The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-29

numbering about 500, making his
command about 1000 strong.
During Saturday and Saturday night
the entire division of Breckenridge was
brought up from Stanton, and on sun
day morning about 10 o'clock his Skin
mlsheTs were seen advancing on our
right, little to the west of Newmarket.
Ills command consisted of the troops
of BrigadieT-(ienerals w. L. jackson.
(Mudwali,) Echols and Imboden. esti-
mated at from 10000 to II, 600 men, and
from u 10 10 pieces of artillery. His
infantry were drawn up in three ex-
tended lines, each line under command
OF its respective general, on three rises
Of ground, to the west of Newmarket,
between the pike and the Shenandoah
river One of these lines was deployed
to the left to occupy a slight rayine, for
the purpose of fanking our right wing
or OF surprising one of our batteries.
His cavalry was drawn up on the east
side of the road, and under cover of
the town. His artillery was posted
chiefly on the three hills occupied by
his infantry
Gen. Sigel was compelled to move up
his forces from Woodstock in order to
protect those which had been sent for
ward on the 18th under Col Moor, and
which had driven ImbOden through
Newmarket He broke camp at 4
o'clock in the morning and reached
Newmarket, a distance of 10 miles, by
II o'clock. When he came up the for
cess under Col Moor Lad been placed
in position, and were already engaged
with the enemy, so that the general was
obliged to make his dispositions in ac-
cordance with those previously made
lie also saw portion of the cavalry
retiring in some disorder and could not
rally them so as to make them effective.
His line was formed on the right of the
pike, flOn,ing Newmarket, reaching
near the Shenandoah His artillery of
four batteries extending nearly along
his entire front, and one battery was
posted on the left of the pike, so that
the enemy was exposed to a cross fire,
and so that the raVine occupied by the
Ranking brigade of the enemy was
swept by our battery on the left
The infantry were exhausted after
their long march and could not 90 into
action in perfect order
The artillery were supported in the
beginning by cavalry, for want Of suf-
ficent infantry, and for the same rea-
son cavalry had to be used as skirmish-
ers against the enemys infantry skir-
mishers but this was only for "a short
time. The only infantry regiments
that were brought into action were the
lst and 18th Virginia, 9th Pennsylva-
MIA, 18th Connecticut, I23d Ohio and
34th Massachusetts,. An these behaved
well, but the 34th Massachusetts,, lst
Virginia, and the l23d Ohio were most /
exposed and distinguished themselves
for great bravery and endurance. But
with all the courage and obstinacy dis
played, Our men were compelled to give
way before the dense, extended col
umns Of the enemy, which pressed
them hard and tiercely At first they
retired in some disorder, but were raj /
lied rs soon as they reached the infan-
try drawn up in their rear.
1t would have been in the highest
degree hazardous to our supplies, and
would have needlessly exposed our
troops to have continued this unequal
contest, and Gen. Sigel withdrew his
command gradually towards Mount
jackson, and on the following day fell
back TO Strasburg and Middletown
The battle was certainly one of the
most severe of the war; and waged
fercely from II o'clock in the morning,
until t o'clock in the afternoon. The
fighting was principally on our right
wing, which the enemy vainly endeay-
ored to flank But few cavalry, on eth
err side, were brought into action. The
artillery and musketry We're terrific, as
might be inferred from the heavy losses
on both sides-Ours numbering in xiii |
led, wounded and missing, between !
700 and 800 men-the enemy's estima- !
ted at from 1000 to 1900 This is pro /
badly as heavy a loss, for the numbers
engaged, as in any battle since the war,
and speaks well for the daring and /
courage of our noble soldiers, who for |
FIVE hours withstood the terrible as
saults of the enemy, which outnumber- I
ed them two to one.
1t viii be gratifying to all to learn /
that the wounded are doing well, that /
the troops are IN the best Of spirits, and /
are prepared for or to give an attack, /
and that the most unbOunded conf |
dence. in the skill and bravery Of Gen. /
Sigel is expressed by officers and sol !
diers, and especially by the braves who
are wounded
II is feared by some that this action /
at Newmarket viii be separated from
the general plan, and, taken singly, be
regarded in the light of a serious disas-
ter But even in this respect it is moth /
ing more than a repulse, which was as
damaging to the enemy as to ourselves, /
which the enemy did not and could /
not follow up, in which we lost no ma
terial, and the enemy gains no advan-
tage of any kind, Ia