The New York herald., 1864-09-23

corps and General Rhodes corps their Ies Jour right
opposite the Nineteenth corps.
The Opequan creek has IN irregular width On the front
.os % sd. from three v:
feet deep AZ the uncture Of the Winchester and
Vile pkee the wser s quite shalow Tnis was the point
This ford commanded from the side the rebels occupied
by several decIvous bills. the ncluations facing tho
being sparsely woodedust enough for shade and pro-
tecton from shells To the rebel right Of these fields are
enemys infantry On The incInaliODs OF the bills
the enemys rifle pits and detached works OF
fence rails There weys also in some parts Of the rebel
battle front natural defepSes, in the shape OF
rocks hillocks, &c behind which the rebels sscreted
themselves awaiting the onset from troops. Tho
OF tho hills and a. points oonma1dng the roads Some
Of these batteries Kept up heaSv cannooads = our
sS
Everything being ready, tbs order given 10 cross
the creek The cavalry under the gaAnt WILSON, moved
forward in gallant style. 40 soon they discovered
themselves 70 the enemy y was ths sigea for the open
ing Of the great battle Tho cavalry down tho road
and @ crossed TO s usmy Se sd S
Ing IRE; but this did NOT deter ahem from
pushing and they appeared as auie. as on no
TO leave front for the infantry who closely In
their rear to cross and take up line Of battle. They
moved until sufficient time had been allowed for the
infantry to form line, when they formed line nearly
parallel With creek They commenced TO engage
the enemy's infantry aud cavalry.
The fording OF the Opequan near the Winchester pike
by our infantry seemed to cali for ali the enemys efforts
Of repulsicn Tho rebc officers said told their mon
TO keep cool and they would annihato army; that
our troops were one hundred days men, and would not
fght Ipced by these alsehoods ands the advantage Of
position, they fought with coOiness and aimed with
precision that has been surpassed and seldom
equalsd. Toe one hundred days men, a. they credn-
Sixth corps Who under she late gallant Sedgwck ana
It's present leader wight hsd so often met them In bat
e array The Nineteenth corps whose record is not so
victorious, but the less honorable also there
and their unerrDg aim and obstnacy Of action demon
strating the rebel lines disabused rank and
nle OF the rebel army OF the nendacty and peddy Of
The crossing Of the opcquan by our troops was not
made simultaneously. On tho right Of the position 90
cuped by Nineteenth corps as they advanced to the
margin Of the creek the troops found thenselves
in bogsy soil. Thc enemy had artillery stationed
IN positions 10 command this point, and they poured
grape and canister with deadly into the
troops The Sixth corps though successful in crossing
the ravues and low land, while the enemy had command
OF all the hills For time the fighting Of the SIKH
corps for possession Of tho hills whe the Nineteenth
corps were struggling for position the west bank OF
the creek. The snenys fire upon them nurderous
No troops could withstand it, Their ioes aliered and
broke, and we're slowly reformed by their oficers.
but TO no effect unI defeat that part OF
the line Jour right seemed inevitable General Sheridan,
whose keen eye as he moved from one point OF the bat
tie field to the other, the dilemma the Nineteenth
corps placed in and leaving the Sixth corps and the
cavalry gacntly lighting on the left, gave bis whole
attention for the time being TO the position Of the
Nineteenth corps finding their organization eectually
shaken IL not TO bc understood that cavalry. or
the Sixth corps, we're having clear work Off As their
lines moved forward they were checked and forced back
but again they would rally mp the billsidcs and more
In this position Of things the scene, viewed from
emDence beyond description To the inexperienced
smps to gam the rebel POSITION b. But our troops ssrns
gied nobly The rsgimsnta coIors gayly floating
In the breeze ana when she men would alter tbe rally
log cry would be- "Do desert the Ssars and Stripes -
As stated before. the Niastesnth corps had beeu
roughly handled, dsisat TO them seemed ineyitable;
Crook. Commanding the Mmy Of West virginia,
which up TO this time had been held reserve the
ton then occupied By she Nineteenth cows '''
At this iuDcture the day did not seem in our favsr
For hours our army bad made little Q, no psogrsss
cluded that this must oe made ffc the right from the
position lately occupied by the Nioetsenth corps. Al
bali pas O'Clock L. M the Fist dvisou OF General
Crooks command under Colonel puvai-partcipstor In
thirty six battles relieved portion of the Nineteeuth
the battle With the that decision Of the
battle depended upan him, and that he must turn and
i.niiy did he perform his work. HIS men dashed
down 10 lhe creek amid shower Of shot and shell that
blird them iSe wafer in some pIscss was srmp.
