The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1864-09-21

dcclsred they 81 hever beiorr witnessed SO truly
grand spectacle.
The srst iine had not advanced more ,hsu tao
hundred yards before II h-cs-ie -s.m,y ~As.--A
Wiz tho "nctny, who were posted in line about Sx
ruudred Yards distant. Al the same time our at.
tillery opened . furious cannonade. throwing
shells aud solid shot into the OPPOSITE ~ooi. where
We enemy could 10 dis'inety $50 moving up re-
mi rtcu"nt-.
Our difieren, lines n battle continued 70 advance
seadlly until within nearly two hundred wards NJ
The encmy's line, when thc retcs Ieued = furious
csnnonrfe with grspc ard canister n N tvo bat
ser"e which they hal previously krri ..crsai. and
Nnioh ploushed shtc"gh em advancing lines NOV
ing dow iarse numbers u our mcn
'he hrst line WAS obliged 10 give way under ~
n'Hef'ns ire, and in retrcsting behind the
s,c,nd Inc threw \ into momenlary confusion.
anu also wss obliged 20 fall back heiini the
,hrd hhe'which had In ,he meantime icon ordered
70 ho down in order 10 svosd ~ much ss b. ..itl-
she effects ot The wi,herine Are whlcN ~ enemy's
r,Netcs rcre diiec'lng ass.pst our slvaGcing lines
me Mtillery WAS non btons.,l up and po.,ed ~
commanding pcsitc-- 10 silence ,hcse ,ai,erics Of
,nc enemy, ws'cn had causei us ~ much annoy
Hnue sa' our line was reformed aud again moved
al resaining the advanced poeiton which
ney mad held when they were Obliged t. lall back
nnt inc success Was not gained without the most
otstnate resistance on the part Of the snery,
u uen. Sheridan had previously ridden slonr the
.uuS .,,n ana va received everywh'ro by the men
WIN tne er~s'cw enthusiasm and when ii ey sd
ssnocf, vas with the terrible determination to
90 " die In the attempt.
uiNnS regained the advance position which W.
nAi previously occurisi the different lines of hnt
uc wore ORDERED to lie down, and wat thc arrival
" ve" Crooks co ps which held In reserve
an the eastern side the Opcpusu. They we're or
ucrcf up To take position the extreme rl.,ht of
our lnc, and in order To countcract a movement On
the part Of III" oncmy who were msssiug u, cps On
thcu - Hank, with the view Of turning our right
trccisoly NJ O'Clock, Gen Crook formed on tho
right of tho 18Th corps his first division on tie ex
rsme SHIT OF our l.uc, and the secoud division in
the rear, supporting division Of the l9ih corps.
Gen Crook. bav.Eg formed his men, role slou. the
nee and " as rccclyel with most vociierour choir.
irr the men promising to go in and wipe out VIM
chester.
Gen. Torher, with Morrtt's and Averill's divis.
ions OF cavalry, having ,rotsod the Opequsn about
o'clock ~ Burns and knox's fords had hecn
hard at work all day, iightinx considerable bodies
Of the cncny's infantry and cavalry, and hav ny
teen successful N stsad.ly driving them before
them, now arr we'd on our extreme night, and
prepared to take rsr, in ,ho husl strug. le which
secured Ms tho victory.
teen, eher dan rode Out 10 where Con. rorheu
was stationed and after n consultation with hun
70 the part the cavalry were 10 take, ordered the
fnol charge, which was made with an impctuos,,y
which nothing could resist. Our hne, extending
nearly three miles In length. advanced amid tho
cheers and yells which could bc distinctly hoard
far above the noise caused by the thunder Of the
artillery and the continuous roar Of nluskclry,
which for its inipetuosty has seldom tccn excolled
In any battle OF this war.
Our men had determined "a win the day. and
uervcd Themselves accordingly fr the coming
struggle, and as our lines advanced closer aud
closer TO those - the enemy, the battle became
more and more fierce, until. in point Of desperate
and tcrce carnage, Il will compare f8yorably with
any similsr contest of the war.
The slaughter now was truly awful. A. every
discharge men could be distinctly seen dropping
sli around, and the two consendlnS lines ut some
points could no, have been over two hundred Yards
apart.
just at this critical period, shove the roar Of ar.
tillory, muSkotry aud cheers, could bc distinctly
hcnrd the shrill notes Of the cavalry bucc, sound
ing the charge which wns tic death kuol 20 EIrly's
army. There could be scon the gallant Custer aud
Merritt, each with headquartcrs' Rag In hand, and
conspicuous among the advancing tquadrons, gal
lanty leading the charge, which, IN connoct.on
with the desperate courage Of our infantry, secured
us the victory. All honor 10 those gallant chiefs
" 20 have done g. nohly.
Those who have ncyCg Witnessed O cavalry charge
can form no ldca Of It's mognhccucc, nor o. che oc-
morlllzinR efe'ts- when well executed. which u
has m IN enemy. The stuhbo ru columns ot Ea-
= : command were forced to give way, AMI break
tc:ore the fierce onslaught which our cavalry made
upon them, who with sabre in hand, role them
down, cutting them right and left, csptLr.ng ~
privatsA and nor com M issioned ofhccrs with ninc
hatile-tags snd two guns.
The broken and dcnornl gel divisiour oompris.
ing Elrly's command now lied IN con'usim.tLrpw
ing away everything which could .b any way .sl-
redc their night and strcw!ng the ground with
tnrir arms ,>nmc made for tho heights beyond
n'h"snr hut thcy were speedily dislo isei by
Averl and forced % hca. an hasty and i,-lo,nin.
lnus retreat up the Valley, where such of Eary's
command rs arc len him are scattered.
The CITY II tel md the slIaceut foundres in Vim
chester, together With many private houses, are
iu NJ re, el wounded. II Ia csitrlaei here are st
l"sst 5000 in Winchester, allowing ior u tose who
were carried away III ambulanccs, and or those
VINO were able to hobble along. 1t will lie small
estimate IN pace their ~ounied at 4, 900, a. al killed
at 600. when VIII the prisoners nlresay captured,
numhcring 800" will make their loss 80 ii! num-
Der 300 killed. anu 2,5co wounded will fully
covert II.