemy must have known that
to withstand this attack was their last
hope during the day, but although they
met it with front so stubborn and for
moment, so unyielding, few would
have ventured to wager upon their re-
treat. Their lines were very soon shak-
en- by the determined and fearful vol
| leys of our soldiers. The stern and
magnificent advance of every brigade
employed in this movement made up q
spectacle, the grandeur of which has
certainly not been equalled on any bat
tle-feld of this war.
The left flank of the enemy, shattered
by Gen. Crook, gave way, and began
wheeling around toward the southwest
| beyond the Martinsburg turnpike Al
this moment Gen. Torbert, to whom the
sound of our guns was signal, moved
on his advance to help the attack. Gen
| Devips' advance on the left of Gen. Low
ell, ia support, was confronted just be
fore the advance by the enemy's infant
~ pouring out from q mass of woods in
retreat before Gen. Crook. Gen. Devins
had under his immediate command but
two regiments, the 9th and LIST New
| York. The moment was critical t0
hesitate was perhaps to loose both. Gen
| Merritt in command of the division
shouted out, Charge them with what yel
have = and Deyins, drawing his sabre
headed his regiments, and went through
the flying crowds, cutting them down
still further demoralizing them, and cap
turing three hundred prisoners and thre
battle flags. The rest of the caviar
charging in turn, in conjunction witt
Gen. Crook, kept pushing the enemy
left and flank. ,.... ..... ..-
| Equally as successful an advance ha'
been made on our left and center by tn
Sixth corps. The right flank of the en-
envy was also pushed back, and in
short time it's center began retreatine
The rebel line soon formed triangle
the apex toward us, the base gradnall
narrowing as both TANKS were pushed il
toward each other by our attack. A
the rebel center began to give way, Ger
Sheridan alighting near the center @
our own lines, felt that the day wa
won. Galloping up to Gen. Grover com
manding one of the divisions of tn
Nineteenth corps, he said to him that al
was going well, and that now was hi
time also to go in The next instant tn
solid shot whistling witkin foot Q
Sheridan's head struck ground benin,
him. II suppose so" was the dry re
mark of the division commander, as h
ordered his troops to advance to join il
winning victory.
The battle was still fierce one O
both sides, although the day was evi
IDENTIFY lost to the rebels. They Tough
on at some points with a.desperate res
olution. The roar Of musketry, thun
ders of cannonade, shouts of commanders
cheering of our men, echoed now TO
miles over the fields, through the wood
and in the ravines. More batteries mo
| we'd up to the front, the cannonade grew
and grew in volume until every secon,
gave birth to the report of gun. Batter.
after battery of the enemy were silenced
but from whatever guns they could com
mand they gave back fire for fire. Evi
IDENTIFY believing from the ferceness 0
| our charges that reserves were coming
up, they hurled a Kissing storm of sho
andsshell far into our rear blowing thu
| roads and cernfields and making th,
abodes of stragglers scenes of terror. Oh
! and on went the battle, every momen
more distant; men and women, ant
children, coming to their doors and peer
| ing from the windows OF houses roun(
/ about, listened and wondered and grew
sad and pale. Back from the front
| along every roadway, out of the forests