deep; but this did not deter our men from crossing
Thus in few minutes the veterans Of West Virginia
gained point that another portion could not achieve In
several hours The Second division Of Crooks troops.
commanded by COL Thoburn soon formed the left OF
Col. Luvals oommsod, sending the remainder Of the
The troops the right Of lines fought under great
difficulties the nature Of The ground not permitting the
em nsnt Of artillery until the enemy SNOW Cd
signs OF wesxnsss, which eliminated in forciug
them from their position. Before this was erect
houses barns. stone walls aud esrbworks No less than
eigntesn pieces Of rebel artillery employed against
Gel Ddvas single division and yet troops forced
the rebels back. As 80 CROOKS corps gained the
first line OF the enemys works ard threatened the
my's left ians things BEGAN TO brighten up Col Duvai
ordered a caaree from the time the brgle sounded
forward The enemy we're forced TO tight in retreat and
did not stop until they had retired me They
chased through cornheds, woods aud bills, until
tncy reformed TO make smother stand.
ca the other points OF the lines the fighting des
perae. The snccess OF Col Dqva on the right seemed
the key all, the Sixth corps and cavalry
advancing and crowdiny the enemy in splendid
style.
Our artillery q. this time got in fun play whiie our
roops crossing from bin TO hill In the advance our
gems wod cover the movement The artillery frc was
rapid and dc eq'eL!n9 lines our guns fred
ttery shoted with grspe and canister whe the
my,s artillery seemed no, less rapid destructive.
Altar Col. Duvai had driven the enemy he Joined
on his right by Gen. Avers cavalry, which had come
from Msrtnshlre, which protected the flank of IN.
fantry right Cot nuvai ordered another charge and,
supported by Averhl, the troops pushed on with an i'm
peiuositv never before cxcelcd The enemy aid their
best to resist advance. their artillery moved down
10 spesk ard borses but all this did not
veteran troops. Onward they went, until they
cleared the irregular hills from which they had whipped
the enemy from btsc 10 summit, and until toe town o
The sixth cos,n. under General Wright, kept up its
crawding, and was whipping the Inemy al sl oin,s
until 1t apparent that tie enemy hgn ~ re
treat wih tho view OF saving their ery aud organ
zatiop The cnemy were finally forced ot into ,he open
ground about three miles from Winchester, on pieu
about three mIes wide and with corresponding depth
Tae enemy mlMe their sDal sissd they msssed lheir
artillery In ire open field, while our army showed piece
for piece TO them For while there was lu both
sides they arranged their lines. This luli On =
temporary both sides opened hre With great
Here, was scene worthy Of tho best artist IN the
world When the lighting was resumed thsre cavalry
fgntnR cavalry, aud artillery against artillery; the
snperor determ nation enh generashp og General shss
dan nrough, victory, and Al ave O'Clock Y twelve
bours from the time cavalry commenced to ssrmish
with the enemy, the latter beaten at all points
leaving In Possession the heid two thousand prison
ers-an0pg these hundred and atty ofcers-iYe
thousand stand OF arms eleven battle Tags ten twelve
pieces OF artillery, kc.
The rebels pursued through the streets Of Win
chester where they made several attempts 10 rally
10 eject The streets we're strewn with rebc arms
and kpsrsacks