Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-10-22
THE BATTLE AT CEDAR cREEK-
Additional Particulars,


tsrs on the 18th, furnishes some interestinr 40
tails OF the battle OF Oed&r Creek, not incISdsa
in the official reports heretofore pubiis shed
Shortly before dayligh this mornipr vhus
ger was soundly sleeping, a feIpt picket assault
was mace on our right
A rapid and continuous discharge OF sentinel
rsuskets extended from thence along our whole
front toward the left, when suddenly. with
scarcely moments warning. the rebel infan-
Try, masssd there The night before, advanced
against General CROOKS position in solid coll
nmhs, pouring in a farce fre Oh flank and
front Only portion of our troops manned
,he oreastworks " hen the assault commenced.
Nv, !. was so energetic and deadly as TO break the
ne men OF both divisions were swept from
annd,o ,uieastworks, into which the enemy came
driyinr an IKE sea, swarming on, yelling,
a.SIng al before them they entered the en-.
campmehts In rear Of the works where soldiers.
,ha;s t".nenso, were actually rising from
hr.astWorss hsoa 40 save the artillery at the
nIeast"oiAs became desperate ohject uhsn
the assault was first discovered h,t ,bo n. "sSs.
OF the ground rendered this next 10 ,mnossihis
Battery b, 9th Pen1sylvani,, siI gnns ,,,...
captured entire By superhu,nan srrnr,s en-
but one gun Of the 5th regular batterv 1sra
saved, leaving seven guns In the hands of the
enemy
In the meanwhile the latter had sun o.,
vanced, completely tearing the left flank OF the
army and were nearing the pike on the heights
above. The whole army was by this time
aroused, wagons, ambulances, and artillery
were making for the rear.
The 18th corps, which had stood firm during
the assault on Crook, now found itself con-
fronted by the I'd division OF the enemy, which
mad moved up the pike and attacked IL fiercely
in 'front.' and flank with musketry and artillery
Colonel McCauley's brigade, OF the I'd division,
on the left, swung ont of it's position in front 10
receive the flank fire of the foe. The asssnH
increased in fierceness. The whole division
reformed itself to meet the shock The rebels
advancing mounted the breastworks in its
front, and with withering volleys forced it
back in retreat.
The entire 19th corps, abandoning all its
works, now fought retreating and partially
broken. The scenery of the field at this junc-
ture was fairly appalling. The left of the army
mpletelY turned, half the army of Western
Virginia flying in dismay through the fog, its
camps, and the greater part of its camp mate
rial, in possession OF the enemy, the remnant,
together with part OF the provisional division
and Colonel Kitching, which had been camped
in the rear, fighting still for the possession of
the pike. The Nineteenth corps fighting more
or less stubbornly, falling back and constantly
losing in stragglers, the entire country about
Mlddletown and beyond, in rear, polluted with
demoraliZed soluiery; the crack Of re bel mus
Eetry, sweeping farther up on the left toward
Middletown; hurrylng wagons, ambulances,
calssons: the hiss and explosion of the enemy's
shells from batteries planted in front OF the l9th
corps; the appearance OF defeat, impending dis
aster almost every where might have shook the
hope of fapaticiSm itself. General Wright,
with whom it was lett to organize plan which
should change this dismal aspect OF things,
was not whit discouraged.
ginia and the Nineteenth Corps were found to
be definitely falling back, went an order to a
legion that never yet on any field, had failed
TO achieve the possible. The Sixth Corps on
the right was ordered to change 'front.' swing
around, and stem the torrent. Scarcely a
minute elapsed when its columns were seen
moving majestically by the left flank straight
into the heart of the conflict. Opening mo-
ment for the passage OF stragglers, its line
closing up again before the assaults that still
had not been stayed, but like willow withes,
as q ter
moment at least the career of the rebels in the
center was brought to pause. The artillery
OF the cerps unlnberins close to the rear
Numbered its answer to their shells. This
brilliant movement could not, however, check
the movement of the foe on the left.
,ra,od int Misd,atown' cantnrine a norton of
Gen. Crooks ambulance train, and il is re-
ported, seriously wounding Col. Thoburn, OF
the Second division Of that command. Their
infantry had swung round, and were just pos
seseine the pike above Merritt's, Powers's, and
Clusters divisions of cavalry were withdrawn
from the right and sent to stem this disastrous
advance. After the check Of the enemy in the
centre, the lines Of the Sixth and Nineteenth
Corps were reformed-the Sixth on the left, the
Nineteenth on the right of that.
1t was found necessary to withdraw the
whole line some distance in order TO connect
with the cavalry, who were Just advancing to
drive the enemy from the pike on the left, and
hold the field at that point. This retrograde
movement was accomplished without loss.
The enemy followed 1t up closely and yenge-
fully. Their bullets rained upon the artillery,
killing Oft horses and men, and embarrassing
the attempt OF the artilleryman to move their
guns to the rear. The guns were fought splen-
didly-fought everywher until the last mo-
removed. Two of Capt. Stevens guns were
lost, two of Lambs, one of McKnight's and
two Of Adams's. Capt. Adams, with q corpo-
raj and man, stood by their piece when all
other support had left, and until every horse
was shot and the corporal and man were shot
beside him He was then forced to retire Col.
fnf
remove one of the guns OF CoWan's battery,
was slightly wounded by musket ball. The
infantry were also suffering heavily, particu.
larly in officers.
When the lines had reached a crest Just to
the right and rear of Middletown. where d
second stand was made, and when two rdfic
every field officer in the First Division of the
Sixth Corps was wounded. Gen Ricketts,
commanding the corps, hau been SO badly
wounded that he was forced to leave the field
Gen. Bidwell, commanding the I'd Brigade I'd
Division, was mortally wounded by she'll,
which tore bis left shoulder to pieces and shat
tered the left arm of Capt Orr, one Of his
aides. Col. Hamlin, commanding the 1st bri-
gade, (upton's) 1st division, was wounded In
two places, through the thigh and shoulder,
but did not leave the field until afternoon.
Gen. Getty, commanding the I'd division, had
horse shot under him. Col. Penrose, COM
manding the Jersey brigade, was badly wound
ed in the right arm. Col. Hggin botham, OF the
65th New York, had been killed. Col. Camp
bell, OF the 18th Jersey, wounded. Maj. Bow.
man, of the same regiment killed. General
Wright, comman ding the army, had been
slightly wounded in the chin by a bullet.
The 18th corps had also suffered severely.
The battle line OF the infantry was reformed
on the crest alluded to, Just after Gen. Torbert,
with the cavalry, had swept on the left, pitch
ing into the enemy in that direction off the
Pile, establishing his line in con Injunction with
1t, and holding his own against some of the
fercest shelling that was ever showered on
devoted soldiers. At this time, about 10 q. m,
although the appearance Of things in the rear
was still not that generally seen in the rear of
victorious army, and although an appear
ance OF retreat prevailed on some portions OF
the lines, in front, the army had FOR the first
time during the day so far won victory over
its opening disasters as to have disposed con-
sistent and wieldy front towards It's foe, hold
ing its own In the main against further attack.
The results OF the contest were otherwise
gloomy. We had been surprised and driven
out OF a splendid position; had lost multiply
ingly in prisoners; had lost twenty -four pieces