Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-09-22

now brought up and posted In cannon
aiding positions to silence those batter
les OF the enemy which had caused us SO
much annoyance, and orr line reformed
and again moved forward regainlng an
advanced position which they had held
when they were Obliged TO fall back but
this svccess was not regained without
the most obstinate resistance of the en-
envy.
Gen. Sheridan had previously ridden
along the lines and was received every
where by the men with the greatest en-
thusiasm. Having regained the adj
vanced position which we had previous
ly occupied the different lines OF battle
were ordered to lie down and wait the
arrival of Crooks corps, which was htld
I'm reserve on the eastern side OF the
Opequan. They were ordered up to take
position on the extreme right OF our line
In order to counterfeit the movement on
the part of the enemy, who were mass
ing troops ON their left flank with q
view of turning our right. At precisely
three O'Clock, Gen. Crook formed the
right of the 18th corps, his first division
on the extreme right of our line and the
second diuision in the rear, supporting
a division OF the 10Th corps, Gen.
Crook having formed his men, rode
along the lines and was received with
the most voclferous cheering, then prom
Using to wipe out Winchester.
Gen. Torbet with Ayerill's and Mer-
ritt's divisions OF cavalry having crossed
the 0pequan at 8 o'clock, at Burns and
Knox Fords had been hard at work all
| day, fighting considerable bodies OF the
enemy's infantry and cavalry and hav-
! ing been successful in steadily driving
them before them, now arrived on our
extreme right, and was prepared 10 take
part in the final struggle which secured
| us the victory.
Gen. Sheridan rode out to where Gen.
| Torbett was stationed, and after consul
tation with him as to the part the cav
! airy were to take and ordered final
| charge which was made with an i'm
petuoeity which nothing could resist.
Our line extending three miles in
length, advanced amid cheers and yells
which could be distinctly heard far
above the noise caused by the thunder
| of artillery and the continuous roar
of musketry which for its
impetuosity has seldom been exceeded
in any battle of the war.
Our men had determined to win the
day and nerved themselves accordingly
for the coming struggle, and as our lines
advanced closer and closer to those
of the enemy and the battle became
more and more fierce, until in point OF
desperate and fierce carnage will com
| Ca IDlxr ,.,fth Gini1QT nnn fest
of the war.
The slaughter now was truly awful
at every discharge men could be dis,
tinctly seen dropping all around, and
contending lines at some points could
not have been over 200 yards apart
Just at this critical period, above roal
of artillery, musketry and cheers and
fierce yells of the contending armies
could be distinctly heard the shrill notes
Of the cavalry bugle sounding a charg.
which was the death knell to Early's
army.
The columns of Early's command
were forced to give way and break be
fore the fierce onslaught which our cav
airy made upon them, who with sabr'
in hand rode them down, cutting then
right and left, capturing 12l prisoners
with battle flags and two guns.
The broken and demoralized divisions
comprising Early's command, now fet
in confusion, throwing away everythin.
which could in any way impede thei
flight, and strewing the ground witt
their arms. Some made for the height
beyond Winchester but they were speed
ily dislodged by Averill, and forced t
beat a hasty and ignominous retreat u
the valley where such of Early's con
mand as is left him are now scattered.