The New York herald., 1864-09-21
Details os the Eagsxement.

brilliant once. No service moro than
the cavalry deserves credit grlIau,ry the ucd
Details "a the Engagements.
HsApyuAarrR MiprlE MILITARY DIVISION,
WINcnFSrER, Va, sept. l9-9 ?. NJ.
General Shcridans army this day fought OF tho
successful and decisive the war Victory
again perched Banners and the rebel army which
recently threatened the Of the loyal North
has been defeated and utterly routed with the loss OF
least three thousand killed ani wounded including i've
generals, namcy:-Rhodcs, Wharton, Bradley T. John.
son, Gordon, York aud 6onan, the two first OF whom
were killed and the Others badly wounded; have
captured thousand live hundred pr soners battle
Tags, representing nine different regmental orgsniza.
tions, i've pieces of artillery, with cassons.
The recital Of the victory ought TO make every loyal
heart a. Se North glow with admiration and gratitude 10
the brave and gallant officers who achieved 50
signal success
In order to more thoroughly understand the nature Of
the battle, with all the surrounding influences It will bs
briefly to refer the operations OF Sunday
On Sunday morning Early sent Gordon's division Of
rebel infantry from Bunker Hi where IL had sta
toned for the past days drive Aver Of Mar
tinsburg and destroy the bridge the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad ncross the Opequan, which they erroue-
ousIy thought had been repaired They occupied Mar
tinsburg Tor short without doing any damage 10
the rairoad and eventually driven by Averil az
far as Darkcsville.
General Sheridan learning their movements ordered
the whole command TO break camp and prepare ID
m,rcb. Accordingly at three O'Clock Sunday the
tent all struck and packed In CONS. Tho dYe
reit divisions were all under and epared to
moTnenL's notice, and remained In this
state for about an hour, when the order cams
to 80 into camp again for the night, and
every thing remained perfectly quiet About rne O'Clock
orders received from Sheridan for tho sixth and
Nineteenth corps TO DO ready TO threo O'Clock
and the Army OF Western Virginia under Crook At Ave
tho following morning, the order OF fol-
ows-The Sixth corps 10 move out on the Winchester
and BcrryviIe pike, aud in parallel columns
both OF tho road with the Arcry ammunition
and supply trains tho road tho Nineteenth corps
follow the road and in similar order the Army
Of Western Virginia, under Crook, to move from Its
camping ground 10 the vicinity OF summit Point, and.
striking the country u southwesisry direction,
was ordered toto junction the eros Ing Of The
Opeqnan, on tho Berryvie and Winchester pike And
shortly after five O'Clock Wilson's division of cavalry
crossed the opcquan The Berry vile and Winchester
pike moving bis command rapidly along the road Driv
ing the cnemys ssirmish ine, he CALAMITY charged
the enemy's Geld works with the First BRIGADE and car
ried them at the point o. the SABRE capturing thirty
prisoners. 10 this charge Colonel Bri,ton, Eighteenth
Pennsylvania cavalry wounded within few feet OF
the enemy's WORKS, while calamity leading his regi-
meut =
These field works constructed by the rebels to
guard the ford at the 0pequan and passage
mt that point. viii be how sgnally they failed 10
accomplish the object for which they constructed
Our cavaly having secured safe pessage for the m
fantry the Sixth corps moved tho 0pcquan
and along pike towards Winchester leaving Its train
In park the opposite side Of tho stream, pons
about milo and a hair distant from the ford, where 10
formed In line OF battle and . strong skirmkh
line At the time the artillery opened on the woods
into ch the cnrmy 3 infantry had retired kept up
ucessant cannonade the enemy replying brsky with
parts Of two batteries.
There delay Of at least two hours caused BY the
non arrival Of the Nineteenth corps which, through
conception OF ORDERS bad failed TO at the proper
mo General Emery had moved his column 10 the
Of the baggage Of the sx, corps instead OF keep
Ing his command up tho Of the advancing
column Of tho Sixth corps.
General sheridan having learned Sunday that the
main portion OF Earlys forces eucamped In ths
vicinity Of iunker HIN and sepnensons depot resolved
10 mass forces Winchester and erryve pike,
ard by a rapid movement burI them Early's rear.
rnerc is no doubt that tile enemy completely sur.
iris "a and outm iun nuvred by Sheridan.
wbis his different columns being marched TO tho
appointed place Of rcndezvau-, portion Of cavalry.
under Generals Torbe,t AT. Averi kept up strong
picket along tho obsquau and by demonstrating In
,orcc Barns ford kept large portion OF tho enemy
that pR the hcd which nearly twelve miles disf
,snt ffom the point whore II intended infantry
should operate and strike blow which should result In
the ss,al defeAt OF Early's army.
The delay the arrival OF the Nineteenth corps eus-
bed Early 20 Gordon's division tho double uck
from bunker H, distant about miles, aud bring up
70 form 10 line Of battle with Breckor dge's, Ram
seurs and Rodes' commands, which bad already arrived
and formed . belt Of woods sk,rlns Bsrryville
and Winchester.
As soon tho N,petesoth corps arrived WAS formea
lines OF battle about three hundred yards apart,
on the r ht OF tho Sixth corps and everything oems
readiness Tho advance sounded at about '"s'vs
o'clock ana the different lines moved Forward
The two corps advsncea 10 speodid style ana Just ~
as though marching At review or on
drum, boating and nJing presenting such
n ,,,os mo- soectace ~ has seldom beop Witnessed IN
a.. n,s.s,, war IN fact Of the oldest and most
,.,e,a s,s ofBcsrs prescott declared they had never
na,o,s uspcesed 80 truly grand spectacle.
The arst line had not advanced more than two hun
s,.a Yards before u became warmly engaged with the
who we're posted Va lue about six hundred yards
dstsnt AZ tho sams tne our artillery opened lurcus
throwing shells and solid shot into tns orpc
,,te woods where The epemy could be dntincsly sKa
moving up rein orcefnents.
Our different Nre- of battle continued 70 advance ses
dy until within nearly two hundred yards Of the ecs
my line neu the reees opened furious csnrorsds